The weirdest thing about being in Australia is that we are actually in Australia! Sydney is a beautiful city surrounded by beautiful beaches and I feel so lucky to be a part of this experience. Some things we have explored so far are beaches, public transportation & navigating, the historic Rocks district, the Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary, and some more beaches.
One big difference from home versus here is the current weather (especially on the beaches). Here is a side-by-side comparison of Popham Beach by where my family lives in Phippsburg, ME and Bondi Beach—the pictures taken only 10 days apart!
While we have gotten a bit better with navigating, it has been a learning experience. We have ridden on the buses, trains, light rails, and ferries, with the occasional Uber.
The walking culture is appreciated especially living so close to many exciting experiences. I have enjoyed walking through the parks in Sydney to find a good spot to read and enjoy the warm weather—only to look up and find bats flying out of the trees in search of their dinner. Even the walk to and from class at UTS has allowed for some surprising sights as well.
As a group, we have also had some amazing experiences during the weekends such as a walking tour of the historic Rocks district and the Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary. Both excursions allowed us to get a better feel of Australia as sometimes it is hard to really understand that we are in another country because we are living in the heart of a city. The preserved Rocks district reinforced connections to subjects we had been learning about in class surrounding the first convicts to land in Sydney as well as how they disrupted the lives of the Aboriginal people already thriving in the area. It was also interesting to see just how unique the harbor is (and was) as a cruise ship can pull right up to the dock, its size jarring next to the historic neighborhood.
At the Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary, we learned about the various wildlife native to the area. Including a plant leaf which, when rubbed together with some water, could be used as a natural soap. We saw kangaroos, emu, koalas, and snakes, just to name a few. And even got to try the Australia and New Zealand’s sausage sizzle. I even ate a termite (on purpose).
And of course, more beaches. The water is so blue, and the waves are great for surfing. Before coming to Sydney, my mom made sure I knew about how dangerous the tides can be and to make sure I paid attention to the specified swim areas. Still, seeing how big the waves could get was crazy! However, the most shocking thing was how salty the water is—it stings!
