#barrettaustralia2017

[delilahcassidyaustralia]

Farewell dinner! Cody was the best emcee in the talent show and he showed off his skills yet again with the trip superlatives. I am the honored recipient if “The J.I.T. Award” as well as “Most Likely to eat second/be heard in America/call mom/hand out superlatives Award.”

I am thankful to have met everyone on this trip and for the opportunity to have traveled across the world. Never in my life did I think I was capable of something like this. I am blessed to the extreme and hope everyone had a safe flight home.

[faithaustraliaabroad]

Surfing is now crossed off my bucket list. Today was another reminder that there is nothing that I can't do.

[annlimarie]

(Taken all the way back when we were in Melbourne) I just wanted to say I’m so thankful to have been on this trip and meeting everyone on it. You all have been so nice to me and it means the world that I was able to be here. The friends that I have made here are precious and the memories made all across this continent are unforgettable. I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the summer and I hope to see you on campus next semester!

[amarrsstudyabroad-blog]

Good news: Got the ankle checked out and it’s just a bad sprain! (not surprising since I sprinted on it lol)

Some context for the picture: I couldn’t find something to put the ice in, so I just left it in the tray. Somehow Laney and Dakota didn’t notice this until I had already been using it to ice my foot for a solid minute or two 😂

[csquaredmac-blog]

things i learned in the outback 1. electricity/plumbing are blessings 2. an outhouse is called a dunny 3. wallabies are great dogs 4. australia is beyond beautiful!!! ❤

[daramymohammed-blog]

Sydney Opera House

I love the Sydney Opera House, but I love the story behind it more. Our tour around the Opera House took place on day twenty-three—our guide was very passionate and informative. Some of the places we toured include the concert hall and the Utzon room, which is named after the architect who designed the Opera House—Jorn Utzon. The Utzon room is also the only room in the Opera House that is exactly the way it was designed by Jorn Utzon. The rooms we saw were just a fraction of the total rooms contained in the building—we learned that the building contains about a thousand rooms in total, including theatres, rehearsal studios, bars, restaurants, and souvenir shops. The inside of the building is beautiful, with very spacious and colorful halls. After Jorn Utzon designed the building, construction started in 1959. By 1973, the building was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II. While construction was still ongoing, there was a change in government, and Jorn Utzon was forced to resign from the project. He was not invited to the opening ceremony of the building, nor was his name even mentioned—Jorn Utzon would never see the completed glory of his design. Today, the Opera House is internationally recognized, and is one of the most popular attractions in Sydney. So, for me it was an amazing experience to explore and learn about such an iconic place, and to have discovered some of the things that make the building a World Heritage-listed center.

[chriskoines-blog]

This was taken at the Royal Botanical Gardens. I wonder if the view was always this amazing while the convicts were being shipped out here. Maybe the beautiful sky perked up their ambitions for the hope of a better life? One thing is for sure, I’m glad I didn’t need to live on a disease ridden ship for months on end to witness this amazing view. 

[kaylajoaustralia-blog]

Hyde Park Barracks

Our visit to the Hyde Park Barracks helped to further inform my knowledge about convict settlement and lifestyle in Australia. The tour was very educational, and it was interesting to learn about how the convicts lived once they arrived to Australia. The convict barracks, which featured a room full of hammocks, was the most eye opening portion of the tour. I had no idea that the convicts lived in such tight and uncomfortable quarters. It was amazing to be able to see what the barracks would have actually looked like during the time the convicts lived there. The tour showed what convict meals would have looked like, and even allowed visitors to try on the leg shackles. I found the food that they ate to be horrendous, but it gave great insight into the poverty and poor treatment they faced directly upon arrival to Australia. Also, I enjoyed how the building had the different layers peeled back so visitors could see how the building had evolved over the years. It was strange how the building had developed to the point of having court rooms and a great amount of building, but in order to preserve the convict culture, the museum changed things back to how they would have been when the convicts lived there. Overall, Hyde Park Barracks emphasized the nasty conditions the convicts lived in, and it gave great insight into the lifestyles the convicts lived when they came to Australia.

[jessicashermanaustralia-blog]

We went to the Botanical Gardens yesterday and it was absolutely beautiful. It was very large too. As we were walking through I couldn’t help but compare it to our own botanical gardens in Phoenix. We stayed until sunset, which was honestly stunning. My favorite part was that there were benches all over so that you could have a picnic or just sit and watch the clouds. It was a very welcoming and peaceful environment.

[fongbarrettaustralia17-blog]

The World is Too Big to Stay in One Place.

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[delilahcassidyaustralia]

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Just in case you missed the ultimate battle of the outback featuring Dr. King just trying to get through in the heat of the fight.

[faithaustraliaabroad]

We came, we camped, we conquered!

[altrucel]

Australian currency really irritated me because of their inconsistency in size and shape. The 50-cent coin, a dodecagon with a diameter of 31.5 millimeters, is one of the largest coins still in circulation. I preferred the feel of Australian dollar bills, which are made of plastic, providing more security, durability, and recyclability than paper notes. Furthermore, their colorful design featured famous Australian women and indigenous people, something the US has yet to accomplish.

[annlimarie]

Last full day part of the study abroad! Jess, Joey, Scott and I went to the Taronga Zoo where we were able to see wombats and the elephant calf that was born the day we landed here a month ago

[amarrsstudyabroad-blog]

Australian Outback

I had a great time during our time in the outback. The variety of climates and landscapes we have been in over the span of a few weeks was absolutely amazing and a bit of a shock at times. Going from a chilly and rainy city like Melbourne to the tropical paradise that was Port Douglas was an appreciated change in scenery. 

Although I’m generally not a nature person at all, I really enjoyed myself during our time at Chillagoe and Sheoak Ridge. Claire and Marcus were such lovely and passionate people! The knowledge those two have about the animals, bugs and landscape was absolutely astounding. 

While at Sheoak Ridge, I managed to hurt my ankle pretty badly. It swells up every time I have to walk and is pretty bruised, but it doesn’t hurt too much so I’m hoping it’s just a sprain. I think I’ve decided to go see a doctor about it when we arrive in Sydney, though, just to make sure I didn’t break it. I wasn’t able to do much in Cape Tribulation, including the night spotting, as a result. However, driving around and looking at the scenery is always my favorite part about traveling, so I really enjoyed the bus rides through the rainforest.

I’m looking forward to exploring Sydney and hoping my ankle gets better!

[csquaredmac-blog]

@manlybeach 🌊🌊🌊