Australia and Beyond - Fall 2017

Howdy friends! I can't believe I am already saying this, but that time of year has come: classes are over, all my assignments are finished, and I am in extreme study-mode to prepare for my finals over the next couple weeks. In 14 days, my responsibilities here at the University of Newcastle will officially be completed....and about a week later I will be home! As the end of the semester draws near, I have started reflecting on all the things I have accomplished so far, as well as the things I didn't. Every once in a while I get a bit disappointed thinking about the things I wish I had gotten to do (Thailand, New Zealand, Uluru, Frasier Island, Daintree Rainforest, the list goes on).... But then I realize that four months in general is nowhere near enough time to see all the amazing things Australia has to offer without also having to balance being a responsible student. That being said, I have to remember all of the amazing things I HAVE done- between starting my trip with ...

Hello friends! If there is anything that gets people excited about Australia, it's probably the thought of cute Australian animals! Of course kangaroos and koalas are most likely the first animals that pop into mind, but there are quite a few other adorable little marsupials that people may not be aware of. I figured it would be fun to show you some of the animals I've come across (and include some of the ones I haven't) so you can see what wild life over here in the land down under might look like! What is cool about a large portion of Australian animals is that they are found exclusively on this continent and nowhere else. Australia is the only country in the world that has (wild) marsupials and monotremes! Marsupials are mammals that carry their young in pouches- this includes kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, Tasmanian devils, wombats, possums and others (there are over 140 species!) Monotremes are egg-laying mammals, and there are only two species: the platypus and t...

Well it seems to be getting to that time in the semester where many of my fellow Valpo students are trying to decide where they want to study abroad or, if they've already chosen their program of choice, are getting anxious to see what all the hype is about! For any of you considering University of Newcastle (UoN) here in New South Wales, Australia, I figured I'd give you some tips and tricks to make your transition into the Aussie lifestyle as smooth as possible! First, I thought it would be helpful to orient you to Australia as a continent and where we are in relation to, well, everything else! Fun fact- Australia is the world's largest island as well as the world's smallest continent. Australia is the about the same size geographically as the United States, yet has less than 10% of our population! The name 'Australia' comes from Latin Terra Australis  meaning 'land of the south.' It is also lovingly referred to as the Land Down Under, or even, the L...

Hey friends! So so sorry I haven't posted in what, at least to me, seems like forever! I had intended to post an update during this last week, but a philosophy essay kicked my butt and I didn't get around to it....for anyone who wants to talk about informed consent ethical issues, I've got you covered! Many of you may be surprised to hear that my semester is already half way over... We just finished week 8 of classes (out of 13, with 3 weeks of finals) and it is officially my 2-week semester (spring) break here! Woo-hoo!! I am heading off to Sydney later this afternoon so I can fly out at 7 am Monday morning for a week adventure down in Tasmania! I'll be travelling solo and staying in hostels for the whole thing, so I'm hoping it will be a wonderful experience! For those of you who are not familiar with Australian geography, Tasmania is one of Australia's 6 states and is a little island off the southeastern corner of the mainland. I'm pretty sure it...

Well I've officially survived three weeks here in Australia! It's been crazy getting into the swing of things, but I've found fun friends and activities to keep me busy and figured out how to shop and cook for myself! It's definitely weird getting adjusted to a new country, but the experience already has been absolutely amazing! Over the last three weeks, I have done everything from checking out new places to Australian dancing to beach clean ups or just hanging out at the beach and so much more! Before starting the semester, I was really nervous that I would get here and not find anyone to hang out with or activities to keep me busy, but I promised myself I would get involved so that my limited time here in Australia would not go to waste! This last week was a bit less exciting as I've been battling off a cold for a week now, but I didn't let it totally stop me from exploring and doing stuff around Australia. It's definitely paid off to put myself out th...