by Serena Graham (University of Queensland)

I can’t even believe it’s been over a year since I arrived in Australia. It has without a doubt been the best year of my life. I’ve met some incredible people from all around the world and I’ve done more travelling in the past year than I have ever done. I’m so sad that the year has come to an end but I am also looking forward to completing my degree!

Coming back to England felt strange. The flight home was slightly bittersweet because although I was excited to come home to see my family and friends, I was also very upset about leaving Australia for good! Despite it being summer  back in England it was colder than Brisbane’s winter, and I am not sure how I am going to cope as it gets closer to winter here. After spending the past year in sunny weather and high temperatures, it’s definitely going to be a shock to the system.

I can’t stop looking at my photos from the past year and I already feel slightly nostalgic. This probably sounds cliché but studying abroad has made me more mature as a person. I’m much more confident and have developed a strong passion for travelling; I’m already saving up for my next big trip!

For anyone reading this who is undecided about whether to go on a year abroad; I highly recommend it. I was hesitant at first since I had never been away on my own but I ended up settling in so quickly. Within just a few weeks Brisbane felt like home to me.