Soaring through the sky in Aussie land

After a 22-hour flight, I arrived in Sydney and spent one week in Australia on orientation for my study abroad program. During this time, I met a variety of people and was introduced to various aspects of the Australian culture. The program put us up in a beautiful hotel on Bondi Beach, which is the most famous beach in Australia. Surprisingly, the beach is not commercialized, which adds to its laid-back charm. On the second day, we were taken to the Blue Mountains where we spent two days exploring and being taken on adventures. We went abseiling, a sport known in America as repelling, down large cliffs where we could look around from the mountain tops and enjoy the amazing views. After our activities we were rewarded with beers instead of water, another aspect unique to the Australian culture. The orientation ended in Sydney with a dinner cruise around Darling Harbour where we were able to get great views of the city's highlights.\nAfter orientation ended, I backpacked around the South island of New Zealand for one week on a program called "Extreme Adventures." Pseudo-celebrity Merlin Luck, from the hit reality series "Big Brother: Australia," guided us as we traveled through the island, stopping at various attractions along the way. The week began in Christ Church and from there we headed out to Franz Josef, home of New Zealand's famous glaciers. We set out in the morning to hike the large glacier and explore the blue ice, ice caves and ravines. After each of the days activities, we were always rewarded with free beer and drinks for our bravery.\nThe next day we moved on to Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world. We began the morning with a high-speed jet boating ride through the gorges of the Shotover River. We continued exploring the Shotover river that afternoon while we went white water rafting through the intense rapids. We stayed in Queenstown the following day, taking advantage of all of the crazy activities that are offered. Our days didn't slow down as we embraced the following morning by testing our courage on the Nevis Bungee Jump. The Nevis is the largest bungee in the world at 134 meters, which is an overwhelming 440 feet. The jump is located in a suspending pod in the middle of a valley which can only be reached by taking a small cable car attached to the same wire. While everyone's nerves began to set in, our guide encouraged us to take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, because it is the most liberating experience. Once taken to the platform and looking out unto the deep valley, the anxiety began to overwhelm me. But after diving off the platform, the adrenaline rush sets in and the indescribable feeling of free falling through the air while finally opening your eyes to an amazing scenic view makes all of the built-up tension worth it. \nThe adrenaline-filled day continued with an afternoon gondola ride high above Queenstown to a destination where we raced down a luge track. After luge racing, we embraced another bungee-like apparatus called the Giant Sky Swing, which allows you to fly hundreds of meters above Queenstown. The last day included a stopover at Mount Cook before heading back to Christ Church to prepare for our departure. \nThe trip to New Zealand was packed full of outdoor activities that enabled one to truly experience the adventurous atmosphere of the island while admiring the beauty of the environment. But coming home to Australia was another adventure to look forward to as I continue to learn about and live in a culture whose ways greatly differ from the American lifestyle.