Steph Travels to Sydney Australia!: 21!

I’m officially an adult! I turned 21 this weekend in Sydney and had such a wonderful time. My parents had planned their trip so they were here for the big day which was really fun! We were able to do a lot of things around Sydney that I had not had time to do yet. I picked them up from the airport and until Saturday night when I left to go back to my apartment and get ready for my party we really didn’t stop. We went to Manly Beach and rode bikes around the small beach town. It was really neat to explore the area and see beautiful views of the city. The ferry ride over to Manly was a treat as well! Any time you have the chance to get on a boat in the harbor is awesome. We went to the Opera House Bar that night which is located right under the Opera House on the harbor and has one of the best views. There was a nice band playing and it was very relaxing to finally sit down and catch up over the past couple of months. This is the first time I have been away for so long so I really enjoyed getting to spend a few days with them. We also went to the famous Taronga Zoo and swam in the ocean in Coogee. It was fun to show them where I live and how I spend my time here. I think my Dad realized how expensive Sydney actually is.

Saturday night I had a bunch of friends over to my apartment before heading out to the harbor to celebrate my birthday! It was really fun and so nice to have all my study abroad friends come out! Having a family away from home is really nice and I know I am going to miss them so much. I have a month and a half left here and it is going to fly by. With only 3 more weeks of lectures, finals and traveling I will soon have to say bye. I don’t like to think about it because I have had so much fun. My parents asked me how I have changed since being here and I really think that this time here I have been able to grow personally. You learn a lot about yourself living in another country where the time difference is -16 hours to the people you rely on most. It has been a wonderful journey and I am going to soak it all in this last month!

On another note, I am sad I'm missing my favorite time of the year in Colorado. Fall is the best with all the leaves changing and the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Instead, I am living my second spring, right down the street from the beach, it's not a bad second option :)

Some photos from the week!