Livin' Like A Local

I’ve been living in Sydney for just over a month, and it’s definitely safe to say the city is starting to feel more comfortable. While there’s definitely some things that will take time to really feel familiar—the public transit system, $1 and $2 coins, and everything seeming ridiculously overpriced—I’ve definitely come a long way from my days of staring at maps for hours on end and trying to make sense of the conversion rates.

It’s easy to assume that the big events would be the highlights: climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, and feeding kangaroos at the wildlife park have without a doubt been some of the most unique experiences I’ve had so far. Yet despite all these amazing experiences, I’ve found that it’s the smaller, everyday occurrences that have made my experience feel like I belong in the city. My main goal for the semester was to actually connect with the culture and local people, and make Sydney feel like a home, not just a vacation destination.

Can't beat the view from the Bondi Cliff Walk

Some of the highlights so far:

-       living above my favorite coffee shop and Thai food in the city

-       pretending to enjoy boxed wine (although I actually don’t mind it after 3-4 glasses…)

-       watching Australia’s version of the Bachelor every week

-       random dance parties/rap battles in the middle of the afternoon

-       my apartment being the hub of all social life that exists within my group of friends here

-       family dinners 

-       getting completely lost going anywhere and everywhere

-       playing Egyptian Ratscrew for hours on end (and losing every round)

-       recounting the events of the night before over breakfast with my roommates

-       meeting locals and telling them stories about home/Charleston

-       laughing until our masks flood and we can’t see while scuba diving

-       working on my rugby pass & taking naps in Sydney’s parks and gardens

-       Tim-Tam slams

-       being the only American in my US Studies class and feeling like a genius

-       perfecting my T9 word game on my Samsung phone straight from 2002

My Aussie mates and I

I know that these experiences may seem trivial to everyone at home, but it really is these moments that have made me so much more appreciative of the experience here so far. While I’m sure that the big experiences will have lasting memories, it’s these smaller moments that I want to be sure to remember when I return to America.

Sunset in Sydney Harbour (because it's okay to act like a tourist sometimes!)