Submitted by Stepfanie Stapf on the 2023 summer session program in New Zealand and Australia…
For the past few days, I have been experiencing life in Sydney, Australia. After just a few hours of being in Australia, we headed to the Germany v. Colombia Women’s World Cup Match. The stadium was spectacular, and the energy in the crowd was incredible. Fans of both teams filled the stadium. The voices of Colombian fans carried tremendously throughout the opening ceremony and the entirety of the game. I do not know much about soccer, but the passion of the players and fans made each play so captivating. I found myself becoming emotional while witnessing the amount of love that Colombian fans have for their team and their country. The fans seemed like one big family, who were mostly strangers yet had so much in common. I had no idea that a sport could have such a unifying impact.
Being in Sydney, we had to make a stop at the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. We embarked on a three-hour climb across the entirety of the bridge, covering both the length and the height. Once we reached the 134 meter peak of the bridge, I looked down and could see all of Sydney with my own eyes. At that moment, I felt like I was on top of the world. It is easy to be in a city and forget how far away from home I am, but these views allowed me to zoom out from my immediate surroundings and understand how once-in-a-lifetime this experience was. Throughout the climb, our tour guide told us all of the history that has made the bridge so well-known. We accomplished the climb, and moved on to tour the Sydney Opera House. Although this walk was less physically demanding, the experience was just as memorable. The complexity of the construction of the bridge and opera house was astounding to me. It is difficult to imagine how many materials, alterations, and humans were needed to build these magnificent landmarks.
I have a new appreciation for historical architecture, including the detail and precision that is portrayed. While learning about the general history of the city of Sydney, I have also been able to become familiar with the community health initiatives and health care system present in Australia. You learn the most about a culture by immersing yourself in it, which I am grateful to have the opportunity to do. (Submitted on August 6, 2023)
