Today I have completed my first month in Australia! I have already checked off some bucket list items, and done other activities I would never have thought of. I started off my first week in Cairns for orientation. After only being in the country for three days I decided to go skydiving! Me and a couple new friends jumped out of a plane at 7am, and I even went…
A great experience I had while in Australia was taking a behind the scenes tour of the Sydney Taronga Zoo. The zoo stresses conservation, education and preservation so as not to exploit the animals. They aim to provide a high level of care and enrichments to the animals. Taronga is also involved in many conservation and animal welfare programs. The zoo also includes a wildlife hospital, where they care for…
*Written previously* I’ve been in Australia for about 3 weeks now. What I’ve learned in the short period of time being away is that I wish someone had more tips for me on how to pack, and tips for necessities you need while being abroad. For one pack as light as possible (yes this is coming from a girl who always overpacked) but seriously, you only need more summer-like clothes…
It is sad to say that my study abroad experience was cut short. Though I am grateful that I was still able to experience Australia as much as possible. I went to Australia not knowing anyone else that was going, which I was excited about, yet it may be scary for some people but this was not a first for me. In the past, I have had great experiences going…
As I enter my final week abroad, I can reflect on what I have learned and experienced. I did not know what to expect, so all I could do was jump in with a sense of curiosity and excitement. This period of life introduced me to new people, places, and things. I learned a lot about myself as well. One of the things studying abroad taught me was time management.…
Hey! my name is Michaela Califano, I am a sophomore at the college majoring in Exercise Science and am on the Equestrian team. In a little more than a week I will be traveling to a place nicknamed as the “land Down under”, also known as Australia. Most people ask “oh why Australia?” My answer usually is I don’t know it seems like such a cool, interesting place. I have…
After returning back to Connecticut a couple days ago, I have had the time to reflect on my time in Australia. What I gained out of this experience exceeded my expectations and I will miss my host university with my whole heart. During my time abroad, I made friends with students from several different states such as Wisconsin, Utah, Delaware, Texas, and more; these are people who I never would…
One of my favorite experiences while in Australia was visiting Byron Bay on the Gold Coast. Byron Bay is a beautiful beach town located in the northeast of New South Wales. ISA, the study abroad organization I went through, set up a few day trip for us there when we first arrived in order for us to get acclimated to the country and have some fun experiences before class began.…
A big difference I experienced while abroad was the education system. While in America university classes consist of lectures and sometimes labs, Australian classes consist lectures, sometimes labs, and tutorials. Tutorials are once a week and are usually led by a teacher’s assistant, where the students are able to go more into depth with the material by working through exercises with other students and the teacher’s assistant. Typically, Australian Universities…
Studying abroad can be a daunting experience. For most of us, it is our first time leaving everything we know behind and heading into the unknown. Leading up to my departure, I remember there were days where I would be ecstatic about my adventure down under and other times where I questioned everything. What is important to know is that everyone goes through it whether they openly talk about it…
