On Pitt’s GBI Sydney program, students stay at The Oaks Goldsbrough apartments. The Goldsbrough is located in Darling Harbour, a popular area surrounded by restaurants and shops.
When I walked into our apartment for the first time, I immediately noticed the incredible view (as pictured above). I couldn’t believe that I would get to wake up to part of Sydney’s skyline for the next three months. The apartment itself is spacious and split into two levels. The first floor includes a kitchen with a full size refrigerator, dishwasher, oven, and stove. This has really encouraged my roommates and I to cook for ourselves more often, rather than going out to eat. Our living room is also on the first floor, separated from the kitchen by a closet containing a washer and dryer. This common area gives us ample space to hang out with our friends, do homework, or watch TV. Below this floor are two bedrooms and two full bathrooms. Once a week, Goldsbrough staff provides us with clean towels and sheets. Other perks of living at The Goldsbrough include access to a hot tub, pool, gym, and sauna.
While I enjoy all of the amenities that the Goldsbrough has to offer, I am most appreciative of the people I get to live with. I am fortunate that my roommate is one of my best friends from Pitt. We share our four person apartment with two girls from Merrimack College. This is going to sound cliche, but our roommates have quickly become some of our closest friends here. I feel incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by such a fantastic group of people.
The location of The Goldsbrough is another reason I enjoy living here so much. There is a large mall and countless restaurants surrounding the harbour. Chinatown and Thaitown are close by as well. Sydney’s Central Business District is only one quick bus ride away; it takes me about 15 minutes to get to my internship. The CAPA center, where we attend class, is also only a 10 minute walk away.
The only challenge I’ve encountered living here in Sydney is the speed of the Wifi. However, this is not unique to The Goldsbrough, as Internet speed in Australia is significantly slower than the United States. The slow streaming speed has not really bothered me as much as I expected it to; between exploring Sydney, studying for classes, and working at my internship, watching Netflix hasn’t been a top priority.