Study Abroad and Domestic Study Away

My study abroad experience in Australia has been amazing. I have seen so many places so far, from the blue mountains to the Sydney Opera House. One of my favorite experiences has been the Featherdale Wildlife Park Sydney. I have visited a number of interesting zoos in my life but the Featherdale Wildlife Zoo is an exception. There are walk-through enclosures where you can get close and personal to kangaroos, wallabies and pademelons. Getting close to a kangaroo has been on my bucket list for a lifetime. Visiting the Featherdale Wildlife Park was a dream come true and there could not have been a more perfect place to meet Australian animals. Upon entering the wildlife park is a giant sign that states “Feed the Kangaroos.” I was a bit apprehensive about feeding the kangaroos because I heard they could be aggressive. Thankfully, this was not the case. As you enter the park all the kangaroos hop around you. This was the first time I had seen kangaroos wandering around and so I definitely got a little giddy when I saw them hopping around me. As they approach, you place food in your hand. The kangaroos grab onto your arm with their forepaws and eat the food directly from your hand.   

What a crazy experience! I got some amazing photos with the kangaroos. A fellow study abroad peer and I even took a picture with a koala. Other animals I saw there were penguins, quokka, Tasmanian devil, cassowary, crocodile, and echidna. If you are ever in Sydney I highly recommend visiting the Featherdale Wildlife Park Sydney. Do not forget to check out the gift shop, they have wonderful souvenirs. Thank you so much Hotchkiss scholarship donors for your generous contribution and allowing my dream of coming to Australia to become my reality. Without your financial support and encouragement, none of this would be possible. Thank you!