Top 5 Moments Studying Abroad in Sydney

From having access to various delicious foods to exploring the different facets of Sydney's nightlife, my time spent abroad was nothing short of extraordinary and unforgettable. However, upon reminiscing about my time away from home, I’ve decided to rank and choose the most memorable moments amongst the masses of unforgettable memories I’ve already made. While making this list was extremely difficult (cue the one bead of sweat rolling down my face), here’s what I would deem my top five! 

5. Watching Horizon at the Sydney Opera House

During one of the first few weeks in Sydney, we were taken to see Horizon, a dance performed by Bangarra Dance Theatre. Not only was the show captivating and exceptional, but I was in absolute awe to be standing next to the Sydney Opera House, let alone have the privilege to walk inside it and see one of their shows. Along with the performance, I remember this being one of the first nights we bonded as a cohort, especially since we had been going to our internships and wouldn’t get enough time to see each other during the day. We were all extremely giddy to take pictures in front of the Opera House and capture the dazzling light show displayed behind us. 

4. Group hangouts at Manly Beach 

When the weekend would hit and we all needed something relaxing and simple to do, we’d miraculously end up at Manly Beach. From walks along the beach to indulging ourselves with gelato and froyo, I look back fondly on our moments there as these were the times we went to talk, laugh, and walk around. Since it was winter in Sydney, we often craved the sun so finding ourselves at the beach taking in any sunshine was considered a well weekend spent. 

3. 24 hours in the Gold Coast

After debating for days about where to spend a weekend outside of Sydney, a group of us spontaneously bought a flight and secured a hostel at the Gold Coast. From snorkeling with rockfish and spotting an eel to kayaking along the shore while spotting a dolphin, this trip became a fond bonding experience for me. I remember after a long day of being in the sun and spending our time at the beach we found an Irish pub where we would inevitably spend hours playing group games to spark interesting topics of conversation. As for our time in the hostel, we had a running joke that we would make “100 new friends” because we were staying with 100 people. While we (unfortunately so) didn’t make 100 new friends, we did make one who took us out to surf before heading back to Sydney!

2. Six-mile hike along Manly Beach

Yet another Manly Beach mention, but this time it was for a six-mile hike with impressive views of the city! During our walk, we stopped along small beaches to look for seashells and take pictures of the various views we were exposed to. It was a much-needed hike and despite being tired by the end, a memory I look back at happily. 

1. Long weekend trip to the Australia Zoo/Brisbane

Before coming to Sydney, I had been dying to go to the Australia Zoo because when I was extremely little, I remember my brother and I used to watch re-runs of Steve Irwin’s show on Animal Planet, so it had always been on my Sydney bucket list to check it out. Not only did I get to see Robert Irwin (I was starstruck and geeking way too hard), but the zoo itself was such a wonderful experience. Every exhibit we visited was fun and enlightening, and I remember the weather that day was the warmest it had ever been during my time in Australia (as a warm-blooded Floridian, I was beaming). The next day, we found a small, local beach in Brisbane with absolutely no one, so we decided to have a small picnic consisting of strawberries, crackers, and cheese. As we ate, we each exchanged hilarious stories about ourselves and our lives. After our afternoon picnic, we found a delicious Mexican-Texan restaurant that overlooked the water and was extremely proud of this find as we were all craving Mexican food. Overall, this trip was simple, smooth, and of course, the most memorable!

My time in Australia was beyond amazing, it was everything I could have asked for my first time abroad. Despite making this ranking, each moment I spent taught me new facets about myself and the world around me, and that is an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world.