My advice for your time abroad? Don’t get injured… and use your time efficiently!

I currently have 9 days left in Wollongong. I had plans to go to Sydney this weekend or to hike Royal National Park. I’d hoped to go see the sunrise during my last week here. I’d planned to walk around town taking pictures so I could have visuals of Wollongong to show my family and friends as I told them stories. I was going to get out and check things off my bucket list that I’d left for the last minute.

Then I fell down. Hard.

What happened is embarrassing, I’ll admit it. I’ve never been one to engage in physical activity and running has never been my favorite way to keep in shape, but I didn’t think I was that bad at it. I was just casually running in town on my way to the gym and I had just been contemplating how uneven the sidewalk was. “It’d be pretty easy to trip,” I told myself. 30 seconds I was flat on the ground iPod and water bottle scattered around me wondering what just happened. Sure enough, I’d tripped on some uneven pavement and made contact with the hard ground not only with my knees and palms but also my face. I suffered two horribly bloody knees and some rock splinters in my hands. Thankfully, I only slightly bruised my right cheek and it’s not noticeable. I accepted a ride from a strange man in a beat up truck because I was unable to make the walk back to my dorm. I think he was silently praying the whole way that I didn’t bleed on his seat.

I didn’t have to go to the hospital and my RA’s first aid kit was sufficient for bandaging up my knees, but walking is still a challenge even 3 days later (it’s more like a waddle). I wasn’t able to make it to class the next day as the bus stop is just way too far away and the pain was unbearable. I had a final essay due today, but thanks to my understanding and sympathetic teacher, I was granted a three day extension. Unfortunately, I have another essay due next Friday as well so I’ve been having to suck it up and force myself to focus.

All in all, it’s just been really disappointing to have this happen. This weekend was my last weekend to really do fun things before the final exams/essays and packing take over my life. I wish I’d gone out and explored while it was warmer and I was more agile. I’m thankful nothing more horrible happened in my time abroad, though it’d be great if everything had gone just peachy the entire time.

Overall, I’d just like to offer this lesson learned:

• Utilize every second and don’t waste time. Do what you want to do and do it early. You never know what might happen and the you don’t want to leave your semester feeling like you didn’t achieve all that you wanted to.
• Bad things really can happen. My injury wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened to me while I was in Wollongong, but it did happen.
• Always keep your phone on you. Or at least memorize people’s numbers. Or hope there are some really kind strangers around.
• STAY SAFE!

Location: Wollongong, Australia