Delaney Walden, CEA CAPA Sydney, Summer 2026
One of the biggest things I learned from studying abroad is that living in another country is very different from visiting one on vacation. When you are traveling, most of your time is usually planned around seeing new places. When you live abroad, you also have to figure out all of the small parts of everyday life: getting to class, buying groceries, navigating public transportation, managing schoolwork, making plans, and learning how things work in an unfamiliar place. At the beginning of my time in Sydney, even simple routines took more thought than they would at home. I had to become comfortable navigating the city and figuring out which buses, trains, or walking routes would get me where I needed to go. Eventually, things that originally felt unfamiliar became normal. There was a point when I realized I was no longer constantly checking directions because I recognized streets, stations, neighborhoods, and landmarks. That feeling was one of my favorite parts of living abroad because it showed me how much more comfortable and independent I had become.
Studying abroad also taught me to be more flexible. Plans do not always work perfectly when you are in a new environment. Sometimes you take the wrong route, misunderstand how something works, or have to change your plans unexpectedly. I learned that getting frustrated usually did not help very much. It was easier to adjust, figure out another option, and keep going. Those small experiences made me much more confident in my ability to handle unfamiliar situations. Another important lesson was to make an effort to experience everyday life instead of feeling like every day had to be a major adventure. Some of my favorite memories from Sydney came from normal moments with friends, walking around the city, going to the beach, trying a new place to eat, or exploring a neighborhood we had never visited before. I started to appreciate having enough time in one place to develop routines while still experiencing something completely different from my life in Pittsburgh.
Living abroad also made me more aware of how easy it is to assume that the way you are used to doing something is the normal way. Being in Australia gave me the opportunity to notice differences in transportation, education, sports, language, city planning, and everyday social life. Some differences were small and funny, while others made me think more seriously about how culture influences the way people experience their communities. The experience made me more comfortable with uncertainty and more willing to try things without knowing exactly how they would turn out. That is probably the biggest insight I will take away from studying abroad. You become much more capable when you realize that being unfamiliar does not mean you can’t figure it out.
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