After nearly 140 days of non-stop travelling, exploring, and a little less studying than was probably necessary, I’ve finally returned to the East Coast (of the US, that is)! My last couple of weeks in Sydney were filled with sad goodbyes and worried promises to meet with new friends again in the future, but that … Continue reading There’s No Place Like Home
Being in Australia, I have missed out on a few days off, including Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, and RPI’s Grand Marshal Week Election Day. Although it hasn’t made much of a difference in the end, it has made me a bit more jealous than I expected. Luckily, though, the Australian government has … Continue reading Uluru Rocks!
With only six weeks to go, I began to feel pressed for time; there was so much of just Sydney, let alone the entire country, that I had yet to explore. Coming back from Cairns, I planned to take one free weekend at home to recover from my time on the reef. But knowing my … Continue reading Quaint, Quiet Canberra
Immediately after Emily’s departure, the fall season ushered in ceaseless rain, shorter days, and cold(er) weather (think 50 degree mornings), making for an uneventful few weeks of catching up on work, unsuccessfully trying to find new recipes to replace my usual (and always delicious) shakshuka, and trying to stay dry. During this period of time, … Continue reading Care-free in Cairns
While keeping a blog has been a nice way to share my experiences with my friends and family, and sometimes even strangers, it does not compare to having someone physically by your side to brighten the journey. This is a truth that I discovered this week when I was blessed with the company of my … Continue reading A Familiar Face in a Far Off Place
After a week of non-stop adventure in New Zealand, it was time to settle back into school-mode in preparation for the last twelve weeks of my journey abroad. Since the first day of classes on February 18th, I have been sucked into the intricacies of kernel land, learning about the ins-and-outs of Windows and MacOS … Continue reading Doldrums in Paradise
Americans traveling through Australasia (as they say here in New Zealand) have it easy; the food is recognizable, the currency is relatively comparable, and, above all, the natives speak English, making communication unbelievably easy. Yet, somehow, for the past week, I might as well have been in the middle of Siberia, because every time I … Continue reading Kia Ora (Hello) from Aotearoa (New Zealand)
Much like the United States, Australia is a former British colony home to many immigrants, with a culture composed of borrowed food, symbols, and practices. Thus, it is difficult to come up with many items that are solely “Australian.” The first thing that comes to mind would probably be the kangaroo, followed by maybe Uggs … Continue reading Vegemite: A Brief and Unfortunate History
Since arriving in Australia, Sunday has become my favorite day of the week. With a $2.70 cap on my Opal Card charges, I can travel hours around outside of Sydney, on buses, trains, light rail and ferries, for less than it costs me to buy an avocado. For the past few weeks, I have been … Continue reading Sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY!
When planning to travel abroad, people will tell you that you will become homesick at times, but that “it will be okay” and “you’ll make so many great memories” and “make so many new friends,” but they will likely neglect to mention how long it may take for all of those things to become true. … Continue reading Australia: My New Home-Away-from-Home-Away-from-Home
Study in Sydney 