Sydney Abroad Recap

It has been a few months since I left Sydney, Australia. Although there are so many exciting things ahead, I still find myself thinking of that magical place and how amazing my experience was. I do not think I have fully processed the fact that I lived in Australia for four months and explored, played, met amazing people, and experienced a new sense of independence and freedom like never before. There is so much I can say about my abroad experience, but I am struggling to find the words. And I think that is because words don’t do it justice. It was simply a dream. This blog post is to convince whoever is reading this to study abroad in Australia. It is truly one of the best places on the planet.

Factors to consider:

1. Distance

When I was deciding whether I wanted to study abroad in Sydney, something I considered was how far away from home it was. I challenge you to not let this fact steer you away from going, but instead use it as a reason TO go.

It is no secret that Australia is very far away from most places. A six-hour flight from CLT to LAX, a fifteen-hour flight from LAX to SYD, with a fourteen-hour time difference. But think about it- if you are going to take a whole day to travel to Australia, then wouldn’t you want to be there as long as possible to make the flight worth it? When else in your life are you going to be able to spend a few months in a foreign country with little responsibilities? Since Australia is so far, you might as well go for as long as you can, and studying abroad for a whole semester in college is a perfect time.

I want to note that even if you do not study abroad in Australia, the travel day is still worth it. My family came for only 10 days, but said they would do it again in a heartbeat. The travel day sounds a lot worse than it is, because once you reach hour 10, time doesn’t seem to exist. The jet lag was also a lot more manageable than I thought it was going to be. When going to Australia, I made myself stay up all day (Paige and I just relaxed at the beach), and the next day I was pretty much adjusted. When I got back to the states, I also muscled through the first two days, and then I was fine. The flights and the jet lag were both smooth, so I would not let that discourage you.

2. Home base vs home

Something most people consider when deciding where to study abroad is the location of the country. They ask questions like: Is it surrounded by other countries that I can travel to? Is it expensive to leave the country and travel around? How can I maximize my experience by going to as many places as possible?

To me, this perspective feels like it focuses more on the surrounding countries rather than the specific country itself. For instance, Maya studied abroad in Prague and spent almost every weekend in a neighboring country. She traveled to Rome, Croatia, Morocco, Norway, Copenhagen, etc. Although she spent the last few weeks in Prague, she told me she wished she had spent more time there before. She lived there for four months, yet felt like she didn’t know it as well as she would have liked to because she was constantly traveling. If this is your jam, go for it. Most of my friends went abroad to Europe and saw so many incredible places, which is awesome.

However, if this is not your jam, then go to Australia. Sydney is a MASSIVE city, and there are a million different things to do there. The Opera House and the Harbor Bridge are the main attractions that are talked about, but Sydney has so much more than that. There are tons of little neighborhoods and hidden pockets within the city that are completely different from each other and have their own vibe and culture. Places like Surrey Hills, Darling Harbor (my personal favorite), The Rocks, Newtown, Roseberry, Watson’s Bay, Royal National Park, and Manly. And so many more places I never made it to. Even after living there for four months, there are still places I did not have time to go.

There are also places you can easily travel to for a weekend trip, which is something I wish I had known before I came. For instance, you can take the train to Newcastle or Hunter Valley (I recommend doing a wine tour here), and some of my friends took a bus up the east coast. Other easy weekend trips by public transport are Port Stephens, Jervis Bay, Byron Bay, and the Blue Mountains (we did the Burramoko Ridge Hanging Rock Trail).

Although I still did a fair bit of traveling, after New Zealand, I did not go anywhere for a month. My friends and I packed every single one of our days to the brim, and we were never bored. Sydney never got repetitive or old, and we were constantly finding new things to do.

Activities we did:

Bondi and Coogee Run Club/ Ran to Rose Bay from Bondi Beach (it’s flat, which is hard to find)

Bondi Junction Mall

Swam and spent so much time at the beach (so many different beaches to explore along the Coastal walk)

Tried surfing

Explored different walks - Bondi to Coogee walk, Henry’s walking track, walk to Rose Bay, Manly to Split Walk

Trivia

CARD GAMES!! And dinner parties

Concerts

Explored new parks - Centennial Park, Hyde Park, Sydney Park

Taronga Zoo Sydney

Explored different markets – Glebe Markets, The Rocks Market, Bondi Markets, Paddington Markets, Sydney Fish Markets, Chinatown

Tennis, cricket

Bar crawl

Botanical Garden

Piano – there is a public one under the Harbor Bridge

Free workout classes- CrossFit (1), Glute Station (1 week), F45 (10-day discount)

Day trips

...and so much more. Overall, not traveling enabled me to really make Sydney a home. I established an everyday routine there, made friends who lived there, and even knew what buses and trains to take without using Google Maps. Sydney did not just feel like a home base that I only stayed at when I had class, but felt like a second home that I understood and loved. I can confidently say that I truly lived there and created a life there, and a piece of my heart is still in Sydney.

3. Language Barrier

I enjoyed the lack of language barrier. It was easy to make friends with strangers and Australians, and if you needed help, someone could always help you. It also made me feel like less of an outsider. Even though it was obvious that I was American, I felt accepted in Sydney because I could connect with everyone through shared language. I think if I felt like I did not belong there the whole time, it would have been more difficult to adjust.

4. Where to live / School

Something that I was not aware of when going to Sydney was how big the city is. I know I mentioned above that there are tons of little neighborhoods to explore, but it really is ridiculous how many places you can go see. Sydney has public buses and trains that we used to get around. The trains are great, and the buses are fine, just a little slow at times. With this being said, it takes at least 30 to 45 minutes to get to any destination by bus, so it honestly does not matter where you live.

We lived in Bondi Beach, which was a 45-minute bus ride (including a bus transfer) to our university, the University of New South Wales in Kensington (UNSW). At the start of abroad, it bothered me how long it took to get to school and how much time I was spending on the bus. But even if I were to live closer to school, I would’ve still been traveling 45 minutes to go to the CBD area (Harbor Bridge and Opera House area) or certain beaches.

At UNSW, we had to be in person for our classes at least once a week for tutorials. Tutorials are the equivalent of recitations, and you could not miss more than two, or else you would fail. My lectures at UNSW were not mandatory, and they were also recorded and posted online after class. I took three classes, so I had to go to class three times a week for the tutorials, and then watch my lectures online. If you plan it right and put all your tutorials on the same day, you might only have to go to in person class once or twice a week. With this schedule, you are rarely on campus, so I would recommend living somewhere you want to live, like the beach (which was awesome).

Living in Bondi was great because it had everything we needed. We lived amongst other study abroad students, and could walk 5 minutes to the beach, the grocery store, shops, coffee, etc. Some mornings I would go jump in the water right when I woke up, and sometimes we all went for sunset swims. Having the beach right there was perfect, because if I ever didn’t have anything else to do, I would just waltz to the beach and tan or journal or paint. The Bondi to Coogee walk was also right there, which is beautiful and something I did frequently.

If you go to UNSW, I would try to live at Coogee Beach rather than Bondi Beach. Bondi is more touristy while Coogee is more residential and lowkey. Coogee is also a 20-minute bus ride to UNSW, while Bondi is 45 minutes.

Something important to note is that we got an Airbnb in Bondi because UNSW did not provide housing for us, which was a little stressful to find. Once we finally found one, it was a bit of a tight squeeze, so just be mindful that it might not be the most comfortable few months, but the location was worth it. There were six of us, three people in one room, two in another, and one tiny single, and we all shared a bathroom, kitchen, and appliances with no air conditioning. So just keep an open mind when finding housing and recognize that it might not be as comfortable as your home in the USA, because the housing market in Sydney is expensive and complicated. If you do it through a program, they provide some students with housing on campus. They had single rooms and a shared kitchen with AC, which was a lot nicer than what we had, but I wouldn’t have changed anything. You can’t go wrong because Australia is great, but housing depends on what you prefer.

5. Weather / Outside

Another obvious bonus was the weather. January was extremely hot, and by May it was still pretty warm. The first week we got there, it was a little rainy, which we were not expecting. This seems stupid to say, but even though you are in Australia, it can still rain sometimes. Overall, the weather was very nice, and I played outside every single day. The lifestyle in Bondi is very active and healthy, and it was easy to fall into that routine. I ran a lot, walked with friends, swam, and hung out at the beach. I rarely was inside, and the constant sunshine made everyone seem like they were in a great mood. It felt like a very wholesome semester, as we spent more time playing outside instead of going out, which was a nice change from college at home. As someone who loves to be outside, I was content and happy 99% of the time, which is pretty good considering I was there for four months.

The sun is very strong, so wear sunscreen! Even if you do not burn, the Australian sun is powerful and intense. Buy sunscreen in Australia because it is stronger than the one in the US. Even if the UV says 5 and you usually do not burn when this is the case, still put it on, because you WILL BURN.

6. Friends

What I have to mention before closing out my abroad chapter is the importance of people. They always say it’s the people who make the place, and that could not be truer. Sure, the places I went and the things I did were awesome and insane and wonderful. But it would have been nowhere near as amazing if it hadn’t been for the people I met.

Going abroad is an awesome opportunity to meet new people from all over the world, and I challenge you to do this. I went in with a desire to not just stick with people I already knew, but to make new friends and try to meet as many people as possible. I put myself out there by approaching new people when I was out and about and intentionally following up with them to create a relationship. My advice is not to get too comfortable. If you go abroad with friends, try to branch out even if you love your friends, because when else will you be introduced to all these new people who probably share a common interest with you? My abroad experience would have been dramatically different if it wasn’t for the friends I met – so be open to everyone and anyone you meet. Shoutout to my homies, love you guys so much.

FOOD REVIEW – PAIGE RHULE

Paige was kind enough to rate (almost) every food place she went to. I trust her opinion, so I am going to copy what she said here. There are a million places to eat in Sydney - Thank you Paige.

Bondi:

Zambreros

o Got a chicken bowl

o Like a fancy Chipotle but nothing crazy

o 7/10

McDonald's (Mackers)

o Chocolate soft serve cone (50 cents)

o 10/10

Mamasaan

o Got some sushi, chicken karaage, and little salmon tacos here 6/10

o Spicy marg is a 10/10

o Vibes are good, but the food was just okay

o Tacos are an honorable mention, they are quite good 8/10

Blackwood

o THE AVOCADO TOAST AND SCRAMBLED EGGS HERE ARE AMAZING

o The Chipotle chicken bowl

o 10/10

o A must go to Sydney

o Also had a flat white here that was quite yummy. Vibes are amazing, but you usually have to wait for a table

Malleceria

o I liked it here. I got the steak garden salad and the roasted veggie combo. Steak salad was great, and I also liked their salmon. Tasted home-cooked, so good if you are feeling lazy, but makeable at home. Vibes of sitting outside are good though

o 8/10

Fruitologist

o Acai was icy and there were negative toppings

o 5/10

Nutrition Cafe

o THE FOREVER ENERGY PROTEIN SHAKE WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

o 10/10

D Bowls

o Gives you great toppings to acai ratio, and the peanut butter is amazing

o 8/10

Guzman and Gomez

o This was a miss for me. Not enough veggies. It didn’t feel fresh

o Also, I ate this really hungry, so it should’ve smacked 6/10

Char Rotisserie 8/10

o The salmon seaweed salad here is actually so gas 10/10

o The rotisserie was nothing crazy, and the mash was good 8/10

El Indio

o I got like a bowl with plantains, arepas, brisket, guacamole, rice, and beans

o I was starving but still 9/10

o Could use more sauce

Yo Chi (Frozen Yogurt)

o Always smacks

o 10/10

Casa Mamis

o Got birria tacos here

o Honestly really good but I wish I tried the burrito or the bowl

o 8/10

Ben and Jerrys

o Went here on free Ben and Jerrys day and won a mystery pint (got chocolate covered pretzel)

o 10/10

Bondi Hotel

o Pizza

o 10/10

Raw Bar

o Got the spider spicy crab roll

o Honestly it just got too much hype

o 7/10

Fishmongers

o Fish tacos here

o Got it to go and it was so hot and the chipotle aioli is buss

o 9/10

CBD:

Wahlburgers

o My first meal in Sydney

o I got a burger with egg and avocado and some chipotle mayo

o Honestly so gas 9/10

o Vibes are good sitting outside the Opera Bar

Jimmy’s Falafel

o We did homestyle here - waitress was really nice and it’s in a really good location in CBD

o Food was great but probably would not go back. Nothing crazy special but good

o 7/10

Morrisons

o Now this place has my attention. Came here for happy hour and got free snacks?? By snacks, I mean homemade salt and vinegar chips, popcorn AND mini sausage sizzle with all the onions and peppers and sauce on them

o 10/10 - drinks are cheap and the free apps are insane

Lune

o This almond croissant is actually so beautifully presented and buttery and made of deliciousness

o 10/10

The Star Breakfast Buffet

o This was way too overwhelming - way too many options and I ended up eating a bunch of stuff I did not really want

o However - the Nutella crepes are insane, soft serve is great, scrambled eggs are actually worth mentioning, and the vibes are good in there

o 7/10

Sushi Ki

o This place served the most beautiful sushi I have ever eaten.

o If they actually let you order, you should definitely get food from here

o 9/10

Henry Lees

o This is like an Asian fusion brunch? Never had that combo before. I got avocado toast with poached eggs. Stable but really good. Great vibes - you eat in a courtyard and really unique cool items on this menu to try if feeling adventurous

o 8/10

Bar Tottis

o Now this place knows Italian. A lot of good in the appetizers with burrata, roasted peppers (must get), prosciutto, all super yum

o Pasta-wise, I would recommend getting the special if they have it (it’s like a beef ragu thing), it’s insane. I got the spicy crab, which was yum as well

o However, the real star of the show here is the dessert. The chocolate cake and tiramisu (I don’t even like tiramisu normally) here is actually life altering and insanely good

o Dinner food 7/10

o Dessert 10/10

Opera Bar

o The food here is sneaky good. Sweet potato fries are cooked to perfection (however, the sauce that comes with them is suspicious), there is a summer salad with pumpkin that smacks, and the pizza is just fine

o 7/10

Cross Section

o This place is known for the chicken Caesar wrap, which I am not a fan of 5/10 - way too sweet

o However, the breakfast burrito absolutely smacks 8.3/10

Spice Alley

o Went here twice and honestly had a great experience both times. It’s like stalls of all kinds of Asian food. Pad Thai 8/10. Curry chicken and rotisserie 8/10. Black bean beef 8/10.

The Glenmoore Hotel

Blackbird

Forli

Manly:

o Fishbowl

o Butter Boy

o Rice and Nori

Coogee:

o Costis Fish and Chips

o Melonhead

o Coogee Pav

Rosebery:

o Grounds of Alexandria

Randwick:

o Calipress

o Yallah Eats

Airport/ Mascot:

o Mad Mex

o Boom Sushi

o Pulp and Grind

Marurbra:

o Makai Acai

SHOUT OUT PAIGE RHULE!!!

I wish there were enough words in the English language to showcase how amazing studying abroad in Australia was. It was truly a dream, and if you can go, then go. I was on the fence about going, but decided to just take the leap, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The people I met and the experiences I had will stay with me forever, and there is no better place to be. Embrace the unknown, this is your time.