Experience of a lifetime!

Being in Australia and getting hands on experience with its wonders and especially the wildlife (terrestrial and marine alike) has been everything I had hoped for and more! The opportunities here are immense. Now I can say that I am 1 in 3 million people who have ever had the chance to swim next to a whale shark. I got to feed and play with kangaroos, pet a baby koala, watch a giant manta ray doing barrel rolls right before my eyes, take selfies with Quokas, experience the vivid night life that is similar yet very different than in the US. Experiencing a different culture by diving right into it has been amazing in every way! I have formed relationships with beautiful people and have come out with far more knowledge and awareness of the importance of our marine ecosystems. I would absolutely recommend to everyone to go to Australia and especially to Ningaloo marine park. I have never seen such beautiful and pristine beaches before and the coral ecosystems are phenomenal. There is an entire world under the sea that most people sadly are unable to visit or see. Going to Ningaloo has reawakened my passion for conservation biology and I want to do everything I can to help preserve the precious coral reef and marine ecosystems we have left. Everything about this trip has been spectacular in every way. I only wish I would have known how nice Australians (especially women) dress. So my advice to future CIEE students is if you are planning to go out into town at all or to go out at nice, bring your best clothes because they dress VERY nice here.