Finding pieces of home on the other side of the world

After a year of planning and researching, I’m finally in the land down under for the semester.

I was born and raised in Knoxville, so in a way, I also grew up on UT’s campus. I grew up wearing my best Pantone 151 orange every Saturday and cheering on my Vols at Neyland. I grew up visiting the Smokies and making day trips to Dollywood. My life in East Tennessee has always felt comfortable and familiar.

Even though I consider UT’s campus to be an entirely separate part of Knoxville, I’m surrounded by the comfort of my hometown wherever I go. By the middle of my freshman year, I knew I needed a change in pace. I knew I needed to exceed my comfort zone in order to truly grow. As someone who had never been out of the country, I decided to go all in. Spending a semester on the other side of the world seemed to be just what I needed.

My Pinterest board could never have prepared me for the beauty that is Australia. The sky is bluer, the grass in greener, and the sunshine is the best medicine. I have never felt so connected to a city is such a short amount of time. The city of Sydney reminds me of New York with the hustle and bustle, tall towers, and pockets of neighborhoods with every turn. We’re a ferry ride away from some of the most beautiful beaches and scenery, so we get the best of both worlds.

In just one week, I have found myself trying new foods, making friends with local Aussies, and finding new passions. I never could have imagined the first week would be this amazing.

While I truly am having the time of my life, I find myself missing the familiarity and comfort of going to college in my backyard. 

Sydney is about as far away from Knoxville as I can get, but with each passing day I feel a little closer to home. The more I travel the city, the more I talk to the locals, and the more I experience the Australian lifestyle, the less I feel like I’m 9,000 miles away from home.

The people are friendly here in Sydney, and just like at home, smiles are exchanged when passing on the street. The bus station close to our apartment shares a name with my high school. The building we have our Australian history class in at the University of Sydney shares a name with my favorite UT football player, Peyton Manning. I’ve found that these little things help me feel a little closer to home. Suddenly, the world doesn’t seem so big.

As I look to the next three months, I truly cannot believe this is the life I get to live. Here’s to making the next few months the best ones yet.