Submitted by Allie Dolce on the 2024 Winter NURS program in Sydney …
During my last week (and a few days) in Sydney, I did so many amazing things. Over the weekend, a group of us traveled to Cairns on the northern coast of Queensland, Australia. This was a great trip as we were able to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef! It was truly the best day ever and seeing the reef in person was a once in a lifetime experience. We also did many hikes in the rainforests throughout Cairns. After the weekend, we went to a wildlife sanctuary to see koalas and Kangaroos up close! It was amazing to hear about the wildlife throughout Australia. We even learned how to properly pet a kangaroo and how to approach them. The following day, we headed over to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital to tour the Florence Nightingale museum. It was so interesting to see what nursing was like so long ago and comparing it to nursing in today’s world. There is an entire collection of preserved artifacts from the 1900s in the hospital, such as work uniforms, medical equipment, and even human body parts. The next group activity consisted of walking around Watson’s Bay, which was beautiful and very peaceful. The following day was Australia Day! It was so exciting to be in Australia to celebrate their national holiday. We got to see fireworks and the show was performed live at the opera house! We eventually did also see a show at the opera house later in the week, which was incredible. It was so fascinating to see such a beautiful performing arts center being used. I am extremely sad to leave Australia, and I feel like I have learned so much about the culture and have made so many wonderful memories and friends here. (Submitted on January 31, 2024)
