Week 15

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

New weeks, new adventures! I ate at a restaurant called Bungalow 8, where I tried their delicious fish tacos! Celebrated the holiday ANZAC Day at the beaches of Manly! My sister and I went out to dinner at The Rocks, so she could try Kangaroo! I woke up on Saturday morning for my 6 AM flight to Melbourne. Melbourne was so beautiful! One of the highlights of my entire experience so far! I walked around the city, went by the Yarra River, and ate the most delicious French Toast. I made my way to the Royal Botanical Gardens and walked around for hours just taking in the beauty. I was able to see the beautiful State Library. I walked around the Queen Victoria Markets and tried some of the food options there. I ended my first day at St. Kilda beach to watch the sunset and enjoy an amazing burrito. I woke up the next morning to start my Great Ocean Roads tour! On this tour we traveled along the Great Ocean Road of Melbourne, stopping in places like Surf Beach and Memorial Arch. We got lunch at Apollo Bay, which was such a beautiful location. Continued on our journey to a guided bush walk in the Otway Ranges. We ended our tour by seeing the beautiful Loch Ard Gorges and The Twelve Apostles. These landmarks are some of the most beautiful things I have ever seen and I was so happy I was able to do this tour. After the long day, I got some pasta and went to bed, preparing myself for the 6 AM flight I would have to do again. (Submitted on April 29,2024)

Week 14

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

A successful week at work! I had to say goodbye to some friends this week, but my sister came to visit! We went out for breakfast at Pancakes On The Rocks. We went on the Big Bus Sydney Tour. I showed her the Queen Victoria Building. We did a tour of the Opera House accompanied by seeing their outdoor performance of West Side Story. I took her to Paddy’s Market to shop for 

souvenirs. We met two celebrities walking down the street, Keegan Michael Key and Tony Shalhoub! We pet and feed some local Australian animals at Featherdale Wildlife Sanctuary. We rode the rides and enjoyed the shows at Luna Park. As sad as I am that this trip will be coming to an end soon and I have to say goodbye to my friends and Sydney, seeing my sister was just the push I needed to power through. (Submitted on April 21,2024)

Friendship & Memories

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

This photo is of my friends and I at Sydney Harbour overlooking the Opera House. It is a beautiful area, both to enjoy during the day or in the evening. It is bursting with people grabbing lunch or catching the sunset. There are cruise ships docked every so often with people from all over the world taking in the beauty of Sydney. 

I am so grateful for this opportunity to study abroad in Australia. I have made wonderful friendships and had memorable experiences I will take with me for the rest of my life. I have loved exploring Sydney’s beaches and taking new adventures throughout the city to new museums and restaurants. I have become a new person after studying abroad here which I am thankful for. 

I would love to return to Sydney someday and I know I will. It is too full of beauty to not. I plan to soak in every last moment here while I can. From studying abroad I have learned patience and the power of an open mind. I have learned the importance of stepping outside of your comfort zone. Talking to strangers leads to cute memories and putting yourself out there comes with a risk, but is usually met with a reward. (Submitted on April 17,2024)

Week 13

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

Still hard at work at my internship, but that doesn’t mean there still isn’t time for fun. This week I was able to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Theater Royal Sydney. It was a very fun performance and everyone in it was very talented. I was able to see another act of live music at a pub in The Rocks. I tried a Greek Pita wrap, some of Wingboys famous wings, a cookie 

sundae from Kuki, and a spinach and cheese Turkish Gozleme at the markets in The Rocks. I ended my weekend with a free yoga class held under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We had a perfect view of the Opera House and it was very relaxing. It was such a great way to reset and get myself ready for the week! (Submitted on April 14,2024)

Pockets of Peace

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

This photo is from Manly Beach at the start of the Manly to Spit Bridge walk. This spot is simple and serene and is why I love it as much as I do. The photo makes me feel calm. I love the archway and how it leads to the water. It is magical. I adore the plants as well. I feel it adds a nice, earthy touch. It felt like I was walking into a photo when I was there. Reminds me of Greece in its architecture and light colors. 

This walk from Manly to Spit Bridge was one of my favorite things I have done here in Sydney. Gorgeous views of the water and even of the Sydney skyline. It was a long walk – about 4 hours, but rewarding and well worth it. Along the way I passed several quaint beaches including Reef Beach and Castle Rock Beach. These were some of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. The most clean and clear water. It was a particularly hot day when I did the coastal walk and it felt so refreshing taking a dip into the water. 

I love exploring new places and that Sydney has so much to offer. There are constantly new beaches to explore, new museums to visit, and new food to try. I am in awe of this spectacular city and all of its hidden gems. (Submitted on April 10,2024)

Week 12

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

I ended my Easter weekend at The Royal Easter show at Olympic Park. I saw some really cool animals, enjoyed some food, and enjoyed some rides! I had a great week at work. I had some really good meals. GAV took us out for dinner and I tried some prawn pasta! I went out with my 

company and we tried many different pizza types! My company and I spent our Friday at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. We were supposed to go sailing, but due to weather conditions it was canceled. That did not stop us from enjoying the beautiful space and getting a nice lunch, while completing presentations about what we are up to. Saturday, I was supposed to go camping with some friends, but again due to weather conditions, that was canceled. My roommate and I went out for Malaysian food for lunch. Then I had my friends come over. Despite not being able to go camping, we all still got together to sleep outside on my balcony and pretend we were camping. We each brought food, watched some movies, and enjoyed an outdoor sleepover. We woke up the next morning, made our way to palm beach for the views and some relaxation! Even though this week was nothing like I had anticipated, we still made the best out of our situation and had a great time! (Submitted on April 7,2024)

Featherdale Wildlife Park

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

As part of the CEA CAPA program, we went on a trip one weekend to the Featherdale Wildlife Park. It was really neat to get to not only see Australian wildlife that we typically don’t get to see, but to also interact with the animals. We saw kangaroos, lots of parakeets, wombats, emus, koalas, and more! The park had lots to offer and it was a lovely experience walking around. 

Oftentimes, I don’t love zoos because I don’t believe in them and how animals are kept in enclosed spaces, but this specific park was really well designed where visitors could interact with the animals and they had room to roam around. This made me happy to see and I would notice a difference in the animals and the visitor’s experience, as it was more of an interactive experience rather than just staring at a cage and taking a quick photo. 

Here is a photo of me with some kangaroos. It was a little scary getting so close up to them, but they were calm and relaxed. I even fed some of them as well! Such a cool animal that you only really get to experience in Australia. (Submitted on April 3,2024)

Week 11

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

Week 2 of my internship! I did some marketing research about event companies and venues. I was able to be there to witness a wine tasting, which was very informative and fun. This weekend was a four day weekend for Easter. On Friday, I went to the Royal National Park with some friends. We hiked around, layed on the beach, and took a dip in the figure 8 pools. Very beautiful scenery. On Saturday, we made our way over to Manly. About a 20 minute walk away, is a tiny, beautiful beach, which also has a rock jumping site. Although I did not jump off of the rock, I still enjoyed the nice weather and beautiful sunset. At the end of the day, I had dinner with some friends where we all split Kangaroo and I got a chicken schnitzel burger. Just as we finished up, the Darling Harbour weekend fireworks went off! The perfect ending to a beautiful day! On Sunday, I took a trip over to Redleaf beach and the Murray Rose pools. I swam there for a bit before making my way over to double bay. Relaxed there for a bit more the headed home for some dinner and some rest! (Submitted on March 31, 2024)

Pilates in Sydney

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)

Week 10

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)