Bernardo Chavez Peón

Course: Architecture

Country: Mexico

University: Universidad Iberoamericana

UTS Year and session(s): Autumn 2017

REFLECTIONS ON YOUR UTS STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE

Biggest Cultural Mistake:

I would say that driving in the other side felt really weird but it was even worse walking in crowded places, I was always crashing with everyone because naturally I walked in the right side and everyone on the left. It was really awkward at the beginning but I got used to it in a few months.

Funniest moment:

I think one of the funniest moments was one time one of my neighbors who was always complaining about the noise when we made parties in the house and one time he ended up in one of our parties with the whole group.

Scariest experience:

One of the scariest moments I had while in Sydney was taking the train in the wrong direction and ending in a train station in the middle of nowhere at night with absolutely no one around. It made me pay more attention to where I was going next.

Favourite Sydney hangout:

Difficult decision but I think having lunch on Watson's bay hotel and walking to the lighthouse to see the sunset was my favourite hangout around the city.

Most thrilling memory:

That time I was crashed into the rocks by a giant wave in the figure eight pools, scary.

What do you miss the most and the least about your experience?

I really miss the city and living near the beach, I miss the freedom I had by living with my friends and doing just what I wanted to do without any rules. My biggest worries were deciding which beach I was going to swim in and where I wanted to have lunch or go out and I think that´s priceless. I don't thing there´s something I don't miss.

How did your study abroad experience make you think differently about your home country and the world around you?

Well I think Sydney is a very different city than Mexico city so there were many things I found different, in some ways Sydney is very well organized and the transport is easy to take and usually not so crowded compared to Mexico but I also appreciate the amount of history my city has, I think there are pros and cons in both cities and I love them both.

My favorite photos during my study abroad in Sydney:

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