I am Veronika, 22 years old, a student at the Technical University of Dresden. For my studies, I had to complete a stay in an English-speaking country, which is why I lived in Australia for three months, from late April to late July.

I came up with the idea of interning at a school in Australia through the organization StudentsGoAbroad. With the help of their partner organization, I have arranged a placement and provided them with options for accommodation and services like airport transfers and overseas insurance.

I enjoyed my internship at the school. I was warmly welcomed by the team, gained a great insight into the Australian education system, and, most importantly, had the opportunity to support and gain experience in the first and second-grade classes. I worked with smaller groups and assisted the teachers.

During my time in Australia, I lived in Sydney, in the Randwick neighborhood, in a shared apartment. Typically, roommates changed every few weeks, so I was constantly in contact with new people just through the apartment. Additionally, many people knew others due to work or other reasons, so it was easy to form larger groups of friends. Despite winter during my time in Australia, temperatures mostly ranged between 15 and 22 degrees Celsius, more like spring. This allowed for many outdoor activities even in the middle of winter, such as the Coastal Walk from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach or vice versa. I could reach Coogee Beach on foot from my apartment in ten minutes. Thanks to the well-developed infrastructure, you can easily reach other beaches by bus, train, or tram.

In the CBD (Central Business District), you can find plenty of shops for shopping every day of the week, as well as beautiful attractions like the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, the QVB, museums, and parks – most of the museums are, by the way, primarily free! Significantly, the Royal Botanical Garden right by the Opera House is a great place to enjoy ice cream in sunny weather with a unique view of the Harbour Bridge.

One of my first smaller trips was to the Blue Mountains, a national park near Sydney, where you can enjoy the beautiful nature on bush walks. Sydney also has a vibrant nightlife scene, with bars opening their doors daily and offering programs like salsa nights, karaoke, and delicious cocktails. If you want first to glimpse Australia's wildlife, take advantage of the Taronga Zoo. Here, I saw koalas and kangaroos for the first time.

During the school holidays, I took two trips to Australia. First, I visited Byron Bay, located slightly to the north, just an hour's flight away. I did a kayaking tour there and enjoyed the beautiful beach and active nightlife. I highly recommend the Piano Bar there. Another trip took me to Melbourne, just an hour's flight away. Life in the city center is similar to Sydney, but there are also many exciting things to discover. I recommend a trip to Brighton Beach and the bathing boxes and a day tour of the Great Ocean Road.

Despite three months being a relatively long time, it was too short. Australia has so much to offer – abundant nature, yet plenty of modernity. The people are friendly and open, and you always feel welcome, with the opportunity to discover something new daily.

Written by Veronika from Germany (Intern in Australia with StudentsGoAbroad)