Australian Adventures

March 27, 2017

Although I have yet to take any sort of field trips for the classes that I am taking here, that has not stopped me from going on many adventures around the eastern coast of Australia. One of my favorite adventures thus far has been horse riding across the beach in Noosa, which is an island town north of Brisbane and about a three-hour drive from Bond University. This experience, though not academic, allowed me much needed stress relief from the classes and responsibilities that I’ve been faced with here at uni (who knew the word study was in study abroad for a reason?!). The main word I can use to describe my experience in Noosa was surreal. While riding my horse, Moose, a hard headed, stubborn, and truly gorgeous pinto, I was struck by this sense of pure happiness and bliss. All my worries, stressors, and anxieties seemed to melt away while Moose guided me along the white sandy beaches, the waves crashed around us, and the sky and sun shone bright above our heads. The two-hour ride seemed to stretch endlessly as we walked along, Moose needing no guidance, as the instructors had informed me that he was always the leader of the excursions and would always charge ahead of the other horses to mark the path we would take. I had never felt so at ease and content as I had on that beach a world away from the country I had grown up in, and it further cemented my feelings that this place would and already has, changed me.

Though I only got to stay in Noosa for one afternoon, it has already made it back to the top of the list of places I will need to visit again. It is a very popular beach attraction known for its sparkling blue waters, perfect weather, and flawless. Funnily enough, it seems that everywhere that I’ve visited here in Australia has made it back onto that “Places I Need to Visit (Again)” list that I’ve been constructing in my head, which just goes to show how inspiring this country is.

Claire Celestin

I am a premedical student interested in pursuing medical school after I obtain my undergraduate degree, and in my past few years at Northeastern University, it seems that I have gotten stuck in a routine of sorts. My days consisted of classes, volunteering, and studying in Snell library until I could not hold my eyes open anymore. Although all of this studying did allow me to maintain a high GPA, I have begun to feel trapped. Growing up, I had always dreamt of traveling, exploring, and immersing myself in different cultures and ways of living. I wanted to join the Peace Corps, build houses with Habitat for Humanity, and volunteer as a medical provider in impoverished countries. These are all things that I still want to do. My post graduate plans all point towards medical school and becoming a health care provider where I intend to serve not only those in the United States, but most importantly those areas where good doctors and health care are hard to come by. I believe that this study abroad opportunity will be a stepping stone into my future of world travel. I intend to take advantage of every opportunity that is presented to me while I am abroad. I will say yes to sky diving, snorkeling, and hiking into beautiful sunsets. In between all of that I will also try not to scream when facing Australia’s notorious gigantic spiders. I hope to travel around Australia every chance that I get, take surfing lessons, wake up in time for the sunrises on the Gold Coast, and still ace all of my exams. I intend to say yes to all of these experiences and more and upon my return I then want to share my experience with other students like myself. I want to show other students like me, who are afraid to push the rigid boundaries of pre medical studies that it is okay to take a break from the pressures that they have set upon themselves.