I’m Actually in Australia

Written by Amy Shin, Foster undergraduate 

I really had no idea what Sydney would be like. I might have imagined kangaroos to be hopping around the streets, a scene out of Mary-Kate and Ashley’s 2000 film “Our Lips are Sealed” (kudos to you if you get that reference), or the ultimate dream: extremely attractive Australian men around every corner.

As I left the airport in a taxi to my new home for the next five months, I couldn’t help but look out the window the entire time and take in the new scenery. My apartment for the next five months was located in the quaint suburb of Chippendale, which I soon discovered was an ideal location close to school, Central train station, and the supermarket. Though I didn’t know my roommates beforehand, I could already tell by our excited exchanges of “hey!” that we were off to a good start.

A few days later was our exchange student orientation, which happened to be on what I believe was one of the hottest days in Sydney. As my roommates and I sat in the University’s Great Hall, our makeup melting off our faces, it hit me that February in this country meant the middle of summer and that I really was in the southern hemisphere of the world.

After being in Sydney for over four days and I still had not seen the infamous Sydney Opera House. With this in mind, my roommates and I decided to finally make our way downtown to Circular Quay. We clearly looked like tourists trying to navigate the bus system and constantly checking Google maps to make sure we weren’t lost, but after a short struggle later, we could see the water in the Sydney Cove.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge was right in front, standing proud in the harbor and as we walked a little bit more towards Bennelong Point, we could see glimpses of the Opera House glistening under the bright Australian sun. It was truly an epic moment as I got closer and closer and took in the sight of what I had only seen through pictures before. I went in not expecting much, it is just a building after all, but trust me, it’s so much more than that.

At the end of the week, it was about time that I saw some classic Australian animals. The roomies and I took a train to Featherdale Wildlife Park where we could touch koalas and feed kangaroos and wallabies. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more like a five year old since I was actually five years old. I was on a natural high of pure joy from witnessing these creatures with my own eyes and you don’t have to ask, I have all the pictures in the world to reminisce with. And that was officially the beginning of my adventure in Oz.