Last semester, my friend Lori Weinstein took off from Nashville to spend a few months in Australia. I had wanted to study abroad, but it didn’t fit into my schedule so I was excited to hear about her adventures. She took classes, held koalas, and tried to find P. Sherman 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney. Though she didn’t find him, she did get to see the Sydney Opera House! Now that she’s back in good old Nashville, I got to interview her and hear more stories about her Australian adventure!
What made you decide to go to Australia out of the other programs?
I’ve always wanted to go to Australia, and going for a long time could justify how far away it was. They also have animals that I really wanted to see and provided good classes for my major.
How long were you in Australia for?
About four months- I left July 10 for a 3 day orientation and came back November 21 after finals.
What part of Australia did you study in?
Brisbane. It’s north of Sydney so a little warmer and very pretty. The city has a river running through it.
Favorite thing you did in Australia?
Tied between skydiving and landing on the beach and going to Fiji for Spring Break. Fiji was amazing and the people were so nice, but skydiving was definitely a big thrill.
What was your living situation? How were classes?
I lived in a 6 person apartment with single rooms and a shared kitchen. I had two roommates from America, one from India, one from Chile, and one Australian. Classes definitely weren’t easy because I had to take classes for my major (like genetics) but the teachers were good.
Would you recommend this program to others?
Yes I definitely would! It was an experience you can’t get any other way, and I actually just became an IFSA-Butler Global Ambassador to help other students decide if they want to study abroad or not. I can’t put into words how much the program has changed my world view.
Is there anything you wish you could’ve done while you were out there?
One thing I wanted to do was camp in the Outback. I never found the time to make it out there but everyone has told me it’s very beautiful with tons of stars.
Did you get to meet a kangaroo?
Tons! At the wildlife parks in Sydney and Brisbane you get to hang out with all the kangaroos, feed and pet them, and even lie down with them for some funny pictures! I also got to hold a koala.