GRIP, Internships Abroad Making the Most of Your Time Abroad

StartSomeGood - Sydney, Australia

Five Tips - Making the Most of Your Time Abroad

1)Make your own food.
It's so easy to fall into the trap of wanting to eat every meal out so that you can experience all of the local culture and cuisine of your host country. Especially living in a city like Sydney that has restaurants and cafes on every corner, it has been tempting to spend my whole trip traveling and trying new places to eat. But, I think that shopping at markets and immersing yourself in the way that the locals actually shop and live is just as valuable an experience. Grocery shopping with my roommate and having all of the employees at the local grocery store know us as soon as we walk in has made me feel such a part of the community in Haymarket. Aside from this, though, it saves a ton of money!

2) Don't forget about your friends and family back home.
Assuming that you are living in a place that has good WiFi and phone service, make an effort to talk to your friends and family at home. You don't need to call everyday, because you should also be living in the moment and enjoying your time abroad, but checking in every once and a while means so much to both you and the people you love across the world. I've found that weekly FaceTimes have been great in alleviating my homesickness from being 10,000 miles away. I also made sure to pack lots of pictures before coming to Sydney to hang in my room, which take up almost no luggage space but make such a positive difference.

3) Learn how to use public transit.
I think that this is the most important of all of the tips on this list. By learning to use public transportation, you grant yourself the freedom to comfortably explore your new city. Mastering public transit in Sydney has given me the confidence to travel on my own to new places and to feel safe in knowing that I'll be able to find my way home wherever I end up. While Uber is an option in Sydney, using public transit is much more cost effective and provides a more authentic experience.

4) Take the time to reflect.
Out of our group of eight Penn Abroad interns in Sydney, almost everyone has been keeping a personal journal. We've also been taking lots of pictures, recording daily videos, and keeping lists of all of the places we've seen and people we've met. Not only will these be incredible to look back on after our trip, but they've also forced us to acknowledge all of the amazing experiences that we are having and to not take anything that we are doing in Sydney for granted.

5) Don't feel like you need to do everything.
After spending eight weeks in Sydney, it feels like more of a home than an extended vacation where I should be sightseeing and exploring every day. Some of my favorite memories in Sydney have been nights in talking to my new friends and looking out from our apartment at the beautiful view of the city. Even though it seems like you need to make the most of your experience by doing and seeing everything that you possibly can, I have found that taking these moments to stop and take a deep breath are so important to both my mental well being and my overall experience.