G’day everyone!

Now it’s been almost exactly 2 months since I’ve arrived in Sydney. And it’s safe to say I have learned quite a lot throughout my experience – a lot about myself, new skills, and a lot about other people. So far it has been a very rewarding experience, and it has taught me many competencies that I will be able to transfer over to my studies at school, future career, and personal life. Being in a new environment and culture where I am constantly on the go and always doing something, I have definitely developed my time management skills. With the beach only a quick bus or ferry ride away, it is easy to get caught up in the relaxation and fun of it all but sometimes I need to check myself and remember that there is work to be done. This was difficult at first, as I always wanted to use my free time to explore parts of the city and go out with friends. But as I live here longer, I feel more comfortable to take things a bit slower and not always feel the need to be doing something. Time management is a great skill to have and I’m happy I’ve really developed my own personal routine that I will be able to implement when back at Pitt and juggling internships and classes. 

Obviously, I’ve been immersed in a new culture, lifestyle, and school style so there has been a lot of adaptability on my part throughout this process. Whether it be adapting to a professor’s teaching methods or just cultural phrases and approaches, I have learned to be open minded and adaptable no matter the situation because otherwise it becomes much more difficult in the long run. This applies in many social situations as well in which I get the opportunity to interact with local Aussies and learn more about their way of life.

Just recently my friends and I visited Bali for spring break and this was an immense culture shock, especially in the start. Everything about Bali was different than I was used to, from the food to the driving habits, so it was safe to say I was shocked when we first arrived to see that there were no traffic lights and you couldn’t eat any fresh fruits or vegetables. Navigating this cross-cultural experience had its learning curves as we didn’t speak the local language and we were trying not to get scammed 50% of the time. However, with that being said, I am so happy I got to visit such a beautiful country and experience such a drastically different culture. This experience has shaped me as a person and has really opened my eyes to what other cultures are out there. It has definitely motivated me more to travel to places, other than just Europe or Australia. 

Thanks for tuning in, and I’m excited to continue my adventures here with only one month left! Next stop New Zealand! 🙂