I am living in a pretty special time of life. Whenever I ask people about their college experience, they always bring up their study abroad experience. I have the pleasure of living that critical moment of life right now in Sydney, Australia.

My living accommodations could not be better. I am living in a large house one block away from the infamous Coogee beach. I have a shared room with my Duke friend Josh but also share the house with 25 other students from all over the world. A mix of undergraduates and graduates, the opportunity to learn from and bond with such a diverse group of people has been a blessing.

During my first week, I had three goals. 1) Find a fantastic dive shop. 2) Get a bike. 3) Join a Muay Thai gym.

1. I am excited to report that I am diving with Abyss scuba diving. They offer free guided shore dives which also include a warm tomato soup, bread rolls, and vegemite lunch. I went diving on Sunday and was blown away by the critters I saw and how cold the dive was. The highlights included an extensive collection of port Jackson sharks, wobbegong sharks, weedy sea dragons, cuttlefish, and pineapple fish. The water was 65°f (18ºc) but once I got used to the brain freeze, the diving was fantastic.
2. I bought a bike! Even though the public transportation in Sydney is fantastic and I live within walking distance of campus, I knew a bike would be a necessity to explore. I got one built by a local shop (Sydney Park Cyclery aka Crank House) and am already emotionally attached to my purchase. Sydney is very hilly so I am glad I got a road bike.
3. Before coming to Australia, I wanted to join a Muay Thai gym. With Australia’s proximity to Thailand, there must be some proper gyms I thought. I joined the Muay Thai club at my university, the University of New South Wales (UNSW). Practice starts next week so I will report soon about the experience.

While looking around the club options, I joined the lacrosse team. Lacrosse here is played with both boys and girls, on a hard court, no contact is allowed, and a few rules are also changed. Regardless, the core game of lacrosse is prevalent and I have a great time playing with the team. So much so that I joined the travel team and will be competing for UNSW at the Uni Games in September. This is a competition among all universities in various sports and is held on the Gold Coast. The Uni Games seem like a great way to make new friends and visit more of Australia in one go!

Oh yeah, I guess I am also in school. Since the trimester has not started yet, I am taking one class called “Experiencing the Sydney Opera House.” While not the most rigorous course, I’ve enjoyed focusing on a single piece of architecture. Our first assignment was writing a reflection piece about the structure. I wrote mine about the parallels between the opera house and the ocean, noting that “I don’t see sails, I see fins.”

I am proud of how fast I have assimilated here. Granted everyone speaks English and this is a very well-developed city but I am making lots of friends and exploring even more! Looking forward to the rest of this study abroad and some fantastic travel experiences.

Picture Dropdown

Previous Next

Sydney is an incredible city! I have only been here two weeks and am dreaming of one day working here. I started this week off with a grand tour of the Blue Mountains. Josh, Elena, and I simply took a train to the mountains and enjoyed an expansive landscape of canyons and trees. We took a long hike near Echo Point and the Three Sisters which offered views of Gum trees, birds, and more scenic views! Poor signage required us to climb 961 stairs twice which allowed us to count the exact number of steps.

I have also been on four shore dives now with Abyss scuba diving. I have mainly dove the steps and have been treated with so many weedy seadragons and Port Jackson sharks. The diving community is very strong in Sydney and I have been making friends that I hope to go diving with on our own in the future! Speaking of friends to go diving with, I met up with Nicolas Remy, the fantastic photographer I worked with in Indonesia. He was presenting about a recent splash in a photo contest in Jordan and had a nice viewing event full of scuba diving enthusiasts. Conversation flows like a river when people do not think you are weird for only talking about diving.

Throughout the week, I have been training Muay Thai! I love this sport. While I showed up to class with blurry vision on Tuesday because I got hit in the eye, I have learned an immense amount in such a short time. I am throwing kicks, and punches with so much more power now and even know how to block with checks. The classes are through UNSW so I am making more friends in the school and community. I will never compete but will continue training very hard to push my body and skills.

On Thursday, Josh, Elena, and I had a memorable night going to the Sydney Opera House. We started by enjoying South Asian cuisine at Mu Mu and then watched Miss Saigon the musical. This show was raunchy, educational, hilarious, and inspiring. Following the life of an American male GI who falls in love with a Vietnamese woman, we watched in awe as the brutality of the Vietnam War was displayed and the consequences of the haste exit of the US military were brought to light. We ended our night with a slow walk around the opera house while the “fins” gleamed—such a special opportunity to be able to enjoy both the inside and outside of such a marvel.

Since my easier course load only lasts for two more weeks, I am trying my hardest to explore and investigate as much as possible with so much free time. The best way to spend my time has been bonding with the house. We had a large trivia night and also all went to a rugby match on Saturday. The best part of the night was when all 27 of us packed into a single table at Chinatown Noodle King. My dinner was a large bowl of pork dumplings! Perfect.

Picture Dropdown

Previous Next

For starters, a Wallaby is a smaller kangaroo but more on that later.

As winter term has come to an end, I had to be an academic and write my final essay for the Experiencing the Sydney Opera House class. I really struggled with the prompt but after heavy revision with my roommate and one rewrite, I am proud of the work I turned in. With our essays complete about a week before they were due, we decided that getting out into nature and camping was a great way to celebrate our first term. We went out to Decathlon Tempe, bought the cheapest two-person tent, and stopped at Ikea for some meatballs while we waited for the bus. Ikea meatballs are very overrated.

As we were deciding where to camp, we had two goals in mind. First, Josh and I wanted a campfire to relax next to. Second, the spot needed to be remote but accessible by public transportation as we had no water filter or ability to get a car. Basin Campground in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park was our winner and I can not recommend this spot enough to anyone with similar goals.

We left on Saturday and took about three hours from Coogee to get to the Ferry which brought us directly to the campsite. As soon as we touched down, we saw turkeys gobbling around, wallabies hopping around, and birds screeching from every tree. Setting up our campsite was swift and then we toured around the area, marveling at the decent wildlife for such an easily accessible location. At sunset, we grilled up some hotdogs and corn and enjoyed dinner on a park bench.

Unfortunately, the two fire pits at this campground were reserved. However, applying the teachings from Mr. Botak, the guide who led me up Mt. Agung in Indonesia, “always contribute to a fire.” Josh and I bought some firewood as we assumed showing up with the wood would be a surefire way to cozy up next to the heat as well.

Sure enough, as we approached a group of young adults, they were excited to let us join as they coincidentally had just put their last log on. We sat down and began making conversation as everyone we were sitting with worked in the VFX (visual effects) industry. They had worked on movies like Star Wars, Cats, Shrek, Indiana Jones, etc. Each person had a unique specialty like Keith, who has dedicated his career to modeling hair, muscles, and clothes. Hearing this group of dynamic and successful friends speak so passionately about their jobs inspires me to always pursue something I love.

At some point in the night, a wallaby hopped over and stood next to Josh for about ten minutes, just soaking in the warmth. Wallabies are cute. Their rear legs rear are massive but the body dramatically slims out toward the head. They hold their hands together like they have a tiny gift for you and are very attentive to questions and laughs.

After heading to bed with the fire extinguished, Josh and I woke up with a mission of finding a beach. Taking the one dirt trail out of the campground, we hiked to Mackerel trail and then a lookout that offered fantastic views of the ocean, Barrenjoey lighthouse, and dense tree foliage. Determined to relax on the beach below us, we followed the trail until we cliffed out. We had gone too far to turn around, so after studying the rock face for a while, Josh and I rock-climbed our way down to the rocky shoreline. This cliff face was made out of sandstone which offered surprisingly perfect foot and hand holds. You just had to give each hold a good tug as this rock fractures quite easily. Once we felt content marveling at this new view, we hopped from rock to rock across the shoreline until we reached Mackerel Beach. I love using my hands on a hike.

For the rest of the day, we relaxed on the beach then went into town briefly for dinner. When we returned to the campground, we were surprised to see that everyone had left except for us. We had a massive plot of land to ourselves. Regrettably, we had no more firewood so we went to bed early to catch the sunrise. At 4:45 Am we hiked out to Mackerel Trail Lookout and despite the clouds covering the sun, witnessed a spectacular sunrise. Well worth the cold and early wake-up.

While killing time before the ferry came to take us back to the mainland, we watched a fire helicopter land and a crew of the NSW Rural Fire Service arrive. They were airlifting massive water containers to strategic points in the mountains to help fight fires. The kind volunteers let Josh and I poke around the helicopter and ask a bunch of questions. The NSW Rural Fire Service has 70,000 volunteers and is so well established that they train and send volunteers all around the world.

I have this upcoming week off of school but plan to stick in Sydney until classes start. I am so thankful for this beautiful nature and friendly people!

Picture Dropdown

Previous Next

As I did not have any school this week, I spent a lot of time relaxing and enjoying being settled in. My roommate and I watched Duke beat #9 Clemson in football and then all of our fellow students rush the field. Two years ago, Duke football was a joke but now we are ranked and the games are drawing large numbers of spectators.

My roommate and I also enjoyed a day at the Royal Randwick Racecourse to watch the horse races. On Wednesday, entry into the field is free so we were able to walk around the grounds, enter the exclusive clubs, and stand right next to horses worth over a million dollars. I have seen a fair number of horses in my life but these racing horses are a spectacle. Their walk looks forceful and powerful. Every part of their body is pronounced as the muscles are bulging and the veins popping. Most horses have a sense of calmness to them but these horses had a crazy look in their eyes. All they know is to run and they do it well.

We had lacrosse practice in pads as well this week. I have not worn a lacrosse helmet in over 5 years so adjusting to the limited field of view took a few moments but then I felt back at home. This lacrosse team is made up of a lot of people from the surrounding area, not just students. I enjoyed meeting even more people spread out around this world and talking with the people who were near my age and played back in the States. One guy I met played lacrosse at a high school not too far from mine.

During the weekend I met up with a Duke friend and explored Royal National Park. We arrived at the Waterfall station with absolutely no plan but were able to follow signs to a trailhead. We pushed through despite the trail becoming more and more overgrown and discovered two different pools with great sandstone formations and tiny waterfalls. Sydney continues to surprise me with how easily you can experience the outdoors.

Finally, on Sunday a few of us went to the Univeristy of Syndey to check out the book fair. The fair was in the Great Hall and an organist was playing Harry Potter music as we scrolled through the collection of literature. I bought a book about Ayurvedic Home Remedies which is based on the timeless wisdom of India’s 5,000-year-old medical system. I look forward to diagnosing and treating people based on these historical and natural techniques.

My trimester begins on Monday! I will be taking fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, and film photography. Time to focus and get into the spirit of school!

Picture Dropdown

Previous Next

After having two weeks off of school, I felt awfully studious completing my first week of “real” classes. During the bridge project in Eswatini, I found a new appreciation for grinding and getting my work done. This week, I felt my work mentality really kick into gear. I am taking two very important engineering courses: fluid dynamics and thermodynamics. As I hope to pursue engineering in the ocean, I recognize the importance fluid dynamics will have on my engineering brain and solutions. Therefore, I am working extra hard in this class and am confident my studies will be my number one priority out here.

Another class I am excited about is photography. This film photography class will force me to explore a side of the brain I rarely get to use. Despite some “artistic” engineering projects in the past like the bench or ship wheel, I have never had the opportunity to explore my artistic style and produce over a long period of time. The first four weeks will teach us how to use photographic paper and understand what film can capture. After that, we will have a 35mm film camera in our hands and try to push our creative minds and vision.

As Friday rolled around, my roommate Josh and I had a dream. The new moon was on September 15 and after hours of pain-staking investigative work, we found a secret star-gazing society that has a compound deep in the bush. After getting the coordinates and discovering we could almost make the journey there with public transportation, Josh and I pulled the trigger and set out on an adventure.

Our journey took us on multiple buses and trains which dropped us in a nothing town at 8:30 pm. Unfortunately, the bus stop was 8 miles (13km) from our final destination. With no possibility of getting a ride, we set off into the dark, illuminated only by my awesome Fenix flashlights. The journey was all uphill but we were greeted by a massive huntsman spider, a squashed snake, a porcupine (echidna), wallabies, and a few cars that ignored our thumbs up. After much storytelling and laughs, we arrived at the compound by 11:30 PM.

This site caters to astrophotographers and legit astronomers so there is not a single light within acres and absolutely no white light is allowed on site. So, showing up at nearly midnight presented a unique issue as we tried to find where we should put our tent and if we were even in the right spot. Thankfully, we bumped into a nice man named Jeff who gave us the lay of the land and then invited us into his campervan. After inquiring about Jeff’s past, he told us that he introduced Oceania and Asia to the barcode technology. We talked for about an hour and dug into the wonderful capabilities of barcodes and the fascinating job Jeff had revolutionizing the inventory world.

After exiting his incredible offroading campervan, Josh and I found ourselves staring up at thousands of stars and constellations. Seconds would pass between a shooting star. Mars twinkled in the distance but paled in comparison to the gleaming purple of Venus. We sat there for hours looking back in time and pondering at the staggering beauty.

When you are purposely stargazing, your life becomes nocturnal. Josh and I did not wake up until 1:00 PM and that was only because the glaring sun became unbearably hot in our tiny two-person tent. Once up and about, we walked over to the kitchen area and started making friends. Coincidentally, a feast was occurring in a few hours so we helped a little with cooking, and trying the meat, before joining the meal. I have spent a decent amount of time around astronomers and I always love how many walks of life you come across. There were about 25 people here and some were much older and simply enjoyed the wonders of the sky, others were dedicated astrophotographers, a few were physicists, but everyone had a deep understanding of space and an even larger amount of questions and curiosity.

Josh and I were clearly outsiders but were welcomed into this niche and very reserved club with open arms. Once people heard we hiked for 3 hours in complete darkness to get here, they knew we were somewhat legit and most of all, passionate about exploring the night sky.

As we licked our plates clean, the night sky spectacle was beginning. Josh and I quickly made our way to one of the club telescopes. This telescope had a 25-inch diameter mirror and was a MASSIVE reflective telescope. We had to stand on a ladder at some points to look through the eyepiece. This size and enormous aperture allowed us to look deep into space. Words can’t describe the smoky look of nebulas that we would examine or the intensity of star clusters. We would point the machine at globs and fill our heads with a 3-dimensional picture of what looked like a smudge. Again, Josh and I stared through that telescope long into the night and picked the brains of all the people sitting around us.

Everyone was local to Australia and had stories of paranormal activity in the sky or adventures they had taken on land and sea to explore this wonderful continent. On Sunday, Josh and thankfully hitched a ride into Sydney so no hiking for us! We both could not get over what a gem we had just come across. This is truly the best star gazing location and facility I have ever been to in my life and practically nobody knows about it. We plan to be up for every new moon and continue making connections and working to understand our galaxy a little bit more.

Picture Dropdown

Previous Next

After Eswatini, I have a newfound sense of knowledge and the application of one’s brilliance. Experiencing the impact of slowly chipping away at a project has made me hungry to learn and solve problems. I relish the opportunity to struggle through my fluid problems and solve them on my own. I have been waking up excited to bike uphill to a library and study for a few hours even if the weather is gorgeous and the ocean is calling to me.

Most people don’t talk about a highlight from their study abroad being the excitement from school and the joy coming from the pencil-to-paper process. However, for me, this is huge growth and a development I plan to pursue. I would not consider myself an academic. My knowledge has never come from a classroom and my motivation has never revolved around testing well or getting a high grade. I enjoy diving into the rabbit holes of random curiosity and intellectual wonders. Not necessarily being told I should study this topic.

I am fortunate enough that this is not my first “solo” travel experience. I have had two wonderful life adventures in the near past and have been inspired by travel ever since I first embarked on a research expedition to Cuba in 2016. I feel no desire to suck every ounce of travel out of this place. If everyone is going out clubbing and I want to watch a video lecture, I will watch a video lecture and not feel guilty about missing out on my travel abroad experience. Australia does not feel like traveling to me. I am merely in a new setting that has been offering a lot of energy on a unique, learning-focused path.

My goals for Australia are all concentrated on producing a better Kyle through more disciplined practices. The only goal for travel is to see a healthy reef, but beyond that, I want Australia to be a time where I focus on my brain. I need to better understand how I learn and channel motivation. I find myself having incredible adventures where I take my body to endure challenges or experience euphoric moments, but now I sense the time to focus on pushing my brain has arrived.

This is not to say that I am missing out on opportunities, necessarily. Throughout the week, we won a lacrosse game and I had a ton of goals. My Muay Thai instructor complimented me by taking off the stomach pad we use and telling me “You’re too tough for this” where we then progressed into training our kicks targeted at the abdomen. I have been experimenting with recipes, focusing on reading, adding new entries to my learn journal, and pursuing my journey to spiritual oneness.

I am still very early into this abroad journey so who knows, everything I am saying above could go flying out the window. However, seldom do I not follow through on the path I set forth on. With all this being said, I am currently enjoying 15 hr. train ride from Sydney to the Gold Coast. I am playing lacrosse in Unigames for UNSW and will be missing the entire week of school, hopefully making lots of new friends and memories.

Unigames was full of meows, roars, and eye black. Our first two games commenced on Monday at a local private high school gym. This was the first time everyone on the team was going to be playing together so we had a few kinks to work out. Regardless, we won both games and finished the day with high energy and a solid idea of what the competition would entail.

The Gold Coast is not somewhere I would ever have found myself vacationing had it not been for the lacrosse tournament. The beaches are nice, but nothing especially noteworthy, and the waves are consistent and definitely a “Surfer’s paradise.” However, when you turn 180º from the beach you gaze upon hotel after hotel after hotel. I was disturbed by how many hotels there were in such a small area. There is a theme park nearby and some nature reserves but really not too much to do except visit the dozens of clubs and overpriced restaurants. Like I said though, I was here for lacrosse so after an entertaining Monday night, the UNSW team groggily made our way to the courts for another day of competition.

Our first game of the day was against the University of Melbourne and we were properly slaughtered. Melbourne eventually won the competition so we posed very little resistance to their conquest. Our second game however was much more successful for us and one girl on our team had 10 goals. On Tuesday, we were already burned out from clubbing so we went to the beach for a night swim session instead. I felt like a kid as we were all splashing, tackling, and laughing with one another. Moments like this really showed how the quality of a location pales in comparison to the quality of the people you are with. Half of our team came from the States but I did not know anyone before getting involved with lacrosse. I can confidently say that I made lifelong friends through this short adventure.

As Wednesday came along, we were really feeling the effects of having no obligations except to play lacrosse and enjoy our time here. Our first game of the day was a nail-biter. We had entered the knockout rounds today and winning the first game ensured we would place at least fourth. We started the second half down five points but held the other team to just a few goals as we clawed our way back. With an incredibly lucky save in the final second, the game was tied and we were headed to overtime. 4 more minutes of game time were added to the clock and our focused energy resulted in us scoring two points and the other team zero. We were ecstatic about the win and the solid team effort.

Unfortunately, our second game of the day was against a VERY well-organized team that had an average height of over 6 feet and players that all looked to be at least 25. We were not favored to win, so everyone got creative with their face paint and drew whiskers and ears to mimic the UNSW mascot, the lion. Even though we lost by 7 points, our bench and team had way more fun than the other team. We were hissing at the players or meowing/roaring when we scored. This tactic worked very well as we scored more points than our opponent in the second half but not enough to win. Never have I had so much fun losing and even the other team complimented us on our cheerfulness.

Losing that game was not a problem though as we were still competing for the bronze medal. Thursday morning, we showed up 12 minutes before our game started and proved that we were not a first-half team. However, the spirit of the lion was strong and with some smart lacrosse and great shots, we tied the game at the end of regulation. Again, we were going into overtime and our energy was electric. We had been here before. I quickly scored our only two goals for the overtime and set the tone for the next few minutes. As a team, we held strong and only let in one goal so as the buzzer signified the end of the game, we all rushed our goalie in joy. We had bonded together and worked well as a team despite only having 4 practices before the tournament. We never took the games too seriously and guaranteed that everyone had playing time or every ridiculous shot was met with applause and a great attitude.

I was very skeptical about coming out to the Gold Coast as the significant cost was daunting, but I am so grateful I pursued this opportunity. If I had not come, I wouldn’t have learned from a girl on the team who is 100% Aboriginal and shared the horrific history of how Australia has treated their people and the struggles she endured every day. I wouldn’t be able to return to my home in Coogee with a sick bronze medal around my neck and share that memory with 12 other amazing friends. I strive to always say yes to a new opportunity and am happy to know that despite my recent doubts, this mentality continues to guide me on a wonderful journey.

Picture Dropdown

Previous Next

I had a lot of catching up to do for school this week which involved a fair amount of studying. Thankfully, one of my friends from the lacrosse team has a great study break routine, walk across a slack line. Before this week, I had never really attempted walking on a slack line, but now I am really hooked on the activity. We have been setting the line up at Coogee Beach and slowly making our way one step closer to the other side. I am especially proud of the fact that while slacklining at 2 am, I saw a few rats running around the vicinity. Instead of cowering away in fear, I focused on myself and continued to slack!

The other far less important development this week was presenting my first art project. As I have mentioned, I am enrolled in a photography class. The first four weeks of our course involved creating a single exhibition with our photograms. I have been spending hours in the darkroom delicately laying random items onto the film paper and exposing the scene to light.

The dark room is a fascinating place. Very little chatter fills the red-glowing room. You focus so hard on producing a piece yet are always surprised as the developer washes over the paper and your scene comes to life. This style of art is full of trial and error and learning how to turn your misprint into something beautiful.

I was really struggling with this art project. Similar to never finding your argument in an essay, I was stuck trying to come up with a unifying theme. I wanted so badly to escape from my realistic mindset and try to produce a collage of abstractness. As you will see in the photos, however, I was not able to break free from my rational focus. Nonetheless, I am very proud of this project. I ended up producing a set of images that explore the interconnectedness of space, humanity, life, corruption, money, and the inevitable embrace of death. I called the piece "Cosmic Chronicles: Reflections on Humanity" as I wanted to challenge us to confront our mortality and the consequences of our actions.

Foolishly, I went into the art show not confident in my work. I was nervous that everyone else would have such beaming and creative pieces that mine would not exceed expectations or look like a fresh take. After being reassured by many people that they loved my work and my teacher stating “There is a sculptor in you screaming to come out,” which I totally agree with, I questioned why I was so nervous. In high school, my engineering teacher, Mr. Madourie, instilled the value of confidence in us. He would relentlessly ensure we kept our chins high, presented with passion and professionalism, and above everything else, always believed in ourselves. I had a minor lapse of judgment by not expressing my normal confidence when displaying my artwork and now I am sure that will never happen again. No matter what, I put effort into this project and showed my creative style. Why would I not be proud of such an accomplishment?

Now we are transitioning into film photography which will be a fun challenge as I get to combine my sense of adventure and unique lens of this world. I have a feeling my artistic style is rooted in the natural world and sharing the environment which was progressed by this project. I can not wait to see where the camera takes me!

Picture Dropdown

Previous Next

The thrill of diving is undeniably exhilarating, but when shared with friends, it becomes a truly unforgettable and bonding experience. Leveraging my skills as a dive guide and the relatively simple but fantastic scuba diving Sydney has to offer, I planned and led a three-day dive trip around Sydney this week. Two people from the house joined, Mattijhs and Marie, as well as a visiting friend from Denmark named Kristine. Packed into a car with 8 tanks, 4 sets of gear, and blasting music, we were off to experience the ocean on our own.

Our first day of diving took us to Kurnell to dive the steps. This is a site I am very familiar with and was confident I could manage the conditions, navigation, and refreshing everyone’s skills. Underwater, I made sure not to point out too many critters and allow everyone to settle in and enjoy the wide-angle views and larger life like the weedy seadragons. Everyone in the group showcased exemplary diving skills and buoyancy so I was sure the next few days would go smoothly.

Our second day of diving took us to Shelly Beach in Manly (North of Sydney). Diving out of a car takes a lot of organization but allows for an energetic gear setup. We would park, turn up the music, and set up our gear with views of the vast ocean and hills of Australia. I have never dove Shelly Beach, or been there for that matter, so I spent the week prior studying maps, personal accounts, and visibility reports to best prepare myself to guide. Intentionally, I chose this site due to the simplicity of navigation as well as the reported sharks! We were greeted by plenty of port jacksons, a few wobbegongs, and massive blue gropers. The water is still very cold but when you are distracted by all the ocean life, you hardly feel the discomfort. After diving, we packed up and headed back home as I had photography class. Class this week consisted of me walking around a park and using a film camera for the first time. I had to work very hard during class to capture moments like dogs running to catch a ball!

After class, I quickly made my way home though since we had a night dive to attend. We loaded up the car and headed to Gordon’s Bay which is next to Coogee Beach. All geared up, you feel like a ninja as you enter the pitch-dark water. While surface swimming to the descent point, I was telling Mattijhs how there is literally nothing I would rather be doing at this moment. To go on a night dive my friends, or simply pursue a passion with people is so gratifying and special. As I drew in one final, crisp breath through my nose, and gave a thumbs-down signal, we embarked on our descent into the frigid, obsidian depths of the water. The first 15 minutes of the dive were boring, to be honest. Just a ton of stingrays. But a quick prayer to the scuba gods changed our fate. Soon after, we saw a massive Australian angelshark on the sea floor, a few port jackson sharks, and while swimming across a rock wall, a reef octopus, eel, seahorse, and cuttlefish! I scared everyone diving when I found the octopus since I squealed and jerked my body in excitement. We all came up from the dive ecstatic from the finds.

Our third day of diving took us to Cliffton Gardens. Another beautiful beach in Manly. We were diving a pier which offered quite different diving than what I am used to. Much tighter conditions, poorer visibility, swim-throughs between nets, and lots of soft coral. We didn’t see a ton of marine life on this dive but that was okay as our second dive of the day at Gordon’s Bay showcased over a dozen sharks including a massive wobbegong!

These three days of diving will stick with me forever. Scuba diving builds bonds through trust, excitement, beauty, and quite often, humor. While I cherish witnessing incredible marine life beneath the surface, the instances when I find myself clutching my mask and regulator to stifle laughter underwater add a distinct and personal touch to the already fantastic experience of scuba diving.

After our final dives, we hurried home as Katrine had a bus to catch and Mattijhs and I were headed back to the star gazing site I went to with Josh in Week 5. This time we had a car so the trip up was a breeze. Upon arriving, we made burgers and set up camp ready for a long night of viewing. There were clouds throughout the night so we would constantly be changing our direction of view which was quite fun as we could study new parts of the sky. Mattijhs has studied constellations and was taking us on a galaxy and Greek mythology tour.

Eventually, the cold got to us and we had to warm up by the fire and then head to bed. On Saturday morning, we were all keen for a hike and exploration. This energy led us to a hike that starts on the canyons and then dips down into a rainforest valley. The birds were calling from every direction and the lizards were slowly climbing trees. The rock formations in Australia are just so fascinating! After the hike, we were driving around looking for a sunset spot. Near the observation site, we could see a home at the top of a hill. With a mutual agreement that this spot would be epic for the sunset, we drove up to the property and I hopped out to ask the owner if we could view the sunset from his land. He said yes and the four of us found ourselves sitting on a sunset bench watching one of the most spectacular sunsets of my life. Our view was never-ending over the hills and the colors were unfathomably delicate and bold. This world is a beautiful place.

With such a fun adventure during the day, we were all eager to see what the night would hold. For the better part of the night, we looked through four different telescopes. Two of them were manual telescopes so we could point the lens anywhere in the sky which sparked our curiosity. I have never tried to explore the stars with a telescope and found this task to be very difficult but incredibly rewarding when you find a cluster or fascinating phenomenon. The club 17 inch telescope was also out so we enjoyed crystal clear views of Jupiter and Saturn as well as nebulas. Everyone at this star gazing club is so happy to share their knowledge and expertise. I love how there are members who studied physics that can provide very technical explanations while others are just hobby astronomers who can point out constellations and tell exciting stories in the stars.

On Sunday we made a pit stop to hike to a hidden waterfall (Centennial Glen Circuit). Getting into nature is too simple here. This week was full of lifelong memories with friends and provided a very introspective view of my world. Israel was attacked during this week and kids my age are now leaving to go fight and protect their home. There was pro-Palestine protests at the Sydney Opera House which involved people chanting “Gas the Jews.” The cruelty in this world will never cease to disgust me. I have to keep striving to make my world a happy and healthy place but understand that my world is not the reality for many.

Picture Dropdown

Previous Next

When people ask where I want to live in the future, they usually assume I will say the ocean. However, I respond with the mountains as I can explore more in the mountains, and not living by the ocean makes me savor every movement when I am blessed to be near it. New Zealand is the ultimate mix as there are proper alpine mountains jutting up right from the ocean. What could be better?

I visited New Zealand with my current roommate Josh and two other friends from Duke, Rebecca and Elena. Flying into Queenstown is a spectacle as the plane glides between the snow peaks on either side of the town. On our first day, we hiked a mountain called Ben Lomond. Insane views as the greenery morphed into the snow and the distant mountain ranges stood jagged and intimidating. Unfortunately, due to the snowy conditions and poor visibility, we had to turn back before summiting the peak. I walked away a little bummed as this was the first summit attempt I have ever failed. I shaped up quickly as we traveled the majestical lands of New Zealand, however. We visited paradise near Glenorchy where we saw our first baby sheeps and sketchily drove our rental car Sylvia through river crossings to pursue more and more breathtaking views.

From Queenstown, we drove to Te Anau for a night. As soon as we arrived we were off to go tunneling and search for glow worms. I have never been in a proper tunnel but loved the experience of drinking water filtered through all of the layers of earth above and seeing glow worms dot the ceiling. After a long evening of tunneling, we came back to Te Anau hungry and out of luck as no restaurants were open. Desperate, we came across a bar and ended up having a highlight of the trip. Munching on bar snacks we played the Australian version of Cards Against Humanity and spent the night trying to contain our laughter.

The next morning we took a cruise through Milford Sound. With waterfalls and cliffs hundreds of feet tall, penguins, seals, dolphins, and birds, this location is a gem within New Zealand. To top off the experience, we also visited the underwater observatory which features Black Coral. Milford sound retains a unique deep water emergence phenomenon and is nutrient-rich. This allows black coral, which is usually found at depths of more than 1,500 feet deep visible at 30 feet. You will see that this coral is not black in color and only got its name from dead coral washing up on shore and becoming black.

Next on the list was Wanaka Lake and summiting Isthmus Peak. The hike was very simple but again showcased expansive mountains and water. This country is just unfairly beautiful. Wanaka is a stunning town and has easy access to a myriad of outdoor activities. We spent the day kayaking and mountain viewing. Eventually, we were off to Lake Tekapo where the highlight was enjoying one of the largest dark sky reserves in the world. Having spent so much time in Wiruna, Josh and I appreciated being able to point out constellations with the laser pointer.

Our final leg of the journey was a night in Queenstown before flying back home. During dinner, I floated the idea of hiking Ben Lomond Mountain again as I REALLY wanted to summit. Only Josh took the bait and at midnight, we began our 9-mile journey to the summit. Hiking at night is perfect as the temperature is cool but too cold. The stars are shining, nobody else is on the trail, and the outlines of mountains stand eerily in the distance. This was another one of those moments where there was absolutely no place I would rather be. The mental battle of the climb occurred as we endured 5 false summits. The view from the top was well worth the effort as we were looking out into the dark natural world with peaks slightly illuminated by the moon. Not many people get to witness this night-time view. To see a valley, water, and massive peaks in the dark leaves a lot to the imagination but is beautiful in its own way. The summit was freezing so we made our way down after 20 minutes, satisfied to finish our time in New Zealand on such a high note.

New Zealand is a wonderful country filled with adventure, nature, and kind people. Enjoying the wonders of NZ is as easy as walking out of your front door and choosing any direction to travel. I am confident I will be back as I have skimmed the surface of possibility in the country. There is so much more to experience!

For the rest of week 11, I caught up on school, explored the northern beaches of Sydney, and had a Halloween party with the house. My roommate and I dressed up as Goose and Maverick in last-minute costumes. Every week here brings surprises and enjoyment. There is no place I would rather be.

Picture Dropdown

Previous Next

I lost my wallet this week which has not been the end of the world as I have made new friends because of my foolishness. On Halloween, we had a lacrosse game where we all dressed in costume. Being on team Voldemort, we painted our faces white and played a game with capes and Harry Potter references. Our energy was high after the game so we all made our way to the bars to hang out. The problem was, I did not have an ID to show the bouncer, and no matter how many other documents I showed him with a birthday, I was not going to be let in. Thankfully though, my friend had his slackline so I spent the next two hours slacklining in front of a bar.

Most people, including me, would think this is a bad idea since drunk people will inevitably want to come and slackline. I don’t know what was with this bar, however, as I met the most incredibly stable drunk people of my life. We met two guys from Wake Forest who were absurdly kind and not too bad at slacklining. Later on, two other guys dressed in construction outfits showed off some insane slacklining skills and gave some pointers. I had the most fun I have ever had at a bar that night.

Later in the week, four other guys from the house and I started our road trip to Byron Bay. Driving in a 1999 Toyota Avalon nearing 250,000 km, we sped off with a few backfires. Our first stop on the trip was Mt. Tomaree. This mountain used to house gun placements during WWII as the location would have been a strategic landing point for the Axis. Laurenz and I both agreed that our feet were feeling trapped so we climbed the mountain barefoot which was enlightening until we hit the metal grates. For literally no reason besides internal pride, we pushed through the immense pain and summited with foot problems that lasted for the rest of the day. After summiting though, we scouted out a secluded beach, made our way there, and body surfed in the warmest water we have experienced while in Australia.

We camped in South West Rocks and saw a huge koala running across the road as we were pulling in. We quickly set up camp and then had a proper Australian experience as we ate our BBQ surrounded by kangaroos and their joeys. These Kangaroos were quite curious about our burgers and felt perfectly comfortable chilling a few feet away.

The next day we pushed on to Byron Bay but the car unfortunately broke down 30 minutes away from our final destination. With no mechanics open, we caught a ride into town and planned to sort out the car tomorrow.

Byron Bay is a fine place to end up. While hiking to the lighthouse, we played multiple games of ninja, made prank calls, stood at the easternmost location of Australia, and ate some kebabs. Back at the hostel we played beach volleyball for a while and eventually made our way to a club in the pouring rain. On Sunday, we surfed in the stormy weather. The waves were a perfect size to practice standing up on the board and the sets were coming quickly. I have always said I want to live in the mountains but living by a beach with good surfing and scuba diving would also suffice.

By Monday, we had fixed the car’s heating problem and were able to drive the automobile back to Sydney without a hitch. We also hit the 250,000 km mark which felt like an accomplishment! I wouldn’t say Byron Bay is a must-see, but road-tripping with your pals and spending quality time with them is a must-do! Especially when they tell you Dutch sayings like “Now the monkey has come out the sleeve.”

Picture Dropdown

Previous Next

I have been “stuck” in Sydney for the past two weeks which has been a blessing. I have been filling my time in very specific ways.

First and foremost, my roommate and I conducted a science experiment about light that has been on our minds for a while. We wanted to test how visible the laser pointer is and how easily seen the flashlights are utilizing the darkness of the ocean and long distances we can place ourselves. Our night started by Josh setting on foot to Cliff’s edge and me biking to Maroubra Caves. The bike ride to this location was the most memorable bike ride I have had in Sydney. I enjoyed a city mountain biking course as I took the trail between Coogee and Maroubra. The trail was vacant as it was late at night and the twists and turns made me feel like I was in Mario Kart. Beautiful scenes of the ocean would poke out from the foliage I was biking through and I even had the opportunity to bike over some sandstone rock after walking downstairs. To finish off the ride, I biked up a massive elevation and was then treated with an absolute bomb of a hill to the caves. Exploring a city on a bike adds such a fun element to the experience.

Once in our respective locations, Josh and I were 2 miles apart and began the experiment. All of my hypotheses were proven correct as the light was very easily visible and Morse code communication was a breeze. The laser was only visible when pointed 30º above Josh’s location. This was real science!

Over the weekend Josh and I also made an extravagant dinner. I started baking fresh challah earlier in the day and painstakingly waited through every step of resting and re-resting and punching. When the challah was baked to perfection, we took it out, broke bread with people in the house, and then made French toast out of generously thick slices. We whipped up some fresh whipped cream to top the French toast and also added roasted sweet potatoes and an impressively large bowl of fruit. Breakfast for dinner is so delicious!

During the week, I had four Muay Thai fights which has left me sore for days to come. On Monday I fought both of our trainers and was properly beaten up. I didn’t hold back but failed to get headshots on either of them. Instead, I focused on breaking down their body with kicks and punches. However, both are very tough and any kick I threw was quickly countered with an even harder kick in the softest parts of my body. Despite walking out in pain, I learned so much in that sparring. On Friday, I had my first official fight and am pleased to announce I won. I fought three rounds and displayed high levels of athleticism and control as I would pounce in for the strike and dodge punches and kicks with the mere movement of my body.

As the waves are also getting big here, I went surfing multiple times. I am still not good at surfing but am standing up on the board and placing myself much better in the waves now. I had a large tumble though and a fin cut my bicep which was not a pleasant experience in the water. Regardless, I keep paddling as hard as I can to get to the waves and am always popping out of the water with a smile no matter how badly I mess up.

With around a month left in this abroad experience, Josh and I are very focused on accomplishing items on our “Do Journal.” I have technically finished my courses and am now just studying for the final exams. I always hate when you instinctually start counting down the days but know that next month is going to be full of lasting impressions, memories, and people.

Picture Dropdown

Previous Next

Who knows if there is a god? All I know is that there is a scuba god.

I have been studying a lot this week and treated myself to a Friday of diving for all the hard work. With a friend from Duke, we picked up our tanks and headed to Bare Island. Our first dive involved exploring the eastern section of the island. Before jumping in, I bumped into a friend from school who said he only saw a lobster on his dive. A little concerned that there would not be a ton of critters, we descended into the familiar wonderland and began exploring.

Plenty of nudibranchs were visible which I was ecstatic about and as we swam farther around the island, the dive got better and better. Equipped with our underwater torches, Elena and I explored every rock crevasse and cut out. At one of the locations, I saw a small fin poking out of a rock. As I panned the light from the fin, across the neutral tone splotches on the body, and up to the head, I realized this was a MASSIVE wobbegong! Our dive continued with a site of my favorite coral, soft tree coral, two cuttlefish, and large gropers. Once we hit the 1-hour mark, we turned around and rode the current back to our starting point. We were shallow while riding the current and were dodging rocks as the water flung us around. This may have been a little dangerous but I felt so in touch with the ocean water, effortlessly gliding around the rocks and smoothly going with flow.

The first dive was without a doubt a huge success. On our second dive, we entered at the same spot, away from all the crashing waves, and turned right this time. We swam under the small footbridge that connects the island to the mainland and experienced the power of Bernouillis’ equation as the water was being squeezed between the two body masses. Once we kicked hard enough, we began exploring again.

30 minutes passed and we had not seen anything more than a stingray. The ocean was quiet and tranquil though and I enjoyed just swimming around, listening to my breath, and feeling the slight chill of water around my head. During moments like this, I find myself talking to the scuba gods. Sometimes I am pleading to see something magical. Usually, this is when I am leading people on a dive and want to find something great for them. At this moment, however, I told the scuba gods that I was perfectly happy to not see anything on this dive. They have done so much for me as our first dive, and all of my dives in Sydney for that matter, have been spectacular. Plus, I was quite enjoying the peace of just the ocean water and rocks. As I was wrapping this conversation up in my head, I saw the unmistakable eyes of a special ocean critter, a Sydney Octopus. The octopus’ papillae were jagged and its chromatophores were the exact color of the surrounding rocks and plants. He just sat there staring as I slowly approached. Gazing in awe at this alien, I reached my hand out and let it hover near the octopus. I thought this octopus and I had a connection so I wanted to test our affinity. Sure enough, the octopus slowly reached its long tentacles out from underneath him and suckered them onto my hand. Minutes passed as I was transfixed on the octopus slowly reaching his tentacles farther and farther up and around my arm. He was so gentle and curious but clearly strong and understanding. Eventually, I pulled away and separated from the octopus. He retreated back to the kelp and disappeared in the blink of an eye. All I could think about was how the suckers felt on my skin and the fact that the scuba gods continue to spoil me in this underwater world.

Unfortunately, I can’t stay underwater forever and have to live my life on the surface. People are starting to leave the Madhouse, where I live, and either head home or continue traveling on their way home. Over the weekend we had a big go-away party which was full of games and laughs. On Sunday we had a BBQ by the beach and spent the evening at Coogee Pavilion laughing even more about memories and excitedly sharing our futures.

The goodbye feelings are never met with enthusiasm. As I was staring at all my friends from the past four months, I felt as if this was the first time I was meeting them. In the moment I struggled to think of the memories I have made with them over the past 15 weeks. A huge amount of the happiness I feel is because of the gems of humans I am living with. There has never been a dull moment with these people and I know I have made more friends for life. I look forward to the day I visit them in their respective countries and am focused on solidifying the bonds with everyone still at home… And my finals.

Picture Dropdown

Previous Next

As a student, you are consistently chasing that breath of fresh air when you finish all of your finals.

Two weeks ago I was locked in studying for my fluid and thermodynamics finals and am very happy with the quality of work I showed on the exam. I look back at what I learned in these courses, and despite being abroad, I am proud of how focused I was to learn and retain the material. My favorite exam was my photography final project. My final work was a collage of images I produced over the past 8 weeks while riding on bicycle. I pushed myself to think abstractly with this project and produced a complementary blend of abstract and realistic images. I displayed the work as a bike, which was a mistake and not abstract. After showcasing the work however, I simply rotated the piece and moved the circles around and was quite astounded by how much that caused the interpretation of the art to change. The tools I have to judge and view art is forever changed because of this course. I now look at every piece with a focus on developing its meaning and looking past what the image shows to what the art communicates.

With finals completed, the last hoorah of Australia begins. Swiftly, Josh and I made our way to Tasmania to camper van our way across the island. With a rough plan of where we wanted to drive, we were determined to enjoy the natural beauty and see lots of animals. Our first involved hiking through untouched bays, column rock structures shooting out of the ocean at Cape Hauay, and a sunset from Cape Raoul for the memory book.

Our second day produced a memory that I will treasure for my entire life. Josh and I had heard about Mystery Creek Cave from a friend who depicted ceilings full of glow worms. We drove deep into the forest and arrived at a trail that had not been maintained in years. A 3-mile trek later, we ducked under trees and scrambled down a dirt slope to the mouth of a huge cave. Equipped with multiple red lights and flashlights, we embarked into the river cave. Immediately we were transferred into an alternate world. The atrium of the cave was unlike any rock structure I have ever seen due to its expansive size and ceiling that glowed a soft blue from the thousands of glowworms. If you told me I was in outer space I would’ve believed you as the combination of darkness, silence, and light was alien-like. Our adventure did not stop at the entrance. For the next 2 hours, we worked our way into the cave, viewing massive stalagmites and stalactites, staring in awe at the myriad of different rocks that were orange, slimy, bubbly, or polished, and giggling as we climbed our way around this rocky jungle gym. While there was high risk involved in our exploration of this never-ending tunnel, Josh and I ensured that our flashlight battery levels were never low, we never embarked to a location we weren’t 100% sure we could get back from, and we spent proper time understanding how we would boulder up the small rock faces or cross over the dark abysses that stood in our way. Once we hit a point where we were unsure about our return, we backtracked happily and spent our final time staring at the glow worms while eating an orange in the dark.

As Tasmania continued, we were focused on seeing animals. Josh and I watched little penguins mate, come out of the ocean, and squeak while at Lillico Beach. At the Tasmania arboretum, we saw a platypus and the Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary showed us the Tasmanian devil! I also found my new favorite bird, the tawny frogmouth

In the finale, we accomplished a childhood dream of visiting the Mona. This gallery was every bit as raunchy, nude, abstract, and eerie as I dreamed! Never have I walked through a museum feeling so disgusted, awkward, curious, and confused.

In other news, I defeated the slack line and walked across the entire span! I was getting worried that I would not complete this challenge but my intense dedication and commitment has paid off. I have two more weeks in Sydney which will be spent diving and enriching friendships. Tasmania was another great adventure in the book and I can’t wait for more to come!

Picture Dropdown

Previous Next

Immediately after Josh and I landed in Sydney, I unpacked my travel gear to pack my scuba gear. I was off to dive with my mate Tom whom I have gotten closer to through our time on the lacrosse team, slacklining, and general vibing. Tom had never been diving before in his life and because I am very confident in my scuba training skills and Tom has proven to be a very relaxed human, an important factor for a diver’s potential, I decided that bringing him on two intro dives would be a great way to further his bond with the ocean and me.

We packed up his car, which he lives out of, and headed to Shelly Beach, with a quick stop for cliff diving. Our first dive was only focused on learning mask, regulator, buoyancy, and emergency skills. Tom was a fast learner and drifted through all of the skills while neutrally buoyant. I was genuinely impressed by how naturally he took to the sport. After swapping out our tanks, we went for a fun second dive, no deeper than 30ft. As the sun was setting, we entered the water during golden hour and marveled at the glossy ripples in front of us. The visibility was not fantastic, but this created unique lighting underwater that I had not experienced before. We saw the classic wobbegongs and gropers and were graced with an octopus. I have had the pleasure of seeing people’s eyes light up during their first-ever scuba experience on multiple occasions. In Indonesia, I remember vividly the love and joy from my friends who I taught to scuba dive and Tom was no different. You can see the images of the underwater world, but to breathe underwater, hear the silence, and feel the ocean’s energy is an experience I recommend for everyone.

The next day, I was right back at Shelly Beach teaching a scuba refresher this time. A housemate, Matthijs, wanted to go diving with his parents, but his mom had not been diving in 25 years. A refresher was clearly in order and I was ecstatic to teach it as I would get to meet his parents. The first 5 minutes of the dive were rough. Matthijs’ mom was not used to the funky gravity underwater and was ready to quit. However, after talking through her worries and offering advice, we were able to establish comfort and start the training. After the refresher, both the mom and dad felt immensely more competent responding to underwater challenges and enjoying the dive. I love teaching people about scuba diving as the sport opens the underwater world to their eyes. I strive to make a positive impact in the ocean and produce more high-quality scuba divers as these are the people who will start to care for the ocean environment and spread the message of protecting our oceans.

While not diving, I have still been enjoying the ocean by surfing and climbing around the coast. With less than a week left in Sydney, I can’t help but enter the intense reflection mode where I am looking back on every memory and every person who has made this abroad experience so special. I am beyond satisfied with my time in Sydney and am starting to feel comfortable with the idea of leaving. Would I relive this entire journey? You bet. But you can’t stay on the summit forever and I need to start hiking down. With one more dive trip on the horizon, I know this hike down is going to be special and perhaps showcase the finest nature in Australia yet…

Picture Dropdown

Previous Next

My dad came in to finish off Australia strong. We promptly made our way to South West Rocks to enjoy what some people call the best diving in Australia. Boy, is this spot good. We spent our dives SURROUNDED by grey nurse sharks. These jagged-tooth beauties were literally bumping into me as they swam around Fish Rock Cove. I have never been afraid of sharks, but I have always respected their power and intelligence. Staring eye to eye with sharks bigger than me as they slowly finned their way toward my overly excited body was euphoric. I felt empowered knowing that the sharks did not see me as a threat or food, but rather a part of their environment.

On one of the dives, we swam through a large cave system that opened up to a scene of yellow jacks and sharks swimming about. Too often underwater, I find myself in disbelief at the beauty and tranquility of what my eyes and body are witnessing. This was, again, one of those moments you see in nature documentaries and only dream of living. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to experience such a range of ocean magnificence and peacefulness.

For the rest of the time in Australia, my dad and I explored local restaurants and sights, went on two shore dives in Sydney, toured art galleries and museums, and soaked in the final moments of the ocean, sun, and energy of Sydney.

My study abroad experience is now concluded. What I had dreamed about since I started university has been lived, and this time will never return. I lived this time well, though. While Australia did not keep me busy academically, per se, I was afforded the opportunity to fill my days exactly how I wanted. When I reflect on what brings me the most joy and reason to live life, I notice that building relationships and creating shared memories make me feel the most alive. Never in my life have I built so many bonds.

The Madhouse and, more specifically, the people within it, will live in a special part of my heart. Every single person I got to live with was a unique blessing, and they will result in lifetime memories. Indonesia and Eswatini were spectacular adventures, but I did not connect with people nearly as much as I did in this house. My soul has been opened to continuing to forge new relationships, and I now see much more value in being intentional about building friendships.

Being able to share my passion for the ocean with others was an important factor as well. At Duke, few people get to see or experience my surge of passion toward the ocean. In Sydney, however, what I consider to be my most rooted and defining passion was present every single day. For the first time in my life, I could not just speak to people about my love for the ocean; I could experience that love with others and help inspire them to enjoy this mystical part of the world. Before Sydney, I wanted to live in the mountains. Now, I want to live by the ocean.

Outside of the Madhouse, the friends I made on the lacrosse team will always be at the forefront of my Australian memories. Connecting people from multiple universities to triumphantly become the third-best lacrosse team in Australian colleges is epic. My friends who are still in Australia now provide a reason for me to return and will undoubtedly lead to travels around the world together.

Thank you, Australia and the Madhouse, for such an amazing few months. I did not stop smiling a single time.

Picture Dropdown

Previous Next