Michaela Green '23 was about to board a 17 and a half hour flight to travel halfway around the world by herself. Her anxiety was off the charts, until she met someone at LAX.
Michaela believes in signs, and on Christmas Day, she got one. Her flight to Atlanta was canceled, which meant she couldn't make it to Australia for the start of her J-Term in Sydney. Did she really want to rebook a flight to Georgia that would connect in Los Angeles on its way to Australia? That's about 24 hours of traveling by herself for, what would now be, fewer than three weeks in Sydney.
"I told my family I wasn't sure I wanted to go anymore. They convinced me to do it. I've wanted to go to Australia forever and this was my chance. They made me get on the plane... it was definitely worth it!"
Michaela transferred to Siena as a junior, and after switching majors, spending an entire semester abroad didn't seem feasible. So, she popped into the Study Abroad office to inquire about a January Term overseas. Michaela still needed to take an international marketing course, but it was only being offered in one location this month. Sydney.
The prospect of a 17-and-a-half hour flight was unsettling, but Michaela was more anxious about traveling alone. Fortunately, before she left, she had connected through a program discussion board with an Iowa State student who would be taking the same course. They chatted on social media, and by chance, ended up on the same flight out of Los Angeles.
Michaela and Carly instantly connected (above, with Michaela in the foreground).Class met from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday for three weeks. Much of the work was done in the classroom, which left four-day weekends for Michaela and Carly to grab an ice cream near the Sydney Opera House, hang out on the beaches, or meet the Australian wildlife.
"I definitely wanted to see a koala and a kangaroo. For $30 at the zoo, I got to pet Byron. I know he looks stuffed, but he's real. I also fed a baby kangaroo. Carly wanted to see a wallaby and a wombat, so we did that too."
Michaela and Carly have already started to plan adventures together stateside. In fact, Carly has a trip to Albany in the works. She's never been to New York City, so they'll make a day of it. There won't be any wombats, but there are creatures that can only be found in Times Square!
