Submitted by Jake Kalinowski on the 2024 Spring program in Sydney, Australia…
I am thrilled to be studying in Sydney, Australia for the spring 2024 semester! I am loving it already, as it is so easy to adjust to the warm weather and relaxed environment. All of the people are so friendly. My team at CEA CAPA, where I am taking my courses, have been so welcoming.
Something I have picked up on very quickly, only being here one week, is the surf culture. Out of 25 million Australians, approximately 2.5 million Australians surf. The surf culture is similar to the United States in that of the Eastern and Western coasts of America. In Australia, tons of locals flock to the beaches up and down the coast to catch a wave.
On my first day here, after orientation, I went with some friends to Bondi Beach which is one of Australia’s most famous beaches (though it’s not as popular with the locals). It was beautiful. I saw loads of surfers riding the waves and something that stood out to me was there was an Australian lifeguard shouting into a megaphone every couple of minutes letting the surfers know that the water is dangerous and if they aren’t a strong swimmer, they could come out. I found this to be interesting because in the states, no one is yelling on a megaphone at the beach. We just have whistles, if anything at all.
On the second day, my friends and I checked out Mandly beach and the photo shown is of Shelly Beach which is a quaint bay. Lots of people were snorkeling, diving, swimming, or just floating around soaking up the Australian sun. It was a beautiful area and very calm. (Submitted on January 24, 2024)