Student Bloggers
Welcome Aboard!
Date
June 1, 2015
By Michelle H., Sydney Internship Program Summer, Australia
Orientation is coming to a close and it's been a great way to kick off my stay here in Sydney. We arrived early on Wednesday and made our way to our apartments. We weren't able to check in right away but having the ability to leave our luggage as we took a tour of the town with staff was helpful and relaxing. At brunch, staff introduced themselves and talked a little about the program but left the details for the next day. Our program is pretty clear cut. Mondays, we have class from 10AM to 4PM with some breaks for morning tea and lunch. It is a long time but the breaks make it manageable and our teacher "Mick" is a comical and intelligent person. His class flows from jokes to information seamlessly.
Our first class was Friday because we will miss one class for the Queen's birthday (it's a public holiday on 8 June). The rest of the work week from Tuesday to Friday is open to work at your internship. Everyone has such different placements so it depends for each person. I am working at Odyssey House, a drug and alcohol rehab center. My work will primarily be in admissions though I'm excited to travel out to the rehab location as part of my training. Over the past few days of orientation, our internship coordinator, Patrick, has organized "meet and greets" with each workplace to touch base before the work week begins. Mine was on Thursday and so far, it seems directly up my alley. I'm really looking forward to visiting the site, even if its an hour away from the admissions building. My supervisor seems approachable and personable. Now that I'm settled in with my roommates (a motley crew from North Dakota, Chicago, and Rochester), we're already debating what to do in town.
After class yesterday, a few of us stopped at a bar for a glass of red wine to celebrate our first class and our arrival in Australia. Everyone, myself included, is eager to get out and explore the city. It's about time!
Michelle Handy is a student at Gwynedd Mercy University and is blogging from her summer abroad with the Sydney Internship Program Summer in Sydney, Australia.