Howdy friends!
I can’t believe I am already saying this, but that time of year has come: classes are over, all my assignments are finished, and I am in extreme study-mode to prepare for my finals over the next couple weeks. In 14 days, my responsibilities here at the University of Newcastle will officially be completed….and about a week later I will be home!
As the end of the semester draws near, I have started reflecting on all the things I have accomplished so far, as well as the things I didn’t. Every once in a while I get a bit disappointed thinking about the things I wish I had gotten to do (Thailand, New Zealand, Uluru, Frasier Island, Daintree Rainforest, the list goes on)…. But then I realize that four months in general is nowhere near enough time to see all the amazing things Australia has to offer without also having to balance being a responsible student. That being said, I have to remember all of the amazing things I HAVE done- between starting my trip with scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, seeing Tasmania and Melbourne over spring break, and getting involved with various activities around Newcastle, I would definitely say it has been a successful semester. I wish I could do it all, but I have to accept that I have made the best out of the time I’ve had- and will definitely have to make the most out of the time I have left!
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| What an absolutely beautiful day we had! |
Before I go hide in a hole and study for finals, I wanted to give everyone a small update on what I’ve been doing since I last checked in. Due to my dwindling financial situation (proven by the fact that I have officially reached the poor-college-student status of living off of ramen…), I decided that in lieu of buying more plane tickets to other places, I would treat myself to local adventures instead. The first of these was going whale-watching up in Port Stephens (student tickets are only about $40 USD so it was an opportunity I definitely couldn’t miss!) Living in Wisconsin, I obviously am nowhere near the ocean, and thus have no opportunity whatsoever to see whales and dolphins (at least not in the wild– sorry Shedd, you don’t really count!)
My excitement for this trip was definitely proven by my excited squeal and mashing my face up against the window like a 5-year-old when I saw my first dolphin next to the boat (if only I had that moment on video so you guys could all get a good laugh at me). October is the end of whale-watching season, so we were nervous we weren’t going to see any- thankfully, that wasn’t the case! It was such a magnificent experience to see whales and dolphins just hanging out and having a good time in the water 😀 Unfortunately, I did not get any good pictures, but here’s at least a little proof that I’m not lying!
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| There she is, right in the middle! |
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| Notice the dolphin up-close in the bottom right corner 🙂 |
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| Perhaps a little better view? (not sharks I promise!) |
After the cruise, we also took a detour to hike up the beautiful Mt. Tomaree and get gorgeous views above the water (by “hike” I mean a 15 minute walk up man-made stairs.) We ended up seeing another momma whale and her calf hanging out in the water just below us, so we actually got pretty cool views from above! Whales or not though, this was such a perfect and lovely day taking a break from classes and just enjoying the beautiful land that is Australia! This one is an experience I will remember forever 🙂
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The next treat to myself turned out to be an incredibly inspiring opportunity: attending the Beyond Plastic Pollution Conference in Sydney this past Monday and Tuesday. I’ve wanted to attend an environmental conference forever, so when I saw it posted on Facebook, I knew I had to go. Attending this conference was an investment I decided to make as an educational opportunity beyond the normal scope of what I learn in the classroom. I listened to speakers for two days talking about not just the depressing havoc that plastic pollution is wreaking on the environment, but more importantly how people and organizations are investigating real solutions to tackle this issue. It was a bit unfortunate that all these programs are based in Australia so I can’t join the movement, but maybe I’ll even start one like these when I get home! ;D
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| Cocklebay Wharf Conference Venue Day 1 |
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| Australian National Maritime Museum Conference Venue Day 2 |
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| For a laugh, here’s my Snapchat from the train station before the conference…. (don’t worry, I recycled it!) |
Over the course of the semester, I occasionally found myself worrying that I was missing out on opportunities or not making the most of my experience. But in the end, I realized that my study abroad experience doesn’t have to fulfill anyone’s expectations other than my own- it should only be exactly what I wanted to get out of it. For me, the best way that I have taken advantage of studying abroad has been taking the time to invest in my life and myself. Yeah, school and exploring is pretty cool, but I came into study abroad knowing there were a lot of things in life I wanted to figure out. I’ve grown more confident, I have a better understanding of my values, my priorities and my goals, and I have a different perspective on my place in the world. Most importantly, Australia has ignited my passion for environmentalism and inspired me to come back to America ready to change the world. I know I’m not quite done with the semester yet, but I know I’ll leave proud of what Australia has given me for the rest of my life.
Cheers friends, I’ll see you in a few weeks!
Jessica <3
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