Stockholm Week 10: Grind Before Barcelona

Hi! I can’t believe that it’s already the end of March. Isn’t that crazy? It still feels like late February to me. 

I’m bringing this up because my trip to Barcelona is coming up real fast. I am leaving on the 27th when the Explorative Travel Week begins! We get a week off as a travel break; certain elective courses travel as a class during that week, but I am not in any of those electives so I get a week off from school. Hurray! 

The number 1 country I wanted to travel to was Spain, and I am finally going there next week. That also means that this week has been rough, catching up with all the homework and finishing up projects before the break. 


3/18 Mon: (the best news) Class Canceled! 

On Monday, the only class I had switched to online at the last minute due to traffic issues. 

I took the opportunity to call my boyfriend and my mom while I worked on my assignments the entire day. I slept earlier than usual, around 11 pm, to treat myself :) 


3/19 Tue: Spicy Uno

We have been watching this Netflix series called The Chestnut Man in the Scandinavian Crime Fiction class, and I have been on my nerves since the start of the show. The plot and the music interact too well to the point that I have to cover my ears and close my eyes every now and then. I hate horror movies but I would say this is an extremely well-played thriller/detective show. I recommend it to anyone who likes mystery/crime genre! 

When I’m at home, I always have to try very hard to refrain from watching the rest of the episodes on my own. It has been a difficult battle but I made it to the 5th episode (out of 7) without binge-watching it alone. 

I didn’t know (and wouldn’t have known) that crime fiction was so popular in the Scandinavian region before I took this class. I can see why it’s so famous; all the books and films are quite good! I always look forward to starting a new book or series in class. This course has been my absolute favorite class in Stockholm :) 


During lunchtime, I surprisingly met a new friend who’s going to Barcelona on the same day!!! She and her friend booked their flight yesterday, so I never heard about them when I was asking everyone if they’d like to join our Barcelona trip. The most surprising part was that her friend turned out to be my friend who always sat next to me in two classes! We exchanged numbers to talk more about the trip. 


Afterward, I went to Arkivet, a second-hand store on the higher end. There are high-quality clothes that are in good condition—all the way from H&M and Zara to COS, BOSS, and Coach. Although it is a bit more expensive than other stores like Myrona or Stockholm Stadsmission, the pool is much better in my opinion. I bought a Tommy Hilfiger trench coat for $70! 

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There are so many buttons on this coat

Happy with my purchase, I came back home and made Alfredo pasta for dinner. I have been CRAVING creamy pasta and it momentarily satisfied my yearning. I need to go to an Italian restaurant and get a good alfredo spaghetti soon. 

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I threw some chicken and sausage in there too :) 

That night, my friends and I all gathered around my room to play Spicy Uno. My friend taught us the extra rules and it was a lot more fun than I expected. Towards the end, we even incorporated Never Have I Ever into the game (ง˙∇˙)ว

After they all left, I couldn’t sleep right away because of the sugar rush from all the goodies we ate (ice cream, jellies, chips, chocolate bars, and wafers). 

I blame this sugar rush for the catastrophe that happened a few minutes later. 

I was peacefully putting on a new set of fake nails until the nail glue fell down on my joggers. I can definitely say that it was an exothermic reaction because where the glue spilled was hot. Thankfully, I was able to separate my pants from my thighs by lifting it up a little bit, but my pants did not survive the accident. 

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Picture that captures the moment of the tragic incident 

If anyone knows how to remove nail glue on clothes please let me know ( •́ ̯•。̀ )


3/20 Wed: Skansen Open-Air Museum! 

Today’s field trip for our Swedish class was Skansen, the world’s first open-air museum! 

The escalator was endless and the area of the museum was unparalleled to any other museums I visited. We had a full experience with the tour guide—we even got to go into houses from the 1700s and see reindeer! 

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Us inside the houses

More cool photos: 

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Some cool facts: 

  • Going to church was obligatory: people were officially tested on their bible knowledge and the answers were recorded! 
  • Each house was numbered (well over two thousand pieces for each house), deconstructed, relocated, and reconstructed in the museum! 


After free fika with the entire class, my friend and I hung out around T-Centralen. We went to cafes, second-hand stores (again), and the system. We headed back to the hog together. 

For the rest of the night, I worked on the insurmountable group project for my online ChemE class until 4 am… ;) 


3/21 Thu: Reeeaaaading

I woke up early to do the pre-lecture homework for the classes. Despite dozing off for a few minutes here and there, I finished the assignment! 

For Friday’s class, I started and finished reading half of The Wolf and the Watchman by Niklas Natt och Dag. I’m starting to spot the similarities in the settings of the crime fiction novels! 


3/22-3/23 Fri-Sat: Zoom Meetings

I devoted two whole days to working on the group project. I had a series of Zoom sessions with the Professor and then with teammates. 

Cooking and doing laundry was my time off from work! 

When I was done with the project around 11 pm Saturday, I started scavenging for English-guided tours for Barcelona. The tickets were rapidly selling out! 

I managed to get an English tour of Sagrada Familia and Park Guell. They were expensive, but when would I ever have the chance to visit Spain? With that mindset, I joyfully paid for the events. 


3/24 Sun: Planning Barcelona..

My body weighed 200 tons today and wouldn’t have gotten out of bed until 2 pm if it wasn’t for the Barcelona planning meeting I scheduled with my friends. 

We met at Downtown Camper Cafe in T-Centralen and stayed there for three hours, making reservations and finalizing schedules. We are ready to fly to Barcelona! 

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The bathroom was fancy

Again, when I got home, I cooked and did more homework.

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Tada!

With the energy I gained from dinner, I was able to work on the group project until I got burnt out at 9 pm. I called my mom for a little (meaning 1.5 hours) and did some more work before going to sleep. 

I am SO excited to share my experience in Barcelona next week! 

Stay tuned for new, rejuvenating adventures coming soon!!! 


Tack,  

Jiwoo Kim 

Chemical Engineering

DIS Study Abroad in Stockholm, Sweden

Week 7 in Prague: The Dynamics of Dorm Life, Classroom Camaraderie, and the Quest for Local Connections

“From Hallway Hellos to Classroom Insights: Navigating Social Landscapes Abroad”

Ciao! This week in Prague, the intricate tapestry of relationships—forged within the confines of European apartment walls and the intimacy of small classrooms—has taken center stage in my study abroad narrative. The experience of living in an apartment building in Europe, reminiscent of freshman year but with the twist of being surrounded by eight floors of classmates, offers a unique blend of nostalgia and novelty. Meanwhile, the small classroom format presents a golden opportunity to connect with professors on a level seldom experienced back at Michigan. However, amidst these vibrant social interactions, the challenge of forging genuine connections with Czech locals highlights a poignant gap in the international experience.

Dorm Life: A Revival of Freshman Spirit

Living in the apartments again, especially in a foreign country, is like stepping back into a familiar scene of dorms with a fresh set of eyes. The hallways always echo with noise from students I’ve never met, and each door opens to a different world, reflecting the diverse tapestry of students who’ve come to call Prague their temporary home. There’s a sense of camaraderie, a shared adventure, that binds us, from late-night card sessions to impromptu poker gatherings in the communal kitchen, sharing hilarious stories from our different experiences. Though this level of impromptu-ness sometimes gets my long distance girlfriend back home a little upset as I flake on a lot of our plans to facetime and catch up (hi if you’re reading this, I think I’m free next Monday).

Insight: Embrace the communal spirit. These hallways aren’t just transit routes; they’re avenues to some pretty dope people from some pretty cool places. Make some friends.

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The Classroom Connection

The contrast to Michigan’s often large, impersonal lecture halls couldn’t be more striking. Here, the small classro om format fosters an environment of close-knit learning and personal engagement with professors who aren’t just educators but become mentors, and sometimes, friends. Discussions are rich and deep, with every student’s voice not only heard but valued. This level of academic intimacy enriches the learning experience, making it not just about the transfer of knowledge but about the exchange of perspectives.

Tip: Take advantage of this unique academic setting. Engage, question, and contribute. These interactions are as much a part of your education as the textbooks.

The Elusive Local Connection

However, amid this tapestry of international relationships and academic engagement, a thread remains loose: the connection with Czech locals. Despite the welcoming nature of Prague’s streets and the cordiality encountered in regular day-to-day interactions, forging deeper relationships with Czechs has proven challenging… or honestly quite impossible. Their reserved nature, coupled with the fact that we don’t even go to an actual university, often results in missed opportunities for deeper cultural exchange and friendship. The only places I really get to interact with the locals ends up being on nights out at bars or pubs, and even then it’s mostly tourists. Czech people have a tendency of being within themselves and breaking that circle without forced interactions remains a mystery.

Reflection: It’s important to respect and understand the local temperament. Friendship here may require more patience and effort, but the potential for a genuine connection is worth it.

Bridging the Gap

In seeking to bridge this gap, perhaps the answer lies in stepping beyond the comfort zones of dorm life and classroom confines, engaging more actively with community events, local meetups, or language exchange programs that offer a platform for more organic interactions with Czech locals.

My Personal Action Plan (New Blog’s Resolution): Participate in community events, join local clubs or groups that align with my interests, and be open to the slow but rewarding process of building friendships with locals.

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^ not Czech locals but outsiders from Sweden nonetheless

Wrapping Up

This week has been a reflection on the complexities of building relationships in a new cultural setting. From the bustling dorm life filled with international voices to the enriching academic environment and the nuanced challenge of connecting with Czech locals, each aspect of social interaction here adds a valuable layer to the study abroad experience.

As the weeks progress, the goal remains not just to explore Prague’s streets and landmarks but to weave a richer social fabric, one that includes not just fellow students and professors but also the local Czech community.

Here’s to more shared moments, lessons learned, and bridges built.

Uvidíme se příště!,

Rachit Khandelwal

Abhi in Paris

Week 10: Parisian Adventures

Hey everyone, welcome back to Week 10 of my blog! It feels crazy to think about the fact that I’ve been here for 10 weeks now - oh my god, the time is flying. And funny enough, from the Scottish Highlands to the Volcanos of the Canary Islands, one of the few things I haven’t done so much is explore Paris. It’s a massive city with so much to explore, and although I feel I’ve seen other parts of Europe really well, I know that Paris has so much more to offer. So, this week I’m going on Paris adventures - from learning more about the bakery scene to trying out new bars and meeting new people. So here we go…


Monday, March 18th - Monday began as a usual start to the week. I got a morning cycling class in before making my way to ENSEA in Cergy, France for my afternoon classes that day. I got my first ever midterms back, and I’m proud to say I didn’t fail :) I was able to come back from class and catch a few hours of TV relaxation.

Tuesday, March 19th - Tuesdays are always the worst! I have a morning class at 8am, which means I wake up at 6am to make the hour and a half commute up to school. After one class, I have a six hour break before by three hour french class. It’s so tough because if I got back to Paris for the break I only have two hours there, and if I stay in ENSEA, I don’t have much to do. It’s always a coin toss, but today I went back to Cergy, managed to hit the gym and grab lunch, before heading back up to ENSEA for my evening French class. After a tiring day of class, I always make my way back, cook up some pasta for dinner, and then crash.

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Wednesday, March 20th & Thursday, March 21st - I’m gonna gloss over these two days a little bit, because as luck would have it I caught a cold. Somehow, I recovered pretty quick, but I was out for most of Wednesday & Thursday.

Friday, March 22nd - Friday was so fun! I started the day with a French Culture class, where our new Professor, started the clas by giving us some French treats from the Brittany region of France. After that, we had an amazing discussion of French work benefits, and hoenstly, after I heard what she had to say, I have to say I was tempted to move to France permanently. Here’s a quick summary of what the average university graduate in a full time rolled (called Cadre or CDI in France) gets:

  • 35 Hour Work Week & Any Extra work above that can be claimed in the form of extra vacation time later
  • 5 weeks paid vacation per year, 11 public holidays, bonus Mondays & Fridays off when public holidays are on Tuesday/Thursday, 16/20 week paid maternity leave & 2 week paid paternity leave, 2 week paid leave if your child is ill, 1 week paid leave if you get married, and the list goes on!
  • Once you get hired as Cadre, it is literally impossible to get fired unless you commit a felony - in fact the french have a phrase that goes “to put in a cupboard” because its easier to silo a bad employee into a meaningless role (cupboard) than to fire them
  • Incredible social security type pension benefits
  • Free Public Insurance that covers a lot of things including all life-threatening ailments like caner & private insurance that costs 150-200 euros a month for a family of four

This is all a super longwinded way to say that the benefits in France are incredible. Anyway, after class I managed to go to the gym and relax for a few hours. That night, I went to a warehouse party in the 19th arrondissement with some friends in ENSEA. Man do the Europeans never quit - I was there until 5am!

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Saturday, March 23rd - Saturday was a late start given the events of the previous night :) After grabbing a Portugese delicacy “Pastel de Nata” with friends from ENSEA, I came back home around noon and took a fat nap. I woke up without much homework to do and spent the evening going down a weird rabbit hole of algorithmic forex trading, working on building my own trading bot. Just a really random and weird evening.

Anyway, that night the same friends from ENSEA made thier way back to Paris, where we had a few drinks and played some card games. We then explored a youthful area of Paris known as “Bastille.” It was amazing meeting a bunch of exchange students like us there!

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Sunday, March 24th - As you might imagine, after the last two late nights. Sunday was a recovery day. I woke up super late, managed to get to the gym, and just spent the rest of the time catching up on homework.


For me, this was a week to explore in Paris, something I haven’t had much of a chance to do with all the travel across Europe. But don’t worry, next week I’m back off to the races with a 6 day trip across Germany!

A plus tard,

Abhi Athreya

University of Michigan, Aerospace Engineering 2025

ENSEA in Cergy, France

Week 12 - A Tale of Two Cities and a Loop of a Lifetime

Xin Chao everyone,

The last week was spent traveling through Vietnam, from Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) up to Ha Noi (the capital), and then along the Ha Giang loop which took us into the beautiful countryside of the north. The trip was the first experience of what we felt were genuinely foreign lands. The language, customs, and pace of life felt unique to what we had known. 

After our nine-hour, cross-hemisphere, journey we landed at the busy airport in Ho Chi Minh City. We had procrastinated our visas so we had to finalize our rushed, on-arrival application at the airport. A few hours later than we expected, and with millions of dong lining our pockets (~ 100 USD), we stepped out into the night. Our Grab (Asia’s Uber) driver took us to our hostel. He drove us through downtown and wow. Droves of scooters clad with anywhere from one driver to a whole family and their dog maneuver around cars, pedestrians, and each other to get to their destinations with speed. 

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We couldn’t peel our eyes away from the dozens of collisions that seemed imminent and deadly but would flow into near misses. Through our translate app, the driver confirmed that collisions happen far too frequently and that the traffic rules are more like suggestions rather than codified laws. 

After hurriedly checking in, we rushed out into the streets surrounding our hostel. We immediately fell in love with the hustle and energy that came from every street vendor, flashing sign, and musician, even the cats and dogs of the street seemed alive and rapt in the world they were in. 

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After a delicious first meal of pho and seafood, we wandered into the nearby night market and “backpacker street”. There were vendors selling everything from frog legs to knock-off Adidas, from traditional silk garments to the “best” Bahn Mi in Vietnam. We kept walking and found ourselves in what we’d later figure out was known as the “backpacker street”. A bustling nightlife street where tourist’s attention is competed for above all else. The glamour and shine from the building facades frankly felt disingenuous and scammy. We did have a few memorable moments, the passionate live rendition of the song “Zombie” by the Cranberries and a fire-spitting performance from a Vietnamese girl. 

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The next morning we woke up, early and bleary-eyed, to catch our tour bus leaving for the Cu Chi Tunnels. The tour took us through the Cu Chi region, north-west of the city, for a lengthy in-depth look into how the Vietcong (who in many cases were the local farmers by day) defended against the might of the US in the Vietnam War. We learned about the amazing and often brutal resourcefulness of the Vietcong, from the hidden traps made out of recycled American gear to the building of the over 250 km network of tunnels. It was a fascinating insight into the war from the other side’s perspective.

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After our tour, we made it back and crashed, waiting for the start of our next adventure: Ho Chi Minh street food on the back of motorbikes. With our immodium at the ready, we swung our legs over the back of our drivers’ bikes and joined the mass of speeding vehicles. The four-hour tour took us into six different districts and many more exotic bites. From caramelized rice-covered bananas to duck fetuses, the guide took us into the back streets and to his favorite childhood vendors. He colored each meal with a story of the relevance and history behind every dish. 

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After parting with our group, stuffed but determined to make time out of our final night in Ho Chi Minh, we called on our friend Bridget’s nightclub recommendations. The first bar we went to ended up being closed so we decided on Bam Bam. The club’s dancefloor and bar are situated in the basin of an empty indoor swimming pool. We danced to the hits of 2015, whipping the night away. 

The next day we signed up for a full-body, 60-minute massage because of the price ($15) and how many people had recommended we try this spa. However, when the masseuse spent 30 minutes on one foot our excitement turned to dread. Our request was lost in translation and instead of the back massage we were fantasizing about, we got an aggressive foot and leg massage that left us fighting back tears and laughs in equal measure. 

We stumbled to the airport to take our flight to Ha Noi. That night, after checking into the backpacker-friendly hostel (free beer from 7-8 pm), we rushed into the surrounding streets of the Old Quarter. We enjoyed a traditional Vietnamese meal and washed it down with our first cup of Egg Coffee. The drink was the highlight of the day up to that point, it is essentially a cup of black coffee generously topped with whipped vanilla, sugar, and egg yolk. An invention that came from the milk shortage the country experienced during the decades of war in the 20th century. 

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We hurried back to the hostel to catch the hostel-sponsored bar crawl and then proceeded to have one of the best nights out during our time abroad. A night made all the better when we met up at the first stop with our friend Kaye who had just come from the airport.

The next morning we forced down some brunch at the Hanoi Social Club recommended by Bridget and then headed off to the Serene Spa for our second attempt at a massage. I can’t recommend this place enough, we were greeted with tea and given a form to fill out that let us choose what kind of massage, how much pressure, and which parts of our body we wanted them to focus on or avoid. 

We left feeling dazed but very much at peace with the world. We met up with our friend Erin (she was coming off a couple-day Thailand trip) for an early dinner and then we boarded the sleeper bus that would take us, overnight, to the town of Ha Giang.

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The Ha Giang Loop

From Thursday morning to Saturday afternoon Erin, Kaye, Sam, Viv, and I rode on the back of a motorcycle along a loop through the northern countryside of Vietnam. Over mountains and through valleys, on dirt roads, and over rivers, we traversed 400 km of road in 3 days with a group of around 15 others. The experience was easily the best part of our trip and it was something that couldn’t help but put a deep smile on your face. One of the Irish women in our group said - “This is the second time doing the loop in two weeks, the first time literally cured my depression and I just needed to experience the exhilaration and peace with a different tour group as soon as possible.”

Day 1

We made it to our hostel around 6 am and were given 90 minutes to nap before breakfast was served. After a quick breakfast, we got a quick overview of the next three days and then met our drivers. 

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Our first stop was a boat tour on a river that cut through the mountains and made for scenic photos. We then made stops every half hour or so to stretch our legs and to take in particularly scenic overlooks. These frequent stops would sometimes include roadside markets, ranging anywhere from one person’s food stand to rows of shops with a variety of goods.

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Before making it to that night’s hostel, we overshot the town it was in to get to a mountainous overlook into China, which borders the northern parts of Vietnam. Once back, we settled into the hostel, took our much-needed showers, and scarfed down the innumerable Vietnamese dishes. Most of the places we ate brought out dishes that each had their own food item which could be assembled and mixed with rice in your bowl. Anyway, after another one of these communal meals, we tried our hand at the traditional Vietnamese bamboo dance which involved four sets of two bamboo sticks that would rhythmically bounce and then clap in the air, the idea was to bring your feet in and out of these bamboo “jaws” before closing. The dance took a lot of concentration and several tries before we confidently stepped through the moving formations. 

Day 2

The next day we woke up similarly early and hit the road around 9 AM. Our first stop was at the start of a stone path that led to a short climb up a local peak. The climb itself was very enjoyable and reminiscent of parts of New Zealand. Along the way, we reached what we had presumed to be as high as we could go when several little Vietnamese children appeared behind a rock above us and extended their hands, “We know the way up, do you want to see?”. I trusted these kids with my life. These children of the mountain guiding us to the seemingly treacherous summit felt like it was out of a storybook. 

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After another memorable lunch, our final stop before the night’s homestay was a nearby waterfall. The fall emptied into a swimming hole with a bar and benches installed on the rocky slopes surrounding the basin. We spent over an hour following the example of the locals by jumping off of progressively higher parts of the rock face. 

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As it was our final night in the loop, the chef and drivers prepared and served a feast. Throughout the meal, our group leader led us in rounds of “happy water” shots, some liqueur they called corn wine.

Each round went something like this: 

“Are you ready??” - “Yesssss!”

“Are you ready!?!” - “YESSSSS”

“Mot… Hai… Ba… DZO(yo)!” (1… 2… 3… Cheers)

Repeated I think for six to seven rounds, by which time the food was cleared and tables were being rearranged to make room for the night’s karaoke dance party. 

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Day 3

The next morning we were dropped off at the local village market. Piglets, live fish, and enough random (health) drugs to supply a pharmacy were just a few of the things being sold. We then had lunch in a town where almost all of the traditional buildings were made out of clay, each one-bedroom house was selling for around $1000 if anyone reading this is interested. The town was also a blue zone or a place where its inhabitants routinely live to be 100+ years old. 

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We made it back to Ha Giang, bums hurting and hearts broken to leave our trusty motorcycle drivers and companions. We boarded the bus back to Ha Noi for our 6-hour ride back to the city. The drive was more eventful than I could have expected, aside from the customary aggressive driving there was an extremely close collision with a pickup truck, even by Vietnam standards. So much so that the driver got out of the vehicle and confronted the driver of the pickup truck. All occupants of the bus were glued to the windows along the side of the bus as our heated driver proceeded to slap the truck driver with full force. The moment was awkward enough but, in his rage, our driver brought the truck driver up into the bus and slapped him in front of us while ridiculing him in Vietnamese.  

It was something we didn’t know how to respond to but I guess it made for a good story. 

The bus was pretty silent after that, and I felt an internal sigh of relief when we arrived at our destination.

Once we checked into our hostel, Kaye, Sam and I wanted to see the city at night again before leaving. Our midnight strolls took us to two different Bahn Mi vendors and a juice cart. 

The morning after we assembled our least dirty outfits and then went to the nearest Gong Cha Tea to try some Southeast Asian Boba. Afterward, we ate at Pho 10 and ran some last-minute shopping before our mad dash to the airport. 

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I’m writing this on the other side of our 15-hour journey back to Sydney. I can’t help but feel like there was so much more to see and I could easily spend a few months exploring this beautiful, energetic country. 

If you are considering where to go in Southeast Asia, almost every traveler we talked to who had been to Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, etc, all felt Vietnam was their favorite if not in their top two favorite countries in the area.

I hope you enjoyed and thank you for making it this far.


Take care everyone,

Grant Touchette

Aerospace Engineering

University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia

Bring on the Blue Mountains! (Week 9)

After returning from Tasmania, it was time for me to recharge again before my family came to town. This meant some more local traveling, as well as catching up on sleep! On Tuesday, once my photography class ended in Paddington, I took to the streets to find a new route to explore which led me to Rushcutters Bay Park along the water just a bit east of the Opera House. The park and nearby pier reemphasized my love for the Sydney coast. 

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Not pictured: dozens of dogs playing in the field.

More than the incredible beaches and vast ocean, the coast is full of the greenest parks and forests, houses climbing up rolling hills, and people. People exercising, playing with their dogs, picnicking like there’s no tomorrow, or just enjoying the beautiful weather. Even at night, the cityscape illuminates the water and makes Darling Harbour the perfect place to take a seat and catch up with friends. 

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Darling Harbour at night!

Along Coogee Bay Rd, the central road of Coogee beach, I finally got to try a Vietnamese food stop which always has the longest lines in the area and runs out of food before the sun sets. The chicken banh mi I got instantly became my favorite local meal and I got it again only a few days later.

My week ended with a hostel group trip to the Blue Mountains just about 2 hours from Sydney. Known for their vast canyons and incredibly diverse greenery, the Blue Mountains are a popular site for both locals and tourists as they’re full of hikes and unmatched sites. In fact, the most popular hike which we took is called the Grand Canyon trail which takes you to Australia’s own Grand Canyon! I can’t say it compares to the one in Arizona, but it sure makes a mouth drop. The several mile hike winds down into the valley where you’re immersed in a rocky rainforest before taking you uphill to a much drier walk full of completely different flora. The hike exemplified Australia’s endlessly diverse landscape as well as the easy access to nature from the city. 

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^ The start of the Grand Canyon hiking trail.

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^ The Grand Canyon! It sure is greener than the one in Arizona, but can you also spot the blueish mist? They are called the Blue Mountains, after all!

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^ The squad!

The trip to the Blue Mountains did expose a harsh reality of day trips - the logistics of getting there and back. Tired of taking public transport everywhere, my friends wanted to try Uber Carshare which lets you borrow someone’s car for hours/days at a time without going through the hassle of renting. The problem was that the car we booked was a 40-minute transport away anyway, and didn’t cut down the travel time compared to the train at all. And when it came to returning the car, we spent 20 minutes trying to parallel park it into the exact same spot we got it from despite the fact that the car simply did not fit into the spot. We then realized that the Uber app had a different drop-off location specified which prompted us to try again at this new location, but to no avail. Between the one-way roads and cones in our path, we couldn’t even reach the parking spot and had to park as close as we could manage. Then, as Shaunak went to take pictures of the car to submit to the app as proof of good condition, his phone died! At that point, we suggested the others go home and the two of us set off to find a USB-C charger. Adamant that we didn’t need to go home or find a store where we could buy one (there were none in the vicinity), I led us to a nearby student accommodation apartment building. I was confident that if we asked enough people, someone would help. As luck would have it, the very first person we talked to who worked in the lobby happened to have a USB-C charger right there with him! He was generous enough to let us use it and hangout in the lobby while we waited. 

The logistics of planning trips, between finding housing and flights, coordinating activities, and figuring out how we’ll get around is not an easy task for a bunch of procrastinators, but with each trip and excursion we get just a little bit better. The fact that we haven’t quite planned a week-long trip to New Zealand for 14 people in just two weeks is a little worrisome, but a reality for many students studying abroad. I look forward to sharing a bit more about that in the future! Until then, cheers!

David Bayer

Biomedical Engineering

University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia

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