Washington D.C
It is now officially week 4 of my adventure. After being in San Francisco travelling around by myself for 5 days I was ready to get to my dorm room and meet people!
The first week was orientation week for abroad students with 3 days introducing us to each other, to the school and to the city. Meeting so many other people from all over the world, Europe, Korea, Egypt, Africa and other Aussies too it really opens your mind to everything the world has to offer – I know that sounded so cheesy but it’s very true – and I made myself a promise, a promise that I will make the most out of this year and take advantage of every opportunity and explore everything I can.
In one day I visited the National Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and saw the White House, granted they were only quick visit’s but even so the smile from my face just never left, to actually see these symbols of America and history and freedom just made me feel incredible (and being a history major you can imagine how excited I was!). I’ve also visited some local areas, Chinatown, Georgetown and Adams Morgan and the rest of the city is just waiting to be explored!
The university (or college I should say) is incredible, the buildings are beautiful, the people are lovely and the work is intense with 5 books for just 1 history class. The social aspect is also widely different. Yesterday I became a Pledge member in the Greek sorority Alpha Epsilon Phi, already through this sisterhood I have met some amazing women who I know will support me all the way. I am also auditioning for a student run dance group that performs at the end of the semester which I will hopefully be able to participate in.
The weather is cold, the work is hard and I am missing my family already. BUT. I knew all of this coming into this experience and I welcome it with open arms, this is going to be the most amazing opportunity for all of us abroad students and I welcome the bad with the good because I know at the end I would have had an experience of a lifetime.
Safe travels everyone 🙂
Oz Students Abroad 
Great news! Sounds like you’ve really dove into the different opportunities — it’s a great response to encountering things you haven’t seen before, like ‘Greek’ social life on campus. You’re going to have some great insider stories about how these things are, not just as a spectator, but as a participant, and I bet people are going to be sad to see you go because they’ll start to feel like you’re just part of the whole environment and belong there.
Interesting what you way about the work load. I’m going to have to include questions about that in our survey at some point because I just get every different sort of comment on this — some students think it’s more, some less (and a lot so). I can’t really figure it out.
January 19, 2011 at 9:03 pm
It’s a little weird (regarding the work load) because an Australian friend here from Queensland said his work load is much easier, he has 1 book for the semester and just in general the work is easier.
I’m pretty curious to see how the grading is different though, it could be more work but easier grades which I wouldn’t mind at all!
January 19, 2011 at 9:27 pm