Fantastic Summer Experience -- You Won't Regret It

I knew I would enjoy spending six weeks in Australia before I even got on the plane, but nothing could have prepared me for how awesome the experience actually was. Every weekday for six weeks, I spent the morning attending class in Sydney's CBD and then I was free to explore for the rest of the afternoon and evening. It is virtually impossible to run out of things to do in Sydney -- no matter what you like to do in your free time back home, there's probably an even cooler way to enjoy it in Sydney. The lecturers were interesting and the classes required just enough work to make you actually learn about Australia, but not so much work that you have to spend the whole trip doing homework in order to pass. The program included day trips to the Blue Mountains and Royal National Park, both of which were fantastic, and a 5-day excursion to the Red Centre, where we got to see Uluru, Kata Tjuta, and Kings Canyon, which was definitely a highlight of the experience. The staff in Sydney are extremely friendly and provided plenty of helpful advice about navigating the public transport system, buying food, and almost anything else you could think to ask about. As cheesy as it sounds, the IES Sydney Summer program really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will completely change your life.