Submitted by Jason Spalding on the 2019 spring semester study abroad program in Australia sponsored by the Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics…
When I first set out on this journey, the most important tool that I brought with me was an open mind. Never before have I been outside of the United States and originally, I was nervous about committing to such an experience. A fifteen-week program that stretches to the furthest possible lengths from home, an experience I never thought was possible. However, after these past two weeks, my life and mind have been opened to so many new experiences.
The first week was met with a plethora of adventure. We started off the week by attending classes at the University of Notre Dame right in the middle of Sydney. The campus is a stunning hidden gem in the modern jungle of Sydney. The old-fashioned buildings are beautiful and resonate a feeling of knowledge and education. It was a small adjustment having to make the twenty-minute walk everyday, but it was easy to overcome once we got our sense of direction. Within the first week, we also went to several beaches, my personal favorite being Bondi Beach. Bondi was filled with an abundance of various people, languages, and cultures. It was a little overwhelming at first being plunged into such a melting pot of culture. Nevertheless, it was an incredible learning experience. Later in the week, I got to experience some of the world-renowned Sydney food, taking time to visit the famous Sydney Fish Market and the rotating buffet located 1,000 feet in the air on top of the Sydney Tower. This was all only within the first week!
The first weekend was met with even more fun and adventure. The Walk About Wildlife Park was an experience right out of a dream. The opportunity to walk with kangaroos, see endangered species, and other species that I had only seen pictures of was a once in a lifetime experience. That park brought a new wave of appreciation for wildlife into my life. The tour of the Rocks district provided some historic and cultural background of Australia that helped shed some light onto my curious mind. The history of Australia is very similar to America, along with the geography as well. All in all, the first weekend was one of the best weekends of my entire life.
The second week was a bucket list week. A dream came true this week since I was able to see an actual Italian Opera, La Boheme, in the main theatre at the Sydney Opera House. The atmosphere in such an historic landmark was everything I could have imagined. A very fancy and picturesque interior with views that I will never want to forget. So far this has been an incredible program and I still have an entire 12 weeks, 3 months, left. I am no longer nervous, but accepting of the world and cannot wait to see what else is out there. I have all that too, and more, thanks to the University of Delaware and their amazing staff.
Exploring Bondi Beach Jason spalding 19S Australia + Int. Internship-1e604r3