Study Abroad Internship

Date: July 3, 2017 By Categories: Uncategorized No comments

Studying Abroad

Hi everyone! My name is Kaycee and I am currently 8, 581(13,810 km) miles from home. I’m 21 and I’m a senior at The University of North Texas, but I’ll be living and working (study abroad internship ) in Sydney, Australia for the next eight weeks. I’m writing this blog so you can all follow me along my fifty-nine day journey in the land down under/on the opposite side of the world/in a different hemisphere from my friends and family (and dog)…or whatever you want to call it.

How it’s Going

So, I’ve been here for about two weeks and I’m already having the time of my life. I’ve finally adjusted to the time change and things are running smoothly-ish. Some of the obstacles that I have faced so far are:

  • bus schedules and public transportation (if you know me, you’ll find this hilarious because you knowwwww I have no sense of direction)
  • understanding that “chips” means “fries”
  • asking for a lemonade=asking for a sprite
  • learning that Australia does get COLD and that I packed completely wrong
  • adjusting to cars driving on the opposite side of the road (it’s a miracle that I haven’t been hit yet because I always look the wrong way before I cross the street)

What I’ve Done So Far

I feel like I have squeezed a whole lifetime’s worth of adventuring into a very short amount of time. My fourteen days in Australia have been hectic, to say the least. I have toured the Blue Mountains and seen views so pretty that they look like a backdrop, seen the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House (no Nemo though :(), been to Featherdale Wildlife Park where I cuddled some seriously cute wallabies and held a koala, walked along the coast from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach, ate heaps of gelato (and I do mean HEAPS),been to Ku-Ring-Gai National Park, Barrenjoey Lighthouse, Hunter Valley, and Toronga Zoo. Oh, and I’ve been working too! My job is great… apart from the fact that I have to try and keep up with Damien (boss man and owner of ECOTREASURES) who hops through hiking trails like a dang gazelle haha.

I could ramble on and on and on about how beautiful the small bit of Australia that I’ve seen is, but I think that pictures will do a better job at explaining that beauty than I ever could. To prove my point, keep scrolling!!

Making friends with the locals at Featherdale Wildlife Park!

The view from the top of Barrenjoey Lighthouse!! Incredible, right? I told you so.

Some of the students from Taiwan whale watching on the tour ECOTREASURES led through Manly Beach (they also did a beach clean).

Wine tour through the Hunter Valley!

Some of the best things that I have done since I have been here all have one thing in common: ECOTREASURES…and I’m not just saying that because I work there. Promise, cross my heart, Mama didn’t raise no liar. My top three favourite things in order have been:

  1. Hiking to Barrenjoey Lighthouse (led by ecotreasures)
  2. Meeting the soft, cuddly, cute as a button animals at Featherdale Wildlife Park (led by ecotreasures)
  3. Doing the costal walk around Manly Beach (also led by ecotreasures)
  4. Drinking the wine in Hunter Valley (not led by ecotreasures, just realllllly fun)

 What’s next for this Intern?

This next week should be an interesting one as well. I’m going on a snorkel tour and a hiking/paddleboarding tour with ECOTREASURES (best job ever, right?!) and I’m going skydiving! I’ll update y’all with more of my adventures as they happen. I can’t believe this is my life right now!!!

 

 

 

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