During my first week in Australia, I attended the TEAN study abroad orientation in Cairns, which is one of the main tourist cities in Australia known for its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef! We went snorkeling and diving at the reef, held koalas and fed kangaroos, learned about Aboriginal culture, and were taught about Australian people, culture, and traditions. It was such a fun week and a great way to start out my time abroad!
After meeting my fellow TEAN students and making friends who were living all over Australia, I finally headed to Newcastle, where I would be studying all semester. Newcastle is a very pretty little city just north of Sydney, connected to Sydney by train. Newcastle is home to many beautiful beaches and delicious (and insta-worthy) food. I started out my semester meeting the Australian students who I would be living with, getting to know them and the surrounding area by exploring the beaches and city streets of Newcastle. I knew that I would really enjoy living here, because when classes get to be too much, I can just take the bus to Nobby’s Beach or Darby Street and escape by the beach or with a delicious meal.
I was also fortunate enough to have two visitors from home during the first few weeks of my stay here. My mom and boyfriend both visited me. With my mom, I visited Sydney for the first time; we saw the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge, and did the beautiful Bondi to Coogee Beach walk. It was such a great time! My boyfriend and I went back to Cairns, and I got to dive the Reef one more time as well as take a small plane over the Reef to see it in a different way. This plane trip was one of the coolest things I have ever done – the Reef was absolutely stunning from above, and we could even see rays and reef sharks from above!
My boyfriend and I also visited Brisbane, where he has some family. His family showed us around the city, showing us the beautiful downtown area that was bustling with markets, bicyclists, and a huge manmade pool along the river that families flocked to. My favorite part of this trip, however, was when we visited the Australia Zoo – home of the Crocodile Hunter. I had grown up watching Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, on TV and it was amazing to see my childhood hero immortalized in the place that he worked so hard to build, caring for each and every animal. It was honestly the best zoo that I have ever gone to – the animals had huge enclosures and were so well-cared for, and the Croc Show was just spectacular. I would recommend this zoo to anyone who goes to Brisbane!
I am very excited for the rest of my study abroad experience in Australia. I’m going to visit the Blue Mountains, Melbourne, and even Thailand during the rest of the semester, so stay tuned for more!