Study abroad is a great opportunity for one to explore what the world has to offer, and coming to Australia has really been fantastic.

I had some second thoughts about coming here and going halfway around the world from family and friends, but since being here I have no regrets of getting on that plane and coming to Canberra.

I have had the opportunity to meet other students from all over the world (England, Finland, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Mexico) and meet students from right here in Canberra.

School has been a little different — classes are held only once or twice a week for 50 minutes each and finals are three weeks long.

But with coming here there are a few changes as well. Driving on the other side of the road has been a different experience as well as having Rugby being the No. 1 sport played in Australia.

Even though I am halfway around the world, I still keep up with UK back home in all sports and listen to football and basketball every time they play.

Since arriving here in Australia, I have had the opportunity to explore what Australia has to offer. Seeing kangaroos is one of these opportunities, it is not every day that you wake up and see a kangaroo right outside your door. That was an eye opener when I first saw it.

Also, I have had the chance to hold a koala bear, which will probably never happen again in my lifetime. I went scuba diving for the first time at the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns for spring break and that is truly an amazing site to see.

It was a great experience, but that is not all.

I have been to Sydney four times since being here and I have been to the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Tower, Blue Mountains, Sydney Wildlife Reserve and Aquarium.

There is even a Hard Rock Café that a few friends and I decided to grab dinner at.

I have been surfing at Seven Mile Beach with Rip Curl as well.

There are many more events that have taken place since being here and these events are memories that will last a lifetime. I greatly encourage everyone to study abroad; it is a chance that is once in a lifetime.