Hello family and friends!
I am literally having the time of my life. Meeting so many new people and learning new things. Its so weird to me that I get to experience all these AMAZING things but not with the people that mean the most to me. Which makes me sad, but I have met some really great people that I can share them with any way. I have been GO GO GO ever since I got here. I had to force myself to sit down and write this because I know how important it is to document! I have been pretty jet lagged the first two nights I got at most 5 hours of sleep. Then finally last night I got a full 8 hours. (MIchigan is 16 hours behind here) It was quite terrible that I was so tired because I have fallen asleep when my roommate (Omar) drove me and few friend in and around Sydney. I was falling asleep as he was showing us good places in the city. Also I have fallen asleep on the beach and got burnt. SO my days have been fun filled. I am basically on vacation right now because I have arrived a little over a week before school starts so this is the time I just have to explore and its just lovely. The first day I got here (Saturday) my flight landed around 9a.m. and a Macquarie Uni driver came to pick us exchange students up to then go to our accommodations. I met a guy named Caleb in the airport and we have hung out ever since. He is from New Jersey and he is very nice. From there I was brought to Macquarie Village where I am staying. I have alittle mix up with my housing right now but hopefully by next week it will be sorted out. Either way I have my own room and bathroom connected to eachother. I have two boy roommates named Omar, he is from Pakistan and he has lived here for a year and ahalf and has a car. He has drove me the the super market a couple of times and has been very helpful. The other boys name is Max (Maxamillion) he is 25 and from Germany. He is very funny and out going. My other two roommates I met yesterday. Both are girls one is from upper Australia and the other is from Austria. Both very nice also! On the first day, I found my way to the store and bought my first legal bottle of wine! It was an Australian wine and it was only $10, which is VERY cheep here. Then Omar took us into the city and showed us alot of cool things to do. Sunday I headed to Bondi beach. Which is world famous and very busy but absolutely stunning. I also saw a cricket field, got asked if I was from Ireland, and met some very nice guys from england on the beach that play rugby. Monday a girl named Gab that was an exchange student at Grand Valley last semester took me around Sydney and to her favorite beaches (south beaches). She was SO nice and open to helping me with everything I need. She helped me get a SIM card and taught me how to dive under the waves in the ocean :) she's great. She offered to have me over for dinner and give me a bike that I can use to ride on campus. She has lived in Sydney all her life. Today I went on a tour around Sydney. We went to the gardens, Opera house, and waked the the Sydney harbor bridge. I also got to see a didgerioo being played. The Opera house up close is indescribable, it's architecture is impeccable. I will defiantly go back a lot more before I leave. Tomorrow I have international orientation where I have to schedule my classes and get my student ID. Then from there I go on a Sydney Harbor boat cruise with my village then off to the city for a bit of clubbing. Macquarie is beautiful and you literally can talk to anyone. Everyone is so open and nice to help you out with anything you need. When I was leaving home people were telling me "Ally you know you need to come back right?" and I thought oh yeah of course I will come back but this is such a beautiful wonderful city, I am falling in love with this place more and more everyday. I am really taking in everyday with a very open mind. I have met so many people from all around the world. Sydney is a VERY multicultural place with many different types of cafes and shops. I feel more and more bless everyday and so thankful I have this opportunity. I can't wait for whats more to come!
Thanks to all who made this possible and I WILL be coming back by the first of July :)
Love
Ally
Few last things: I am very burnt, everything is VERY expensive, the birds make really weird noises over here (mostly sound like cats) and it makes me feel like I'm in the rainforest.
Bucket list so far: Climb on top of the Sydney Harbor bridge ($200), Skydive in sydney($300), job shadow an Australian medical social worker (free?), go to surf camp for a weekend ($370).
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