A Love Letter to Magnetic Island
Just like everyone else, I stare off the edge of the boat. Sea breeze flittering through our hair, all eyes transfixed on the rock formation that sits just in front of us. As we ebb and flow with the wind,…
UT Education Abroad Blog
Inspiring Longhorns to Explore the World
UT Education Abroad Blog
Inspiring Longhorns to Explore the World
Category Australia
New Adventures and New Perspectives
In just a few days, I will be finishing my second month studying abroad in Australia — and what an eventful two months it has been. From whale watching and coastal hikes to inner city weekend markets and delicious street…
Winter in July
Stepping off the plane in Sydney, I was greeted with a blast of unexpectedly cold air. I knew that the seasons were flipped in the Southern Hemisphere, but wearing a coat in July just felt fundamentally wrong. This moment was…
G’days and Thinking in New Ways
I’m staring outside at a lifted Chevy Silverado 4×4 truck baking in the steaming Texas sun. It’s 6:16 p.m. and feels like 100 degrees outside. Everyone in this Starbucks works silently on their devices, occasionally looking up into the abyss…
Start Before You’re Ready, Don’t Prepare to Begin: Spontaneity in Australia
Like deciding to attend the University of Texas at Austin right before the deadline to accept admission, I waited until the absolute last minute to finalize my Australian exchange offer. I’m not sure why I wait to make important life…
Discovering the Unexpected in Australia
Hi! My name is Carolina Alvarez, and I’m a sophomore majoring in psychology with a business minor. Last semester, I applied for an exchange program at the University of Sydney in Australia on a whim. Initially, I went through the…
Embracing Life and Learning in Sydney
Before arriving in Sydney, I was honestly a little scared about studying abroad. I was excited to explore what my life would be like in Australia for the next few months, but I was also hesitant about being all by…
Embracing Discomfort Teaches Valuable Life Lessons
It’s unbelievable how big and small the world can feel simultaneously. Yesterday, from where I was standing on an Australian beach, I imagined zooming out via Google Maps to the rest of the world. In my imagination, I was a…
Fall Semester and FOMO
Fall semester on the Forty Acres rings to the cheers roaring from the 100,000 attendees at Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium as football season kicks off. Students convene on the lawn to reminisce over their summer vacations, and everyone swelters…