Hello again!
It’s nearly a month until I leave Australia and I’m of mixed emotions. After my first 2.5 months in Adelaide, I started feeling the toll of living around so much newness; new people, new environment, new expectations of myself. I have been feeling more appreciative of my home city, and of my family whom I miss. I think that newfound appreciation will give me a fresh perspective once I do return, and I’m lucky to be able to miss home.
Over term break, I took a trip to Bali with two friends! I had the most incredible week of exploring the dense little island, and asking the locals questions about Balinese culture. The streets were packed with motorbikes, and it’s very commonplace to see kids as young as 4 years old riding in their parents’ laps. I tried snorkeling for the first time in my life on a small island called Nusa Penida, and it was a breathtaking experience to see such brilliantly colored fish and corals. I saw two gorgeous waterfalls in Ubud, watched a sunset dance at a temple, and witnessed monkeys steal sunglasses and hats right off of people 🤭 The monkeys are very confident in Bali.
I also ventured to Melbourne for a weekend. It was so gigantic, I felt as if I was in New York. I really enjoyed the Victorian inspired houses that Melbourne is home to, as well as the wide streets filled bustling with people walking. I saw Luna Park, a theme park with a creepy-clown themed entrance, as well as St. Patrick’s cathedral, a church from 1858 featured some beautiful Gothic architecture. Melbourne is a very artistic city, and is home to many beautiful murals.
Flinders has a beautiful campus, and I would recommend it to someone who enjoys nature, and would like to participate in different activities, such as the Wellbeing Week that the university hosts, or get-togethers at The Tavern pub on campus. Over my time here, I have learnt that I’m not an extrovert! Living amongst so many people at the Flinders Living Hall made me realize that I’ve been an introvert in disguise all along. I am happy to have learned this, as my expectations for how social I “need to be” can change and accommodate my personality better.
For future students planning on doing an exchange in Adelaide, I would ask yourself how often you want to go into the city, and how easy you’d like to be able to access it. Flinders is nestled in the suburbs of Adelaide, which has the benefits of being quiet and amongst lots of trees and hills, however it is a 25-30 minute train ride to get to the city. If you plan to explore the city regularly, you can easily do so while studying at Flinders; but you should note a 30 minute commute to the school if you’re living in the city, or a 30 minute commute to the city if you live in Flinders. Otherwise, everything you want to see in the city will be easily accessible by transit anyways!
Crazy how quick time flew by in Adelaide! I’m trying to make the most of my last 3 weeks here, and then I’m off to explore Sydney and New Zealand with one of my best friends 🙂
Mirela Alcaz from University of Calgary is undertaking a semester exchange program at Flinders University during Semester 1 2023
Check Mrela’s first blog HERE
