My time in Melbourne has been absolutely incredible! I live in student accommodations here, so I have met tons of new people. My building hosts events every week where residents can come together to explore the city, watch movies or just share a meal. Everyone is super nice and welcoming, you just have to make the effort to meet them. The University of Melbourne is also a very international school, not only filled with exchange students, but also with full time students from all over the world! I have made friends from every continent and learned lots from them. It makes you feel a little less alone when there are plenty of other people also coming to a new city and trying to meet people. Now, almost every time I leave my room I run into someone I know. I am also just a short walk or tram ride from campus, so it is a pretty quick commute in the mornings. The university itself is great too. I study biology at GW, but want to go into zoology, so it is really cool that there are classes for that here. One of my classes even goes on excursions to museums or the botanical gardens every other week! One difference here is that there are multiple professors for each class. So although you have one professor one week, you might have a different one the next. This was an adjustment, but is kind of nice once you have adapted.
When I am not studying, I have been exploring the city a lot. Melbourne is beautiful because the city as a whole is really international. You can find food from all over, and it is always authentic and delicious. It also has a really cool vibe and some of its biggest attractions are in the laneways (their alleyways). Most of these are filled with street art that tourists go to take pictures of, but there can also be restaurants, hidden bars or arcades. It lets you discover something new at every turn! The city is a lot more green than many of the ones in the US as well. There are a lot of beautiful parks and gardens that you can walk around or have a picnic in. It is a great way to spend a free day.
As a nature person, I have also tried to get out of the city limits to see what the surrounding areas have to offer. One of my first weeks here I went to a park in a suburb where mobs of wild kangaroos live. I saw about 30 of them just eating and grooming in a field. It was incredible! Another weekend, I went with some of my friends to the Mornington Peninsula, which has beautiful beaches and cliffs. It was absolutely gorgeous. I have not gone on any major trips yet, but I am leaving for New Zealand in a few days and have a trip planned to Sydney after that. So, my next blog will have lots of fun trip updates! Until then, I am just taking it one day at a time and enjoying every second of it.
Talbot De St. Aubin
GW Exchange - University of Melbourne
Columbian College of Arts and Science
Biology Major
GW Global Bachelor Program - Asia Pacific Semester