Hi there,

My name is Hilary Reichling and I am from Madison, Wisconsin. I study Business, Communications, and International Relations at Edgewood College.

I am currently studying abroad in Sydney, Australia at Campion College. It is a beautiful campus and all the students and staff are helpful and friendly. The time difference is a little hard to get used to, but staying awake the first day is extremely beneficial. Don't stress over the long plane ride, they go by a lot faster than what you would think. The airlines offer lots of great movies if you're not able to sleep.

When I first arrived, I met most of the staff and a few students. I watched one of the biggest footy games at the local pub with a few of the students. It was an experience that isn't possible in the United States. The game was against New South Wales and Queensland. Footy has two halves, both forty minutes. The game holds your interest because, not only is it interesting, but the fans get into it as well.

Along with everyone on campus, I met a fellow student who is traveling around Australia for the next year on the plane from San Francisco to Sydney, named Jen. I met up with her and two Aussie's the second day I arrived and we visited some of Sydney's top attractions. We first went to Bondi Beach and although it is winter here, there were many people surfing and walking alongside the ocean. Bondi itself is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. The shops nearby are very fun to go into and the restaurants seemed phenomenal. We grabbed some sushi and had a picnic on the beach, but make sure you don't feed the birds or they won't leave you alone!

Public transportation in Sydney is very easy to catch on to. If you have any questions about where to go, just ask someone on the street and they are more than happy to help you.

More later,
Hilary