What I am looking forward to on my year abroad.

I don’t know really. It’s been difficult to focus on what is coming up because I’ve been trying to suppress my excitement until I got through exams, until I got my offer, until I got my exam results, until all the boring stuff gets arranged. I’ve been trying really hard not to get my hopes up because there were still variables where my year abroad could fall through and leave me to convert my room into an aquarium using my eyes alone. Now I’m pretty much sorted – I feel exhausted.

Instead, I’ve taken to poring over every Buzzfeed post mentioning Sydney – especially if they have pictures. I’ve seen the stunning beaches; learnt where the amazing ice cream places are; there was a horrific storm that drowned a train; and, on a separate occasion, a lot of fog that gave a fantastic view from a high level office. Weirdly, if any of these freak weathers were to occur whilst I’m there, I’d be happy. If it happened in the UK… I’d complain.

If you look up the most beautiful cities in the world, Sydney is one of them. Not only is the University building SO pretty, there are the sky line, the beaches (thanks, Buzzfeed) and the blue mountains so it’s really not hard to see why. I also love the idea of being able to leave a lecture and go to a beach with the sun shining- instead of playing sardines on the bus back from Kings to avoid the rain. There’s something so contradictory and happy about that: work with a typical idea of a summer holiday, all year round.

I actually have a check list of everything I want to accomplish and, whilst that jokingly includes bagging an Aussie who’s wearing a crocodile tooth round his neck from his latest wrestling conquest, these are things I have wanted to do for ages; sky dive, scuba dive, surf and travel. Being on the other side of the world opens up so many more countries – just as we have a catalogue of countries in the way of mainland Europe, Australia has New Zealand and Asia. I already have the travel books stacked by my bed, lists written out next to hand drawn maps (yes, I admit, the hand drawn maps are a bit much). Asia has cultures so different from those in Europe, it’s fascinating. There’s really not much to say on the other points on my list: I’ve always wanted to sky dive and scuba dive and why not try surfing when you can do it without freezing? My other dream, slightly unrealistically, is to acquire an Aussie accent.

Overall, I’m looking forward to the unpredictability of a year abroad and the crazy adventures that it will bring with it. Well, and the room full of trampolines I just found on (guess where…) Buzzfeed! I promise I don’t advertise for them.

Amendment: it is not summer all year round. I am freezing. I have, in fact, worn my winter coat from Scotland a few times- the sun just makes it look like it is summer all year round.