I have definitely become very comfortable in my city now. It’s crazy to think that my program is already half-way through at this point. There have been a lot of experiences that have led to me becoming comfortable and familiar with my surroundings within the city of Sydney. A really big part of it is honestly just doing all the normal day-to-day tasks. Walking to class, going to the grocery store, etc. My roommates and I enjoy eating out and trying new restaurants which is another contributor to being able to find new places and become familiar with them easily. Within the city of Sydney, there are over 100 beaches. That’s another thing my roommates and I love to do, go to all the different beaches. Since they are all spread out throughout the city, it’s been a great way to explore more remote places of the city. The easiest way to get to a lot of them is by ferry, so even just riding the ferry and looking at the different places you pass on the way helps to figure out your bearings and where everything is.
This whole experience has been so surreal, so it’s almost like the whole time I’ve been thinking oh my gosh I’m actually in Australia right now, there’s one specific moment in particular where everything really hit me all at once. A group of me and 9 of my friends decided to take a weekend trip to the Outback to see Uluru, that big red rock which isn’t one of the 7 Wonders of the World, but is one of the 7 Wonders of Oceania. It was about a 3 ½ hours flight from Sydney into the middle of the country. As we were descending into the airport (which has two gates), you were able to see Uluru from up in the sky. It was absolutely breathtaking to see and that was my ultimate oh my gosh, I’m abroad and getting to experience so many amazing things like this.
Overall, there hasn’t been a lot of culture shock involved with adjusting to Australia living, since it’s so similar to the US. The biggest thing was remembering to walk on the left for the first few weeks. But now I’m so used to it, it’s going to be hard to change back! Another slight difference which I actually really enjoy is the laid-back nature of the culture here. Everything and everyone is super chill. I’ve loved my time spent here so far and can’t wait to make the most of my last few weeks.