I find it fitting that my second experience studying and travelling abroad as a University student wraps up with a week in South Korea. It serves as an enjoyable bookend to this summer’s worth of adventures. Almost two years ago I began my first study abroad experience, attending Yeungnam University in South Korea for a semester. Now here I am returning to visit friends that I made during that time. My second time being in Korea has afforded me new experiences that I didn’t get to enjoy during my previous gallivant here. Additionally I have also been able to share with my friend and travelling companion, Alex, many of the facets of Korean life that I enjoyed nearly two years ago.

Our time in South Korea began with a leap of faith, more or less. That being, we landed in Seoul, but had to navigate on our own to Daegu where we would be greeted by my friend Jacob, my old roommate from Yeungnam University. Jacob is actually a Norwegian, but he is pursuing his master’s in Korea and has been living here for some time now. Relying on my dusty Korean speaking skills we were able to successfully navigate from the airport to Seoul Station, the primary train station in the city, as well as both get lunch and our train tickets to Daegu. These Korean speaking interactions went much better than I had expected them to go actually, which was a pleasant surprise after being tired from travelling all the way from the north island of New Zealand.

The train ride southbound through the Korean peninsula was a relaxing few hours. Observing the Korean countryside from a train is simultaneously a monotonousness, but calming experience. The landscape is almost entirely mountainous, old mountains too. Think Appalachia, but more weathered. They’re short and covered entirely with trees, hardly ever reaching more than a couple hundred meters in height. Slowly we approached Daegu and hopped off our train with luggage in hand, eager to see Jacob for the first time since our exchange student days. Alex and I made our way to the main lobby of the station and it wasn’t difficult to spot Jacob. A tall, blonde haired, Norwegian boy is difficult to miss in Korea.

After our reunion we made our way into the city towards Jacob’s place but we had a stop to make before arriving there. In the Daegu suburb of Gyeongsan there is, what I would consider, the greatest burger joint in the world, Rolling Patties. Jacob and I fell in love with this place when we went to Yeungnam and I obviously had to get my fix. Rolling Patties is a small restaurant, operated entirely by one man, and he recognized me immediately as I came in. The whole moment was quite heart warming. Alex was still skeptical of my claim that this place has the best burgers on the planet but he would soon be a believer like Jacob and I. Once our food was prepared, we brought it to the our table and dug in. Let me say that hardly ever before have I missed a taste like I did with these burgers. It was definitely the welcome to Korea that I needed.

The remainder of our first evening was uneventful as we arrived late in the evening. But we already had plans for tomorrow. When the morning came, Jacob had Korean class until the early afternoon, so I took this time to show Alex around Yeungnam University’s campus, pointing out to him where my classes were and some of the cool hidden spots it had to offer. Once Jacob was finished with classes we headed out for lunch to get some Dak Galbi, an amazing dish of chicken, potatoes, carrots, noodles, and cheese, served in a large communal dish. One of my favorite things about Korea is definitely the food. Afterwards we headed to a PC Bang (pronounced with a short O sound). These are essentially gaming cafes with high-speed internet, high end computers, complete with mechanical keyboards, comfy chairs, and headsets. These places are pretty cheap, only charging about 50 cents per hour. We were going to kill some time here getting our game on until later that evening when we would be meeting some more friends for dinner and drinks.

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When the time came, we left the PC Bang and made our way to a Korean BBQ house for another round of delicious local food. At Korean BBQ, all the food is brought to you uncooked, and you have to prepare it at the grill which is at your table. This allows you to experiment with different combinations of food and eat at your own pace rather than all the food being brought out at once. Here we also had the night’s first round of Soju, or Korean rice wine. This was another thing I wanted to show Alex because it always effects you in an unexpected way. A slow onset with a warm bubbliness when it finally sets in. Don’t underestimate its low proof though, if you aren’t careful it can go from being a fun night out with friends to a horrible spinning nightmare, but that’s a story for another time.

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The night continued and I met friends both old and new, having a wonderful time back in the country that changed my life in immeasurable ways. The next day Jacob would be going to a Psy concert, yes, that Psy, Gangnam Style Psy. So Alex and I would be left to our own devices. Fortunately though, I had another friend I was in contact with, a Korean named Yeung Jin. We met up and got lunch and discussed what we would do that day. I expressed my interest to go hiking in some of the mountains surrounding Gyeongsan. He was happy to help us and after lunch we parted ways briefly so that he could go get his car and girlfriend, then he picked us up to go hiking.

We got to the base of Seung Am San, the mountain we would be hiking, and we started walking. The path was fairly steep, however there was a wooden path beneath our feet. Hiking in Korea takes on a different cultural significance than in the States. Hiking a mountain is a past-time for all ages. You will see many elderly people casually hiking and sometimes even whole families. The wooden path wasn’t a necessity, rather it was a public courtesy. We made it to the half way point where the path diverged in several directions, naturally though we chose the path leading to the peak. Here, the path became much more craggy, at some points it was nothing but exposed rock. We eventually made it to the peak and stopped to enjoy the view, as well as take a few group pictures. After the hike, the four of us went out for some dinner and relaxed before the evening was finished.

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While in Korea I wanted to go do Busan for a day or two to enjoy the coastal city and hop in the ocean. Going down there we weren’t able to secure an Airbnb to stay at. This didn’t dampen our spirits though. We had another idea. In Korea, there are these facilities called jjimjilbangs, which are essentially elaborate bath-houses which you can sleep at. This was one such experience that I wanted to have while in Korea before, but was not able to make happen. With our housing situation determined, we set off into the city and explored. Our first stop was at Gamcheon Culture Village, this location is iconic for its plethora of colorful buildings. Each house having a different hue to it, creating an architectural collage of color. Unfortunately it was raining when we arrived and a fog had set in so we had to find an escape from the downpour. We stopped at a small, hole-in-the-wall, coffee shop and waited for the fog to clear and the rain to stop.

Eventually they both did and we walked out into the village. We explored this area for a good hour or so before going downtown for the evening. Once downtown we enjoyed some cheap drinks and food, enjoying the scenery of the colorful city. As night approached, the three of us made our way to the jjimjilbang. Arriving we discovered it was only about $10 each for a 12 hour stay, exceptionally cheaper than staying at an Airbnb. We relaxed in the saunas and hot bathes for a couple hours before retreating upstairs to the quiet sleeping chambers. When morning arrived, we relaxed a bit longer in the saunas and even used the cold bath which was empty the previous night. These jjimjilbangs are an interesting experience, public bath-houses in general have always piqued my interest and I am sad that they are not more popular in the United States. Probably something to do with our shy sensibilities.

After leaving the jjimjilbang we went to the shoreline to take a dip in the ocean. Last time I was in Busan it was late fall so the temperature was much too cold to get in the water. July is a perfect time to go to the beach though. Arriving at the beach we saw that it was crowded with patrons. We found a piece of unoccupied sand and after laying out our towels, we ran and dove into the surf. The water was nice and cooling, definitely a much needed escape from the hot, muggy air surrounding us. We swam around and jumped through the waves for about an hour before returning to the shore. This is where Alex and I had the amazing idea of burying ourselves in the sand. We were only able to get to our waists before Jacob had to step in and finish the job.

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Eventually we returned to Daegu for the night. The next day Alex and I would be travelling back up to Seoul. On our last evening in Daegu the three of us went downtown and simply walked around, enjoying the city and listening to the public street performers. In the morning we packed our bags and waited for Jacob to get out of his class. We wanted to get lunch together before Alex and my train departed. After enjoying our meal we made our way to the train station. Parting ways with Jacob so soon after seeing him for the first time in almost two years was definitely bittersweet. I was exited to continue on with my journey but saddened to leave my friend again. I’m sure our paths will cross again in the future. Perhaps I will even visit him in Norway, or he will come to my part of the States. Regardless I eagerly await seeing him in the future.

Arriving in Seoul, Alex and I planned to get dinner with my friend Mijin who I met down at Yeungnam, but who was now living in Seoul. Mijin is a sweet and jubilant Korean girl who was actually Jacob’s buddy as part of the university’s buddy system for foreign students. We spent dinner catching up and talking about what was new in our lives and what we’ve done in the last couple years. There was plenty of laughter and good times but eventually we had to go our own ways that evening and exchanged parting words. For the remainder of the evening Alex and I explored Hongdae, the neighborhood we were staying in. In our wandering we walked through bustling streets, observing street performers and taking in Seoul’s shimmering neon atmosphere.

The next day I woke with excitement. It was the day I would be receiving my first tattoo. Leaving the US back in early June I knew I wanted to do something to commemorate this adventure, I just wasn’t sure if I wanted it to be a tattoo or a piercing. This tattoo wouldn’t be done by just any artist too. Shortly before leaving the Omaha, I was told by a dear friend of mine about Miki Kim. She was a world travelling tattoo artist whose surreal pieces are as unique as they are mind bending. While in Australia I had actually heard that she would be working out of Melbourne and I wanted to try and get the tattoo done there, however I was unable to manage that trip and was a bit disheartened. It was then that I found out Miki Kim would be travelling to Seoul next and her time there would overlap with mine. Again, another instance of pure serendipity.

Arriving at the tattoo shop I wasn’t as nervous as I was expecting to be. I took that as a good sign though and was excited to be there. After waiting for a few minutes the stencil was ready and stamped onto my back where I would be receiving the ink. Slowly the stencil dried and I was asked to lie down on the bench. I had a big smile on my face and was eager to add this to my list of experiences. When the process began, the first thing I noticed was that the pain was nowhere near what I was anticipating, but I think I knew that was going to be the case anyway. As the tattoo gun droned on though I noticed that at some points I would lose the sensation of pain entirely as it was drowned out by the gun’s vibrations. At other points though the pain would become quite intense as it felt exceptionally similar to a cat’s claw digging into my skin. I was relieved when the piece was finally done, towards the end of the process I was starting to lose hope in my tolerance for pain.

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My last day in Seoul was finally here and I had a couple more things to cross of the list. First things first, I wanted to show Alex this amazing coffee shop I discovered last time I was here which served delicious waffles and ice cream in addition to having lovely wooden architecture. I was nervous while searching for it as I couldn’t remember its name and had to rely entirely on memory to find it. Once we exited the metro station though, my memories all came back to me and I knew exactly where to go, taking Alex right to it without any navigational error. Here we relaxed and enjoyed the amazing food and warm scenery. Places like this are few and far between and deserve to be remembered and cherished when discovered. The small, unknown, and off the beaten path places that you only arrive at if you know they are there, or in my lucky case, happen to stumble upon wandering aimlessly through the city in search of anything which would pique my interest.

The latter half of the day was spent hanging out with my old Korean roommate Seung Won. Hearing that I would be in the area, he invited Alex and I out to dinner and to visit an exhibit being hosted downtown. For dinner I was finally able to get the bibimbab that I had been craving the whole week prior. Afterwards we walked to the exhibit which was about Paul Smith, an international fashion designer. Though I am not one particularly interested in fashion, I can always appreciate art forms, being an aspiring artist myself in the world of music. The plight of all artists is similar and we are all comrades in the pursuit of our passions. Walking through the display was a treat for the eyes. Much of Paul Smith’s work is colorful, yet reserved. In addition the clothing, there was much on display from his personal art collection. The whole time Seung Won and I caught up and discussed the varying pieces we saw.

International friends are an interesting thing. Without the everyday interactions of friends from home, you would imagine that the bonds of friendship wouldn’t be as sincere, but those bonds are still there, and just as strong. We should all be so lucky to have friends around the world. It would probably make the world a better place. If this summer of international travel has taught me anything, its that you should always keep your eye out for friends and keep old ones close. Without friends new and old, this summer would not have been what it was. Complimentary to this, the notion of openness and spontaneity have also been reinforced. In being open to new people and being spontaneous, I have been able to make many new friends from around the world like I was able to in Korea those years ago. It is my hope that soon in my life I will be able to call upon these newly forged friendships to create new life experiences and continue creating a life worth remembering.

I didn’t know what to expect going to New Zealand. In conceptualizing our time there, Alex and I figured we should just make it up as we went and see what sort of adventure we stumble upon. This held true in the finest sense of the matter. Exiting our flight from Sydney landing in Auckland, we didn’t even know where we would be sleeping that night, but that’s all part of the fun. I searched up the cheapest hostel I could find in Auckland and after booking our stay, we hopped a taxi to downtown.

We arrived at our hostel in the late afternoon and got checked in, the person working informed us that there was a rooftop bar with nightly events for the people staying here. Alex and I decided to explore the city first, searching for some food and WiFi (there was none at the hostel). After finding some dinner and appreciating the sites of downtown Auckland, we returned to our home for the night and decided to check out the bar upstairs and try to make some friends. We heard that it was trivia night and any team with four or more people got a free pizza. Now for travelers, college students, and travelling college students, those are the only two words needed to get our attention. Scanning the room, Alex and I looked for any team that need extra people, an easy in for making new friends. We found a team of two people and they were eager for us to join them for the sake of some free ‘za’.

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As the cheap beer permeated the livers of that room, making more friends became increasingly easier. It was here in the hostel that Alex met a man named Ari, he was also from the States. He was a nice, outgoing guy, and he was telling us about his plans to road-trip throughout New Zealand. Ari had rented a camper-van that could sleep a couple people and he asked us if we wished to join him. Alex and I were rather interested in his offer, we wanted to get out of Auckland and see the country and to have this opportunity fall in our laps was pure serendipity. Ari told us that he would be leaving the day after next and we could plot our course tomorrow.

The next morning came and Alex and I had a day to kill in Auckland, so we headed for the ferry harbour to catch a ride to a nearby island named Rangitoto. We had heard about a guided tour of the volcanic island the previous day and took the opportunity to go see it. Before boarding the boat, we had to clean our shoes as to prevent the spread of pests to the island. New Zealand’s department of conservation has been making significant efforts to reestablish species to their traditional ecosystems and remove invasive pests. Arriving at the island we hopped on a tractor pulled cart which would take us up towards to volcano’s caldera. Apparently, the last time an eruption occurred was around 650 years ago and this eruption left the island covered in lava which is still omnipresent on the island. We reached the walkway which would take us to the summit and hopped off to go check it out. Walking up the path presented us with wonderful views of Auckland and the surrounding bay area, as well as some much-needed silence. Up on the side of this volcano was the first time in months that we were able to escape the bustle of cities, traffic, and other people. The air was still and between the sparse singing of birds, there was absolute silence. It’s an interesting experience to whisper to someone thirty feet away and for them to hear you perfectly.

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Returning from the island, we headed back to our hostel to relax and meet up with our friends from the previous night. We lounged most of the evening and discussed with Ari what our plans for the road trip would be. Alex and I wanted to visit Hobbiton. The set on which the scenes in the Shire from the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit films were shot. It is still available for tours and us being fans, we had to take the opportunity of being in New Zealand to visit. We also specified that we needed to be in Wellington by Tuesday in order to catch a flight back to Auckland so we could continue on up to Korea. Ari had the one stipulation that he visit a town called Rotorua for a Maori cultural experience. Apart from these, the whole trip would more or less be impromptu and spontaneous.

The next morning, we rendezvoused and embarked on an unexpected journey. After driving for a short while, Auckland eventually gave way to beautiful landscape. We were treated to rolling hills and mountains, and everywhere you looked there were sheep to be seen. Everything you hear about the landscape of New Zealand is true, and we had only just left the city. Our first stop was Hobbiton, as it was the closest to Auckland and only a slight detour from the road to Rotorua. Upon arrival we boarded a bus which would take us further off the beaten path to the location of the Shire. As the bus crept further and further towards its destination, the sense of excitement gradually filled the air. We pulled around a hillside and the bus parked in front of a small clearing with a lone sign marking the entrance to Hobbiton.

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We were then guided down a path and rounded a corner and there it was in one sudden reveal, the Shire, just as it was depicted in the films. There was a hazey aura surrounding the cloistered location. In all directions, there was no sign of man-made structures or influences. We were informed by our guide that this was one of the main appeals of the site for the creation of the set. As the group meandered through the Shire, the guide filled us in with the details of every nook and cranny of the location including its construction, maintenance, and film lore. Apparently after the filming of the Lord of the Rings, the set was partially destroyed. It wasn’t until the filming of the Hobbit trilogy that the entire location was reconstructed permanently with the intent to maintain the location as an attraction. The most exciting segments of the tour were towards the end with us finally approaching Bilbo Baggins’s hobbit hole atop the hill and the Green Dragon Inn over the stone bridge where we were treated to some complimentary tavern beverages. Bilbo’s hobbit hole still had his sign in front warning “No Admittance, Except on Party Business”, alluding to his 111^th birthday celebration.

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Once we had finished nerding out at Hobbiton, the three of us: Alex, Ari, and me, continued towards Rotorua where we were going to check out the Maori cultural experience. We arrived in town and made our way to a small traditional Maori village. The three of us were greeted by our exceptionally worldly host, he seemed to know a little of every language as he greeted and made small talk in each of the other guest’s native tongues. The group was then shown how our dinner was being prepared in a traditional fashion. The main entre of chicken, lamb, potatoes, and sweet potatoes were cooked in a pit by heated stones over the course of the entire day. Next our host showed us to a large central building in which we were to witness a cultural ceremony and display of various facets of Maori life and ritual. This included demonstrations of dance, games, music, combat forms, with the finale being the infamous Haka, the Maori war dance that tribesmen would perform in order to intimidate opponents. This traditional dance is still utilized by the rugby teams of New Zealand before games, as I’ll mention later. The evening concluded with our feasting on the dinner meticulously prepared for us followed by a short night-time walk through the surrounding jungle in order to get a glimpse at glow worms, crystal clear freshwater springs, and silver ferns (a national symbol of New Zealand).

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With the evening’s activities concluded, the three of us drove to a site that offered free overnight parking to camper-vans. This location was down in a valley close to a river and would serve as our campgrounds for that night and the next. When morning arrived, we awoke to see the beautiful New Zealand countryside bathed in light, a lovely juxtaposition the previous evening’s moonlit glow. Without anything on our to do list that day we decided to explore the trails surrounding the river. Walking alongside it we approached a drop where the calm slow flowing current gave way to a small, but still boisterous waterfall. Complimentary with the encompassing undergrowth, nature had worked its wonders to cultivate a place so mellow and serene. I made my down to a small bend in the river past the waterfall where the current slowed and foam collected. Here I clambered my way down the rocks to sit next to the water, gently rinsing my face and soaking my hair; it was a pleasant way to wake up.

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After breakfast was eaten and morning walkabout concluded, we wanted to check out some of the local area. The previous day we saw signs indicating the location of natural sulfur springs and we decided to look into it. Arriving at the springs we saw that we could bathe in the pools with the stipulation that we didn’t submerge our heads as the low pH of the water could lead to eye problems. Here we spent a significant portion of the afternoon relaxing and discussing any further plans, letting the warm mineral waters warm and exfoliate our skin. During this time Ari informed us of a rugby game being held that night between the Maori All Blacks and the Fiji national team. I had wanted to catch a rugby game while in Australia but failed to do so due to scheduling conflicts, so I was keen to buy tickets. With a new course set we washed ourselves off and made our way into town.

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Arriving at the stadium one of the first things I noticed was that there was a considerable number of Fiji supporters there. In fact, if I had to judge from the number of Fijian flags present and the volume at which their chants were sung, there may have been more Fiji fans present than home team fans. The game was preceded by a scrimmage between these two teams’ under 20 divisions, a Fiji cultural dance, the singing of the two nations’ national anthems, and of course the Haka from the Maori All Blacks. This spectacle is even more intimidating than the videos make it out to be. With the Haka performed, the game was underway. If you think American football is an intense and physically demanding game, you haven’t seen rugby. There are no plays or downs in rugby, so the players are constantly running and making tackles, all without any padding. These players were literally steaming towards the end of the game. The Maori All Blacks ended up winning the game, but not without a strong resistance from the Fijian team, making several lengthy runs, racking up quite a few points towards the end of the game.

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We returned to our campsite, this time to a brilliant sky of stars, almost completely unobstructed by any light pollution, save a few distant houses and streetlamps. The sky was so clear that even the Milky Way could be seen streaking from horizon to horizon. This beautiful display and the sounds of the nearby waterfall lulled us to sleep. These two nights have allowed me to cross something off my bucket list that would make ol’ Matt Foley proud. I was living in a van, down by the river.

As Alex and my deadline of getting to Wellington before Tuesday approached, we had to continue on our way down the north island. Putting Rotorua behind us we headed towards our next stop, Taupo. We arrived in town late in the afternoon and without plans, so we stopped in a local coffee shop to mooch some WiFi and figure out some plans for the evening. Looking online we saw that there were public hot springs in town, we tentatively decided to go there after making dinner at our campsite. As we finished up dinner, the stars began to come out, and like the previous evening, there wasn’t a cloud in sight. Unfortunately, though, the cold was also beginning to set in and we were worried that upon getting out of the springs, we would be even more cold than we were getting in. At my insistence though Alex and Ari agreed to go to the hot springs. After parking the van, we began walking to the springs and the night air was frigid, but we persisted onward. We got to the springs and tested the water and I quickly hopped in to escape the cold air, and it felt amazing. The hot spring water soothed my cold body, warming me deep to my bones. Banishing any semblance of the previous shivering state I had been in. The springs warmed me so that even when exiting the water, the cold air did not bother me in the slightest, and after changing back into my clothes I was warm for the remainder of the night.

The next morning came and our last day in New Zealand had arrived, and I wanted to make the most of it. So we hiked a mountain, mount Tauhara to be exact. Mount Tauhara rises 1088 meters above sea lever and overlooks Taupo to the south west of its base. We arrived at the base of the mountain just before 9 and embarked after packing some apples and water for the trek. First we had to cut through farm property to reach the tree line, don’t worry this was designated, we were only warned that the livestock had right of way should our paths cross theirs. The steep grassy hills of the farm were only a precursor of what was to come. As we reached the tree line the beaten dirt road gave way to a muddy and winding narrow path that weaved its way up the side of the mountain. Many obstacles lined this path including narrow trenches, rocky crags, and muddy pools bordered by drop offs. The posted sign at the beginning informed us that a bench indicated the halfway point and stream signaled that the summit was near.

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The slog up the mountain was periodically interrupted by breaks in the foliage revealing almost framed views of the surrounding landscape. These sites in themselves could have been appreciated for hours but I was much more interested in the view from the peak. After marching for what felt like an eternity, we came to the bench, Ari opted to rest for a bit while Alex and I continued upward. Trekking onward and scrambling over fallen boulders and through vines and branches we eventually heard the sounds of a waterfall in the distance. The stream was near. We kept walking and eventually came over a mound where the air surrounding us immediately dropped in temperature. We had reached the stream. It was a small picturesque sight, a stream no more than half a meter across quietly flowing down the mountain, minding its own business. Like before at the river, I stopped to rinse my face and hair with the cold fresh water. Stopping for a short while to eat an apple, we continued along the path, appreciating the vibrant scenery before us, glowing as sunbeams rained down through the canopy. A short ways after the stream we came across a small knoll covered in sunlight, here we basked in the sun briefly to warm up, during this time Ari came down the path. After reuniting, the three of us marched onward with renewed vigor, determined to reach the peak.

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Passing mossed coated tree after tree and a myriad of mud patches we encountered the narrowest, steepest trench of the hike. I wasn’t going to be stopped now so I took lead and shimmied my way up into it. After a bit of finagling and twisting I was able to pull myself up and out of the trench into a break in the foliage. I took a few steps further up and was greeted by the view of a lifetime. I had reached the top of the mountain. Not being able to contain my excitement I let out several celebratory shouts, yelling back to Alex and Ari that we’d made it. We could see for miles upon miles, in the distance we could see endless rolling hills and even taller, snowcapped mountains beyond. Standing above the clouds, we watched as they crept over the landscape, like a glacier in the sky. Words fail to describe moments like this, so I hope that my pictures can. Climbing mount Tauhara served as a perfect climax to my time in New Zealand. As a reward for persevering through the obstacles lining the path, I was granted an amazing and beautiful experience, etched fondly into my catalog of personal memories.

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Next week I will be returning to South Korea to visit old friends from past adventures.

The final week of my time in Australia has finally arrived and there’s a different atmosphere surrounding myself and the other students. After more than a month abroad and classes finishing, many of us beginning to experience travel fatigue and a strong desire to return home. Some will get to do so soon but many of us will travel to New Zealand for about a week. From there all the other American students will return home, except for Alex and me. We will continue travelling and fly to South Korea to visit friends of mine that I have made in my previous international adventures.

My last week in Australia has been spent pursuing musical aspirations. Alex and I continued rehearsing at the local music store for our upcoming Sydney gig , and I finally cracked and purchased a nice drum practice pad that I had been eyeing as of late. We had been hoping to join our friends from the show at the Valve for a jam or practice session but things kept getting postponed. Unfortunately a couple days later Josh, the bassist informed us that their band was taking a break and wouldn’t be performing at the upcoming show, the silver lining being that we were given their slot and thus could perform a longer set. With this change of events, Alex and I had an emergency rehearsal session in order to prepare for an unexpected, extended performance.

We ended up meeting with Josh for lunch in order to simply hang out but to also talk about our combined musical and band experiences. After taking the train to a Sydney suburb known as Revesby and meeting up with him, we walked to a nearby burger stand known as ‘Stumpy’s’. Here we ate and had a long conversation about our bands and musical aspirations. We discussed some of the logistics of planning a series of gigs for Alex and my band in the Sydney area and what we could do for accommodations if we decided to return for a small tour of sorts. Josh was kind enough to offer any help he could provide to us, telling us we could stay at his place should we ever return. He also told us he would do what he could on the ground in Australia to serve as our liaison between us and the local venues and bands we would be playing with.

The day of our gig arrived and both Alex and I were a bit nervous, we hadn’t performed in well over a month. We also wouldn’t have a bass player so we would have to bring a lot of energy to make up for the lack of low end. That morning and afternoon passed at what felt like a snail’s pace; we spent the time practicing individually. I was breaking in the new practice pad and Alex could be heard warming up his voice and playing through songs on his acoustic. When the time came we walked to the venue in hopes of finding out more info on what equipment we would be using. We arrived before anyone else was there so we waited outside patiently. The two of us knew little about the details of the show beforehand other than that it was a line up of metal bands and that we were supposed to be the opening act.

After a few minutes of waiting I noticed up the street an individual crossing the street and I immediately knew he would be able to help us out. How you may ask? Well, if you’re like me and have been to many concerts and shows, you begin to notice that anyone walking to a venue possesses a certain strut to them. One which combines a sense of urgency and anticipation. Anyway, he approached the venue and stood next to us for a few awkward moments, making short sporadic eye contact before finally exclaiming, “Wait, you’re the Americans?!”. We introduced ourselves and expressed how glad we were that someone else from the show was expecting us. Alex and I had been a bit worried about the certainty of us actually playing since the only person we had communicated with about the show was Josh, who was no longer going to be there.

We met the other bands as they showed up and eventually Alex and I were able to get some equipment from the others to set up with. As we were doing so our professor and several of our friends arrived to show their support. After a brief soundcheck I went to change into some drumming clothes and to psych myself up. We stepped onto the stage and the whole room quieted. The few ephemeral moments before a performance starts are usually saturated with tension for me. I always take a few deep breathes and relax myself before I begin the first song, knowing that once I make the first stroke a stick, the performance has begun and you can’t go back now. Similar to the sensation one gets when they are strapped into a roller coaster right before it begins the first climb.

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The performance went well and everyone there was really into our music. A few even told us they appreciated our emotional playing which was quite flattering. The following bands were all fun to watch and it was definitely nice seeing an underground metal show again. After all the bands performances Alex and I conversed with several of the other musicians and networked a bit. Given our reception and all the Australian friends we have made and musicians we’ve met, the prospect of returning in a couple years’ time to go on a small tour seems all the more feasible. Even better, our bassist would be with us and the band could play at full strength. With some determination and luck we could even cultivate a following in Australia and take our music to the international stage.

Our last few days in Australia were spent completing papers for class and getting some final looks at the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The day we went to the harbour was sunny and there were many people present on the walkways enjoying the pleasant afternoon. Later that evening however, after finishing our papers, Alex and I went on a late night walk. Without having planned it, our walk actually led us back to the harbour where we saw these landmarks in moonlight. We even decided to walk across the bridge at this time. Both of us had wanted to do so the entire time here but hadn’t gotten around to it. So in a moment of late night spontaneity we figured now was as good a time as any. It was an interesting dichotomy seeing this location in such opposite circumstances. No one else was around, we had the Opera House and bridge to ourselves.

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Saying goodbye to Matt from the music store was another priority of ours. He is without a doubt the coolest Aussie that we met, and if there was ever someone I would refer to as a mate, he’s the guy. Matt helped Alex and I, and our band, in ways that we appreciate beyond expression. If/when we return to Australia, he’ll be the first to know. On that day we also took this time to further explore the University of Sydney’s campus. Our classes and schedule hadn’t granted us much opportunity to previously do so. Sticking around after sunset also provided spooky, ethereal vibe to the whole place.

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There was a mellow, existential atmosphere hanging over these days as it was setting in that we would be leaving Sydney, the city which had been our new home these past 6 weeks. For many students, this had been their first experience abroad and it coming to a close was bittersweet. Several expressed having fallen in love with the city and never wanting to leave, but that they were happy to return home and see their family. Soon we will leave for Auckland where the adventure will continue. I’m excited to see what New Zealand has in store for us.

Celebrating July 4th while abroad is an interesting experience. Our professor invited us all to a local establishment that was reserved specifically for the occasion. It was was pretty amusing watching all the Sydney-side Americans descend on this one location all dressed in star-spangled garb. We all settled into a large booth together, got our food, and ordered some beers in preparation for the evening’s first event, trivia! Alex, our professor, and I were excited to play. The three of us together? That’s the trivia dream team. All things considered we did quite well, our team won 2 of the 4 rounds and accumulated over $500 (AUD) worth of prizes, mostly in the form of restaurant coupons and event tickets.

Alex and I left after trivia to go out on the town with some of our friends. Apparently there was a club that had free entry and one free drink for anyone who could prove their American citizenship. So we went out and got our free drinks and then it hit us, clubs are really, really lame. After coming to this conclusion we finished our drinks and looked up the nearest establishment with live music. What came up was a place called ‘The Valve”, and it was less than a quarter of a mile away. So with a new heading we left the club in search of some live tunes.

Arriving at ‘The Valve’ we opened the door and heard the sound of live drums and guitars. We looked at each other with big grins knowing we had found a good spot to be. Going inside we saw a band of young college age guys playing punk music and a small but excited crowd. It was nice to be at a local show in Sydney, it reminded us of the music scene in Omaha. We both miss the music community back home and attending this show was infinitely more fun than any club we could have gone to. It was nice to jump around and let my hair down, literally, for a night.

After the band’s performance, we talked with a couple of the guys about their musical backgrounds and our own. We told them that we actually were in a band together and were looking for a gig while in Sydney. The band’s bassist, Josh, who was particularly fond of us, told us that he would be more than happy to help us out. They would be having another show the next week and there might be a time slot available in which Alex and I could perform our own band’s music. We were excited to hear that and we swapped information with Josh, eager to hear if we would actually get the opportunity to play in Sydney.

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I figure its about time I told you the real reason I traveled across the planet. It wasn’t to study, it wasn’t to go to the beach or see the sites, it was to see King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard perform at the Sydney Roundhouse. There it is, that’s the whole point of the trip, I’ll be coming back soon now. … … … Okay maybe it wasn’t the sole reason, but it was unequivocally a highlight of my time in Australia. For those of you who are unaware, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard may be the greatest thing to come out of Australia since Steve Irwin and Vegemite. If I had to describe them in as few words as possible I would say they are psychedelic, progressive rock, but even that feels like grows over generalization as they are constantly experimenting with new sounds and styles.

Alex and I arrived early to scope the area out and secure a spot towards the front of the line. We got there so early that we could actually hear the band performing a sound check! Joining us early in line was a group of local guys that we immediately became mates with. We were all swapping King Gizzard related stories and discussing favorite albums and coordinating who would secure good spots and who would go to the merch stand first. They were quite surprised to hear our accents when we started talking with them and we explained to them what we were doing in Australia. The conversation pretty quickly turned to local slang and culture.

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The doors finally opened and we all rushed inside to secure a good spot close to the stage and get the good merch before it sold out. The first band to play was B!@#h Diesel (you know what the word is) and they had a doom-y punk sound to them which was up my alley. The second act was Mildlife, a super groovy and funky jam band that got the whole crowd dancing. Finally, what we were all waiting for, the King, the Lizzy-Wizzy, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard was gonna take the stage. When the lights went down and they appeared on stage, the crowd went absolutely rabid. The venue was in a literal frenzy, especially since King Gizzard opened with a batch of their new thrash metal songs. After that, they delved into their previous catalogues treating us to some bluesy tunes, microtonal sonics, and psychedelic punk rock before book-ending the set with another selection of shreddy thrash bops. We caught up and hung out with our new Aussie friends for a while after the show and exchanged social media information for future memes and shenanigans.

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The day after, in the midst of our concert hangover, bruises and all, we headed down to Wollongong to meet some of our professor’s friends. His friends were kind enough to let us students try out their standing paddle boards. I have pretty good balance so I took pretty quick to these paddle boards spending a considerable amount of time out on the water. It felt incredibly relaxing floating on the water and feeling its buoyancy below me. When we were done paddle boarding, Alex and I wanted to check out the Buddhist temple in town, the largest in the southern hemisphere. The temple was up in the hills adjacent downtown Wollongong. The grounds were exceptionally serene, scattered with trees and Chinese architecture. We spent a good hour walking through the various buildings and paths of the temple, admiring the shrines, and even try our hand at calligraphy.

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The rest of the week’s highlights consisted of musical endeavors. Alex and I were confirmed for the Sunday gig! We’re excited to take our band ‘sazcha’ (pronounced sasha) to an international stage and play for our new Australian friends. Additionally we’ve been continuing our practice sessions at the local music store and even writing some new material. Matt, our friend from the music store even spotted us a few hours worth of practice at the store, paying for our session one day. We then went out for drinks and pool with him afterwards! Alex and I are definitely gonna miss him when we return to the States. Until then though we’re gonna keep practicing and we’re going to shred at our first gig abroad!

My previous week in Australia began by attending The Moth Grandslam, the final event that served as the culmination of the last year’s worth of ‘Storyslams’. As I described in my previous post, these events feature a series of contestants sharing short, 5-minute stories from their lives centered around the evening’s particular theme. The theme of the grandslam was, “Tell us about a time when you knew things would never be the same.” Stories told that evening ranged from fantastic stories of failing to roll start an old Volkswagen bug to pre-safety regulation metal working to crossing the Pacific ocean in a boat as a child. The evening was an emotional roller-coaster as people as diverse as their stories shared with us glimpses of their lives. Serving as a musical guest providing interludes and other atmospheres was a talented pipa player that simply went by the pseudonym, Flower Boy. For those unaware of what a pipa is, a pipa is a finger plucked, four string Chinese lute, and its playing certainly provided an air of elegance to the emotional evening.

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A fair amount of my week was rather uneventful as I was finishing up some final assignments for my Australian Film, Theatre and Learning class. So there were a few days mostly spent typing away on essays and assignments. Finally though, after remaining cloistered away working on classwork, it was time for some relaxation. Especially so with me celebrating my 22nd birthday while in Australia. Anecdotally, this wasn’t my first birthday abroad, I had my 13th birthday travelling in Germany with my family. So, I felt that an appropriate call back to this occasion would be to go out to a German pub and enjoy some good quality Deutsches bier with some friends. In commemorating the evening my friends were kind enough to surprise me with a birthday ‘cake’. They made some waffles with ice cream, there were even candles. The whole thing was really sweet of them.

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The day wasn’t just beers with friends though. Earlier in the day I took a ferry to Watson’s Bay to enjoy another scenic walk along the coastal cliffs on the south side of the mouth of Sydney’s Harbour. This walk yielded plenty of spectacular views both across the harbour and out to the open ocean. The path took my classmates and I past a light house up on the cliff and passed several old bunkers and turret positions used in the 19th century for defense against naval threats. . After the walk we had a lunch of some freshly caught fish on a bay-side restaurant.

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Over the weekend I also traveled to the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. I went there as part of a guided tour put on by Urbanest, the student housing accommodation that we are all staying through. It was exciting going out there and getting out of the big city for a little bit, but the group was pretty big and since it was guided it was difficult to explore much beyond what we were allotted. The views were amazing and the sheer magnitude of the landscape lying before me was awe inspiring. Many of the trails there are several kilometers long up and down through the mountains, one I read about was even a multiple day commitment coming in at a distance over 45 kilometers. Camping on this trail was obviously necessary.

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Exploring the small town of Katoomba adjacent the Blue Mountains was also pleasant. After walking through the mountain trails, I was able to get away from the group and check things out in town on my own. Using the train system in Australia is fairly basic so our guides were comfortable letting me go off by myself. In my walk through town I stumbled across a vintage collectibles and book store, which if you know anything about me, is a flame for my inner moth. Going in and looking around revealed many interesting trinkets and pieces of history. Old military patches, buttons, matchbooks, stamps, and a myriad of other oddments. Something completely surprising to see in one of the display cases though was a Borneo Funeral Effigy of a monkey, some spooky stuff indeed.

The ending of my week was especially enjoyable. My friend Alex and I walked to a near by music store that we have been frequenting during our stay here to see if we could book a rehearsal room. Our new local friend working there, Matt, told us that there was a room open and was more than happy to let us have it for the a while that afternoon. So Alex and I were able to finally sit down and play some music together for the first time in a month and it was incredibly cathartic. Together we ran through all of the songs we have written in our band (minus our bassist back home, we miss you Robert <3) and even got some writing done. Matt loved our stuff too, he was casually listening in on us and he was excited to hear us play after knowing us and hearing about our band for weeks now. Alex and I were quite flattered about the whole ordeal. We want to go back and rehearse again soon, and Matt even asked to join us in a jam. He’s also helping us try to find a gig while we’re here! Hopefully within the next week or two Alex and I can make this happen. We’re going to go out and perform a little reconnaissance on some local venues and bars with open mics, and with a little luck we’ll find a place that’ll let us make some rambunctious noise on the premise.

The third week of my time spent in Australia began with a pleasant surprise. My UNO professor invited me to join him in attending a live event put on by The Moth Radio Hour. For those unaware, The Moth is a non-profit organisation that presents themed events to promote the art of storytelling. It wasn’t until the day of the event that I had even heard of The Moth so going in I had no expectations at all. This event’s particular theme was Chemistry and it took the audience on an emotional journey, there were stories of joy, misadventures, love, and tragedy. The whole range of human emotions was broached that night and it was a beautiful evening to experience. This particular event was called a ‘story slam’, and was the last before the final ‘grand slam’ in which the winners of the previous events all tell another story competing for the champion title. Sydney will be having a grand slam tomorrow night and I plan on attending!

This week also saw the conclusion of my class offered by the University of Sydney: Australian Film, Theatre and Learning. Throughout this three week rush course every student was assigned to present on a given film or play and this week I gave my presentation. It was over the Australian film “They’re a Weird Mob”, a comical movie from the 1960’s chronicling the adjustment to life in Sydney of an Italian immigrant. I have to say, watching the movie was quite enjoyable as some of the depicted interactions were experiences I myself have encountered. However, without any context this film will leave one smiling and I wholeheartedly recommend watching it if given the chance.

The day my last class ended, I headed for the Sydney airport to catch a flight to Cairns (pronounced Cans) for the weekend. Cairns is located on the Northeastern coast of Australia. The main reason for our visiting this small coastal town a quarter the population of Omaha was its adjacency to the Great Barrier Reef, my fellow UNO students and I were going to take a boat a couple miles off shore to go snorkeling on the reef. We would be setting sail the next day, in the mean time we all went out to a local pub for some celebratory drinks. Many students decided to pack it in early for the night, but a few of us and our professor decided to stay out a little later and take in the atmosphere. A live band would be playing soon, but before that there was an advertised dance-competition in which the winners of each round would be awarded a free drink. At the urging of my friends I joined in and actually ended up winning a round! We hung out a bit longer and listened to the band play popular cover tunes…in Australian accents. As we were heading out I befriended one of the workers named Isaac, he would go on to be a recurring character in our Cairns adventures.

Early the next morning we walked to the wharf from which our boat was departing from and after a slow boarding process, we were well on our way to the Great Barrier Reef. This would be a two hour trip off shore and during the first portion of this time, we were given some informative presentations on what we could expect to see and how to handle sea-sickness should it occur. Fortunately, I’ve been able to avoid sea-sickness before and hoped to do so again. Towards the end of the presentation being given to us I decided to check out the top deck of the boat and get some fresh air and get a better view. I climbed up the stairs and was immediately treated to an amazing view the ocean surrounding us with the coast of Australia slowly disappearing in the distance. I spent the remainder of the ride out having one of the ephemeral and philosophical conversations that we all have sometime, with a Norwegian individual. We touched on topics ranging from Absurdity to past travels and cultural differences. Our conversation came to a natural end when we were informed the vessel had reached its destination.

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At this point, the real excitement kicked in for me and I was exceptionally eager to jump in the water. I donned my wet-suit, put on some sunscreen, grabbed my goggles, snorkel, and flippers then made my way to the back deck of the boat. So, I’ve swam in the ocean before, I’ve even swam a considerable distance from shore, but as I sat on the edge of the boat with nothing but ocean around me and no land in site, I was surprised to feel a sense of trepidation creep into the back of my mind. After this moment of hesitation I threw myself into the water. Immediately I was breathless, it was a sensory overload. It was a considerable amount to take in: submerged in the cool water of the Pacific, the taste of the salt, the sound of the water flowing all around me, and of course the reef below me. Swimming in the ocean miles from land is a completely different experience than swimming inland in a river or lake. It induces a completely different mental state, one of adrenaline and heightened awareness, a feeling that I don’t get the opportunity to experience in my daily life.

Everywhere I looked there were fishes of all sizes and colors continuing on their daily routine with any care of my presence. The coral came in as much variety as the fishes that lived among it. There was so much going on it was difficult to focus on any one thing. In addition to this I had some trouble with my snorkel, I was having a difficult time keeping water out of it and felt I was constantly having to eject water from it. I later found out that it was bent in the wrong direction, and after fixing this it was much easier to breathe. At this site one of the first things I saw was a sea turtle swimming near the surface, this little guy was beautiful but wasn’t too keen on sticking around once more people jumped in the water. Swimming further from the boat I saw plenty of colorful fish and even saw some giant clams, the water was not that deep where they were and I saw one of the other swimmer’s flippers brush against them and they reacted by shuttering and, well I guess clamming up actually.

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After spending about an hour at this location, we were called back to the boat where we then traveled to a second location for some more snorkeling. Before arriving there, one of the crew members announced that they would be offering a guided tour around this portion of the reef for anyone who was a capable swimmer and interested. Fortunately I checked both of those boxes so I put on my gear and headed for the water once we had made it to our destination. This time I was less hesitant to jump in the water so I eagerly hopped in the water, but was met with another surprise, I couldn’t see the ocean floor below me. This was definitely a spooky experience, normally one is used to knowing just how deep of water they’re in, and seeing nothing but blue below me definitely gave a new meaning to a fear of heights.

Once our guide was in the water with us we swam towards the reef and as we approached it, I saw the immediate drop off where the coral gave way to abyss. Throughout the extent of our reef tour, the guide pointed out a series of fish and species of coral, explaining a little bit about each’s purpose to the surrounding ecosystem. A definite highlight of the tour for me was when we came across a lone stingray slowly gliding across the ocean floor. Another interesting point was when our guide performed an impressive surface dive to retrieve a Sea Cucumber and went on to explain their importance to reducing ocean acidification as they are natural pH balancers. After the guided tour I was quite tired from swimming all day and decided to swim back to the boat a little early. The return trip was a bit uneventful for me, I was fortunate enough to sleep for much of it.

The next day some friends and I had another big adventure planned, we were being taken up into the mountains and jungle northwest of Cairns by a local guide. Unfortunately, in the morning before we were picked up, one of our friends had to cancel on account of feeling ill so we had a spare ticket for this excursion. Waiting outside of our hostel, less than 30 minutes before being picked up, we ran into our friend from the other evening, Isaac. Naturally we asked him if he wanted to join us and luckily, he had no plans and was eager to do so. After that moment of serendipity, we were picked up by our guide and we set off.

We were treated to a lovely drive up into the mountains, seeing the beautiful scenery of the jungle before us and being educated on much of the native wildlife. During this drive we also crossed several freshwater streams from which we were encouraged to drink from, the water being some of the cleanest natural spring water in Australia. The first location we stopped at on our day trip was a short wooden walkway through a portion of the jungle where we were able to go into the trees for a ways and see the environment more up close. We were informed of the relationships between many of the plants and animals native to this area including a species of tree that grows top to bottom, using other trees as a source for sprouting and letting their roots slowing grow down the length of the tree to the soil.

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The second stop on our trip was at a cliff face overlooking a valley below us with a waterfall feeding into a river flowing through it. Part of the fun getting to this location was the short hike we had to take to get there which took us through a some trees and short brush. It was exciting to hike through this new environment which shared some similarities to the trails and hills near Omaha, yet still possessed many distinctly Australian qualities. We hiked further down the cliff face to get a closer view at the waterfall below us. This walk led us down a rocky path, eventually giving way to nothing but crag. The sites from this area were truly breathtaking.

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The next place we visited was a small creek up in the mountains that was a portion of the larger network of waterfalls in the regions. Our guide informed us we were more than welcome to swim here which we took full advantage of. There was a small pooled area where the flowing water slowed enough for us to swim without any worry about any current. The water here was exceptionally cold, but refreshingly so. The cold of the mountain stream water felt invigorating against my skin and swimming in it with the mountains and landscape around me was a mesmerizing experience that I wish I could encapsulate with words. Sun light glowed against the rocks and sparkled on the water, the mountains surrounding us and trees all contributed to one of the most beautiful interactions I’ve had with nature. We spent a good half an hour to 45 minutes here. After swimming we were treated to coffee, tea, and crackers provided by our guide.

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We only had a couple more stops left after this, both of which provided further opportunity to bask in the glory of the Australian landscape. The first of these sites was the Barron Gorge, a massive cliff face cut into the Earth. This area often features a deafening waterfall, however given the season we were not treated to such a site, but the grandeur of the gorge was still evident. The second was the Henry Ross Lookout, a small roadside stop which overlooked the Pacific Ocean and the rural outskirts of Cairns with several more mountains in the background.

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That night some friends and I stayed at Gilligan’s, a world ‘infamous’ hostel that I heard described as a “backpacker’s right of passage”. Given my experience there I would call it a perpetual nightclub with bunk rooms attached to it where the party never ends. I won’t get into too many details here but the highlights consist of: running into Isaac again, dressing in woman’s clothing to get a free drink, and having another existential philosophical discussion with a stranger, an Italian man this time. He and I hit it off so well that we exchanged contact information with the hopes of encountering each other again in our travels.

After staying at Gilligan’s, it was only Alex and I left in Cairns as most of our friends had returned to Sydney, the last two leaving the morning after our stay. Alex and my flight wouldn’t leave until that evening so we had a day to kill before then. We decided to take it pretty easy and simply wander aimlessly around town. After eating a delicious fruit bowl for breakfast at a local cafe, we visited a few music shops, sampling the merchandise at each. At one we managed to actually have a little jam in a back room, our first time playing together since before we left the States. Around mid-day we headed back for the coast, there was small artificial lagoon there for the public to use and I wanted to cool off. On our way there we stumbled across a didgeridoo store and obviously we had to stop in. The shopkeeper was quite a joyful guy happy to teach us about all the didgeridoos and other instruments they had on hand. Letting us play each of the instruments and even helping me with the technique of circular breathing. Easily the coolest shop we’ve visited during our travels here, we had to pick up some souvenirs, and since didgeridoos are a bit difficult to travel with, we purchased some small Aboriginal percussive instruments instead. After lounging at the lagoon for a few minutes, we decided to seek out some lunch. While eating on an outside patio we ran into, you guessed it, Isaac again. After sharing a few laughs about our interwoven weekends we went on our separate ways.

With the evening rolling around, we made our way to the Cairns airport to return back to our temporary home in Sydney. A weekend of adventure full of once in a lifetime experiences and new friends made. Cairns is without a doubt somewhere I hope to return to again in my life. This small coastal city in Queensland charmed me in a way I was not expecting. Thus far, it has been the most exciting and memorable portion of my travels in Australia. I have more adventures planned for the coming future and we shall see if they can compete with my weekend in Cairns (pronounced Cans).

With the beginning of my second week in Sydney, my classes are in full swing and I have had to divert my attention to them instead of my gallivanting. My Australian Theatre and Film course continues to hold my interest as we have delved into the various themes often present within Australian works, such as the Outback, Bushrangers, Mateship, and Larrikinism. I have observed that several of these themes share parallels with quite a few of their American counterparts. For instance the setting of the Outback and the character of Bushrangers are similar, yet not identical, to the American cultural mythology surrounding the Wild West and Cowboys. I attended a second play for class, this one titled “Things I Know to Be True”, which depicted a year in the life of a middle-class Australian family and the struggles that they encountered. I found the acting from each performer in this play to be particularly enjoyable and the chemistry between actors felt quite authentic.

I’m more or less staying on top of things though. Travelling to Australia has certainly downshifted my pace of life and I don’t feel as constantly on the go as I do in the States which is nice. It being in the middle of Winter is still a strange thing to experience as the shift from bright and sunny Omaha to mostly rainy and dreary Sydney where the sun sets at 5 is a bit jarring. Especially after being used to the sun going down closer to 9 back home, so now I experience days where I feel ready for bed around 7:30. There have been a handful of bright sunny days here with word of more to come. During the Australian winter, if you’re not careful the rain can sneak up on you and catch you by surprise as it did to me today! My upper body was spared as I was wearing my rain coat, but my pants and shoes weren’t so lucky and they got soaked. Several of the streets were flowing with such water that they could have been mistaken for rivers!

On one of the sunnier days though, my friend Alex and I ventured to a nearby music store searching for some instruments. We are hoping to busk on some street corners, and if we’re lucky, possibly land a small gig or two at local open mic nights. At this store we met a truly delightful man who I instantly became ‘mates’ with on account of me recognizing his Meshuggah shirt (Swedish metal band, your parents would hate them). He and I then continued for several minutes about this band and that while perusing guitars. Unfortunately here they did not have any drums for sale, it was a small locally run store with a limited inventory but the gentleman was eager to order some in for me, he even invited Alex and I back to jam a backroom of the store sometime! Despite not having any drums, I was able to briefly play a Guzheng, a Chinese string instrument similar to a harp, except it lies horizontally instead of standing upright. Not the experience I thought I would get living in Australia but I’m not complaining.

On a day that I did not have any classes I was able to visit a small zoo tucked away in a small neighboring town of Sydney. Here I was able to see up close many of the animals that come to mind when one thinks of Australia: Kangaroos, Wallabies, Emus, and of course Koalas. The several of the wallabies I was even able to hand feed for a bit which was a pleasant and cathartic experience. There was a moment when one even grabbed my hand with its two little ones to get a good grip for eating which I found to be quite adorable. One thing I have felt though in my travels, and Australia is no exception, is that living in Omaha has spoiled me with respects to zoos. So while this place was a nice and relaxing experience, nothing compares to the Henry Doorly, and those are facts.

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On returning from the zoo I had another experience I was not expecting to have here. During our bus ride back to the train station, we stopped outside of a legitimate Hindu temple. We were ahead of schedule and the bus driver told me and the other UNO students that we could go get a closer look of the temple if we were interested. So of course I took advantage of that. I couldn’t take any pictures of the inside of the temple so I cannot share what the inside looked like, but take my word, it was a truly beautiful site to behold. I have always been interested in Indian culture and religions so this was an especially welcome surprise for me.

Walking around Sydney I have taken a great liking to its general architecture and infrastructure. There are a number of unique buildings in the city that I have seen already, including one that is draped head to toe in foliage which has an ethereal atmosphere surrounding it. The public transport infrastructure is also quite efficient. Not having a private vehicle has not been a problem, I even prefer it now that I don’t have to worry about maintaining, fueling, and parking a car and can just walk, bus, or take the train everywhere for incredibly cheap.

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After a total travel time of over 25 hours, I arrived in Sydney, Australia at the local time of 6:30 AM the day before the rest of my fellow UNO students and professor. Before me was the task of navigating three miles through the city to the youth hostel I would be staying at until they arrived. I was up for the task and more than happy to walk that distance, rather than hail a taxi or uber. I would not be alone for this journey though as my dear friend Alex Airola was with me and with smiles on our faces we stepped out of the relative safety of the airport and into the unknown of Sydney.

After making our way through a small neighborhood we stopped at a roadside café to get our bearings and grab some food. Approaching the window I had a brief moment of internal anxiety, as the young man working that morning approached the window I almost lost my words. Up until this point I’ve had to use a new language to communicate while travelling, and being able to clearly communicate with someone after travelling halfway around the world without any language barrier was a strange feeling indeed. After a short exchange, he was able to point us in the right direction and we continued on foot, feeling newly welcomed in this unfamiliar land.

Walking along a road called King St. we eventually came upon a public park, Sydney Park to be specific and we decided to take a break from walking to enjoy the beautiful sunny day, letting it sink in that we were actually in Australia. After setting our bags down at a bench, immediately the first thing I did was climb a tree, after all the last time I had climbed a tree was on the other side of the Pacific Ocean! I had packed several frisbees in my bag for just such an occasion and we passed some time throwing one back and forth in a beautiful open field. We then further explored the park to take in the sites before continuing on our way.

Eventually we arrived at our hostel and were able to relax for the first time since leaving Omaha. After passing a couple hours at the hostel we explored the local area and discovered something truly unique: A 19th century cemetery. This graveyard serves as the resting place for some of Australia’s early colonizers, the tombstones providing brief glimpses into their lives. The entrance of this location was watched over by a truly beautiful pair, an old brick church and an absolutely massive tree with buttress roots up to my chest and whose age can only be guessed.

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The next day all of the international students gathered for orientation where we were given an overview of Australian culture and the ins and outs of the city. During this we were also treated to a rendition of aboriginal dance as performed by a local ensemble of students. This would be the first of many occurrences where the aborigine peoples were recognized and celebrated as the initial caretakers of the land. For instance, traveling around the city you will sometimes see markers in establishments calling attention to the tribes who previously lived on the land.

Classes began the following morning and I had to walk a mile to the building my first class was in, through the rain. It’s Winter here after all. The class is titled Australian Theatre, Film and Learning. In enrolling in this course I was not sure what I was expecting to experience but I am pleasantly surprised in the direction the class has gone. Through this course we have been discussing and analyzing Australian history and the development of its culture through the lens of Theatre and Film, as well as its influence in developing said culture.

As part of this course I have attended a play written by an Australian playwright; I will be attending another tomorrow. The play I have seen already was titled Prima Facie and was a one actress performance about a court barrister and her experience dealing with sexual assault and the court system. The performance was gripping and the lone performer did an immaculate job in carrying the entire performance. The timing of this performance is quite interesting because as I take in my surroundings, I am observing that institutions in Australia, such as the university and local government, seem to be taking great PR initiatives to address gender issues such as domestic abuse and consent. For instance, to continue with class all the students had to complete an online module pertaining to giving and asking for consent.

Apart from classes, I have had several chances to experience the waterfronts of Sydney. The other afternoon I hiked the walk from Coogee to Bondi beach, a local favorite. This path took me along cliffsides and small coves overlooking the southern Pacific Ocean. In the following days I was also able to visit Manly beach and was able to get in some much needed sand frisbee-ing, ocean swimming, and rock squatting. Though the water was chilly at first, I adjusted rather quickly and had a blast jumping around in the waves.

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Walking around Sydney Harbour also provides many amazing views. There is an annual festival going on called VIVID. During this festival, the skyline is painted with brilliant choreographed lights and the iconic opera house is used as a canvas for amazing visual displays. Taking a ferry across the harbour also provides opportunity for incredible views of this area. I was fortunate enough to be on such a ferry during sunset and witnessing the city at this time of day was certainly an experience I won’t soon forget.

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Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton