Submitted by Navleen Kaur the 2024 Spring program in Sydney, Australia…
This was my last week in Sydney, and I fully took advantage of it! First, I saw La Traviata, an opera by Giuseppe Verdi, at the Sydney Opera House. I knew from the beginning of my stay here that I wanted to see an opera at the Opera House. I read up on the opera beforehand,
so I would understand what the plot and context of the opera was. I enjoyed the opera immensely! It was my first time seeing an opera live, so I did not know what to expect. I found out that most operas are either in French or Italian. To make sure the audience could understand the dialogue, there was a digital board above the stage that had English translations of all the dialogue being said. Furthermore, the costumes, set designs, singing, and emotions were beautiful! I noticed that many people were getting emotional and sitting on the edge of their seats during the arias. Along with seeing an opera, I visited my favorite grocery store one last time – Maloneys Grocer – in Surry Hills. They have the best cauliflower vegan burger patties and sweet potato buns. After making these purchases, I headed off to Yo-Chi, a frozen yogurt shop. The toppings this shop provided were amazing! There was everything from freshly cut fruit to multiple types of chocolate! I went overboard while putting the toppings on my yogurt and nearly spilled it all while waiting to check out! Besides these few activities, I spent time studying for my finals and writing papers. In both my Global Management and International Marketing courses, the final exam consisted of a few essay questions that we had to answer thoroughly using our notes. The questions were meant to get us thinking about everything we learned during the block and how it was all interconnected. Ultimately, my time in Sydney has been absolutely wonderful! It is a very safe city and a great place for students to study abroad. I loved getting to experience Lunar New Year here and visiting a variety of vegan cafes and restaurants. I would highly recommend students to check out this vibrant yet calm and steady city! (Submitted on March 8, 2024)