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Jacqueline and her internship in Sydney, part 2

The end of January, Jacqueline flew over to Sydney for a new, unexpected adventure and an amazing internship. Especially for you, she is keeping track of her experiences! Part 2.

  • Adventure
  • Internship Abroad
  • Studying Abroad
  • Living Abroad
  • Working Abroad
  • Australia
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Jacqueline in Sydney: “Google Maps is your best friend.”

Hi everyone,

My second blog already! It has been a month since I got on the plane to Sydney. And how overwhelming and lonely it all has been in the beginning. When I arrived I knew no one in town and in the hostel where I stayed, I only met backpackers that left Sydney quite fast.

The city is so big and beautiful though, a very diverse city. It’s very busy and chaotic in the centre but there are many beaches, towns and parks to get some peace. The city has a lot to offer and the people are very friendly. It’s so different from the Netherlands. Last week, I was at the train station and looked a bit lost because my public transport app told me my train should be arriving that time but it was nowhere to be seen. Out of nowhere, a stranger asked me if I had lost the way and she helped me to get to the right platform. So nice! Even if you want to open a bank account it all goes so smoothly. You don’t have to make an appointment, you just enter a bank and within an hour everything is arranged. One thing I can tell you: Google Maps is gonna be your best friend here.

On my way to my internship, which is a ten minute walk from my house (so ideal), I meet the same people every day. They always happily greet me with a good morning and we sometimes have a small talk. I had to get used to this but it is so great now!

Also the weather is lovely. The heat I felt when I arrived was somehow a bit too much but also better than the cold back home. I’m making everyone jealous with the beautiful weather over here, haha!

The first four days of my adventure I was staying in a hostel and have been visiting houses to stay during my internship. When I finally found a house that was on a ten minute walk from the office, I felt even more at home. Finally I could unpack my suitcases and decorate my own room with pictures I took from home (I can really recommend to take some pics from home as most rooms are very empty and boring). From the moment I settled I started my internship and my life began to get normal. I did go out in the evenings for a walk or a run to explore the neighbourhood.

During my first week I mostly explored Sydney by hiking a lot with backpackers, but also by joining the free city walking tour. In the weekends I especially orientated on what I wanted to do in Sydney. I took it slow and met people to go around the centre at the Opera House and different parks.

I also did the famous hike from Coogee to Bondi: really worth the effort! There are many beautiful views on the route, on the way to Bondi for example where you come across small beaches. It gives you a real holiday feeling. I’ve also been on the ferry to Manly Beach and Watsons Bay. On Sundays you can travel by public transport for only $2,50! We’ve also travelled to the Blue Mountains. This is a two hour travel by train, but so worth it! A total different environment which is so beautiful and you can hike there very well. It’s exhausting but really worth it.

In short, I really needed to get used to Sydney but now I feel at home and I’m enjoying the greatness and diversity the city has to offer. I’m from a small village myself, so it was a big adventure to go to a big city by myself, also as I still live with my parents back home. I recommend everyone to just go on that adventure, it is such an experience and you get to know yourself very well. See you next time!