Final Countdown

I’ve been zip lining in Alaska, explored one of the oldest prisons on the sinking island of Venice, rode on elephants in Bali, and walked up a waterfall in Jamaica. Once you get the travel bug, one’s desire for exploration and curiosity for different cultures is impossible to cease. With only ten days until I fly, I am growing more and more impatient awaiting my next adventure, my semester in Sydney. I have been off school since early December and am ready to get back into college life.

As this is my first blog entry, I will start by introducing myself. My name is Melanie Bracht. I was born in Pennsylvania, but have since moved to China, Chicago, and now Charlotte. Apparently we only move to places that start with a “C”. I go to the University of South Carolina in Columbia and study international business and finance with a minor in Portuguese. I am going to the University of Sydney through IES to fulfill my semester abroad requirement and will be taking mostly business classes there.

Almost everything is ready to go. I packed yesterday, which was a mess. I’m type 1 diabetic with an insulin pump, so half of one of my luggages is full of insets, needles, and medication. That left minimal space for all the shoes and clothes and school supplies I needed to fit. I am taking two large luggages, a small carry-on, a backpack (which I’ll argue is my computer bag), and my racket. I’m arriving a day before orientation, so I’ll have to hull all my stuff to a hotel, stay awake for the day, and then meet everyone at the apartments on Saturday. I’m staying in a 5 bedroom apartment at the University Village, which is considered on campus and luckily (I google earthed it) is across the street from tennis courts.

Although I’ve traveled a lot, I have never been to Australia and there are so many things I am looking forward to. I have always wanted to live in a big city, where there is always something to do. I have already made my Australia bucket list, but I will share that on my next post. I am also excited about being considered an international. At USC, I have always been drawn to the international students, mentoring and teaching English. People from different countries have interesting perspectives and I have always wanted to be part of the group. I also hope to travel around a little and get to know different parts of Australia. IES is taking us up to the Great Barrier Reef for spring break and I will be driving to Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road when my mom and sister come to visit. So many great adventures to look forward to and new things to learn.

I’ll keep you updated

Melanie

So much stuff and not enough space! The struggles of packing for 5 months…