 Editor's Note: Jenn Christianson is our new A Student Abroad writer. She leaves in a few days for Perth, Australia, where she'll study for a semester as part of MTU's Study Abroad program.
Good-bye winter, hello summer!
As I prepare to leave for Australia, there is so much to do. I’ve been talking about my trip for more than a year, and I can’t believe it’s almost time to go. My passport and visa are ready; all that’s left to do is pack. I’m flying out of Green Bay with one of my friends, and then it’s off to Chicago, London, Singapore, and finally Perth. The total travel time including layovers and flights is slightly more than thirty-four hours, so I know that when I do finally get to Perth, I will be exhausted and extremely jet lagged.
Hi! My name is Jenn Christianson and I am a third year psychology major at Michigan Tech. I grew up in Houghton my entire life, and this will be my first trip outside of the United States or Canada. Being a local, I am still involved in some of the things from high school, such as being an assistant volleyball coach. On campus, I am the secretary of the service organization called Circle K, which is the college version of the Kiwanis organization. Growing up here in Houghton and then going to Michigan Tech has been a great experience, but I am ready to get out of the area…at least for a little while.
I am incredibly excited, but the movement through customs is the only part of the trip that I am nervous about. Our layover in Singapore is less than an hour, so I am preparing to run through the airport! Once I finally arrive in Perth, I will be studying at Curtin University of Technology. A university of more than 31,000 students, this is the entire population of Houghton and Hancock combined into one campus!
Since I am not in Australia yet, I can’t write about my travels or even my first impression of my soon-to-be home. All I can talk about is the preparations necessary to leave the country for five months. After applying to the study abroad program and being approved, I had to fill out an application to the university where I will be studying, as well as complete housing information, purchase my plane ticket and apply for my passport. (I’ve never needed one before.) Roughly a month before my departure date, I applied for my visa, purchased overseas insurance and now, with only a few days until I leave, I’m running around town, trying to pack, seeing my friends one last time before I leave, and taking care of all the other little things which need to be done.
The only thing that I am disappointed about in preparation for my trip abroad is that I will be missing the majority of Winter Carnival here at Michigan Tech. It is one of my favorite times of the year. I have enjoyed looking at the statues for as long as I can remember. I will leave the morning after the all-nighter so I still get to enjoy that fun night! One of the biggest differences will be the contrast between the weather here in the UP and that of Australia. We are up here in the middle of winter while in Australia, it is their summer season. Here is a link to the weather forecast for Perth.
I look forward to sharing my experiences with all of you while I’m halfway around the world.
Until next week,
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