You, a 'Roo, and the Australia Zoo

On the plane ride to the gateway airport, I had a mix of nervousness and excitement to meet the other students on my trip, but once I got to LAX and met the other students, all of my nervousness instantly faded into all excitement. The flight leaders were very helpful in making sure everyone felt safe and knew what to do getting on the plane and through customs once we arrived in Australia. To shake off our jetlag on the first day in Australia, we went on a short hike to the top of Mt. Ngungun, which was one of my favorite memories. The view from the top was incredible, and I felt so accomplished after completing the hike. Our time spent at the zoo was incredible! Within a few hours of being at the zoo, we had already met kangaroos and two giant tortoises! Over the next days, we got to shadow zookeepers and do everything from helping them prepare food and feed the animals, helping them clean the enclosures, and helping them with their daily encounters and shows. We got to shadow zookeepers from the five different departments, but my favorite department had to be the exotics department where I got to meet dingos and wombats. I also really enjoyed our off time from the zoo where we hung out on the beach, went snorkeling, and tried sandboarding!! To end our trip, we spent two days at the Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation, & Education center in Toowoomba. This whole center with over 100 animals is run by one woman, named Trish. The experience with Trish and the whole program changed my life and inspired me to pursue environmental studies. Prior to the trip, I was unsure of what my passion was and what I wanted to do in college and life, but the conservation parts of the trip made me realize my passion for the environment and sparked my interest in environmental studies.