Submitted by Thomas Celenza on the 2017 winter session program in Australia sponsored by the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering…
So, it has now been a week since touching down in Melbourne, Australia, and saying it’s been a remarkable experience already would be an understatement. Trying to fit in with the locals and learning the ins and outs of Australia has been a rather difficult, but a rewarding task. Their accents, slang and mannerisms take some getting used to, but hopefully I will arrive back home with an accent of my own! The people here are immensely polite and more patient than many Americans, and it shows in just a few minutes of conversation. We have explored the city itself, checking out a few landmarks, some restaurants, beaches, a market, etc. The city itself is extremely clean compared to American cities and transportation is a breeze. The public transportation via trains, buses and trams makes navigating the city pretty simple and probably much better for the environment. The buildings here are either old fashioned or incredibly modern, implementing complex designs as seen in the picture from Queen Victoria’s Market. The weather makes the trip even more exciting. To contact friends back home and hear about a foot of snow ruining their days, while I’m on the beach under a cloudless sky in 90-degree heat baffles me, but I’m definitely not complaining.