To all wondering about my venture to Australia...

I know many have been asking many questions about what/where/when/why/motives/purpose/reasons/how regarding myself moving to Australia soon. So, I figured i could answer some blanket questions here and hopefully it will help!

First of all, what am i doing exactly and where?

• I am going to be a first time, one year college student at Hillsong International Leadership College at the City Campus in Sydney,New South Wales, Australia.(and no, for anyone wondering, I am not going as a foreign exchange student...I've gotten that alot.) Hillsong International Leadership College is a part of the heartbeat and calling  of Hillsong Church. Under the direction of Senior Pastors Brian and Bobbie Houston, the college is committed to raising, training and equipping a leadership generation. Under the banner of Hillsong Church, the training offered by Hillsong International Leadership College is bearing global influence upon the wider body of the church through leadership training, contemporary praise and worship and specialised Youth, Children's and Media ministries. (btw-this information is straight from the Hillsong College website- www.hillsongcollege.com. You should check it out!)
• I will be studying under the Pastoral Leadership stream and taking the Youth Pathway. (In common terms- Stream=major.Pathway=emphasis). I will be taking classes such as Old&New Testament Introduction,Christian Doctrine,Spirit-Filled Living,Personal Leadership,
  Personal Evangelism,
  Communication in Ministry, 
  Church and Ministry, Public Speaking and Presentations, Church History, World Religions, Mission and Culture, and Introduction to Youth. 
• As a one year Student, I will earn a Certificate IV in Ministry.The one year Certificate IV in Ministry builds a basic foundation of Biblical teachings and principles for ministry coupled with practical application and market-place skills across streams. 
• where will i live?:I will be living in an apartment complex that is the college's that is right beside the college. I will live in a flat with 3 other girls. 2 room apartment, 2 girls per room. 

When will I be leaving and how long will i be gone?

• I will be leaving on July 16, 2011, and will arrive at the sydney airport 2 days later(theres a 15 hour time difference!) on July 18th.  My first day of enrollment is July 21,Orientation is July 22, and my first day of college is July 26!!
• I will be going for college from July 21,2011-July 8, 2012. I will have a christmas break in between semesters that I will be able to come home for a couple of weks for.

Why am I going?

• How I found about the college: This is a BIG desicion i've been praying about and looking into since i was 14 years old and a freshman in high school. I actually stumbled across the website for the college when googling about Hillsong United. I had no idea they had a college, and started looking into it, and i was instantly hooked! After talking to Mia Fieldes about it when she came to Christ Church, I knew it was something that God really wanted me to do. I've been praying about it since, and applied to the college in October of 2010, and found out in November that i was accepted!
• Why I am going to Study Pastoral Leadership if I could be studying Worship Music? I actually was originally going to apply for Worship Music stream, but God totally changed my heart about it before i knew it. After Hillsong, I do plan on going to a 4 year university back in the States and earning a degree in Music Education so I can be a Choral Director. Knowing this, I wanted all of the experience and biblical teachings I could soak in that would make me The Best music director that God wants me to be, by being not only a well rounded musician and singer, but by also being a true minister, and friend and counselor to any young person I may teach in a school or anyone I may lead or work with in a church setting. This is why I chose the Youth pathway, because I want to be able to lead the young people I may teach and lead someday with passion and Godly leadership, and to be a solid, Christian example in their life. 
• For all you funny folks out there- no, i am not going to Australia to find me an Aussie boy. ha! actually, Hillsong strongly discourages dating during the first year, so i'm not gonna be doin any of that folks. :) but thanks for askin.
• The same way God puts missions in peoples' hearts for places like China, Africa, Russia, Mexico, and other 3rd world countries- God has put such a burning passion for the people of Australia, mainly New South Wales, on my heart. I a, going just as much to reach the Australian people for Christ as I am to attend Bible College. While Australia is not a 3rd world country, and is much like the USA or England, it has many religious groups. according to some websites,Religion in australia remains dominated demographically by Christianity, with 64% of the population claiming at least nominal adherence to the Christian faith as of 2007, although less than a quarter of those attend church weekly.18.7% of Australians declared 'no-religion' on the 2006 Census, and the remaining population is a diverse group that includes fast-growing Islamic and Buddhist communities. I have a heart set to see these people come to know and experience God and be close to Him; To be brought out of darkness into new light. 

Finances:

• My awesome grandparents (my dad's parents) actually have been giving me savings bonds since  i was born, so those ended up being enough to pay for tuition.Im so grateful for that! But otherwise- I am TOTALLY going off of faith here that God will provide a way for me to financially support myself while living in Sydney. The cost of living in Sydney is essentially the same as living in NYC=EXPENSIVE. I do plan to get a job over there ASAP to pay for living expenses, but my family and I are totally going off of faith, believing God will provide all that I need to live and make essential payments and living costs every month. PRAYERS ABOUT THIS ARE MUCH APPRECIATED! it costs between $150-300 a week to live there. just to give a little taste of what i'm looking at. 

If any has any other questions, let me know and i'll be more than happy to answer!

I hope this resolved any questions and thank you for letting me share a bit of my heart with you!

thanks to all who support and pray for me!

Much love,

Kaitlyn