Category: Australia

Submitted by Jake Kalinowski the 2024 Spring program in Sydney, Australia…

One important aspect to me while studying abroad is maintaining my physical health. Luckily for me, Sydney is full of physical activities to stay fit. Australia has a pretty big emphasis on being physically fit in their culture. There are tons of yoga and pilates studios throughout the city. There are also free yoga classes every Sunday morning at the Sydney Harbour which I have been to and are lovely. The classes provide a great start to my day and help me feel motivated to go about my day in a calm and present way. 

Back at home, I have taken yoga classes at Delaware and love going to the gym. It makes me feel better if I’m feeling stressed. There are actually several research studies that prove working out actually releases endorphins, which leads to our reactions of being better mentally. 

I have been able to continue working out in Australia with several yoga and pilates studios within walking distance from where I live in the city. The photo shown is from the pilates studio in a neighboring town called CBD which is about a 15 minute walk. It is a really aesthetic studio and is called Pilates Barre. 

Before coming to Sydney, I had never taken too many pilates classes consistently. I had only taken one before at Delaware, but it was different because we were on the floor with mats, instead of being on a reformer, which is what I have used here in Sydney. I find the reformer to be helpful in that it serves many different purposes. You can strengthen your arms, legs, and core 

with just one machine which is pretty neat. (Submitted on March 26, 2024)

Submitted by Hannah Scheck the 2024 Spring program in Sydney, Australia…

First week of interning! I am currently interning at a company called Vinolytics, which is a company that hosts wine tasting events connected to an app allowing the consumers to rate the wines providing them with a “wine persona” and providing the actual wineries with consumer preferences! I have been enjoying the work and the people so far. Other than work, this week I celebrated two of my friends’ birthdays! We did dinner at the Opera Bar one night and Lee’s Dumplings another night! I also went to my first ever Symphony! The Sydney Opera House had a performance of Beethoven’s Third Symphony and I was able to see it! It was absolutely beautiful, there was so much musical talent in that room I was truly stunned. I spent the rest of my time just walking around and enjoying Sydney. I went to WildLife zoo and saw some adorable animals. I took a walk through the Barangaroo Reserve and made my way to Observatory Park. I ended my time with a trip to the Art Gallery of NSW and a nice stroll through the Royal Botanical Gardens! (Submitted on March 24, 2024)

Submitted by Jake Kalinowski the 2024 Spring program in Sydney, Australia…

One of the most magical and peaceful places I have discovered so far during my time abroad in Sydney has been the observatory. It overlooks the city skyline and the harbor. It is simply the best place to be. The breeze always comes through the branches and leaves at just the perfect spot. The trees provide an abundance of shade on a hot, summer day and the grass is perfect for a picnic. The Sydney Observatory is phenomenal for watching the sunset. I have only been there twice so far, but definitely plan to make future trips. It is easily one of the most peaceful places I have been to abroad, and in my life. 

The Sydney Observatory is perfect to visit when I’m feeling overwhelmed or sad. It’s about a 50 minute walk from where I live in Ultimo, which is great for getting some exercise and taking in the sights and sounds of Darling Harbour as I walk by. The other day, I was feeling sad, so I went to the observatory and it helped get my emotions out and reconnect with myself. It’s so important to have a safe space like that where you can unwind and ground yourself. I’m grateful that my friend introduced me to this hidden gem. It has become a sanctuary for my friends and I abroad and I think that is a very special thing. (Submitted on March 20, 2024)

Submitted by Hannah Scheck the 2024 Spring program in Sydney, Australia…

End of finals, start of spring break! Finished my finals and moved out to a hostel! My two friends studying in Auckland came to visit for the weekend! I was able to take them all around. We went to an Irish restaurant and got meat pies. We watched the sunset by the opera house. We visited the Blue Mountains! Absolutely stunning views and nature. Took them to Bondi to catch some 

waves, watch the sunset, and eat some fish and chips. Their weekend ended with a trip to Paddy’s Market for some souvenirs, a quick lunch for dumplings, and a walk around Taronga Zoo! We went to Manly for dinner at sunset. Woke up, got on the train, and got on a plane to Auckland! My first day there, we just walked around and I saw their campus. We had some delicious pizza for dinner. The next day, we got noodles and dumplings, and walked around the Silo park, Albert Park, and the Auckland Domain. We tried a tiramisu croissant and shaved ice. Hopped on a ferry and rode over to Waiheke! Enjoyed the beaches and stunning views from the walking paths. I ended my trip there with an excursion to the black sand beaches of Piha. We went through a hike and found the most beautiful waterfall, which was the perfect spot for some swimming. Ended my last day with a beautiful skyline view of the city from Mount Eden. Got on the plane back to Australia: this stop is Cairns. Arrived, got some sushi, walked around the botanical gardens and rainforest walk! Enjoyed some reef fish tacos before hopping on a ferris wheel! Woke up early to catch a boat. Today we go to the Great Barrier Reef! The boat tour included breakfast, lunch, snacks, and two spots to explore. At our first stop, I did some snorkeling and scuba diving! I was a little nervous at first, but the views were incredible. The coral was so bright and colorful. I have never been that close to aquatic animals in my life. The second stop was a guided tour by a marine biologist. She showed us some of the different sea creatures and explained some cool facts about them. Throughout that trip, I saw a lot of fish, a puffer fish, sea cucumbers, three sharks, and an octopus! To end my break, I went to the Rainforest Cableway Skyrail! It was a beautiful scenic cable taking us through the rainforest. There were a couple stops to get off and walk around. We saw some beautiful trees, a huge waterfall, and a couple very scary spiders. At the end of the line was a very cute little town for shopping and lunch. We took the Skyrail back and got a ride to the airport. A very eventful week filled with lots of adventure and fun! (Submitted on March 17, 2024)

Submitted by Jake Kalinowski the 2024 Spring program in Sydney, Australia…

The other week I explored Redleaf Beach in Sydney. I had never been before and was recommended to explore it by a friend who lives in Sydney. It was a quaint beach on a particularly warm day in Australia. The area had gorgeous, wealthy homes in a more private area of town. There was a deck where you could jump off into the water which I thought was neat and had never seen before. There were even little docks you could hop up on like seals do and sunbathe. 

What I thought was particularly unique about Redleaf Beach was the artwork on the walls of the cafe. Colorful images of cute cartoon-like people at Redleaf enjoying the sun. The artwork is seen not only here at Redleaf, but I also see it in and around the city of Sydney. I like this because it shows the city’s personality and creativity. The city is bursting with color and for people to express themselves freely which is one reason why I love Sydney so much. 

Seeing these paintings at Redleaf made me realize how important it is to tap into your creative side. It makes you feel free and content. It even makes others happy as well which is always nice. Things that make me feel creative are photography and film. Also exploring new areas. I have a passion for adventure and making new experiences, making studying abroad in Australia such a wonderful experience. (Submitted on March 13, 2024)

Submitted by Jake Kalinowski the 2024 Spring program in Sydney, Australia…

I am taking Intercultural Communications at CEA CAPA where we learn about a diverse range of cultures and how that shapes our experiences. We took a trip to Sydney’s Chinatown which is just a five minute walk from our classroom building in the city for one week. We learned about Chinese culture and the celebrations around Lunar New Year which is huge in China and in Sydney’s Chinatown. 

There are fireworks on the weekends and Asian restaurants are flooded with people experiencing all the tasty food Chinese culture has to offer. My friends and I saw the dragon parade since 2024 is the Year of the Dragon. There were hundreds of people, tourists, locals, Chinese, all viewing the parade which was a neat experience that so many people of different cultures came together to watch this sacred event in Chinese culture. 

We learned about the significance of the color red to the Chinese people and how it symbolizes happiness. We also learned from our tour guide named Justin that white symbolizes death. This is particularly interesting because in American culture white symbolizes purity and innocence. 

Sydney’s Chinatown was so lovely and special to visit, especially because it is the largest in Australia and in the Southern Hemisphere. The food is wonderful and tasty. I’ve had noodles and soup and it’s so nice dipping into Chinese culture while abroad in Australia. It creates a unique experience for me and my peers while studying and opens our eyes to new perspectives. (Submitted on March 9, 2024)

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)

Submitted by Hannah Scheck the 2024 Spring program in Sydney, Australia…

Week 8! Final week of classes! This week consisted of a lot of studying and finishing up final projects. However, I was still able to have a little bit of fun. For a friend’s birthday, we went to Dumpling Time in Newtown, where I ate pork and chive dumplings and stir fry. We later got cupcakes and sang to him! Also throughout the week, I was able to check out the Malaysian Festival happening in Darling Harbor! I went to Paddy’s Market to try and find some birthday presents for my friends. I made my way over to Spice Alley for the first time! While there, I tried pork belly and rice, shrimp fried rice, curry with rice, crunchy noodles and flat noodles. They all were delicious! I made a new friend this week and we got breakfast together! We went to Pancakes on the Rocks where I tried their lemon pancakes! To end my week, I made my way over to Balmoral Beach. It was so incredibly beautiful! The water was so nice, the weather was so nice, I felt very happy just to lay there for several hours. Despite the stress of finals, I still found my way to have fun this week. (Submitted on March 6, 2024)

Submitted by Navleen Kaur the 2024 Spring program in Sydney, Australia…

This week I continued my streak of trying food at vegan restaurants and cafes. I get a lot of joy out of eating different cuisines at vegan restaurants. This week I went to Bourke Street Bakery and Yulli’s! At Bourke Street Cafe, I ordered an almond latte and an almond praline croissant. I found the croissant to be much richer than the croissant I had ordered at my favorite vegan cafe Oh My Days. After eating the croissant, I felt I had eaten an entire meal. After researching what made the croissant I had ordered at Oh My Days much lighter on my stomach to digest, I found that instead of using butter, Oh My Days uses shea butter to make its croissants. It took them eight months to develop this vegan croissant recipe! Next, I visited Yulli’s and ordered their Korean Fried Broccolini. This was the most unique dish I have ever tried in my life! This dish came with chili sauce, coconut, and crushed almonds. It was a sweet dish and my friend told me the dish may have been sweet because the restaurant wanted to replicate Korean fried chicken which is on the sweeter side. A few days ago, I got Nachos from Bad Hombres a second time because I loved them so much the first time I ordered them. Overall, after visiting so many vegan cafes and restaurants, I have concluded that I prefer eating vegan food over vegetarian food. I feel lighter and healthier when I eat vegan food. I found that my body bloats and doesn’t digest dairy very easily. The vegan cafe I frequent is Oh My Days! I have one more week left in Sydney, and I plan to visit Oh My Days a few more times and try different vegan pastries before leaving for Queenstown. From the time I first stepped foot in Sydney to now, seven weeks in, I feel settled in Sydney and have found it to be one of the calmest and safest cities I have ever lived in. (Submitted on March 1, 2024)