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...

Here are some of the pictures from my trip to Blue Mountains, a gorgeous area to the west of Sydney! It was a lovely day for a hike to the bottom of Wentworth Falls! PC: Cole PC: Cole PC: Cole PC: Cole Sunset in the Mountains! The Three Sisters