One Month Post-Australia Update

Blog Entry #5: One Month After the Program

(Thursday February 20^th, 2020)

Wow. It’s been a whole month since got back from Sydney, Australia. It honestly doesn’t even seem real that I was a couple thousand miles away in an entirely different country. I think this was because Australia was actually quite similar to the US and I didn’t have to assimilate too much. Overall, this entire trip was really great. I met some great people and had some really good times getting to know them and having fun with them. No, I didn’t make a lifelong friend or bond with someone to the point of continuing a friendship back in San Diego, but I really learned a lot about myself and how I function in different social settings. I also became super aware of myself and what I do and say, which is good but can also prevent you from stepping out of your comfort zone and doing something out of personality. Either way I really enjoyed myself, had a good balance of fun and schoolwork, did pretty well in the class and learned a lot not only about abnormal psychology but about Australia and Sydney, specifically. I was constantly noticing all the things we did or didn’t have in America and with the things we do have, I would analyze how and maybe why they were different. I am a very analytical and critical thinker and this trip had me constantly thinking and analyzing. It was exhausting sometimes but really allowed me to be present and take in as much as a I could in the short 18 days I was there.

Some things I wish I knew were the weather differences. Obviously, the weather app and news people can only predict to a certain extent, but I didn't realize exactly how hot it was going to be at first and how chilly and windy it got at night and in the middle of the week. I wish I had brought more pants and long sleeves and less summery clothes. I also wish I had brought more formal clothes when we went out to dinner because I felt underdressed sometimes. Also, I wish I had known more details prior to departing. I realize that you can’t know exactly everything that’s going to happen, but I was worried about having to figure things out on my own. Specifically, with my phone service. I had never been out of the country while needing a working cell phone, so I was paranoid it wouldn’t work the right way and I’d be alone and have no cell service or internet service. Of course, when I got there, I just bought the data and the phone company sent me a text when I needed to buy more cell data and it was really easy and self-explanatory, but I was thinking all the worst things. Also, I was worried about transportation. I knew Uber was in Australia and that's  how I got to my hotel from the airport but, since the first day, we were using only public transportation and it was very complicated for me to understand because I very rarely use any in the US. Uber is way more popular in the US than in Australia and there is a really nice, clean and easy transportation service from trains to buses to light rails and to ferries where you just have a card with preloaded money on it and tap it on a pad while getting on and off the service. It took me a while to get used to it and remember where to go from the hotel to get to the correct transportation service, so I relied on others in our group when we went on excursions. I wish I knew more about how it worked and how to navigate it successfully because if I was ever left alone during the first half of the trip I’d be lost without cell data to be able to google maps how to walk somewhere or how to know which service to use and from which station to which. But, like with the cell service, it all worked out in the end, I eventually got the hang of it and never had any issues taking the wrong transportation service.

Recommendations: Don’t worry too much if you don’t find a group of friends or a friend right away or at all. Just try to go with the flow and experience things for yourself. Focus on what matters like your learning experiences, success in your classes and experiencing a new culture. Yes, having a group of friends may allow for more fun things to happen, but if you go along with a bigger group, you don’t have to stand out and be the life of the party. You can just be there and take in all the experiences for yourself and have time to reflect and enjoy. But if you are the super social and extroverted type of person, you will easily find a group of people because everyone there is scared and experiencing something new too and would be glad to be friends with you if they wanted someone to experience things with. Don’t stress too much about the socializing part, like I did before and during the trip, because it took away from me realizing all the amazing things I actually did do and enjoyed. Not every moment has to be a super exciting, Instagramable, and social moment. Have moments to be alone and reflect on yourself in this new country. It will be worth it, I promise.