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The Markets and the Grill (Week 13)
Back in Coogee! After over a week of traveling, it was time to rest. Classes continued as normal and everyone’s desire to fervently enjoy our home, Coogee beach and Sydney, returned. Tuesday was marked by trivia at the Coogee Bay Hotel. Our 3rd place finish granted us a $25 gift card split six ways, so we were practically swimming in our winnings. On Wednesday I went exploring with Lauren and, like usual, we came across more of Sydney’s hidden gems such as Hyde Park and the neighboring Cathedral. St Mary’s Cathedral might as well be located in the winding streets of Spain with how much it resembles the cathedrals scattered throughout Europe. Just take a look for yourself!
On Saturday, a few of us market-lovers headed off to the Glebe Markets where incredible artisans and undiscovered chefs celebrate their passions by selling their work at stalls. I was personally more than happy to celebrate with a Turkish Gozleme full of chicken, spinach, and mushrooms. From Glebe, we made our way to the Paddington Markets which displayed more of the same. This time, I celebrated with two of the yummiest falafel pitas! I was particularly interested in a booth containing black-and-white photos of Sydney’s eastern suburbs from the 1900s. Having spent my limited time here, it was mesmerizing to see how much Coogee has changed in the last hundred years. The most notable change being the removal of a massive dock splitting the beach right in half. I was also surprised to see that the beach was just as packed back then as it is now!
Conveniently, nearby there was someone selling copies of their artwork portraying different neighborhoods of Sydney, so I made sure to get one of Coogee to commemorate my time living there. The Glebe and Paddington Markets are just two of several that Sydney showcases on a weekly basis. If you ever find yourself in town, make sure to visit at least one of them!
On Sunday, we woke up and claimed one of the public grills on the grass just above the beach! Scattered around the beaches and parks, Sydney has conveniently located free-to-use public grills which are always full of families or groups of friends picnicking, grilling, and clearly enjoying themselves. It was only a matter of time before we could make it happen. It was food galore. We had corn, burgers, veggie skewers, hotdogs, career salad, toasted buns, chicken skewers, watermelon, a chocolate pastry, and more I’m sure I’m forgetting. Between the grilling, the food, the beautiful weather, the beachside view, and the company, we were really living the dream. Better yet, we followed up with a game of volleyball on the beach, and then a dip and rock scramble in the rock pools. The day simply could not have gone any better, and I have the hostel to thank for that. Living with a group of 18 other students studying abroad, eager to get out there and have fun has truly made my time here. I can’t wait for our remaining adventures together as our final month approaches. Cheers!
David Bayer
Biomedical Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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New Zealand Part 2 (Week 12)
With Milford Sound and Te Anau in the books, we made our way back through Queenstown and to Wanaka, a small resort town on a lake. Most well known for a tree, Wanaka is a peaceful town with a single main street and little else to distract you from the incredible views in all directions. As for the tree, it is not one to be missed. Surrounded by water and a backdrop that belongs on your computer’s homescreen, the scene makes for a satisfying image during the day and an even more satisfying picture at sunset. Judge for yourself:
With some time to kill, I went on what was easily one of the most beautiful runs I’ve ever gone on followed by a quick dip in Lake Wānaka. The sheer beauty and tranquility of the town surely made it one to come back to. After a relaxing dinner and walk around the town, we headed straight to bed in preparation of an early wake up the next day. Then, it was off to Mt. Cook! This was the day I laid eyes on the most spectacularly blue water I never would have imagined. Here is a picture of just one of the lakes that popped up during the drive:
The hike to Mt. Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak, was short, but wildly beautiful. I particularly enjoyed the conversations we had as we hiked. There’s something about walking with friends towards a common goal that brings out the conversationalists in all of us. From getting to know one another’s favorite passions and hobbies, to debating the value of the seemingly infinite photos we take on our phones everyday, everyone was engaged with a walking partner or group the entire time. A Go Blue! was even shouted at a walking passerby in a Michigan sweatshirt. I can assure you we’ve seen one on almost every trip, but I’ve just forgotten to mention it. Here are a few of the views from the hike:
One of the campervans joined us car groups, so this picture includes almost everyone!
And below is the final lookout. Pictured from left to right are Shaunak, myself, Evan, and Joel, a student from Germany taking a gap semester abroad!
We spent the next few days driving down the eastern coast from Christchurch, New Zealand’s second largest city, back down to Queenstown. Unfortunately, this drive lacked the staple lakes and mountains we all loved, and I found it to be less scenic than the western coast. Take it from me, no need to leave the western coast of the South Island except for a quick visit to Christchurch if you want to see what a big city looks like in paradise. As soon as we made it to Queenstown, we let the adventures begin! Personally, I was only adamant about skydiving, so skydive I did. Skydive almost everyone did. Something about studying abroad for a semester really makes students adrenaline junkies. I don’t know if it’s the freedom that comes with living so far from home or the desire to make the most of the once-in-a-lifetime study abroad experience, but I was more than happy to partake. Having done iFly (indoor skydiving) at 10-years old, I was extremely calm going into it. A self-declared seasoned skydiver, I convinced myself I knew exactly what to expect. Boy, was I mistaken. It all happened so fast. As soon as we got to the skydiving center, we were separated into groups, put into gear, matched with a pro, and falling out of a plane flying at 9,000ft all in the span of 20 minutes. While the whole thing lasted just 3-4 minutes, the actual freefall was about 25 seconds. 25 seconds of wind blowing, hands freezing, and utter awe. I simply could not stop smiling the whole way down. The incredible weather met with the incredible views of a lake and mountains was the perfect recipe for skydiving. No matter how scared everyone was going into it, everyone came out euphoric.
Outside of skydiving, the last two days in New Zealand were a choose-your-own-adventure. While some were out at the world’s biggest canyon swing, others were kayaking in the lake and getting massages. Shaunak, Evan, and I found ourselves playing mini golf in sombreros we got from a Mexican restaurant. I also spent a good bit of time on our AirBnB balcony. With this view, how could I not??
All in all, I couldn’t recommend the South Island of New Zealand more to my fellow adventurers and adrenaline junkies. The main thing we learned from the trip was to plan more time hiking and less time in the car! Road trips make us excited to explore as many different places as possible, but constantly being on the move and driving several hours each day really takes a toll on you. But no regrets — I’ll be back!
David Bayer
Biomedical Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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New Zealand Part 1 (Week 11)
One of the beautiful things about studying at UNSW is that during week 6 of our studies, we get a flexibility week where the majority of courses don’t hold class and students are given the chance to catch up with schoolwork, get ahead, or do nothing and just relax! My hostel-mates and I knew about this opportunity from the day we got here, so a big trip was always in the works. We even knew that we all wanted to spend the time in New Zealand. The only problem? There’s 18 of us living in the hostel together and we’ve had enough trouble planning trips for just 5 or 6 people, let alone 18. Everyone had a different vision of what a trip to New Zealand could look like between camping, or renting cars and staying in AirBnBs, or living out of campervans. Needless to say, the trip planning was procrastinated all through the 4 weeks of summer and another 4 weeks of term 1. Once in a while someone would say, “Guys, we really have to plan this. Plane tickets are getting expensive!” and they’d be met with more approval and support than a professor who has suggested extending a homework deadline. But, as expected with our group, no action would be taken. Until one person sits down and buys themself a roundtrip flight to New Zealand, nobody is going anywhere. Soon enough, after intense procrastination and discussion, tickets were bought, plans were made, the group of 14 (four couldn’t make it) had divided into two campervans and two cars (who would be staying in AirBnBs), and I was sitting on a plane to Queenstown.
^^ Landing in Queenstown
Queenstown may not be among New Zealand’s 20 largest cities, but it is renowned for its adventure sports and stunning scenery, earning it the nickname "Adventure Capital of the World," as my friend Elizabeth would say. Our adventures in Queenstown, however, were put on hold until the end of the trip as we had a road trip planned that would take us up north to Christchurch and then back down to the Adventure Capital. So, on our first day there we picked up our car rentals and headed to Fiordland National Park for a quick hike. The greenest plants, mossiest rocks, and most colorful mushrooms riddled the paths and made our short hike one of the most memorable.
^^ Some New Zealand Flora
I also felt a lot safer hiking in New Zealand compared to Australia. New Zealand has none of the snakes that Australia is infamous for and has an almost negligible amount of dangerous spiders compared to the numbers Australia boasts! With our glow worm cave tour waiting for us in Te Anau, we had to get back on the road quickly. Lucky for us, there are worse places to be driving than one of the most naturally beautiful countries in the world where mountains surround you in every direction and lakes bluer than the sky itself pop up out of the blue (pun intended) every few moments. We weren’t allowed to take pictures in the glow worm caves, but imagine yourself sitting on a boat in a pitch black cave with little blue/green specks scattering the ceiling. That was pretty much it! It was interesting to learn about the glow worms themselves – they glow brighter the hungrier they are (to better attract flies) and they’re actually larvae, not worms, so they just need to survive long enough to turn into gnats and reproduce. You may be wondering why I’m sharing so much detail about random worms. Well, as a recent trivia night attendee (two weeks in a row), I see every random fact as a future topic in trivia. You can thank me later.
^^ Just the average roadside view while driving along the west side of the South Island!
Milford Sound was next on the list. Just a two hour drive from Te Anau with the option of a bus service to shuttle you there and back, Milford Sound is a large fiord stretching 9 miles (or, 15 km should I say) to the open sea. Once there, a boat cruise takes you down to the ocean and back while passing waterfalls, dramatic cliffs, and some popular scuba diving destinations. Milford Sound was highly recommended as an activity on our itinerary, and it truly lived up to the hype! From the stops on the bus ride to the scenic cruise, I was in a constant state of awe that I will never forget. The rest of the trip was just as exciting, but I’ll cover it in the next post! Until then, Cheers!
^^ The car gang on our way to Milford Sound
^^ A snippet of Milford Sound
David Bayer
Biomedical Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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Parents Weekend! (Week 10)
As soon as I landed on Sydney as my study abroad destination, my parents began planning their trip to visit. Traveling and intercultural experiences have always been a priority for my family, so the opportunity for me to spend a semester abroad was something we were all excited about. Even more exciting was the chance to show my parents and brother around my new home - something I had been looking forward to since the day I arrived. Having just over one full weekend with them before they continued their travels, I planned to hit all my favorite spots and walks. The Friday they landed I met them at their hotel in Randwick, a nearby suburb and the location of my university, and we went straight to Thaithae which has one of the most flavorful Massamun Chicken Curries I’ve ever had. From there, we took the bus to Coogee where I showed off my hostel accommodation, Coogee Bay Road, and most importantly, Coogee Beach! Needless to say, the fam was thrilled. The shining sun and calm ocean water were like paid actors in a film, ready to play their part and impress. The jellyfish, on the other hand, were like TV extras gone rogue – they just wanted their time in the spotlight. I had never seen many jellyfish at Coogee before, but they didn’t stop us from taking a dip and soaking in the sun. After a few hours, we embarked on the coastal walk to Bondi where we planned on eating dinner. The journey, though gnarly at times, is one I would recommend to all visitors, especially as the sun starts to set and the blue sky turns into a whole palette of colors ranging from pink to yellow. I’ve walked the path countless times and each trek I feel the need to take more pictures that never quite capture the beauty. After dinner, we made our way to Bondi beach where we treated ourselves to Anita Gelato, the best gelato in town (or, at least, the gelato with the longest line in town)! Don’t get me wrong, I’m a loyal customer to Gelato Messina (an Australian classic), but something about Anita’s just never disappoints.
^^ Just another picture of the Coogee-Bondi walk!
Saturday was just as packed. We woke up early and made our way into the city where we had an opera show booked in none other than the Sydney Opera House!! This was my first time getting up close to Sydney’s most renowned landmark, so I was very excited to share the moment with my family. This was also my first time watching an opera! I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting, but I was sorely disappointed by the lack of monocles in the audience. That said, I was incredibly impressed with the production of La Traviata, a dramatic love story set in 19th century Paris in which a dying courtesan, Violetta, finds true love with a young nobleman and they flee to the countryside together only to be forced apart by the man’s father. Upon reconnection, she passed away. Though in a different language, the singing and performing was one-of-a-kind and the screens with a rolling translation to English made the show very accessible. I was also enamored by the view of the city and water from inside the Opera house despite the architecture being slightly less impressive on the inside compared to the beautiful exterior.
^^ Pic with my Dad and brother!
^^ Pic with mom and brother!
The rest of the day was filled with a quick visit to the Museum of Sydney and a long walk through the city. Even without a concrete plan, I love walking around the city and finding my own little detours, foods to try, and adventures to embark on. We made our way down Pitt street and ended up in the bustling Chinatown full of restaurants and desserts.
On our last full day together, I was adamant that we take the ferry to Manly where we could chill on the beach all day and explore a different part of Sydney. I also just love the ferry ride which takes you down the Sydney Harbor and showcases all the coastal neighborhoods atop hills and cliffs along the water. In Manly, we walked over to Shelly beach which is actually known to be one of the best snorkeling spots in Sydney, but we sought it out for the calmer water. Catching the sunset ferry back proved harder to time than expected, but we came pretty darn close!
^^ Sydney Harbor during sunset as seen from the ferry.
Before their flight to Melbourne, my parents and I walked around the University of New South Wales campus in Randwick and then we went up to Paddington to see the Art and Design campus where I have my photography class. We also visited the Sydney Jewish Museum in Paddington which was very educational regarding the culture and history of Judaism in Sydney. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that the museum constantly hosts students on class field trips as we were met with hundreds of students on tours making their way through the exhibits. I highly recommend this museum to anyone in the area!
Showing my family around my favorite and most frequented spots in Sydney was extremely rewarding and made me so happy throughout the weekend. I would never have made it out here without my parents’ support and I am extremely grateful for everything they have done to get me to Sydney and ensure I enjoy my time here. Thank you, Mom and Dad!
David Bayer
Biomedical Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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Bring on the Blue Mountains! (Week 9)
After returning from Tasmania, it was time for me to recharge again before my family came to town. This meant some more local traveling, as well as catching up on sleep! On Tuesday, once my photography class ended in Paddington, I took to the streets to find a new route to explore which led me to Rushcutters Bay Park along the water just a bit east of the Opera House. The park and nearby pier reemphasized my love for the Sydney coast.
Not pictured: dozens of dogs playing in the field.
More than the incredible beaches and vast ocean, the coast is full of the greenest parks and forests, houses climbing up rolling hills, and people. People exercising, playing with their dogs, picnicking like there’s no tomorrow, or just enjoying the beautiful weather. Even at night, the cityscape illuminates the water and makes Darling Harbour the perfect place to take a seat and catch up with friends.
Darling Harbour at night!
Along Coogee Bay Rd, the central road of Coogee beach, I finally got to try a Vietnamese food stop which always has the longest lines in the area and runs out of food before the sun sets. The chicken banh mi I got instantly became my favorite local meal and I got it again only a few days later.
My week ended with a hostel group trip to the Blue Mountains just about 2 hours from Sydney. Known for their vast canyons and incredibly diverse greenery, the Blue Mountains are a popular site for both locals and tourists as they’re full of hikes and unmatched sites. In fact, the most popular hike which we took is called the Grand Canyon trail which takes you to Australia’s own Grand Canyon! I can’t say it compares to the one in Arizona, but it sure makes a mouth drop. The several mile hike winds down into the valley where you’re immersed in a rocky rainforest before taking you uphill to a much drier walk full of completely different flora. The hike exemplified Australia’s endlessly diverse landscape as well as the easy access to nature from the city.
^ The start of the Grand Canyon hiking trail.
^ The Grand Canyon! It sure is greener than the one in Arizona, but can you also spot the blueish mist? They are called the Blue Mountains, after all!
^ The squad!
The trip to the Blue Mountains did expose a harsh reality of day trips - the logistics of getting there and back. Tired of taking public transport everywhere, my friends wanted to try Uber Carshare which lets you borrow someone’s car for hours/days at a time without going through the hassle of renting. The problem was that the car we booked was a 40-minute transport away anyway, and didn’t cut down the travel time compared to the train at all. And when it came to returning the car, we spent 20 minutes trying to parallel park it into the exact same spot we got it from despite the fact that the car simply did not fit into the spot. We then realized that the Uber app had a different drop-off location specified which prompted us to try again at this new location, but to no avail. Between the one-way roads and cones in our path, we couldn’t even reach the parking spot and had to park as close as we could manage. Then, as Shaunak went to take pictures of the car to submit to the app as proof of good condition, his phone died! At that point, we suggested the others go home and the two of us set off to find a USB-C charger. Adamant that we didn’t need to go home or find a store where we could buy one (there were none in the vicinity), I led us to a nearby student accommodation apartment building. I was confident that if we asked enough people, someone would help. As luck would have it, the very first person we talked to who worked in the lobby happened to have a USB-C charger right there with him! He was generous enough to let us use it and hangout in the lobby while we waited.
The logistics of planning trips, between finding housing and flights, coordinating activities, and figuring out how we’ll get around is not an easy task for a bunch of procrastinators, but with each trip and excursion we get just a little bit better. The fact that we haven’t quite planned a week-long trip to New Zealand for 14 people in just two weeks is a little worrisome, but a reality for many students studying abroad. I look forward to sharing a bit more about that in the future! Until then, cheers!
David Bayer
Biomedical Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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Just Me and Manly (Week 7)
After having some sort of traveling trip almost every weekend of my time here, it was time to take a break and embrace the first week of school. Even more, I realized how valuable it is to spend some time with myself - especially when you are living with over a dozen other students and are constantly on the go. This term, I’ll be taking a Fluid Mechanics class, a Biology class, and Photography! As interested as I am in all three subjects, I have yet to take an arts class in college, so photography has been particularly exciting for me. Also, the photography class is located on a different UNSW campus located in Paddington which is farther away from me, but closer to the city, creating the perfect recipe for solo adventures! Right after my class ended, I went exploring by choosing a street and just seeing where it took me. The lively, upscale neighborhood of Paddington turned out to have incredible Thai food at Thai Tharee as well as unforgettable ice cream at my favorite first-class ice cream chain called Messina. I spent a whole hour in a bookshop called Berkelouw where books towered high above on two levels until I ultimately found myself at Elizabeth Bay overlooking the water. Traveling alone is something I have wanted to try lately as this idea of “solo trips” has been floating around the hostel. But, to ease myself into the idea, I will continue to venture out into Sydney after my photography class and just see where my shoes take me.
With the end of a nice week to myself, my hostel-mates gathered together and coordinated an excursion to Manly Beach which is just a train and ferry ride away. Manly Beach is one of Sydney’s most famous beaches renowned for its surf and was actually the birthplace of Australian surfing! There, we meandered through the morning markets full of fun tchotchkes and unique craftsmanship, we relaxed on the golden-sand beach, and explored the surrounding area. Manly quickly became one of our favorite beaches and we made a promise to return soon.
The view from the ferry to Manly^
Us on the beach!
The ferry ride back!
David Bayer
Biomedical Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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Kangaroos at last! (Week 6)
With the summer semester over by the start of February, it was time to get serious with the beginning of Term 1. But first, O-Week! O-Week stands for Orientation Week and is the week prior to the start of classes where, everyday, there is a never-ending community of booths all around campus. Each booth is there for a society, club, or organization ranging from Rubik’s Cube club to Surfing society! I was personally excited by the Social Volleyball club, Soccer club, as well as some wilderness and rock climbing ones. After scanning countless QR codes and meeting tons of students who were eager to sell their clubs, it was time to try an Australian sausage sizzle! Imagine a hotdog, but replace the curated, curved bun with a piece of bread. Quite literally, the sausage sizzle is a sausage on a square piece of white bread. Beyond being confused, I was simply a little disappointed. Maybe hotdogs are better left in buns freshly toasted off an American grill…
My roommates and I wanted to capitalize on the extra week of no classes, so a last-minute road trip was in order. In just two days, we rented a car and planned a trip all around Southeast New South Wales, just south of Sydney. Before we knew it, Lauren, Charlotte, Shaunak, Evan, Anthony, and I set off towards the Jenolan Caves just a 3.5hr drive away. Full of wallabies hopping around on beautiful trails around the conservation reserve, the little Jenolan town more than exceeded our expectations. Not to mention the incredible caves! Stalagmites, stalactites, crystals, and a perfectly clear river were just a few of the attractions we witnessed on our guided tour.
From there, we made our way towards Narooma, a small coastal town with an incredible beach and coastal view. On the way there we passed through a small national park, and I laid eyes on my first wild kangaroos! As soon as I saw one, I saw dozens. Some were single, some in pairs or small groups, but all blended in well with the surrounding trees. It was hard to contain my excitement in the car, but soon enough we would get up close and my excitement could infect my surroundings. While standing at the Narooma coast, we were pleasantly surprised to see seals sunbathing on rocks and even dolphins surfing the waves! As someone whose happiness levels directly correlate to the number of wild animals I’ve recently seen, I was beaming.
I haven’t even mentioned the infinite number of cows, sheep, goats, horses, and chickens we laid eyes on during the drive. I was honestly astonished at how similar rural Australia is to the rural areas of midwestern states. Just add some more hills and ocean beaches to Wisconsin, and before you know it you’ll feel like you’re in Australia. After Narooma, we drove to Jervis Bay where we watched the sunset and the next morning went to Cave Beach through Booderee National Park. There, we were greeted by two dozen kangaroos at the entrance to the beach.
We had only spent 3 days outside the city and all of a sudden, kangaroos were commonplace. The trip ended with a drive through Kangaroo Valley to Fitzroy falls where we did a quick hike before heading towards Kiama, another coastal town not far from Sydney.
Famous for Kiama’s Blowhole, a rock formation which shoots big ocean waves into the sky, Kiama was a cute town with nice shops and restaurants.
Just like that, we were back in Coogee and I was back to soaking up the beauty right outside my own front door.
David Bayer
Biomedical Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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The Great Barrier Reef (Week 5)
After a very memorable trip to Singapore and Bali, it was time to visit the Great Barrier Reef with my summer class. But first, Lauren and I had to take a train from Brisbane to Hervey Bay where we would meet up with our class and fly out to Lady Elliot Island (LEI). The day we had in the 3rd largest Australian city consisted of a lot of walking through the city streets, spotting spiders in the Botanical Garden, and philosophizing about human nature as usual.
We were eager to get on our first Australian train that would take us to Hervey Bay, but after reaching the first stop and halting for the next 3 hours, we had started to lose hope. Apparently a tree had fallen down onto power lines which fell onto the tracks up north, preventing our train from moving forward. Southeast Queensland is notorious for having bad thunderstorms and flooding. With the canceled train and nowhere to stay, all we could do was wait patiently and hope that the train company would coordinate accommodation for us and secure us a train ride for the following day. Luckily, the train company followed through and we got to spend an extra day in Brisbane which we used to walk around some more and then watch Mean Girls in theater (I highly recommend giving it a watch). Seeing how patient and cooperative all the Australians were during all the train chaos was very inspiring and a testament to the lax culture Aussies embrace. Isolated from the rest of the world, people here seem to prioritize self-care and community instead of work and politics. When the weather is this nice all the time, I sure can’t blame them. Soon enough, we found ourselves in Hervey Bay, and then on one of the smallest planes I have ever laid my eyes on for just 12 passengers to get to LEI.
Just like that, I found myself standing on a tiny island that would take only 45 minutes to walk around.
A picture of LEI from the plane.
LEI is the southernmost point of the Great Barrier Reef and it’s known to be a breeding ground for almost 100 different species of birds, 3 species of turtle, as well as countless fish, rays, sharks, and so much more. It’s also home to an eco-resort dedicated to educating visitors about the surrounding coral reefs and wildlife while being fully self-sustainable. Through my class, we got behind-the-scenes tours from staff to learn about the sustainable practices used on the island including solar panels for energy, a water desalination and filtration system, and even a composting machine that could take any thrown out food from the buffet and turn it into fertilizer. In our spare time, students were free to snorkel, scuba dive, and explore as much as we wanted. Within the first 2 minutes of my first snorkeling adventure, I watched a small shark swim right below me, saw countless fish, and witnessed the beauty of an underwater world I never could have imagined. I had no idea that coral reefs came in every color from yellow to green to purple and that sea turtles use their flippers to itch their faces just like my dog, Roni, uses his paw when he has something in his eye. I watched a line of baby squid float side-by-side without a care in the world and a baby turtle poop as if performing for us eager snorkelers. I was introduced to over a dozen different turtles over the days and learned that my favorite part about turtle-watching was seeing them come up for air and poke their little heads up out of the water while they’re massive shells floated at the surface. Each shark I saw (all about the size of a dolphin or smaller) reminded me of their beauty and surprisingly calm nature, but impressive speed and agility. I also laid eyes on barracuda as well as a stingray in their natural habitat and I overcame my fear of scuba diving as I made my first dive down 12 meters! The experience was thrilling, but showed me that I could see the same beauty while floating at the water’s surface – a more comfortable location for a mild claustrophobe.
A screenshot from a video where a shark swims under a turtle we were watching!
All in all, the quick 5-day trip was one I will never forget and one that I will never fail to recommend to any future Australia-travelers (just don't forget to bring a hat to protect you from the bird poop!).
Cheers!
David Bayer
Biomedical Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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Swinging by Singapore (Week 4)
Hello from Singapore! Having always wanted to travel to Southeast Asia, I was ecstatic to learn that one of my roommates had a similar dream. I couldn’t believe it when we started discussing the trip just two weeks in advance, but I seized the opportunity to immerse myself in a new culture. My schooling at UNSW is split between the Summer semester which runs from Jan 2 - Feb 5 and term 1 which runs from Feb 11 - May 9. During the summer semester, I have been taking a single Ecotourism class which is entirely asynchronous until the end of January when the class takes a trip to the Great Barrier Reef! This meant that I could travel with no fear of missing class. After a 9hr flight, Lauren, Charlotte, Shaunak, Evan and I landed in Singapore and got right to exploring. The Jewel is a mall containing the world’s largest indoor waterfall located just outside the Changi Airport. As soon as we got off the plane and laid eyes on the beauty we were speechless. Luscious trees and shrubbery surrounded the waterfall and staggered up all around it. The light shone through the windowed ceiling and made me forget about any stress I ever had. We might as well have been standing in a jungle. The surrounding mall was just as exciting. Several minutes were spent wandering around the Pokemon store where I got a pack of cards in honor of my ever growing childhood collection. The chocolate croll I got at a little bakery stand was one of the best things I had ever eaten in an airport. After 2 hours of exploring, it was clear to me that airports in the US need to step up their game.
Utilizing the very reliable train system known as the MRT, we made our way to our AirBnB located in Little India. For reference, Singapore is a melting pot of cultures with a 74% Chinese, 14% Malaysian, and 9% Indian population. This means that when you look around, all signage is in Mandarin, Malay, Tamil, and English. The fact that English is widely spoken across the country made transport and communication extremely easy and not something we had to worry about. After settling into our single room with just enough space for our beds and bags, we made our way towards Kampong Gelam which is Singapore’s Muslim Quarter and the site of the remarkable Sultan Mosque. Starving, we found a restaurant for dinner which was full of new foods and a particular favorite of mine – Kothu Paratha which I’d only ever had at my favorite Indian restaurant in Ann Arbor. We called it a night soon after that, but I was excited to be on a new continent and get right to exploring.
The next day we hit all the major stops including Gardens by the Bay, the Cloud Forest, and Marino Bay Sands. The first two attractions, like the Jewel, emphasized the appreciation for nature that Singapore has as many of its major attractions are centered around greenery.
Pictured first is Gardens by the Bay. Second is me in the Cloud Forest!
Nearby was a Hawker Center called Satay by the Bay where we got lunch. Hawker Centers in Singapore are essentially large food courts with countless stalls of diverse Indian, Chinese, and Malaysian foods and drinks for incredible prices. On average, you could get a whole meal for about $5 and a side drink for another $1 so needless to say I seized the opportunity to try as many foods as possible. That lunch I had chicken satay, my first ever stingray, carrot cake (a dish local to Singapore containing absolutely no carrot nor cake), and pineapple juice. I can’t even begin to describe how delicious everything tasted so I’m afraid you’ll just have to imagine through the picture below.
Hawker Centers like that one are scattered all throughout the city, so we made it a rule to seek them out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. At Marino Bay Sands, one of the most unique buildings I have ever stepped foot in, we made our way to a restaurant called Lavo at the highest floor where we got drinks, incredible views, and a 20-layered chocolate peanut butter cake. We may have been exhausted from walking around all day, but we did not leave until that cake plate was clean, even if it meant spending the next hour there.
Marino Bay Sands is the building pictured above followed by the equally-as-intimidating chocolate cake.
The next day we ventured to Sentosa Island where you could take cable cars across the island and see the beautiful beaches and various amusement parks. Though the weather wasn’t in our favor, it was nice to see what beaches look like outside of Australia since they reminded me of just how lucky I am to be living on Coogee. Sentosa was followed by Chinatown and Clarke Quay in the evening, both of which are full of rich culture and were a pleasure to roam in. Before our flight to Bali, we concluded our trip with the MacRitchie Treetop Walk where we were greeted by monkeys and even more beautiful greenery.
Though we were only able to spend a few days there, I fully intend on returning to Singapore one day and making my way to those Hawker Centers. Until then, back to exploring Australia!
David Bayer
Biomedical Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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Spiders and Wallabies and Leeches, Oh my! (Week 3)
From the massive spiders to the venomous snakes, people can’t stop talking about all the creatures of Australia. To be honest, as much as I don’t like being around spiders, I’ve been itching to see some wild species here that I won’t be able to find anywhere else in the world. Though, I wasn’t exactly itching to see them in my Airbnb. My hostel mates and I had just arrived to our new home for the next 4 days in the Gold Coast when a giant brown Huntsman spider decided to show us around what was apparently its humble abode. As much as we wanted to see a big spider, we didn’t want to live with it, so a quick cup-and-paper-slide maneuver moved it outside. I guess the large spiders of Australia are itching to see some Americans as much as we are itching to see them!
The next two days at the Gold Coast, the Miami of Australia (there is quite literally an area called Miami Beach), were full of more beaches and nightlife. When I first stepped foot on Burleigh Heads Beach I felt like I was on another planet. The shore went on for miles and curved around with the city skyline in the distance. The water was so shallow and the wave current pulled at us like a horse at a carriage. We felt like we’d wandered onto a planet from Star Wars. Unfortunately, the beach we were at didn’t have the best conditions for surfing so we left that endeavor for another time and just let the beauty sink in. The next day at Rainbow Bay Beach proved similar with just as incredible views and even a rainbow to satisfy the name.
Pictured above are the vast Burleigh Heads Beach and Rainbow Bay beach.
Our final day at the Gold Coast warranted a trip to the nearby Springbrook National Park. It being my first time in an Australian rainforest, I was determined to see a koala munching on some leaves, but my attempts at manifestation came to no avail. Instead, on our way out of the park, two hopping wallabies (which we first thought were baby kangaroos) chose to make my day. Just moments earlier we had bumped into a family that told us kangaroos are as common in Australia as deers are in the US - a fact I could not believe until 5 minutes later when I thought I saw my first kangaroo.
One of the two hopping wallabies!
Another guest appearance on the hiking trip was the leech! And by “the leech!” I mean the formidable, constant flow of tiny leeches that plagued us from the ground, water, and air. I managed to evade them all, but my mates were not so fortunate and had a lot of battles with the relentless blood-sucking monsters. I left the Gold Coast content with the fact that I had come face-to-face with the largest spider I’d ever seen as well as the fact that the largest spider I had ever seen was thousands of miles away from Coogee beach.
A few days later I finally saw my first koala and kangaroo at the Sydney WILD LIFE zoo followed by the SEA LIFE aquarium. I was very excited by all the marsupials, and my personal favorite, the Tasmanian Devils. The creatures of Australia are truly one-of-a-kind and I can't wait to see more in the wild!
David Bayer
Biomedical Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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Beyond Coogee (Week 2)
After a week of exploring Coogee and the surrounding area, my housemates and I felt prepared to embark on a voyage inland. In Surry Hills, a suburb of Sydney known for its stylish cultural and cafe scene, we embraced our duties as college students and went thrifting. I couldn’t name each shop we walked into or every hat I tried on, but I could, with much gusto and enthusiasm, show you exactly where I got the Nutella Latte that changed my life (I just wish it lasted me more than two minutes). Apparently, Australia has a very strong coffee culture which was well established before coffee chains even tried to enter the market - there are less than 70 Starbucks shops in Australia compared to over 17,000 spread across the 50 United States. The coffee tastes even better after converting the cost of the coffee to USD and seeing that it cost me half the price of its counterpart in America.
With our appetites built up, we made our way towards Chinatown where we enjoyed some authentic Chinese dishes followed by my favorite Oolong Tea Boba.
A habitual Coogee Beach swim and coastal walk followed later that day joined by Lauren and Shaunak, a student from Georgia Tech. The three of us grew to appreciate each other’s company as we contemplate the philosophical on our walks - everything from how our relationships with our friends and families shape us to commentary on the realities of tourism.
Before we knew it, the NCAA championship was upon us! Luckily, Lauren and I had prepared a watch party at the same local bar where we’d watched the semi-finals. This time, determined to draw a larger crowd, we created a flyer that could be easily passed around amongst students in the area. Though not all UM fans, students crowded the bar and seats ran out after the first hour to watch us take the trophy. Go blue!
Later in the week, a trip to Bondi Beach went south when an incident occurred in the water. I had just gotten out of the water when I noticed a large crowd forming in the northern end of the beach. After some inspection, it turned out that somebody had been rescued from the water and was getting medical attention on the shore. Film crews surrounded the area. Bondi Rescue is a TV show filmed at Bondi Beech that follows lifeguards as they locate drownings, carry out rescues, and handle other conflicts in and around the water of the busiest beach in Australia. The sight reminded me of just how dangerous the ocean can be with waves reaching 5ft above the water. Lifeguarding is often regarded as a common summer job for teenagers in the US, but in Australia it’s taken quite seriously. Just a few minutes at Bondi Beach is enough to see a lifeguard tell someone to swim to a designated area, leave the water if it’s declared unsafe, or even make a rescue. Having been a lifeguard myself, safety is always at the top of my mind when I swim, but let me tell you - these waves are not to be messed with.
With week 3 approaching, I’m excited to take my first trip out of Sydney to the Gold Coast! Cheers!
David Bayer
Biomedical Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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The Coast Life (Week 1)
Hello and welcome to my first summative blog! I am excited to share my experiences and observations with you as I embark on this Australian journey just a quick 19-hour flight time from my native Chicago.
For some context: I’m staying in a hostel-turned-housing-for-study-abroad-students operated by a company called SemesterInAustralia (SiA), or at least that’s how I describe it. I’m living here with another 13 students from the US and Canada split between singles and doubles, as well as a few older residents from Brazil, Japan, France, and even more places around the world! It was especially nice coming in knowing that two fellow University of Michigan students, Lauren and Caroline, would be staying in the same hostel as me and then meeting three more UM students once here! Even more nice — the fact that you could see Coogee Beach from our front door.
View from front door:
The morning I landed in Sydney, the sun was radiating and the sky was the bluest I’d seen in weeks. The winter I left in the northern hemisphere was quickly forgotten and replaced with sights of countless t-shirts and palm trees. As soon as I got to my hostel, I threw my bags in my room and was eager to start exploring. Lauren, Caroline, me, and Anthony, a student from the University of Buffalo took to the streets. After what seemed like a never-ending 1-minute walk, we were standing on Coogee Beach with our mouths dropped in astonishment at the fact that this was going to be our life for the next 4.5 months.
Coming from a family of beach-lovers, I swore at that moment that I would swim in the ocean everyday, no matter the hour, to take the fullest advantage of the opportunity that lie before me and make my family proud. We proceeded to explore the surrounding beach town, make some headway in the Coogee-Bondi coastal walk with magnificent views of the water and beaches, and try Vegemite, a spread for toast that locals rave about (though I can’t say it was a personal favorite). Throughout our voyage, I couldn’t help but notice how not a single piece of trash littered the streets and how every passersby face exuded a state of relaxation I can only achieve after submitting my last homework assignment of the year. Needless to say, no five minutes passed without one of us uttering, “I can’t believe we live here.”
Caroline (left), me (middle), and Anthony (right) posing on a tall bench.
After returning to the hostel, I met the rest of the students and we set off on a small tour into the city set up by SiA. Seeing the Opera House up close for the first time is something I’ll never forget. The rest of our first day in Sydney was full of name games, mild chaos navigating the transit system with such a big group, and lots of laughs.
The next challenge was finding a place to watch the upcoming Rose Bowl! Another UM student, Aanika, and I set out to a local sports bar to ask if they could show the game which would be playing at 9am on the morning of Jan 2nd. The bar happily agreed and that morning we showed up covered in UM gear. By the end, there were 11 of us students with another 10 locals who had strolled in biting our nails over the possible outcomes. The Michigan win put smiles on our faces and gave us the confidence to go to our orientation while still in our UM gear.
Me (left), Lauren (middle), and Caroline (right) standing by Coogee Beach after witnessing an incredible victory.
I wish I could say I did more than lie on various beaches, go on morning runs along the coast, and explore Coogee for the rest of my first week, but I didn’t — and I couldn’t be happier. Cheers!
David Bayer
Biomedical Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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A flight into Sydney (Week 0):
I was asked to write a reflection post before arriving to Sydney, Australia, where I will be spending the next few months. Rather than getting into the weeds of what I packed and look forward to doing abroad, I let my mind wander during my 15-hour flight out of LA.
There are two schools of thought when traveling to a new country: do all the research possible on every nook and cranny before landing to prepare yourself for anything and everything, or… don’t. I, a chronic over-preparer, happened to partake in the ladder. As I write this initial reflection 3 hours before landing in Sydney, all I know about Australia is that there are plenty of unique animals and creatures, cars drive on the left-hand side of the road, and anything else one would learn from watching Crocodile Dundee. I guess that’s how things were before the internet, people just showed up somewhere and saw the location for what it was. Today, between Yelp, TripAdvisor, and the World Wide Web, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with the countless lists of the “Best Things to do in Sydney” or the “Top 5 Koala Sanctuaries to Visit.” Instead, I want to be surprised by the culture and experience an authentic Sydney without influence from online reviews and forums. I want to plan excursions based on locals’ recommendations and go on hikes off the beaten path. Don’t get me wrong, I love packing trips with adventures to get the most value for the time I spend somewhere new, but sometimes the most value can come from the least amount of planning. I hope that during my time abroad I will learn to optimize my time between the planned and the unplanned, and fill each moment with an experience worth remembering.
While it is still unclear how my blissful ignorance will affect my time studying abroad, I am eager to take my blank slate and fill it to the brim with new people, experiences, and adventures. And with that, I believe this is where I say, “Cheers!”
See if you can spot the Sydney Opera House in this photo I took from my flight!
An incredible sunrise that made my feel like I was on another planet until I realized it only looked like this because of a sun filter the plane has on its windows:
David Bayer
Biomedical Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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Week 15 - Thai-ing up Loose Ends, A Slow Start in Bangkok
G’day everyone,
This was my last week of pure studying. The final push culminated in another all-nighter that rolled into our late-morning flight to Bangkok. This time, however, the whole house joined us for a much better night. I think we’re all realizing how rapidly this is all coming to an end, and they wanted to spend more time with us, even if it was studying.
The night we got into Bangkok, Joe and I searched for midnight food. We took alleys and canal ways, coming up empty-handed with every store. The city at night was all but deserted that Tuesday besides the hordes of cats, rats, bats, and canal fishes.
“McDonalds?.... Dude, McDonalds!!”
The Americans ordered a car to McDonald's to enjoy their first meal in Thailand. It was unironically amazing. We had a spicy McChicken with fries and salt levels reminiscent of the States.
The next day, we woke up at the crack of 2 pm. Cursing ourselves, we had slept for over 12 hours, so it felt like half the day was already gone. I stayed in the room for the rest of the afternoon to continue working on some projects due Friday. It was a short-lived work session, though, because after the girls returned, we got ready for the food tour. The tour took us on LED-lined Tuk Tuks, which cut through the city to each night market. We tried pastries, Pad Thai, wings, Thai pancakes, mango sticky rice, and more. The tour intertwined the food stops with visits to historic temples and one of the largest flower markets in the world.
We learned about the history of the Kingdom of Thailand and how the lineage of kings has shaped this country in general and Bangkok in particular.
The following day, we wandered around the city center. We ate a delicious meal over the water, and then I headed to the Bangkok City Library until our flight to Chaing Mai that afternoon. The library was much better than I had imagined. It was full of natural light, universal outlets, and even a luggage check for my duffle bag. But yeah, there are better ways to see Bangkok in a short amount of time.
I’m headed to Chaing Mai and then Ko Samui before returning for exams in Sydney. I’ll catch you guys next week with my penultimate blog!
Grant Touchette
Aerospace Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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Week 14: Beetroot, Bets, and Beats
G’day folks,
It's been yet another week of primarily studying. However, spending time on campus has its perks. The food selection right outside the library amazes me, particularly the cafe outside the lower food court. Sweet potato and beetroot salad have become my favorite dish.
I’ve also found a deep love for the horse blinder-style cubicles in the back on the 2nd floor of the Main Library. They have a warm, bright light that falls on a rich green pattern. They also have the perfect width and depth to spread out your elbows and computer for any position you're inspired to pose in. I think it's obvious where I spend most of my time these days.
If schoolwork didn’t feel like enough, another concern I’ve been managing is how I will spend my summer. On Wednesday, I spent nearly the entire day on LinkedIn and in professors’ research, and then I cold-emailed them for work or research opportunities this summer.
I’ve found ways to break up the work this week, or instead, my friends have successfully dragged me out of my studying stupor several times for a change of scenery. On Thursday, my roommate Sam’s family invited us to their Airbnb for dinner and card games. They were visiting for the week and wanted to meet all the kids that have traveled and lived with their daughter. The hours passed quicker than they had in the past two weeks as we all reminisced on the months of travel and late nights that had brought us all so much closer than I think any of us could have imagined.
On Saturday, I had the first blog-worthy day since Vietnam! We met Sam’s parents at Sydney’s Australian Turf Club (horse derby). The track and stadium are across from the UNSW campus and are a weekly spectacle. It was all our first derbies, so we put on the nicest clothes we owned (another first) and jauntily strolled through the gates. Then, far off in the distance, a man started energetically waving at us to exit and go around. We had walked along the driveway leading into the stadium, which was about a kilometer from the walking entrance. Anyway, we made it and had a blast people-watching. It felt like we had stumbled upon the high society of Sydney. Everyone was wearing suits and dresses and perceptive glances.
We spent the day placing paper bets with the best names on the horses and enjoying the first sun of the week. We left towards the end of the derby and headed home for a nap. That night, we went out to Club 77 because people online were framing it as the best club in Sydney. It felt underground, but for a reason: the music was uninteresting, with the same few beats repeated for minutes that felt like hours. We left before we could sink any more time into that place and decided to try out Scary Canary.
This club/bar had the best DJ I've ever heard at that place, and time had never flown by so quickly. Afterward, we all unanimously felt it was the best club we had been to; it's just a shame that we discovered it so late into our trip.
Thank you all for reading! I’ve got one last week of studying and submitting assignments before heading to Thailand.
Take care,
Grant Touchette
Aerospace Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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Week 13: The Unseen Marathon, a Tale of Late Nights and Quiet Chaos
G’day folks,
I wish something had happened this week but its really felt like one of the most uneventful weeks of my time here. It doesn’t help that I am coming off one of the most eventful weeks of my life, but still, this week was school, school, and more school. Our roommate Viv, whom Joe and I pretty much only see on the way out to spend the day at the library, said it best: “When will you guys be fun again??”... not for a while I’m afraid.
Upon arriving back in Sydney, I decided to face what the next three weeks were looking like in terms of assignments. And pretty much 60% to 70% of every class’s grade is being determined by assignments, tests, essays, and portfolios crammed into the next couple of weeks.
One major difference I’ve noticed in schooling here vs. the States is the assignments' weighting and timing. If you plan on coming here beware of this. For nearly every class I’ve taken in the States, class material that you learn is almost immediately applied, whether it be a lab, a problem set, etc. It's a system I’ve become beyond grateful for since hopping the pond. UNSW and likely other schools in Australia essentially wait until 2/3rds of the semester is past and then assess everything you’ve learned up until then. It's frustrating because the earlier fundamentals are lost. If you’re not careful, you could very well end up in the position Joe and I were on Wednesday night.
Alright… it's 15 pages long… based on two labs we weren’t there for… and we can’t recognize half of the terminology…
*Yikes*
Luckily for us procrastinators, the late penalty for every 24 hours late was 5%. Thinking ourselves saved at just a 5% loss, we worked through the night. Before we knew it we were shaking ourselves awake at 4:30 AM to look down at a report that was maybe 10% done.
The next three days made for the worst academic sprint I’ve ever done. It quickly became clear to Joe and me how little we knew, so we were left scrambling over 3 days clocking in an average of 12-14 hours of work. Rewatching lectures, tearing through scribbled notes, and working out our own hypothesis’ on what the questions were really asking. The last day was a 24-hour 12 pm to 12 pm session, all to get the thing submitted before more penalties could be accumulated.
Disclaimer, Joe and I conducted our own work completely but it was spiritually invaluable to not be alone and have someone else there struggling with me.
Outside of studies, we did make time for an exciting trip to an escape room with our New Zealand friends. It was titled ‘Lost in the Woods’ and we enjoyed 70 minutes of scrambling, gaslighting, laughing, and ‘No way!’s as the intricate engineering of the room unfolded with every solved clue. It's an expensive hobby but every time we finish we get told how well we've done. I guess we just can't get enough of the praise, I mean puzzles.
‘Till next week!
Grant Touchette
Aerospace Engineering
University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia
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