Hello from down under! So far, Melbourne has been an amazing experience full of fun, friends and activities. Growing up, I always knew I wanted to study abroad, and for the past few years, that dream has been focused on Australia. My short time here has proven that Melbourne is everything I could have dreamed of and more. I have done so much since arriving that even I have trouble keeping up, but let’s get started, shall we?

The plane

The days leading up to my overseas trip were a whirlwind: figuring out what to pack, making last-minute purchases, and spending as much time as possible with friends and family before I left. Then the day finally arrived, and it was time for me to catch my flight to Australia. With the help of my family, I boarded my first flight to Los Angeles. This was the first time I had been on a plane since I was very young, so it was a little nerve-wracking at first. However, after a few minutes on board, I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of excitement that my journey had officially begun. After landing in L.A., I greeted the three other MU students studying abroad with me, and we all boarded our flight to Melbourne on a huge double-decker plane! After a pit stop in South Korea, we were greeted by a chilly Melbourne winter night and were ready for our adventure to begin.

The first week

The first few days were spent gathering all the necessities to set up a temporary life in Melbourne. Luckily, all the essentials were close to campus. From getting lost at Ikea, getting public transportation cards, making several trips to different stores, and a LOT of walking, the first steps to making Melbourne home were completed. After the first few days of settling in, it was time for International Student Orientation. Monash hosted numerous events for their new international students, and I did my best to attend as many as I could. I visited the Melbourne Skydeck, with its stunning views of the city, explored Chinatown with an authentic hotpot experience, shopped at the bustling Burke Street Mall, and even attended my first Australian football game! Along the way, I met a lot of people in the dorms, many of them were international students from all over the world with diverse backgrounds, and I found a small group of adventure buddies to explore what Australia has to offer during my time here. Needless to say, the first week of my time here will go down as one of the best of my life!

Looking ahead

The first week was just a brief introduction to all that Melbourne and my time as an exchange student here in Australia have to offer. Even though it’s time to get back to my studies, that doesn’t mean I won’t be living it up here. Stay tuned for my upcoming adventures abroad and many more blog posts to come!

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: Monash University