Photo Contest - Fall 2005
Grand Prize
"Reflections"
Jared Smith
Cape Tribulatioon, Queensland, Australia
Essay:
This
photo was taken during the final 'study-week' while a group
of friends and I met during the semester and I traveled to
Carins , Queensland . Beginning at the pre-departure meeting
I did not know a single person in the St. Cloud group I would
be traveling with nor the people I would soon meet "down under".
This aspect of the unknown excited me and stirred my curiosity
for what my travels may hold.
As
our St. Cloud group had arrived in Brisbane we had, in some
sense, bonded and formed a general understanding of each member.
During the first few weeks of classes we formed new friendship
with other students from different areas of the world. I had
created a good base of friends from all over the U.S. and
Europe , of which we all connected with. We all had a unique
type of friendship and a sense of understanding; we were all
in similar situations - far from our homes, families, and
regularity and having each other around was reassuring and
comforting. During the semester the academic schedule allotted
two separate "study-weeks" for exams but mainly used as travel
opportunities. With my first week already planned, my friends
and I planned to visit Cairns where we would swim in the Great
Barrier Reef and hike through various tropical rainforests
of northern Queensland .
Arriving
in Cairns we were excited that we had finished our classes
and finals, and what was planed for the week. As the week
flew by with other amazing activities we all highly anticipated
our trip at the weeks end. During our short drive from Cairns
to Cape Tribulation we discussed its significance being was
one of the only locations where tropical rainforest "met"
a coral reef system. We also reflected on the activities of
the past week - how we never expected to be in our current
situation, but how grateful we were to have participated.
Conversation continued as we arrived at Cape Tribulation ,
we explored its extensive beach and neighboring rainforest,
the overall setting was incredible.
At
the end of the day, walking back to the car, our hotel, soon
the airport, and eventually to our reunion with our families
I feel that we all reflected on our various Aussie experiences.
I thought how fortunate I was to have participated in such
a memorable adventure, meeting the people that I had, and
the things I learned during my five month visit. Essentially
this photo represents the culmination of my adventures while
in Australia and the experiences I had with my 'world-wide'
friends.
Return to the Fall 2005
Study Abroad Photo Contest
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