Sophomore Anna Pannell recently took the voyage “Down Under” to Sydney, Australia, over the winter break to visit members of her extended family. However, the trip proved to be much more enriching than a simple reunion.

Sydney is a staggering 9,280 miles away from Atlanta. A distance this far accounts for a multitude of differences in culture and the daily lives of the citizens. “There were so many things that were different,” Pannell said. “Some differences threw me off but it was interesting to see what is normal for them.”

Pannell spent her Christmas in 80-degree summer weather, instead of the cold winter weather she is used to in Atlanta. Also as a new driver, Pannell was confused by the Australian road system where they drive on the “wrong” side of the road. Maybe the most apparent difference of all, was the substantial time difference of 16 hours.

Among the highlights of the trip were climbing to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, cliff jumping into the harbor and surfing on one of Australia’s most iconic surf beaches, Bondi Beach. “The weather was so nice. My family and I got to go to the beach and swim in the ocean almost every day,” Pannell said.

As Pannell reflected on her travels, she concluded that the coolest experience was climbing the Harbor Bridge. “It was such an amazing adventure because we went at night and were able to see the lights of the whole city,” she said.

Life down under is different, and although Panell might not be trading peanut butter sandwiches for Vegemite sandwiches just yet, she was certainly able to enjoy all of the wonderful things that Australia had to offer.