Starting my new class session in International Finance and Aussie Life & Culture has been an eye-opening experience. In particular, the Aussie Life & Culture course challenged some of my previous perceptions about Australia. I used to think of it as a nearly “perfect” country, but I’ve come to understand that, like any nation, it has its own issues to address. Learning about inequality and the unfair treatment of the Stolen Generation made me realize that every country has room for improvement, and Australia is no exception.
Beyond the classroom, I had the incredible opportunity to take a tour of the Sydney Opera House. Walking through the musical rooms and even seeing the Dungeons & Dragons set was fascinating! The entire experience made me even more excited to buy a ticket and watch a performance in person soon.
I also had a wonderful time visiting my aunt, having dinner with her, and spending quality time with my friends. One of the highlights was our night walk to the beach, which turned into an unexpected adventure. We originally planned to go to Coogee Beach, but we got so caught up in our conversations that we lost track of where we were going. Instead, we ended up at Clovelly Beach—which turned out to be just as beautiful and peaceful, so I had no regrets!
However, our journey back to the apartment was a bit of a challenge. We missed our bus, and the next one wasn’t arriving for another 40 minutes. Since we were all exhausted, we decided to just take an Uber instead. It was a small hiccup in our plans, but it added to the adventure of the night! Overall, this past week has been a mix of learning, exploration, and unexpected surprises. I’m grateful for these experiences and excited to see what the next few weeks will bring!
