Notes From Abroad
Max Merrill
CONTRIBUTOR
Photos Courtesy of Max Merrill
Junior Max Merrill and other classmates abroad have been able to experience the Sydney Opera House and the incredible Sydney Harbor Bridge.
Australia has been an invaluable experience of exploration for me. A majority of my semester abroad has been spent at the beautiful Australian beaches, including scuba diving through the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns and visiting the world famous White Haven Beach in the Whitsunday Islands. There are also a lot of beaches only a few hours from campus like the famous Sydney beaches, Bondi and Manly Beach.
If the endless coastlines and beautiful blue water were not enough, I have also been able to enjoy downtown Sydney, where I visited the Sydney Opera House, petted kangaroos at the zoo and climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge. It was exhilarating to climb up the bridge through the middle of the highway as cars passed on either side. At the top, I stood hundreds of feet above the Sydney Harbor connected by just one wire which was incredible. It was amazing to look out and see the entire city of Sydney while suspended 440 feet in the air. This view was undoubtedly one of the most incredible sights I will ever see.
I have also been lucky enough to travel around Australia and even visit places outside the country such as New Zealand, Fiji, Thailand, Bali and many other places. For spring break, I was able to head north to the Gold Coast for renowned nightlife and travel the world, discovering places like Thailand where I got to ride an elephant. Regardless of what activities I have chosen here, I have had a blast throughout all of them.
With two months remaining I will miss the breathtaking landscapes, the friendly people and the nights out on the town at the well-known Ranch Hotel. I would not change my experience for the world and encourage everyone to pick some place they’re interested in and head abroad.