Surfing Trip

Written by Josh Howell from Ursinus College

The weekend at Merry Beach with CIEE started off awesome as we made a pit stop at the town of Kiama.  It was there we got to see a natural rock formation known as the Blow Hole where waves come through a cave underneath the rocks and then crash in the middle of a crater-looking land formation. Basically, it is a sea version of a geyser.  From this very same point we could see another landmark known as the Cathedral. It is a massive cliff that is on the coast.

 The day only got better from there.  We arrived at 7 mile beach, a national park, where we all ready for some surfing! We got into our wetsuits, our boards, and got onto the beach.  Let me tell you, that beach really does look like it is 7 miles long.  It is pristine coastline that seems like no man has set foot on it until we had.  It wasn’t a commercialized area and the water was clear as the waves rolled into shore.  Schools of fish could be swimming in the surf and the water was seaweed free.  It was absolutely gorgeous.  For anybody from the Northeast area of America, the water there was otherworldly.  

Our instructors were really helpful and excellent teachers as three of us were able to stand up on our first wave even if it was only for a second.  By the end of the day, the group was doing great and we were catching waves.  There is something exhilarating about the acceleration you feel as the wave grabs your board and takes you.  I know that once I caught a wave and was standing I felt so alive and just wanted to keep doing it over and over again. 

Josh at Merry Beach

However, we couldn’t stay at the beach all day so we eventually had to get packed up and head to our destination called Merry Beach.  Surfing wears you out and I am pretty sure all 13 of us in the group took a power nap on the ride down.  The houses we stayed in were absolutely marvelous and had a terrific view of ocean.  We could see the cliffs and the beach as we ate our dinner.  Some of us had the opportunity to go for a hike and check out all the wildlife.  In the first five minutes I was there I saw three kangaroos!  I also got a late night visitor come to my back porch, it was a Bush Possum! 

Overall, it was one of the best experiences that I have ever had in my life, and that was just the first day of our weekend excursion to Merry Beach.

Studying Airplanes???

Written by Cecilia Mansson from Ursinus College

Before coming to Australia, I was filled with anxiety. I constantly thought about all the things that could go wrong. I could get bad housing, get homesick early on in the semester, and fail my classes.  So far none of those things have happened and I can confidently say that I am living the dream.  I live 10 minutes walking distance from the ocean (it makes Connecticut ocean water look like sewage water), I have made friends that feel like family, and I manage my school work so that I can pass and still travel. Since February, I have travelled to Sydney, 7 mile beach, Melbourne, the South Island of New Zealand, and the Gold Coast.  And I have booked trips in June to Fiji as well as the Great Barrier Reef.   My dad tells his friends that I am studying airplanes more than my school subjects. (this is not true, it’s all about time management).

I did go to the Gold Coast during the school week, I left on a Saturday and came back Thursday morning, but I did not fall behind in any of my classes because of my planning. First of all, I picked to travel during the week of Anzac Day so all of my tutorials were cancelled and my lectures could be viewed online. Second of all, I made sure that I was back on time for my Thursday lecture that wasn’t put up online. Third of all, I brought my school work with me and worked on it in the morning before I left for an activity.  Here are some pictures from my trip.

Unusual Gold Coast Kangaroo at Currumbin Zoo

Pretty Tree at Currumbin Zoo

Ropes Course at Currumbin Zoo

Surfer’s Paradise at Night (very fun)

Byron Bay! (such a neat and artsy town)

Byron Bay Surf Shop

Byron Beach

Sun beginning to Set

Picking Australia as my study abroad destination was the best decision that I could have ever made. Contrary to popular belief, Australia is not exactly like the U.S. The toilet water does not spin in the opposite direction, but the overall toilets are different. Australians like to walk to class barefoot and add i.e. to every word possible (brekkie, sunnies, schoolies….I could go on and on). Many Australians “cannot be bothered” and like “heaps” of things. Not all Australians eat vegemite, but most eat Tim Tams (a very yummy cookie). Although Australians are quite different from Americans, they are very accepting and friendly.  I have made several Australian friends and plan to keep in touch after the program ends (which I don’t want it to). Australia is so beautiful and it’s going to be hard to leave.