An opportunity of a lifetime

32nd Professor Harry Messel International Science School – Sydney, Australia

Tiam Maghsodi

Year 13, Otago Girls’ High School, Dunedin

My trip to Sydney to attend the 32nd Professor Harry Messel International Science School was one of the best experiences of my life.

The adventure started with touching down in Sydney, after negotiating snow, ice, hail and sub-zero temperatures on the way to Christchurch airport.

The coldest day on my stay in Sydney

Sydney was definitely not cold.

Lectures were amazing, and had a great sweep of topics, ranging from small amino acids to large galaxies, and everything in-between. The lecturers chosen were extremely captivating people (who had an amazing and definitely valuable skill of being able to transform topics I am not usually interested in, into fascinating subjects) from which much inspiration and knowledge was drawn from. Needless to say, I enjoyed every lecture.

Interspersed between lectures were activities, where I was able to put my physics skills into action to, for example, find out who killed “Professor Genubi”, or take guided tours around the departments and university, learning about the different research topics being currently studied. It was during these sessions that I was introduced to the world of Engineering, a possible future career path.

Me (second from rear) and my Australian friends

The social activities on offer, such as trips to the movies, the ice-skating rink, the bowling alley, Wonderland, the Blue Mountains, the bush dance and the Harbour Cruise, helped me to meet new and interesting people from all over Australia, and the globe. Many friendships were formed due to a mental understanding of each others ideologies, and the workings of uniquely different but extremely similar mentalities.

 

My two week experience cannot be described in words alone – the knowledge I have gained, the memories I have, and the friends I have made go around in my head in an existence, as if I am reliving the fortnight again and again in my mind. I truly believe that this opportunity has helped me to see life in a new light, and has given me much motivation to better myself as an individual.

My home for two weeks – St John’s College

Being thousands of kilometres away from “home”, and completely out of my usual comfort zone, has helped me to realise that home cannot be described as one geographical city on earth, but as each and every place where friends are, and where friendships have been formed.

I will never forget my two weeks in Sydney. It is an experience that I will take with me for the rest of my life.