“The thought of seeing kangaroos, koalas and wallabies in their natural habitat fascinated me,” Pinter noted in her UD Abroad Blog post about her time abroad this Winter Session. “Once we arrived, the experience exceeded all my expectations. Kangaroos were hopping all around us, and we even got to pet them.”

But the excitement did not end there. At the sanctuary, Pinter and her classmates had the opportunity to hold the second-largest snake in Australia, which was followed by an encounter with an 11-month old wombat. Pinter said the wombat even fell asleep in her arms. 

“My favorite part of the entire day was seeing all the animals happy and roaming freely in their natural environment,” Pinter wrote. “It left me with a deeper appreciation for wildlife and conservation efforts.”

While Pinter, a nursing student, set off on the three-week nursing study abroad program to develop her knowledge of international healthcare practices, she embraced cultural experiences offered outside the classroom, which left her with a newfound love for Australian wildlife.

UD Study Abroad programs are designed to provide students with international learning experiences, by developing cross-cultural understanding and a global mindset both in and beyond the classroom. By offering over 100 programs in 40 different countries, there is a perfect fit for every student’s needs and interests.