DARCY

World Link Volunteer For: Australia

International Experience: Exchange

Program of Study: Majoring in Sociology

I wanted to go on exchange to be able to experience another culture and country, meet new people and make friends around the world, and travel.

I was surprised by how friendly and generous Australians really are. I was also surprised by how large the country was – at least a 5 hour flight from the East to West coast!

I didn’t face any challenges in adapting to the Australian lifestyle because it is very similar to life in Canada. They eat the same foods, listen to the same music, watch the same TV shows and they also really love sports like Canadians do.

One of the highlights of my exchange was the month I took after the semester was over to travel around the country. I met people from all over the world and was able to experience everything Australia had to offer such as scubadiving in the Great Barrier Reef.

If I could bring one thing back home with me from Australia it would be the weather they have in our winter months. When I arrived in February in Australia it was 30-40 celsius and sunny every day.

I would advise Queen’s students who are travelling to Australia to make sure they travel to both the East and West coasts, hang out with the locals, take in the gorgeous Australian landscape and don’t hold back … you may only get there once!