G’day (that’s Australian slang for hello)! I have just completed my first whole week in Sydney, Australia, and I’m convinced that time moves slower here (but in a good way). Upon arrival, I fell ill, which made for a rocky start, but I’ve still managed to see and do so much quickly. My first significant conquest of the week was finding food and exploring the Westfield Mall. I quickly realized that it was no secret that I was an American. The most significant social norm that I faced was that everything was left-side-oriented. Despite learning in orientation to stand and walk on the left side, my muscle memory of 21 years was hard to override. Those first few visits made me hyper-aware of my actions and reminded me of my sophomore sociology class. During the class, we discussed social norms, and one week’s assignment was to deliberately break a social norm and reflect on how we felt. Even without trying to adjust to Australian social norms, I realized how powerful they are in shaping behavior. I did nothing illegal or “wrong,” but there was apparent irritation when Australians were looking to pass, and I was walking on the right. I did not consider the difference between American and Australian walking norms when mentally preparing for this adventure. 

My second significant conquest this week has been classes—after all, it is called study abroad. Transitioning from four classes at a time to only juggling for many more hours a week has been an interesting adjustment. Not only were classes different, but so was having to use public transportation. I’m a stickler for walking to class in Lewisburg, but UTS is just slightly out of my comfort zone for a walk, 4.5 miles one way! So, it is safe to say that I will stick to public transportation. The train system has been on strike all week, causing extensive delays and making the bus the optimal solution. The bus works out for me because I love to see outside all the time — whether it be the people watching, architecture, or the pleasant weather; constantly seeing this new area has helped the lengthy commute fly by. I’ve also been commuting with Bucknell peers that I now consider friends. So far in Sydney, I have been granted the opportunity to connect with peers on campus the whole time. My classes have been going well, although business law will require extensive attention for all the specific details we are learning. I’m confident these next four weeks will be full of learning, especially about Australian life, culture, and history. 

My third and final conquest for the week was about the fantastic weekend activities! On Saturday, we did a Rock walking tour. I’ll be honest: I thought we would look at rocks around Sydney. Now, I’m neither disappointed nor upset that it was not more of a geology lesson. It was just a pleasant surprise. For the record, Rocks is a suburb in New South Wales. Our tour guide, Max, was terrific. He had everything you’d expect in an ideal Australian tour guide—great energy, a friendly attitude, a charming accent, and plenty of humor. He took us all around Sydney and shared all about its history. One of my favorite parts of the tour was seeing the dead center of Sydney, around which everything was built. It still stands at 21 feet high and was formally the tallest building in Sydney.

Another incredible story Max shared was an underground toilet used by men working in the surrounding buildings. He showed us sketches of a grand staircase leading down to the restrooms, explained how matradees were down there, and said that if you paid extra, you could get a shave. Unfortunately, over time, issues like drug use, prostitution, and people inhabiting the space led to its closure. Before the Olympics came to Australia, they filled it with sand, which has remained there for 25 years. The space was so unsuspecting that a huge restroom underworld would exist, and I think it made it so fascinating. During the tour, we also saw the back of the Opera House. As a Disney fan, I couldn’t help but think of Finding Nemo.* Overall, seeing how Sydney has a clear division between perceiving its heritage with old shops and buildings and all the modern buildings on the other side, the clear division line was slightly comical. The Rock’s walking tour was a big hit, even though I did get sunburnt. 

Sunday, we shifted gears and headed to Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary. Now, this is a must-do if you want to come to Australia or know someone who is, while I’m no expert. Tessa, who runs and owns the sanctuary, has created an incredible experience and has worked effortlessly to understand and preserve the area, and it was abundantly clear she wanted to educate people. She spent approximately an hour sharing her journey with us, and her compassion and emotion were prevalent the entire time. One significant ‘fun fact’ Tessa shared is that holding koalas is illegal in most of Australia. This is because they don’t enjoy being moved, especially as they sleep so much to conserve their limited energy due to their low-nutrient diet. Another fascinating fact was about snakes in zoos. A study in the UK found that snakes were developing arthritis, particularly in the middle of their backs, because people frequently placed them around their necks for photos. Tessa emphasized that everything they do at the sanctuary puts the animals’ well-being first. So, while there are two zoos nearby that may have a more extensive selection of animals, the refuge brings you into the world of the animals rather than putting animals into an artificial world for you to see. When Tessa said that, I was stunned, and wow, did the sanctuary deliver. We got to pet a koala, kangaroos, lizards, and emu hold a python (which I did), but to Tessa’s more significant point, we got to be a part of their world. We watched the emu fight or understand which kangaroos were the alpha. Walkabout prides itself on ensuring that these animals don’t associate humans with food, allowing their natural instincts to remain intact. We also learned how to throw a boomerang and attempt to crack a whip. The abundance of hands-on activities made it an unforgettable experience. While there is so much more to see and do, Arnold the Koala and all of Walkabout will be tough competition to beat.