I've officially been in Sydney, Australia for one week. Somehow it feels like I've been here forever and I just touched down at the same time. It's been a crazy week already, so let's dive in.
Day 1: We landed at 7 am and made our way out to our hotel in the center of Sydney's Chinatown. After settling in, we all walked down to Sydney Harbor for a welcome dinner cruise. We sailed around the harbor for three hours, starting at sunset, taking in the incredible sights.
Day 2: We spent the morning on chartered buses going through Sydney on a guided sightseeing tour. We saw The Sydney Opera House, Bondi Beach, Watson's Bay & Mrs. Macquarie's Chair, some of the most famous spots in Sydney. After a quick power nap, my friend McKenna & I chose an adorable little Italian restaurant on the harbor for dinner.
Day 3: After getting up incredibly early, we spent the day at Tobruk Sheep Station. We tasted Billy tea and damper cake, learned to crack a whip, throw a boomerang and shear a sheep, and even witnessed a sheep wedding.
Day 4: McKenna and I walked over eight miles exploring the city of Sydney, from Hyde Park to St. Mary's Catholic Church. We then walked down to the Sydney Harbor Bridge and had a nice steak dinner while enjoying the fireworks over Cockle Bay.
Day 5: I spent my first lazy Sunday reading "The How of Happiness" by Sonja Lyubomirsky, a book required for one of my classes, which discusses scientific research and tests into levels of happiness.
Day 6: Our first day of class was largely uneventful.
Day 7: I spent the morning doing our first day of classes. For the afternoon, two friends & I took the train down to Luna Park for a taping of Australia's Got Talent auditions. We saw some incredible acts, from singing to comedy and even some cooking. We bonded with Nicole Scherzinger over being American, and she called us cute (life=made).
Today, I'm spending the morning in class, talking about how and why people are happy. This afternoon, I'll be touring Sydney Opera House (and the opera bar of course). Check back next week for more adventures!
