18 long hours flying
Orlando to LAX, LAX to Sydney
Orlando to LAX, LAX to Sydney
30 TEAN study abroad students stayed in the Sydney Central YHA Hostel
I wanted to make my studying abroad semester a time to experience as much as possible
saying yes to every opportunity
First thing accomplished: eating kangaroo for dinner
the thought of it freaked me out at first
I figured if I was going to eat it at any point I better try it before I start playing with them alive
Kangaroos are overpopulated in Australia, there are 3 for every 1 person living here
It is common to eat them here, I didn't know what to expect but I liked it, tasted just like steak!
Our group walked the entire city the next day
We saw some beautiful parks,
the Royal Botanical Gardens,
and Wooloomooloo Bay where we stopped at an Australian Icon, Harry's Famous Pies, for a meat pie.
One of the first things people think when they think of Sydney, Australia is the Sydney Opera House.
I am living about a half hour walk from the Opera House
One of the first days I got here we went to see it.
It is giant and beautiful
we didn't go inside but we took lots of pictures & have plans to go see a show there later in the semester
Right next to the Opera House is the Sydney Harbour Bridge
TEAN set up a bridge climb for us
We suited up, hooked ourselves on to the bridge and climbed up to the top
440 feet & the most incredible view
Our next adventure was the Featherdale Wildlife Park
We got to pet a Koala and feed a Kangaroo
I don't think I'll be eating more Kangaroo after that
they were so cute!
Koala Bears are officially my favorite animal
apparently they are really mean and can claw your eyes out
but the one I met was super adorable, fluffy and just wanted to hang in his tree.
I came into this semester abroad knowing close to nothing about Australia
I had this false idea that all of Australia was just one big beach
and then the outback on the other side of the country
I am living in the middle of the city about an hour bus ride to the nearest beach,
it isn't a bad ride at all I just miss living the beach life.
The first beach we visited was Bronte Beach
we got a surf safety talk
from one of the star lifeguards of Fuel TV's Bondi Rescue television show
My first famous Aussie :)
On our last night in the YHA our group went on a Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise
it was so beautiful to see the harbour all lit up at night.
The drinking age is 18 over here
it is a weird thing to go from 19 in the USA
far from the legal age of 21
to being able to order a drink no problem without even being asked for my ID.
My first legal drink was on the harbour cruise
I had a glass of champagne with dinner
it was very cute and nice and a great end to a wonderful first week in Sydney.
I cannot wait to explore so much more of this amazing city and all of the Land Down Under!
