I have previously treated my study abroad experiences as stepping stones, each experience progressively longer than the next. My first study abroad experience was for three weeks studying ecology in Belize. My second was during May session in Mexico, studying Spanish, and my most recent was for 5 months in Sydney, Australia. When trying to decide between countries, the main factor was to be able to satisfy classes in both of my majors, Biology and Physiology. And to ensure my graduation in four years, my classes abroad needed to be approved by the U of M. This also meant that it had to be an English speaking school because there was no way I was going to be taking Cell Biology and Histology in Spanish. This narrowed me down to England and Australia, but I chose Australia because I thought I would never be able to travel there in the future. Plus, the beaches of Australia didn't sound bad either.

What helped me in preparation for my experience abroad was traveling alone in the past. Traveling alone has helped me to become very independent and encouraged me to try new things. And Sydney welcomed me with open arms. I was surrounded by a clean, metropolitan, laid back, friendly city. My program placed me in a loft style apartment building, kiddy corner from Sydney University and a mile away from the famous Opera House. I was in the same building with other students from my program, as well as Australians. I was also the only person from Minnesota, and my roommate was from Hollywood. It was nice because everyone was in the same situation: studying, wanting to see what Australia was about, and experiencing each day to its maximum. I loved Sydney. It was a place where my classmates came to school barefoot, my professors would joke and tease, and where everyone was more than eager to show me the city.

One of the best memories of Sydney would have to be Mardi gras. My friends and I went to a second hand store to buy the wackiest outfits we could find because we were all excited to dress up and join the festivities. However, when we arrived to the huge parade, we realized that the only people who dressed up were those IN the parade, and it was a Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras! Everybody from the crowd was taking pictures of us and we were pulled into the parade and riding floats. The music, the colors, the people, the costumes, and the life of Sydney put me in a different realm that I had never experienced before. Further, the weather, the opera house, the horse races, the harbor cruises, the people, and the beaches were only a piece of the exciting experiences that Sydney, Australia had to offer.

Rachael Pederson