My first month in Sydney has been great! I have really like getting used to this city and it has really started to feel like home. I have begun to get into a routine and have come accustomed to it, similar to how you would get used to a class schedule at home. I have become used to going to class on the days I have class and traveling to work. I have really enjoyed getting used to the public transportation because it has been great for getting around the city. This is when I experienced the first moment of “Wow, I’m really here”, all of the sudden I realized that I have become very comfortable with living here. I was on my way to work, crossing the Sydney bridge just like I did everyday but just felt like another day, like this was home and I thought that was really cool because it just showed how welcoming this city was and much I was enjoying it.

One of the major takeaways I’ve had so far is that of time management. With the balance of work and school, it has become very important because unlike any other time that I have been at school I now have the obligation to work 20 hours a week. It has become a good skill of mine and I know that it is going to come in handy in the future. It has really helped me prioritize my work rather than pushing it off till the last minute because I know that I don’t always have all the time in the day to work on it because of my job so my school work will begin to pile up.

Another key takeaway that I have had during my first month here in Sydney is just the fact that there exists a world outside of North East United States. I have grown up there and now going to school there it is all I’ve really known. Coming here and experiencing an entirely new culture has been very eye opening. Everybody here is very relaxed and extremely friendly. Very different from the fast pace life in eastern United States.

Overall the first month here has been a lot of fun. We have seen many different places in Sydney and have really gotten used to getting around. I am really looking forward to the traveling that we have planned to different parts of Australia and to Bali!