This week in Sydney has been incredible. The picture above was taken after a dinner with Dean Kepner where after, we walked along the Sydney harbor. We have had the privilege of being able to explore the amazing city and we have also been able to visit some of the famous landmarks in Sydney including the Sydney Opera House. It was beautiful to witness this in person and I am looking forward to exploring more of what Sydney has to offer.

Week 2 Journal – Jan. 27

Before I came to Sydney, I had heard so much about the beaches. Everyone had told me that they had never seen them before but they knew how beautiful they were and it was a truly surreal experience to be able actually to see them for the first time in person. The water was so clear and you could see the fish that were swimming around. We’ve been to a few different beaches, but so far I have had the best time at Bondi Beach. It is the most famous beach in Sydney and for good reason. It was amazing there I cannot wait to go back.

We also went on a tour of the Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary. This was different than anywhere I had been before. It was very interactive and some of the animals were even walking around the sanctuary freely like the kangaroos and the emus. My favorite part of the trip was when we got to throw boomerangs. I had never thrown one before but I am so glad I was able to experience it for the first time in Australia.

Week 3 Journal – Feb. 3

This week we went on a tour of the Sydney Opera House. I was able to learn so much about this architectural masterpiece and how it was able to be created. We were able to see all of the different theatres and halls inside. One of the best moments from the tour in my opinion was when we were able to do an immersive digital experience. This allowed us to truly feel what it is like to be in the concert hall during a live performance. They used this during the pandemic when they were not allowed to do tours of the concert hall but now it has become a staple of the tour experience.

Week 4 Journal – Feb. 10

During my time in Sydney, the thing that has stuck out most has been how vibrant the nightlife is here. Just from our apartment, you can see the entire city lit up at night and it is truly amazing. One of my favorite things to do is watch the fireworks on Darling Harbor every Sunday night. So many people gather to watch them and Darling Harbor is beautiful during the night. I have also been enjoying just going on walks along the harbor, especially during the night. There are so many different shops and places to eat that I have not even seen yet. I am looking forward to being able to explore more of what Sydney has to offer.

Week 5 Journal-Feb. 17

This week a group of Bucknell students and I went to the Blue Mountains. The trip to get there was long. We had to leave our apartment at 6:45 a.m. to make the train. From there we had a 2-hour train ride and then when we arrived, we needed to take a bus to the actual Blue Mountains. From the beginning of the journey, the views were incredible. There was a little spot before we started any of the trails where we were able to take pictures. We were able to see the entire landscape of the Blue Mountains from this spot. Then we headed down one of the trails that lead us to a waterfall. We were hoping there would be a spot to swim but unfortunately, there wasn’t. Next, we made our way to the steepest railcar in the world which was called the Katoomba Scenic Railway. This was very fun and took us down the entire mountain. After, we went on the scenic cable car that transported us over the entire mountain range. When the cable car ride was finished, we were all ready to head home. This trip was very enjoyable and I had a great time. I definitely would recommend anybody who is in Australia to visit the Blue Mountains. It was beautiful there.

Week 6 Journal-Feb. 24

This is our second to last week in Sydney. Since we are so close to leaving I wanted to go somewhere that I have been wanting to visit for a while which is the Botanical Gardens. Right as I got there I was amazed at the landscape of the garden. It is massive and I was not even able to see the entire garden because of how big it is. I was walking around the property for about an hour and barely scratched the surface of what it has to offer. What I found to be the most interesting part about the Botanical Gardens were the man-made sculptures. After walking through the garden, I walked to a path that took me along the water and led me to the Sydney Opera House. Since I am coming up on my last week in Sydney, I am hoping to explore as much as possible before our departure.

Week 7 Journal – Mar. 3

This is my last week in Sydney. Wow! I can’t believe the time has passed by so quickly. It’s crazy to think that 2 months ago I stepped off the plane to embark on this incredible journey. Fortunately, as this adventure comes to a close, a new one begins when we arrive in Singapore next week. I am sad to be leaving Sydney and the memories that I have formed here but I am excited to be able to create new ones in a new country. Since this is our final week, my roommates and I decided to visit the Powerhouse Museum. I am generally not the biggest fan of museums, but this one was different. This museum not only had technological artifacts from all throughout history, but it also had a very unique science section where we could test out some of the experiments. Michael Cushing was able to power the lights on a firetruck with just a bicycle. I have also made an effort to visit different souvenir shops for my family and friends back home, but I have also found items that I want to bring back for myself. I never want to forget my time here in Sydney and these souvenirs will make sure I never do. As I leave Australia, I reflect on my time here and look forward to the next chapter of my travels.

Week 8 Journal – Mar.17

This week concludes my first week in Singapore. I cannot talk about my time in Singapore without first acknowledging the time I spent in Cairns for Spring Break last week. While in Cairns, I was able to go snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef which was incredible and that was definitely one of the main highlights of the trip. The part of the trip was something that I have been wanting to do for quite some time but coming to Australia I thought there was never going to be a better time to do it. The Thursday before we left, a group of Bucknell students and I went skydiving. This experience is something that I will remember for the rest of my life and I am grateful that I was able to do it. After our Spring Break trip, we headed to Singapore to begin the next phase of the study abroad program where we are placed in an internship for 8 weeks. I am looking forward to sharing all about my experiences for the rest of my journey.

Week 9 Journal – Mar 24

This was my second week in Singapore and it has been amazing. We have had the opportunity to explore the city and have been able to get more accustomed to the workforce with our internships. My work schedule is not too chaotic so it has allowed me to have free time to go around Singapore and find out what makes it so special. My roommate and I are currently in the same internship so our work schedules are fairly similar and this is enabled us to be able to journey out together. Something that has stuck out to me so far about Singapore is the Hawker Centers. There are so many different options for food and I can get a lot of food for very little money. I also enjoyed our trip to the Marina Bay Sands hotel. The views from the top of the hotel were incredible. I was able to see all of Singapore from the top. I cannot wait to be able to see more of what Singapore has to offer during the rest of the trip.

Week 10 Journal – Mar. 31

This closes out our third week in Singapore and during this time I have become busier with my internship. The work that I have been doing has been very exciting and I am really enjoying working at my company. The only downside so far has been that everybody in the program is not able to see each other because everyone is busy with their own internships. We are planning a trip to Thailand soon, though, which I look forward to. Even with our varying busy schedules, everybody still manages to get together every day for dinner. The place that I have enjoyed eating at the most is Hawker Centers. There are so many different food options, so I have opened myself up to trying food I never thought I would.

Week 11 Journal – Apr. 7

This past week in Singapore was quite uneventful. There was not much going on. This is partly due to most people becoming busier with their internships so there is not much time during the week to do a lot. During the weekend, however, a lot of us Bucknell students got together to walk around Singapore. We went down to the Marina Bay Sands which is absolutely beautiful at night. That was definitely the highlight of the week. I enjoyed just getting with everyone since we do not see each other very much during the week. The way the entire city lights up at night time is truly magnificent. We are getting closer to our trip to Thailand after next week which I am very excited about.

Week 12 Journal – Apr.14

This week I was not called into the office so it allowed me to have a lot of free time while working from home. Something that I have been wanting to do since I arrived in Singapore was play golf. I have not really played much before but the courses here are so that beautiful I wanted to play while I am here. I went with my roommate and another Bucknell student and I had a great time. Aside from the heat, it was incredible to play golf. The only downside about where we played was that it was very difficult for us to find a way back to our hotel. We waited almost an hour before we were able to secure a ride. When we got back to the accommodation, I went for a walk around the area where we are staying. There are so many luxury stores around us and shopping malls. I have had a great time in Singapore so far and although my time here is coming to a close soon, I want to enjoy it while I can and take advantage of all that is has to offer.

Week 13 Journal – Apr. 21

This week a large group of Bucknell students went to Phuket, Thailand. We have been planning this trip for weeks so everyone was very excited about our journey. It was also nice to be able to take a break from work for a few days. When we first arrived it was very late. We made our way to the Airbnb we were staying at and by that time it was close to 11:00 p.m. so there was not much we could do on the first day. The next day we went to the Big Buddha and it was magnificent. There were hundreds of people there to witness the statue. Then we went back to the house to relax by the pool before dinner. We went to a Thai restaurant where I was able to try Pad Thai for the first time and it was so good. I definitely will need to get it again when I am back in the States. The next day we went on a boat tour where we traveled to different islands and were able to swim and snorkel I was even able to jetski for the first time and it was almost as much fun as skydiving. After the tour, we all went back to the Airbnb to get ready to out to downtown Phuket and explore the city since this was our last day there. I had an incredible time on this trip and I am glad we were able to go before we leave Singapore so soon.

Week 14 Journal – Apr. 27

Wow! I cannot believe it has already been 14 weeks. It feels just like yesterday that I stepped off the plane when we landed in Sydney to embark on this once-in-a-lifetime journey. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end even though I’ve been dreading this time but it is our final week here in Singapore. This week we have primarily been winding down with the internships and getting ready to say goodbye to the city. Although I am sad to be leaving, I am thankful for this incredible opportunity that I have been given by attending this trip and for the memories that will last me a lifetime. Never in my life did I think that I would be on the other side of the world studying and traveling. My internship has also been a wonderful experience that will help me tremendously in my future career. Everyone at my company was so inviting and treated me very well and I will miss it very much. I hope to be able to come back here one day.