Having the experience of a lifetime is a magical and wonderful thing for any one person to have. It is something almost every college student wants to have before trudging off to the “real world” of life and finding a job that will hopefully last until they retire later in life. I know this is how I felt before I made and took the trip of my lifetime.
Upon having the thought of an adventure I began researching different ideas on how I could achieve this goal. I finally settled on the brilliant idea of studying abroad. By studying abroad I could see another country and view its culture and history, see its array of wildlife, and learn about things I may not be able to in Iowa such as marine life.
After making the decision to study abroad, I went to the Study Abroad office and looked through their different books. The one that stuck out most to me was the University of Tasmania in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. The university looked like it would be a perfect place to study. The country itself looked beautiful and the history seemed extremely interesting. Here I began my journey to visiting another country for six months. I had to do a lot of paperwork and planning, but in the end it would be worth every second I had spent on it.
When all the paperwork, research, and planning were done, all I had to do was wait for the day I flew across the Pacific Ocean to start my experience of a lifetime. Arriving at the Hobart airport, the weather was beautiful; it was the end of Australia’s summer. On the drive to the hotel where I would stay until my room was ready at UTAS, the scenery was breathtaking in every direction. The first thing I noticed after a long flight was how they drive on the opposite side of the road there, and their driver’s seat is on the passenger side of our cars.
Traveling to a local island to perform research and camp for a week was an opportunity I have not had at UNI. I got to see Tasmania’s wildlife up close. I saw kangaroos in their natural habitat and not behind bars. I saw fairy penguins on the beach, wallabies and even pet an old wombat. I saw Tasmanian Devils and native birds at a nature preserve, and petted a kangaroo while I was there. All things I would not get to see while in the United States and have the same experience as I did in Tasmania.
Besides seeing the native wildlife, I got to explore the history of Port Arthur and Maria Island. I saw the sights and viewed Hobart from the top of Mount Wellington. This was the best time I had ever had. Viewing the culture, meeting new friends I could keep for a lifetime, and being able to represent my own country while visiting theirs was a great experience.
Visiting Tasmania was one of the best choices I have ever made. I got to learn new things I would have not learned or seen here. I would recommend this type of experience for any one who is wanting to have their own adventure of a lifetime.
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