Interview Series Featuring: Molly Living Abroad for a Year Part 2

Today we continue along with Molly on her adventures in Australia. In case you missed part one of the interview click here, where Molly talks about what she did to prep for her yearlong journey abroad. 

I lived in two different houses over there- the first one I had 5 roommates, the second place I had 4. I lucked out in terms of location/price/friendly roommates. It was stressful at times trying to find a place but it all worked out great and I still keep in touch with some of them.

Nope! Wouldn’t have driven it if I had- the other side of the road takes some getting used to!

The picture of my friend and I is taken at a rugby game. In Australia, they have two forms of rugby- there’s rugby league and rugby union. In Sydney one of their teams is the Sydney Rabbitohs so that’s who we were seeing! That was the first of many rugby games I went to.

Money and the feeling of wanting to take advantage of everything but also needing to be on a budget. I was really good about not buying material things and instead spent my time/money on going out with people, going to concerts/shows…I was all about creating memories. I came back from this trip with very little money in the bank account but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

They came out for about 2 weeks in January, such a fun visit.

When my parents came, we did the Great Ocean Road tour (the picture of us on the beach is from that tour), and we made several stops along the way, including at the iconic Twelve Apostles. A must-see when in Melbourne. That is also where we spent a day at the Australian Open and watching some of my favorite tennis players including Nadal, Ivonovic, Federer warming up.

We also made a stop in Tasmania where we got to feed kangaroos and see the infamous Tasmanian Devils (of which are not a very cute animal haha). That was a really fun experience.

Obviously I’m partial to Sydney because that was “home” for me, but I absolutely loved Melbourne too. It’s very artsy and feels a little like Chicago. There’s all these cool laneways (alleys), with graffiti on the walls which I was obsessed with, but all these awesome little cafes and bars all over too. We were lucky and planned the visit around the Australian Open which was so fun to go to. I’d love to go back there someday. Tasmania is absolutely beautiful too! We were only there for a few days which was perfect since it’s a bit smaller than the other places. We went to the MONA museum in Hobart which is a must-see if you’re there!

Once I moved out there and made friends who basically became my family, I felt as though if I could move anywhere and be comfortable. I really had to put myself out there, especially when I first arrived, but I think that’s what I enjoyed most about it. As cheesy as it sounds, there’s no greater feeling than independence and knowing that you control your own destiny.

The picture of my friends and I looking down at the sand was taken in Lombok, Indonesia. This was a black sand beach and the water was sooo warm. It had just poured and we decided to stop and go for a swim!

Honestly, I don’t really have any regrets about the way I did things. I think if I were to go back I maybe would have tried harder to find a way to get a job in order to stay longer. 😉

The picture of me and a wallaby taking a selfie which was taken at a petting zoo in Kuranda, Cairns (Australia). We got to feed kangaroos and wallabys and saw some crocs and snakes at this zoo!

This was definitely a highlight of all my travels. It was very expensive which made me second guess if it was worth it or not, but I can wholeheartedly say it was one of the best things I did while in Australia. I’m so glad I went when I did because they are always saying how the reef is dying, so I’m glad I had the opportunity to see it while I could! The fish and wildlife are insane! Swimming with Nemo is something Inbbbb won’t ever forget. J

I went once when I was little in Hawaii and then went in Indonesia (when I got my certification), then in GB Reef, and one more time in Sydney with my friend Dan who is a diving instructor.

I stayed with a friend while we were in Cairns and then stayed in hostels along the way.

Part 3 of Molly’s travels takes her to Asia, so come back next Thursday for the final installment!