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 decisions. Maybe my hesitancy is due to the fear of… read more
Australia
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 lengthy application process on the off-chance I would be accepted.… read more
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 myself 8,000 miles away from home. Many people asked why… read more
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 minuscule dot at a single moment in time. Yet everything… read more
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 in the heat on their way to class. Though… read more
Studying Abroad More Than Once
There are many myths associated with studying abroad, such as its unbearable expense, that you can only go abroad once or that the planning phase is completely overwhelming. My experience debunks these myths. I’ve had the extraordinary ability to study abroad twice and am going abroad a third time this… read more
Exploring the Beauty of Victoria Along the Great Ocean Road
The number one recommended sightseeing excursion in the state of Victoria, in southeast Australia, is the Great Ocean Road. One of my professors even spoke about the landmarks in an environmental chemistry lecture. I was lucky enough to travel along the 243 kilometer highway over the first half of the… read more
Your Guide to the City of Melbourne
Living in a new country can be difficult to navigate, especially when the culture is so different from what you’re used to. My first few days in Melbourne felt scattered and daunting, but now that I’ve been living here for over a month, I’ve started to get the hang of… read more
Expectations, Reality and Surprises of Australia
Expectations (Myths) 1. There Are Wild Animals Roaming the Streets I have been here nearly three months and have yet to see a kangaroo, a koala, a scorpion or a snake. This is partly because I still need to visit the zoo, but no, they do not roam the streets… read more
From Australia to America: Cross-Ocean Communication
I write this post from Seven Mile Beach National Park in Gerroa, Australia. I have no cell service and highly unreliable cellular data, essentially off-grid. Most other times I wouldn’t mind a getaway to nature, especially one that involves two days of surfing. But being abroad heavily involves digital communication,… read more