My blog captures a few of my favorite CEA CAPA excursions along with some personal highlights from my time studying abroad in Sydney, Australia. I chose this topic to reflect both the memorable trips planned through our program and the meaningful friends I met along the way. Through these experiences I got to know other students as we spent our time studying abroad exploring Australia together. Sydney is an amazing city with much to offer and has something for everyone.  

Our first excursion with CEA CAPA was to the Blue Mountains and Featherdale Wildlife park. We traveled to both destinations by bus with our enthusiastic Australian tour guide. This first photo captures the amazing scenery of the Blue Mountains. 

This photo captures my friends and I as we hiked through the Blue Mountains and took in the stunning views of the mountains and waterfalls. 

Some of my favorite CEA CAPA excursions include a trip to the Blue Mountains and Featherdale Wildlife Park, an overnight stay at the Taronga Zoo, watching the Bledisloe Cup, exploring Watson’s Bay, and grabbing coffee with our program advisor. Each of these experiences helped me feel more connected to Sydney and the people I was with. Some of my most memorable experiences in Sydney are also included in this photoset.  

At the wildlife park, we were able to feed kangaroos and see many native Australian animals. 

We attended the Bledisloe Cup, where the national men’s teams of New Zealand - the All Blacks - and Australia - the Wallabies -  competed in a rugby match. Our group traveled from the CEA CAPA Center to the Accor Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park. The stadium had an amazing view of the city. Once inside the stadium, we were surrounded by hundreds of fans wearing gold and green for the Wallabies, and black for the All Blacks. This was my first time watching a rugby game, and it was so fun to be a part of the exciting and energetic crowd. 

Spending time with new friends while exploring the many beaches in Sydney was one of my favorite things to do while I was abroad. I also enjoyed visiting new cafes and taking walks along the stunning coastal paths throughout the city. These snapshots are some of the beautiful beaches and ocean pools I regularly visited.  

Our program took a ferry over to Watson’s bay for a day of exploring.  Afterwards, we enjoyed a lovely lunch at the Watsons Bay hotel, enjoying the surrounding scenery. This photo was taken while we were on the ferry. 

During our day trip we walked to the lighthouse at the tip of Watson’s bay, taking in the beautiful views of the harbor and coastline. 

Another special aspect of my experience was spending time with our program advisor. From the beginning, our advisor Fiona, made us all feel at home while we adjusted to living in a new country. Her effort to get to know us and her regular check-ins meant a lot to us.  

This photo was taken by the Bondi Icebergs pools. This was my first time visiting Bondi and this picture was taken during the winter! Many of the beaches in Sydney have ocean pools, which was one of my favorite activities to explore. These pools are built right along the water, with stunning views overlooking the ocean.  

This photo was taken while I was visiting Noosa for mid semester break. My friends and I went on a hike through Noosa Heads national park and stopped by these rock pools for a swim. 

One of my favorite parts of the program was spending time with our program advisor. Throughout the semester, a few of us would meet with Fiona for coffee to catch up and chat. She truly made the experience special, supporting and helping us all during our time  studying abroad. 

Overall, my experience taught me the importance of being open to new opportunities and making meaningful connections with new people. I also learned the value of staying present and enjoying this special time because it goes by so fast! I hope this collection of pictures reflects an experience I will always treasure.  

This post was written by Courtney Capetz, a CEA CAPA Alumni Ambassador from the University of San Diego, and studied abroad in Sydney, Australia.