by Tommy Steele

Wow, where do I begin… I was really excited about the whole experience I was embarking on as it was my first time solo travelling going off to live in another country also for the first time. It hadn’t really hit me that I had left New Zealand until I stepped foot in LAX with little to no sleep and saw that the Police officers were armed. Welcome to America!

After 38 hours in total and sleeping rough overnight at Philadelphia airport, I arrived at my accommodation at UNCW at midday. With nothing sorted for my bed or bedroom, I realised I couldn’t miss the shopping trip coming up in a few hours and then I found myself still awake in the arvo and starving. Once I returned to my accommodation, I had to have a proper meal in what felt like the first in a very long time. I felt jetlagged but eventually got to a point where I was no longer tired anymore. I felt that going out in the sun as much as possible on the day of arrival and staying awake until the night helped me get my circadian rhythm back as soon as possible.

I felt a little bit homesick while I was having to wait for hours on end at the airports and I video chatted with my family and friends back home, I felt like that helped me. I have met many other international students studying abroad here who were also homesick as we arrived, so we helped each other when needed. They also want to get the most out of this experience as possible which is great!

I have to say within two weeks I have already been asked maybe 100 times if I’m Australian or which part of Aussie am I from – I guess it’s due to my distinct accent and mullet combo.

I am still getting used to some different aspects such as driving on the right side of the road and using different measuring units e.g. pounds, Fahrenheit, miles/mph, among many other American things.

I am truly grateful for this amazing opportunity and am looking forward to some warmer weather here in North Carolina later on in the semester. Hopefully without any more tornado warnings on campus!