I’ve been studying abroad in Sydney over the last few months, and I’ve loved my time here. Seeing iconic landmarks like the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and Bondi Beach never gets old. Back in the United States, I attend the University of Tennessee, which is only about 30 minutes away from where I grew up. Studying abroad at the University of Sydney has been my first experience of living away from my family, and I definitely feel like I’ve grown as a person from this experience. I love the campus and its cool buildings, including the Great Hall.
What I’ve noticed most is that I feel much more independent and have much more appreciation for exploring solo. One thing in Sydney that I enjoy doing is going to watch the sunset. There are several good spots, but my favorite is Mrs Macquaries Point.
I think of sunsets as a time to pause from the daily hustle and reflect with the backdrop of a colorful sky. Another way that I love to take a break and relax is by going to the beach. Some of my favorite beaches in Sydney are Freshwater, Manly, Bondi, Tamarama, Coogee, and Maroubra.
Out of all the beaches, I’d say that my favorite is Bondi. While Bondi usually has a lot of people, it’s a really nice beach and is popular for a reason. Bondi Beach is also a really good place to watch the sunrise.
As it’s gotten cooler over the last few weeks, I haven’t been going to the beach as much. However, Sydney has so much to offer, so it’s hard not to find something to do. One of the things I wish I did was go to more sporting events like Australian football, rugby, or horse racing. I went to a rugby game at Allianz Stadium, and I really enjoyed it.
In addition to sporting events, Sydney has multiple zoos, preserves, and wildlife parks with a wide variety of animals. The most popular is Taronga Zoo, where I was able to spend an entire day. One of my favorite parts about Taronga Zoo was all of the unique animals native to Australia, including koalas, Tasmanian devils, platypuses, and kangaroos. I really liked getting to see the red kangaroos.
Another lesser-known wildlife park that I really enjoyed was the Featherdale Wildlife Park in western Sydney. I loved getting to see pademelons, wombats, kangaroos, a wide variety of cockatoos, and wallabies. While I was there, my favorite animal I saw was an albino wallaby named Albus. I’ve always thought that albino animals were really cool, and getting to see an albino Australian animal is something that I’ll remember for a long time.
In addition to the beaches, variety of sports, and animals, Sydney is also very close to several national parks. One of my classes, Learning in Outdoor Education, had field trips to two national parks. One was a two-night camping trip to the Blue Mountains. That trip was one of my favorite memories from studying abroad, not only because of the beautiful scenery but also because of the people I met and spent time with. One of the highlights was seeing the Three Sisters, one of the Blue Mountains’ most famous landmarks.
We did several hikes, which reminded me of hiking back home in the Great Smoky Mountains. We also saw some fall foliage in the Blue Mountains in March, which I thought was really cool since I’m used to seeing fall colors in October and November. Seeing fall colors was my first time truly experiencing how the seasons are flipped in the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
In addition to the Blue Mountains, we also had a field trip to Royal National Park, which is just south of Sydney. We did a hike along the coast, which is home to some pretty cool sea cliffs.
Sydney is home to a wide variety of things to do, and there’s something for everyone. I’ve loved my time here, and I would recommend Sydney to anyone interested in studying abroad in Australia!
Jake Reeves, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is studying abroad in Australia with TEAN.
