Lisa Spirito

I participated in the MojoSurf 2 day weekend that was located at Spot X in New South Wales.

Semester Abroad: February 2009

Host University: Griffith University, Gold Coast

Home University: University of Connecticut

Academic Major: Psychology

Please describe your surfing trip.

I participated in the MojoSurf 2 day weekend that was located at Spot X in New South Wales. I joined two girls I met at the Griffith University Village and one girl I met at orientation who now goes to Brisbane. Though I didn’t know them all that well at the beginning, they became some of my closest friends during my stay in Australia.

How did you find out about this opportunity?

I heard about MojoSurf weekends at my program introduction in Cairns, the Griffith University Village, and flyers all over campus.

What did you learn about yourself personally through this experience abroad?

I learned that I actually enjoy stepping out of my comfort zone and traveling with people I don’t know that well! I also learned that I am open to new adventures, such as surfing, and that if you stick with something it will work out in the end. Surfing was hard at first, but the key was to have fun. Once I relaxed, I was able to catch the waves for the rest of the day.

How will you use this experience in your future professional endeavors?

I’ll go into a lot more learning experiences with the goal of having fun. I have found it important to not take everything so seriously. This will make anything less stressful! As long as I go into a challenge with a positive attitude, I feel like I’ll be able to accomplish anything.

How did this experience help you adjust to life abroad?

Surfing introduced me to the personalities and lifestyles of Australians that I have always been looking forward to experience. I became exposed to the simplicity of the life of a surfer and met some great people in the process.

What cultural differences and similarities did you see as a result of this experience?

I noticed the sense of humor right away in my Australian surfing instructors. They didn’t look at a wipe-out as something disastrous- they saw it as awesome and funny, which shows that they look at the positive side of things. My Australian instructors were extremely encouraging towards their peers and students; they didn’t see surfing as intense competition. Their lifestyles came off as a lot more laid back than a typical American lifestyle.

What advice can you give to future students who are interested in being an active participant in their study abroad experience?

I encourage all students who participate in study abroad to take advantage of all the trips that their host university has to offer.