Federation Square

Above is the modern structure called Federation Square. This area is full of unique coffee shops and restaurants. There are also often street performances in front of the building. It is always an exciting spot to hang out and be entertained!

The Great Barrier Reef

I also was able to vacation in Cairns along with eight other students from our HDU program. Overall, our favorite part of Cairns was snorkeling/scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef.

Sydney

One of the highlights of the HDU program is the two week holiday we received after being in classes for the first month of the semester. I took this picture from the plane as I was leaving Sydney for Cairns during the two week break. Sydney is known around the world for the magnificent architecture of the Sydney Opera House.

Birthday Dinner

One of the advantages of the HDU (Houghton Down Under) program is that only a small number of students from Houghton and a few other colleges are accepted to participate in the program. This semester there are 18 of us. It has been great to bond with our fellow classmates and I often feel like we have all become one big family since being here. It is especially nice to have the support of one another when we become a bit home sick during the three and a half months we are here. In this photo, we are celebrating two students' birthdays at an Italian restaurant in the city.

Aboriginal Artwork

Another fun part of the city of Melbourne is all of the Aboriginal artwork that can be found throughout the city. It has also been interesting to learn about Australia's past in the required class "Australian History" which has helped us to better understand the past of the Aboriginies (similar to the Native Americans in the United States).