Category: Australia

Submitted by Harry Anderson on the 2024 Winter BUAD/FINC program in Thailand and Australia…

Nestled just outside the vibrant city of Sydney, Australia, lies a unique haven for wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers alike – a walkabout park that not only showcases the incredible biodiversity of the region but also pays homage to its Indigenous roots. As visitors step into this sanctuary, they are greeted by the iconic silhouettes of kangaroos and wallabies against the backdrop of eucalyptus trees, setting the stage for an unforgettable day of connection with Australia’s remarkable fauna. 

The park, situated on Aboriginal land, carries profound cultural significance. Before embarking on any adventure, guests are encouraged to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land and appreciate the rich history that predates the arrival of European settlers. This serves as a reminder of the deep connection the Indigenous people have with the land and its inhabitants, fostering a sense of respect and understanding. 

As visitors stroll along naturally-maintained trails, they encounter enclosures featuring a plethora of indigenous Australian animals, each with its own unique story. The kangaroos and wallabies roam freely and offer an up-close experience, allowing guests to observe their graceful movements and learn about their role in Aboriginal folklore. 

In addition to kangaroos and wallabies, the park is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including emus, echidnas, vibrant bird species, and of course, Arnold the Koala. Educational displays provide insight into the intricate ecosystems of the region, emphasizing the importance of conservation efforts to protect these precious species. 

The walkabout park’s commitment to conservation extends beyond its borders, as it actively participates in programs aimed at preserving natural habitats and supporting Indigenous communities. Visitors can leave not only with cherished memories but also with a deeper understanding of the delicate balance between wildlife, culture, and the environment. 

In conclusion, a day at this walkabout park near Sydney is a celebration of Australia’s natural wonders and a respectful acknowledgment of its Indigenous heritage. It offers a unique opportunity to connect with the land, its native inhabitants, and the rich cultural tapestry that has shaped this incredible corner of the world. Whether you’re a wildlife enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or simply someone seeking a tranquil escape, this walkabout park promises an enriching and enlightening experience. (Submitted January 31, 2024)

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)

Submitted by Anna Hintz on the 2024 Winter NURS program in Australia …

As I wrap up my final week in Sydney, Australia, I reflect on all the amazing experiences that I have had in these past 3 weeks. It is bittersweet to leave this beautiful and lively city to come back home. My favorite place to spend time in the city was Circular Quay, which is home to the famous Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and The Historical Rocks. My group had the pleasure of spending Australia Day in this area, where we watched the fireworks above the Opera House. An interesting thing that I learned about on this trip is the complicated history of Australia. Similar to the US, Native people inhabited the land of Australia before it was invaded and taken over by the British. This day is known as Australia Day, but to the Native people of Australia named the Aboriginals, they call it Invasion Day. Although it is called a holiday in Australia, we realized that not many people celebrated it this year, and it was not similar the the American 4th of July. Many celebrations focused on remembering and respecting the Aboriginal people of Australia. My group had the opportunity to go on a guided tour in Circular Quay, led by an Aboriginal tour guide who taught us about the rich history of the Aboriginals called Dreamtime. I learned a lot about Australian history and have gained a lot of respect for the Native people of this country during my trip to Sydney. (Submitted on January 29, 2024)

Submitted by Evan Coy on the 2024 Winter BUAD program in Sydney …

When I arrived in Sydney, Australia, I was immediately stunned by the city’s vibrant energy and beautiful natural beauty. After a long 16 flight to Sydney, I had to resist the urge to take a mid-day nap and catch up on some much-needed sleep to avoid jet lag. I decided to visit the iconic Sydney Opera House, known for its stunning architecture and picturesque setting along the harbor. The Opera House perfectly captures the city’s creativity and symbolizes the city’s artistic spirit. When walking through the streets it is very easy to become mesmerized by the diverse blend of modern towers and historic buildings which reflects on Sydney’s rich western roots. Sydney also has an abundance of parks and gardens. The Royal Botanic Garden that leads directly to the Opera House was stunning. I found an abundance of beautiful Australian native flora that I had never even known existed! The following day our group had the chance to visit Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary, located just outside of Sydney. The sanctuary was home to many native Australian animals that I had always dreamed of seeing. My favorites had to have been the Tasmanian Devils and Arnold the Koala! After completing the tour of the Sanctuary our guide gave us a brief history of the park. I was truly amazed at the amount of hard work, time, and effort that not only the owners put into the park but also local Aussies who continue to financially support and care for the animals. Our guide mentioned that during COVID the park was on the verge of bankruptcy, it was struggling to pay its employees because people were not allowed to visit the park! Nevertheless, local Aussies came together and decided they would volunteer to work at Walkabout in the park for over a year so that it could stay operational. The story was very inspirational and shed light on the people who care for the environment and wildlife throughout Australia. Overall, the first week in Australia has been nothing short of amazing. I am truly grateful to be able to experience something so incredible and eye-opening. I am incredibly excited to see what Australia has to offer in the following weeks! (Submitted on January 29, 2024)

Submitted by Josiah Taylor on the 2024 Winter BUAD program in Thailand and Australia…

Growing up in American public school systems, we read lots of histories and accounts about the mistreatment of Native Americans. They were forcefully removed from their land and zoned into special reservation areas. Though many of Native descent now live across the US, assimilated into American society, original land ownership is rarely recognized. When it is, in township names or University statements, it’s a “nice to have,” rather than an expectation.

In Sydney, during my two weeks here, it has seemed quite different. Though our countries share similar histories of British colonization, it seems the expectation that native land is remembered and acknowledged. Tour guides and company representatives preface tours with an acknowledgement of the local tribe. The Aboriginal flag has also flown alongside the Australian flag above the Sydney harbor bridge since last year. This may be a more recent movement and, for all I know, it could be contained to the nearby area of Sydney, but it’s shocking and fascinating to see how wholly a country can embrace and recognize their troublesome past in order to move towards better relations with indigenous people. 

This is not to say the Australian people have it perfect. Australia Day, much like our Columbus Day, has been met with floods of protests and controversy in recent years, some are even calling it “Invasion Day.” However, it is fascinating to see how quickly they’re progressing in this movement as compared to the US.

I do believe America is headed in a similar direction as it grows increasingly more important to recognize and uplift marginalized groups, but it will be interesting to see how, due to cultural differences, we will approach it differently. (Submitted on January 30, 2024)

Submitted by Matt Sternheim on the 2024 Winter BUAD program in Sydney, Australia…

As I entered my third and final full week here in Sydney, I started to get thoughts of leaving. However, still with time left, I knew that I could not waste any of it, and that I should make the most of the time I have left; and that is exactly what I (and my group) did. The last seven days were filled with amazing times that have given me lasting memories. This week, adventures and happenings of note include finishing up my internship and celebrating with my coworkers, visiting Wentworth Falls and The Blue Mountains, celebrating Australia Day on a cruise, going to the beach, and trying lots of new food. My favorites were definitely our hike to Wentworth Falls and The Blue Mountains and Australia Day aboard a cruise. Through all of these activities, I have had tons of conversations with the locals, and have truly gained a broader view of Australian culture. With only a few days left in Sydney, I am upset to see it go, but extremely happy to have gotten this opportunity, and I know that the next few days will be filled with even more adventures and new experiences! (Submitted on January 28, 2024)

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Well, unfortunately, the time has come for me to head home from my study abroad experience in Sydney. The last four weeks have truly been life changing, and I could not be more grateful to have this opportunity. It really is hard to put into words all of the things I did and what effect they had on me as a person. I like to look back on myself before coming to Sydney, and I can definitely say that it has changed me for the better. I have gained different perspectives on so many different aspects of life and gained invaluable work/professional experience. My last week in Sydney was filled with new adventures, beach trips, goodbyes, and more. For as long as I can remember, I have had a love for traveling, and I find that this experience has enticed me to travel even more, for longer periods of time in the future. Before coming here, the longest trip I had ever been on was no longer than ten days, and that was inside the US. The fact that I just spent an entire month, not only outside the country, but on the opposite side of the world, still blows my mind to this day. I do not know when as of now, but I will certainly be returning to Sydney and Australia sometime in my future. Australia as a whole was such a fascinating experience, and although my time here has run out, I know I will be back one day and will be looking forward to it until that day comes! (Submitted on February 4, 2024)

Submitted by Lauren Stagnitti on the 2024 Winter BUAD program in Australia and New Zealand…

On The Road Again: Sydney, Australia

On the third week of my trip, my group and I traveled to our third and final program location, Sydney, Australia. This is our longest amount of time in a single location and there are so many sights to see. Sydney feels much more urban than New Zeland, and it gives me a sense of being home. 

On our first full day, we did a walking tour of the Opera House and learned about the history of it being built and the story behind its shell design. We saw and learned about the different theater styles and how they are built differently depending on what kind of show it is. For example, the opera theaters are built to have good acoustics and carry sound with an area in the floor for the band. I was lucky enough to see a show during my time here. We saw Gatsby and it was phenomenal and unlike any show I’d ever seen before.

We also were lucky enough to be able to do the Sydney Harbor bridge climb as a group. We learned a lot about how it was built including that it was built from both sides and met in the middle. We did the climb at sunset so we watched the sunset over the Opera House from the top of the bridge. We then got to see the whole city skyline lit up. This was such a great experience and I felt such an adrenaline rush from being so high up.

We visited Walkabout Park and were able to see all different kinds of animals. We got to see (and pet) koalas and kangaroos. The kangaroos are free range on the property and it was very interesting to see how they just wander about and are not really bothered by humans. We also got to see Tasmanian devils, ducks, snakes, and more. Some kids from my group even tried eating termites (I passed on that). This was such a cool experience and we got to experience Australian wildlife. 

Lastly, we’ve spoken to many business speakers as well as visited many different company sites. To highlight a few, we spoke to Merlin Luck from Salesforce and he gave us lots of insight on career advice, management advice, and overall life advice. We also got to experience on site visits with 3M and Cochlear. It was very interesting to see the labs and the behind the scenes of the day to day process of making their products. 

Overall, Sydney has been such a great experience so far, and I can’t wait to see what the last week here holds for me. (Submitted on January 25, 2024)

Final Days Down Under

In our final week in Sydney, our group heard from lots of important business speakers and soaked up our last moments in the sun! We were lucky enough to be able to visit 3M and meet with multiple prominent workers there to learn about their business process and to explore their wide variety of products. We got to tour the lab and try out different products to see how they work and how/why they were developed. Similarly, we visited Cochlear with the finance ud abroad group and we got to tour their facilities and speak to managers there. We learned a lot about how their implants work and the vigorous process that goes into creating an implant. 

As one of our final group excursions, we went lawn bowling on the coast. We got to learn about what the game was and how to play it, and we spent the afternoon in the sun playing against one another. It was really fun and a great experience to bond more with the group and spend time together, outside of the classroom.

We also got to celebrate Australia day in Sydney on January 26th! It is a holiday similar to the fourth of July, and it was really interesting to see how it is celebrated, and to be immersed in the culture. We went to the harbor by the opera house for a firework show on the water. It was so beautiful and it was so cool to be a part of a celebration like this one. 

For our free weekend, a couple of my classmates and I had booked a trip to the Great Barrier Reef to snorkel, but due to weather, we had to cancel it and instead we traveled to Melbourne for the Australian Open. When we got to the airport for our trip to Melbourne, our flight was canceled, and we had to quickly scramble to get on another one. Overall, this weekend taught us a lot about traveling and how to adapt and be a good sport when things go wrong. Despite all of the ups and downs of the weekend, we still had a great trip and it was so cool to be able to go to the Australian Open for the final. I’d never seen a live tennis match before so it was really interesting to experience tennis culture and to see such important matches in such a huge tournament. 

The rest of our free moments in Sydney were spent at the beach, together as a group. We all were very sad to leave Sydney, but we knew we now had 30 new friends coming back to Newark for the spring. I am so grateful for this trip and all that it taught me and I can’t wait to travel more in the future. (Submitted on February 5, 2024)

Submitted by Allison Dolce on the 2024 Winter NURS program in Sydney, Australia…

My first week in Australia has been incredible. I have learned so much about the culture of Australia, and I have met some wonderful people on my program. We started off our week by learning about the history of Australia as a prior British colony. We took a tour of the historic Rocks District, which is a lovely area with lots of character. The next day we took a tour of the New South Wales Office of Health and Medical Research, learning all about the Australian healthcare system. As our program is all nursing majors, it was fascinating to learn about the free healthcare system throughout Australia. It is quite different from the U.S., with higher salaries in the nursing profession and much smaller medical bills in all parts of Australia. Later in the week, we toured the famous Sydney Opera House, learning about the fascinating architecture and history of the building. My personal favorite activity was our Aboriginal history tour in the Rocks District. Australian citizens have a great found respect for Aboriginal people, but it was insightful to hear perspectives from the other side. British settlers controlled Aboriginal land without permission, and up until the 1970s the Australian government had permission to remove Aboriginal children from their families. As Australia became more industrialized, more Aboriginal communities were at risk of being destroyed. I learned that even the infamous Sydney Opera House was built on a former Aboriginal community landsite. Learning about the Aboriginal people really gives insights into the history of Australian culture and the traditional landowners that we must pay respect to. I also learned about the social lives, food preferences, and typical daily activities of Australians, especially during the summertime. I even had the opportunity to try kangaroo at a restaurant! I look forward to spending another week in Sydney and immersing myself even more in the Australian lifestyle. (Submitted on January 24, 2024)