Welcome to Sydney, new friends!

After a long journey, the crew arrived in Sydney to cool, sunny weather. As students got settled into our housing, they were shown how to navigate their way around Sydney using the light rail tram system. CIEE staff welcomed students into their classrooms with an orientation that covered health and safety. Students engaged in a variety of icebreakers and got an introduction to their instructors. 
As students shared their backgrounds, they sought similarities among themselves, citing the common love for caring for animals, birds, and the outdoors.

Students also shared their hopes for this educational experience: many brought up their goals to make friends while learning about new cultures and gaining invaluable knowledge that comes from being abroad. Independency was a common theme among our students' conversations as they underscored the ways in which study abroad will help them build key competencies for becoming more proactive and engaged young adults. 

Once students got a feel for Sydney's downtown/CBD, we embarked on a scavenger hunt starting from the iconic Opera House. The scavenger hunt took us throughout the harbour area and around scenes of downtown Sydney. Students looked for Australian animals, Sydney's landmarks, and even got to test their knowledge of Aussie slang! We wrapped up the day with dinner in Chinatown. More to come soon!