留学校友经历:肖恩:汤斯维尔，昆士兰，澳大利亚 November 20, 2018

Fall is an amazing time to live and study abroad. Signing up for a full semester abroad is always something we encourage our JU students to do. There is so much value in 一个长时间的沉浸式体验，学生可以真正感受到他们是其中的一部分 a country’s rich culture. In the end, many students feel like they’ve created a second 首页. 2018年秋季学期，全球网络赌博平台有4名学生出国留学，肖恩·威尔姆斯是其中之一 他们! 他在昆州汤斯维尔的詹姆斯·库克大学留学， 澳大利亚. He spent about 5 months abroad, starting his 澳大利亚n semester in July and ending in November.  Sean, a Marine Science major, was really able to expand his 视野和参与各种实践课程，在户外和室内工作 the water constantly. He certainly was able to witness all the beautiful biodiversity that 澳大利亚 has to offer. Here’s his reflection on the Fall 2018 experience, written as he was flying back 首页 to the states.

今天，我结束了在昆士兰近5个月的留学经历，坐飞机回家。 澳大利亚. 到目前为止，这是我经历过的最重要、最激动人心的事情 完成. 我获得了无数的经验，比我一生中所拥有的还要多 对自然世界的不可思议的欣赏，它的好奇心和多样性 of life that we share this world with. 我交了一辈子的朋友，和他们说再见真的让我很痛苦，但他们对我很有帮助 make this experience as grand as it could be. I am so thankful for my family that helped make this happen, making a lifelong dream a reality. My Mom, Dad, and cousins even traveled across the world to see me. I also now have a huge appreciation for aboriginal culture. Their music, community lifestyle, respect of wildlife, art, and 跳舞是一种值得极大尊重的东西，我觉得自己很幸运 have experienced in person.

我很高兴能把时间花在潜水、钓鱼和徒步旅行上，这些事情使我 me the happiest in the world. It was incredible to me to be able to step outside and 看到野生鹦鹉飞来飞去，听到经典的，让人毛骨悚然的丛林叫声 the laughing kookaburra. 走 around campus you’d laugh at the clumsiness of both 成年和新生的火鸡在刷火鸡的同时也祈祷不要被火鸡“袭击” aggressive magpies.  I remember going on spotlighting sessions with friends after 黄昏时可以找到绿色的树蛙、蛇和蜥蜴(还有很多很多蜘蛛)。. 每一个 夜晚的天空会布满成群的飞狐，有一米长 fruit bats that were so abundant. I got a chance to explore the wet tropical rainforests 和干燥的热带林地，看看两者之间的巨大差异. 走 进入澳大利亚热带雨林的人喜欢回到侏罗纪时代 period with towering tee ferns, vines, and huge trees with buttresses. 你会有 小心脚下，避免被长着心形叶子的树刺痛 你会疼上几个月(谢天谢地，这不是我必须经历的) 通过). At night, glow worms would light up the ground and leaves to add to the eerie but fascinating atmosphere of the rainforest. The dry woodlands have a mysterious and adventurous aura that just calls you to wander and explore. 有袋鼠和小袋鼠，甚至偶尔有骆驼在某些角落 areas, it’s hard not to become infatuated with the landscape. 全球网络赌博平台也有机会去寻找罕见的动物 wild like the platypus, bandicoots, golden bowerbirds, and koalas. It’s easy to want 当你看到最大的瀑布时，花所有的时间去探索 in the southern hemisphere, Wallaman Falls. These falls were one of many that I was blessed with the chance to see on this amazing trip.

每次我去红树林钓鱼，我都是在打猎，试图 find saltwater crocodiles and mudskippers, two incredibly unique animals. 当我真的 仔细观察，我发现了各种隐藏在水面上的宝石，比如礁鲨， 斑点鹰鳐，各种海龟，肩章鲨，斑纹须和巨人 河豚. Fishing itself gave me the opportunity to encounter so many new species of so many shapes, colors, and designs; my photo album certainly speaks for itself. 鱼类生物的多样性就吸引了我，每次我去钓鱼，我都觉得 like an explorer, and nothing to me is more exciting. By the end of the trip I recorded 我捕获了近100种新鱼类，其中一些是终身鱼类 that I will never forget.

The real treat of this trip was the diving and snorkeling opportunities. 总之 乘坐巴士和轮渡，我可以到达附近的磁性岛，那里有美丽的珊瑚礁 right off the beach. Magnetic Island quickly became my favorite place for its wonderful 美食、当地人、美丽的海滩，还有美妙的钓鱼、潜水、浮潜， and hiking opportunities. I also made it out diving to the Great Barrier Reef twice, as well as two wonderful trips out to the shipwreck of the SS Yongala. 关于GBR 我发现了我最喜欢的珊瑚礁生物之一，巨型蛤蜊，它的生长速度超过200 磅，以及其他迷人的生物，如小丑鱼，棘冠海星， and the most beautiful collection of coral. Plus, there was always a good chance of seeing humpback whales during transit. The Yongala is truly special in the size and number of wildlife that can be found on the wreck. 可以肯定地说，在永加拉潜水是我经历过的最神奇的事情之一 做过. 我最喜欢的一些邂逅是与许多巨大的驼头濑鱼，其中一条美丽而 极度濒危的玳瑁海龟，大众甲壳虫大小的巨型石斑鱼，很神秘 海蛇、比我身高还大的大理石鳐鱼、10英尺高的茶色护士鲨.

我的每一堂课都提供了宝贵的现场技能和经验 我想在詹姆斯库克大学学习的首要原因. 在我的珊瑚礁生态学课上，全球网络赌博平台在近海的一个研究站呆了3天 island surrounded by pristine, untouched reefs. On that trip we got experience directly 用横断面和浮潜装备测量珊瑚和收集水中数据. 在我的水产养殖课上，全球网络赌博平台参观了3个不同的商业水产养殖场:红爪小龙虾， 鲈鱼和石斑鱼的水产养殖，并通过亲身体验学习了其中的复杂之处 行业的. In my Biodiversity Class we practiced the ethical trapping, handling, 以及将澳大利亚野生动物放归荒野干燥的林地. 最后, 在我的红树林和海岸生态学课上，全球网络赌博平台去附近的河口练习制作 实地管理人员必须进行的生态观察和比较.

就像优秀的书呆子一样，我和我的朋友们发现去知识问答之夜和 澳大利亚的球队非常具有挑战性，但非常令人兴奋，很快就变成了 每周的活动. We also made going to the local pool, riding bikes by the river, 徒步旅行和观鸟，以及去磁岛是大家共同的活动 极大的享受. One of the friends I made rehabilitates orphaned wallabies and I 有机会抱着最可爱的小袋鼠宝宝并与之互动. 东西 that very few people can say they’ve had the chance to do.

长话短说，很多经历和宝贵的回忆都是在最后 5 months that it’s honestly difficult to summarize all of it. Here’s to an amazing experience full of adventure and fascination. 我会回来的! 澳大利亚干杯. 

——肖恩·威尔姆斯