Joshua Ackermann
Course: Sports and Sportsscience
Country: Germany
University: Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz
UTS year and session: Spring 2017
REFLECTIONS ON YOUR UTS STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE
Biggest cultural mistake:
As a Sportsstudent I should know a lot about sports, but I had never heard anything about Australian Football until the day I visited the Sydney Australian Football club with my sportsmarketing class. The goals were weird to me and the way to kick and pass the ball. Since then I know the basic rules and watched some matches on TV. Still a strange sport for me.
Funniest moment:
On Halloween I went on a Partyboat in the Sydney Harbour and I met a girl from my primary school. We had not see each other in over 10 years.
Scariest moment:
I have expererienced two scary moments, both took place in the ocean. I started to learn surfing in Sydney. After a while I felt save and I went out really often. But one day the waves were really high and I still went out; a mistake. I was paddling and suddenly a really big wave hit me and I was moving around like clothes in a washing machine and I could not breathe. Luckily I could hold my surfboard and went straight back to the beach. The second moment was when I first saw a shark while diving in Sydney. First I was scared but then I was fascinated by these creatures.
Favorite Sydney Hangout:
There are many beautiful places in Sydney but for me there is one place that is my favorite: Manly. I really love the beach, the little corso and the atmosphere around Manly. I was lucky to live in Manly, not far from the beach. I really enjoyed living there, even if it took me an hour to get to UTS. Fortunately I could rent a room in a house of an old friend of my older brother.
Most thrilling Memory:
Well I think I could fit the whole study abroad semester as most thrilling experience. But if I have to choose a specific memory I would say my 3 day boat trip on the great barrier reef. I did 11 great dives with other people, we had beautiful dive spots, nice sunsets, good food and lots of fun.
What do you miss the most and the least about your experience?
What I miss the least about my experience is...there is nothing I do not miss I can think of.
What I miss the most about my experience are the beautiful places all around Sydney with its nice beaches, cliffs and the city view from the Manly Ferry. Furthermore, I miss all the people who were part of my journey and the feeling that I had during that time.
How did your study abroad experience make you think differently about your homecountry and the world around you?
I have to admit that this was my second time abroad. I am glad that University in Germany is not as expensive as in Australia or in the U.S. but I am really glad that I had the oppurtunity to study abroad and come to Australia and enjoy this beautiful country and everything else. Not many people have that chance and I am blessed to be one of these people.
