Submitted by Marisa Bisram on the 2017 winter session program in Australia sponsored by the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering…
5,4,3,2,1! We sat in the Los Angeles Airport counting down to an East Coast New Year’s. It was the furthest I’d ever been away from home and the first time I had ever spent New Year’s Eve away from my family. It wasn’t something I considered while preparing for the program, but sitting in the airport receiving videos of my family at home celebrating, definitely started the home sickness prematurely. However, the excitement of the other group members quickly raised my enthusiasm for the adventure to come.
After spending a few days in Melbourne, I can say missing New Year’s was absolutely worth it. The city of Melbourne has one of the best transportation systems in the world and compared to home, the infrastructure is amazing. According to the 2016 Economic Intelligence Unit Livability Report, Melbourne scored a perfect 100 percent. The transportation system was the biggest shock to me since I was used to having to drive everywhere or having long wait times for public transportation at home. Most locations in the city are accessible by tram, bus or train with an average wait time of only 10 minutes. For our stay this winter, this is extremely beneficial because it doesn’t limit us to areas just in the university area. Our travel options are limitless and I look forward to spending the beginning of a new year exploring new places!