 Some friends in Australia (left to right): Naryn, Celeste, Evelyn, Adam, Jason, Heather, Ben, Wade, and me.
Reflections: One week to go
It’s still hard to believe that I only have one week left down here in Australia! The time has gone really fast, and throughout the trip, I’ve thought of many things that I will miss when I leave Australia, as well as some of the things that I am most looking forward to when I get home.
The things that I am most excited about when I return to the States . . .
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Driving my car. Although the public transportation system is great here in Perth, it is really hard to make plans when your travel plans revolve entirely around the bus and train schedules. Even though the price of gas back home is pretty high, I look forward to being able to make trips using the most direct route rather than that of the bus route. |
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Stores being open past six o’clock at night. I have gotten used to ensuring that I have everything I need before the stores close in the evening, but I love having the freedom in the States to run to Wal-Mart or Econo Foods at ten o’clock at night! |
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 Seeing family and friends. Although I have made some great friends during my trip to Australia, I am really looking forward to seeing my family and being able to easily communicate with everyone back home. Growing up in a small town like Houghton, I have become accustomed to seeing people that I know but don’t often get the chance to talk with when I would go to the supermarket or other places around town. Since I have moved to Perth, the occurrences of this have become pretty much nonexistent, and this is one thing that I have missed while I was gone. I can’t wait to tell them about my trip when they ask what I’ve been up to lately! |
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Easy communication. During my four months in Australia, I did not feel it was necessary to purchase a cell phone. Due to this decision, I have been without a cell phone and a relatively easy form of communication for this semester. Even though it was not essential and I am happy with my decision to not get a cell phone, I can’t wait to have mine back! |
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Cable TV. I was surprised to find that cable television is not the norm here in Australia. Although I did not spend a lot of my time watching television while I was here, it is nice to be able to watch more than five channels, which are filled primarily with American shows including The OC, Desperate Housewives, The Simpsons, and many others. While it’s been great to catch up on shows I’ve missed, I look forward to seeing a variety of shows when I get home! |
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Being able to be proud to be an American. This time in another country has made me aware of some of the stereotypes that many Australians have about Americans. Most Australians seem to believe that Americans are all Bush-hating people who either know Jerry Springer or have met famous Hollywood celebrities. Although this may be a true depiction of some Americans, I think that many people judge me, as an American, before they truly get the chance to know me. |
The things that I will miss most about Australia . . .
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Beautiful weather and abundance of beach days. Even though it is now autumn, I was able to go to the beach for a couple of days this weekend, and I was reminded again of how truly beautiful it is. The weather back home is going to be quite a shock, and I just hope it warms up for the summer! |
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Overall laid back attitude of Australia. While the attitude may not have helped my studies, it has been incredibly enjoyable to be in an area where people place such an emphasis on having fun and enjoying themselves. |
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Flatmates and living in Kurrajong Village. I have loved being surrounded by so many people that have such a wide variety of experiences throughout their lives. From countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Europe and many more, I have enjoyed learning about the cultural diversity present throughout the world! Through the activities put on by the Village, I have gotten a chance to meet these people and to learn many things! |
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Wide variety of shopping available. From shopping at the Fremantle Markets to downtown Perth to the malls nearby, I have been able to easily find whatever I needed whether it be groceries, clothes or souvenirs. Going back to Houghton, where the shopping consists of the Copper Country Mall, Wal-Mart, and Shopko will definitely be a change from here in Australia. |
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Class only three days a week. Since the true reason of coming to Australia for four months was to study, I guess I should mention the difference in classes between here and at Michigan Tech. Since most of my classes only meet once or twice a week, it is pretty easy to make a schedule in which you only have class a few days out of the week. I am dreading my fall semester when I have class five days a week for much longer than I have here! |
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Trying to learn to talk in an Australian accent, and sometimes being made fun of because of my American accent. Heather’s flatmates, Hayley and Frosty, seem to find it fascinating to make me and Heather say words such as, “no,” “computer,” and “worm”—then proceed to laugh at us as we then try to say them in an Australian accent. It’s a lot of fun to try to talk with an Australian accent as well as to hear our "funny" way of talking imitated, and a lot of times it leads to more discussion of our culture. |
So looking back, my time in Australia has been amazing! Another thing I am interested in seeing is how much I have changed during my time down here as well as how much life has changed back in Houghton! Although I don’t really think I’ve changed much, it will be fascinating to see what other people have to say!
My next article will be from back in the United States. So, if you think of any questions before I leave, please don’t hesitate to email me!
Until next week,
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