Katie Armstrong, the Buckeyes Abroad North Queensland Sustaining Human Societies and the Natural Environment 2015 student blogger, writes:

When I first read through my itinerary for my 3.5 week journey to Australia I was nervous for a few portions of the trip. I did not know what to expect from some of our destinations, specifically the outback trip and the home stay. But ultimately I found that the places I was most nervous for, turned out to be some of the best. 

In many ways our stay in the outback met my expectations, but I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. I knew we would be sleeping in tents which I thought would be difficult for me, but it turned out to be a great night’s sleep! The couple who run the camp ground cooked us delicious food, let us play their didgeridoo and gave us marshmallows to roast on the camp fire. After two days in the outback I was not ready to leave. 

Initially I was also nervous about the homestay because I did not know what to expect. We received little information about the families and did not know exactly what we would be doing for three days. However, it turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the trip. My host family was very gracious and accommodating and they taught us a lot about Australian culture and living on a farm. Four or five of us went to each home and then they shared stories with the group. Each home stay was different and all of us had a great time with our host families. 

Throughout the trip, and especially at the home stay, I was immersed in Australian culture and got an understanding of what people from other places think of Americans. It was interesting to learn about the common misconception that all Americans have southern accents. We were was also surprised by how much Australians knew about American culture and destinations. 

Overall, the trip and the people I met exceeded my expectations. I learned an incredible amount about environmental sustainability as well as Australian culture and history. I am so thankful for the opportunity to study abroad and would love to do it again.