I have lived my whole life on the outskirts of Canberra on farms. I associate my childhood with shearing, mustering, riding horses and working hard. Since studying at university, I am not able to engage with this part of my life as much as I used to. I still live on a small hobby farm that my family rents from a close
friend. My dad runs sheep in Yass and my Mum runs a village post office in Hall, ACT.

I describe myself as rural and have never lived in town long term. Next year in Cowra will be my first me living in a town centre, even if it is smaller than Canberra and away from home. I am incredibly lucky that I have spent more me on a horse than I have walking and have missed this dearly as I work to support myself through medical school. The one day I get to work means that I reallocate study me to other nights and as a result have chosen to let my horse riding go to the wayside. However, I am incredibly lucky to work as a medical receptionist in Murrumbateman, NSW at a private psychiatry clinic called the Murrumbateman Specialist Centre. I have worked at this practice for going on three years now and spent 2021 working full time until moving to casual as medical school began. At the practice at which I work the doctors provide services to mainly patients from rural areas who are unable to access care near their homes.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, my parents are unable to financially support me, which means my bills, food, car and school supplies are all self-funded on an income of one day work and AusStudy payments. Despite this financial pressure, from my job at Murrumbateman Specialist Centre I can be a part of a community, whether it is waving at everyone I know on the road, visiting Dee at the local takeaway, seeing Shane the mechanic or calling Helen a fellow receptionist- at a GP practice in Yass. I am going to miss this as I move to Cowra next year and hope that with the support of the Rotary Scholarship, I may be able to reallocate some
of my work me to community me by joining a local sport team, going to the Cowra show or to the Young Cherry festival. I would love the opportunity to be able to be er immerse myself into life in Cowra without the daunting financial pressure of paying my bills.