Katerina Alemis, the Illinois Abroad marketing intern, writes:

On this day exactly two months ago I embarked on a trip to Australia. I did not know what this trip would bring me, but I was excited for everything about this experience. After finally arriving after what felt like forever, I could not wait to explore and learn all there is to know about Australia. Our trip consisted of a two-week long stay split between Adelaide and Sydney. I did not know much about Australia except for what I saw in Disney’s beloved Finding Nemo and my favorite childhood Mary-Kate and Ashley movie.  Our trip therefore provided us with a twofold perspective. A rural one in Adelaide and an urban one in Sydney.

The two cities differ both geographically and culturally. The city of Adelaide is in South Australia. Here, we visited Aboriginal sites and got first-hand accounts of not only Aboriginal history but the struggles that continue to exist for indigenous Australians. On our free day, a group of us visited The Art Gallery of South Australia. The detailed Aboriginal art in the museum was like nothing I had ever seen before.

In Sydney, we were welcomed to the city with the breathtaking view of Sydney Harbour Bridge coupled with the iconic Sydney Opera House. The city reminded me a lot of New York: lively, bustling, and modern. There are a lot of young people and there is a lot to do from museums to farmer’s markets and pastry shops. Sydney quickly became my favorite city I have ever visited, and I definitely plan to return.
Australia was an amazing experience and I am excited to share more memories of my program in my new role as the new student marketing intern for the University of Illinois!