Australia: Sofia Goldenstein

Program: IES Direct Enrollment – University of New South Wales, Spring

Majors: Communication Sciences and Disorders; Psychology

What is your most memorable experience from your program?

One of my most memorable experiences from my abroad program was seeing a koala for the first time during my orientation trip to Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park. Before studying abroad, I had only ever seen koalas in pictures. On the second day of being in Australia, my program took us on a day trip to the wildlife park, and getting to see a koala in person for the first time was a surreal experience. It felt like one of those moments that made it truly hit me that I was actually abroad, and it made me feel so excited for everything that was ahead of me. It was the first of many times I got to see the incredible wildlife that is so unique to Australia!

What challenges or barriers did you face as you prepared to go abroad and/or during your time abroad? How did you work through them?

Moving far away from home is something that is hard for anyone. For me, the biggest challenge I faced abroad was definitely the pre-departure. Dealing with my nerves of feeling like I had not done enough planning, didn’t know many people, hadn’t packed well enough, etc definitely kept me up many nights before even getting on the plane to Sydney. When I talked to my friends about this question, we all agreed that the anxiety of pre-departure was the most stressful part of being abroad.

When I think back on this time after living in Sydney for the last four months, I think about how helpful it was to be connected with people who were in similar situations that I was. Whether it was through mutual friends or meeting in one of the pre-departure seminars, having people to text about last-minute packing questions or flight details was really helpful for me. I think IES did a great job of making sure everyone had each other’s contact information, so it was easy to find people who were going on the same program as I was.

During my time abroad, the biggest challenge I faced was balancing talking with people at home. Because of the time difference from Sydney, the first couple of weeks I barely spoke to any friends or family and that ended up being really hard for me. I worked through this by setting up specific time periods every week where I would call my family and friends. Having this built into my schedule made my anxiety subside and made it much easier to connect with people at home while not sacrificing my time in Sydney.

What did you learn about yourself or the world because of your experience?

My experience abroad taught me how small the world really is. Before coming to Sydney, Australia felt incredibly far away from home, and studying abroad seemed like such a huge and intimidating step. But once I got here, I realized that I have so much in common with people from all over, no matter where they come from. One of the things that really surprised me was how quickly I felt comfortable in Sydney. I was able to build my routine much more quickly than I had anticipated, feeling comfortable on campus and in my neighborhood. This whole experience has made the world feel so much smaller because it has shown me that you can create a community no matter where you are. Meeting so many new people who are so different from me was such an incredible experience, whether it be other international students, new friends from Wisconsin, or Australians. Overall, my time abroad has given me a lot more confidence in myself and my ability to adapt to new environments.

What is a custom, food or tradition from your host country that you are taking forward?

Something that I am going to take forward from my host country of Australia is the emphasis on spending time outdoors. In Sydney, I have seen how important it is for people to spend time outdoors like on the beach or exercising. This lifestyle has encouraged me to be more intentional about the time I spend outdoors, and it encourages me to have a strong work/life balance. Some of my favorite memories from my time abroad were the moments I spent watching the sunset with my friends or doing one of the coastal walks. I really want to take that mindfulness forward by continuing to make time outside and appreciate nature even when my life at home becomes busy!

What is your advice for someone considering your program?

If someone asked me for advice about going on my program, the only thing I would say is “DO IT!” Studying abroad in Sydney has been one of the happiest and most impactful experiences of my life, and I genuinely would not change anything about it. IES was also such an amazing program, and I had a really positive experience with them throughout the semester. From orientation during the first few days, to trips to national parks, planned dinners, and even seeing a show at the Opera House, which was honestly one of the highlights of the entire experience, IES made the transition so much easier and always made us feel supported. I also really loved my living situation and the people I met through the program. Sydney quickly started to feel like my home away from home and I left feeling more independent, confident and excited to come back soon.