I am studying abroad in Sydney, Australia through the CEA CAPA program. All of the staff are very welcoming and have lived in Australia for varying lengths of time which is neat. We have done so many wonderful excursions already including a Sydney Harbour Cruise, visiting the Sydney Tower Eye, a Sydney Opera House tour, a trip to the Blue Mountains, and a visit to the Taronga Zoo.  

The CEA CAPA front desk on the floor where I take my classes. 

Sydney Harbour Cruise 

On the second day after arriving in Sydney, CEA CAPA took us on an excursion on the Sydney Harbour on a private cruise. It was a gorgeous, sunny day in Australia. It was nice to get to know the other students in my program. There are around 40 of us total from colleges across the United States—from San Diego State to the University of Massachusetts. It was cool having the boat to ourselves. We had some light refreshments and there was a tour guide explaining the things we were seeing as we sailed past. We saw the Sydney Opera House which was fantastic to see and I got a great photo of it. We then went to a nice lunch at the Paragon Hotel. I got a margherita pizza and we had this delicious pecan caramel waffle for dessert. 

The Sydney Opera House seen from our excursion on the Sydney Harbour Cruise. 

Sydney Tower Eye 

Our next excursion was the Sydney Tower Eye. I went with a few of my friends and we went up to the observation deck. It was 19 floors high and we could see the whole city. It was a bit of an overcast and stormy evening, but it was still a cool spot to visit. 

View from the Sydney Tower Eye. 

Sydney Opera House Tour 

On a Friday, we went to the Sydney Opera House for a one-hour tour. The tour guide was fantastic and very engaging. He knew his stuff. I learned a lot about the Opera House. For example, it took 14 years to build, started in 1959 and completed in 1973. Sydney wanted something to foster community and something that could become an international landmark, so the Opera House was built.  

One of the many performance halls in the Sydney Opera House. 

Featherdale Wildlife Park & Blue Mountains 

The next day on a Saturday, after our tour of the Sydney Opera House, we went to the Blue Mountains. On our way we stopped at the Featherdale Wildlife Park where we got to feed and pet kangaroos. They were so cute! I loved that we got to be interactive with other wildlife. This zoo was really special in that way. There was so much to see!

In addition to kangaroos, we saw koalas, pelicans, parakeets, wombats, and emus. I got to go inside the parakeets’ cage which was awesome because I love birds, especially parrots. They were colorful but very noisy.  

A parakeet at the Featherdale Wildlife Park. 

Me with kangaroos at the Featherdale Wildlife Park. 

After our stop to the Featherdale Wildlife Park, we headed for the Blue Mountains. It was a gorgeous day in the mountains. We had a tour guide who explained that the reason for the name of the national park is because of the many eucalyptus trees in there that emit a blue tint in the sky when you are overlooking the terrain. You could even smell the eucalyptus which was lovely. We hiked down a steep path hugging along the cliffside. We then reached the bottom where there was a stunning waterfall called Wentworth Falls. The way back up the cliffside was difficult, but well worth it for the experience and the views. 

A view from our hike in the Blue Mountains. 

The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains. 

Taronga Zoo 

Most recently, we had a trip to the Taronga Zoo in Sydney. The event was called the “Roar and Snore” and we stayed in glamorous tents with beds and a night table, and camped in the zoo. It was a unique experience, and the lions woke me up a couple of times throughout the night. We got a private tour of the zoo from the zookeepers when we arrived, had some tea, cheese, and crackers while overlooking the Sydney skyline at our campsite, and headed off to dinner at The View Restaurant. It was a lovely dinner. I got to spend time with other students in my program I don't usually get to talk to which was nice. 

Dinner at The View Restaurant at the Taronga Zoo. 

I am very grateful for the experience CEA CAPA has given me and my peers so far and am excited to see more of this wonderful country!