Isay Acenas – Spring 19
In what city or town did you grow up in?
San Francisco, California.
Where are you currently living?
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for a research trip, then to Buenos Aires, Argentina for another semester away. When I’m not at school or work, I am back in the Bay Area.
What was your major?
Environmental Studies in the College of Arts and Science (CAS).
Why did you choose to study away at NYU Sydney?
Three factors went into making NYU Sydney my top choice in my priority application: classes, lifestyle (including the weather), and the surrounding region. 1) There were 4 environmental classes available if you include the academic internship, so I did that and environmental journalism. I started my environmental major early into my NYU career, so by the end of my semester in Sydney, I only had my senior capstone left for my major. 2) While it’s snowing in New York, it’s summertime in Australia. Coming from California, I really wanted to live in a place with nice weather. It pushed me to go out more and explore the natural environments of Australia. 3) I think Australia is a very unique place that not many people have been to. Being so close to almost every natural environment you could think of was really appealing. I’ve also dreamed of seeing New Zealand for a long time.
How would you describe your experience at NYU Sydney?
I lived and studied in the city, but my spring break and weekends were spent going on incredible nature adventures. Over the course of the semester, I’ve explored caves, walked through jungles, hiked rock formations in the desert, scuba dived the Great Barrier Reef, hiked mountains, and stood on glaciers, just to name a few. Everything in my classes complemented my out-of-class experiences, and must I say that the professors and faculty are so supportive of students going out and making the most out of the semester. Having supportive professors made me want to go to class even more, because in every session, we had the opportunity to tie our recent experiences to what we were learning. For instance, I hiked Kata Tjuta one weekend, and the following week I talked about the government’s closure of Uluru (a sacred rock formation next to it) in my Anthropology of Indigenous Australia class. I think most people don’t choose to go to NYU Sydney because they believe Australia is to similar to the U.S., but it’s really not the case. From a tourist’s standpoint, it may be easy to say that, but the classes push you out of your element and very much prove that notion wrong, on top of your experience living there for four months straight.
What was your favorite class and why?
Epidemiology with Dr. Glenda Lawrence. I am not a global public health major or minor, so this was an elective for me. I really pushed myself in this course, and it was by far the most satisfying academic success of mine. I learned a lot about health in the context of indigenous Australians.
Did you undertake an internship and what did you think of the experience?
THIS WAS AMAZING!!! I worked at Oceanwatch Australia which was inside the Sydney Fish Market. I could not have asked for a better way to make the most out of my time abroad. I ate so much seafood over the course of the four months and even got to meet Italian-American chef Mario Batali during his visit to the market. I was at the market two days a week and had such a fun time working with my colleagues and helping them with their projects. Having this internship diversified my semester which only made it more interesting.
What was your favorite trip, excursion (Student Life or class related)?
I really enjoyed when Laura took me and Michelle on the trip to the Cabramatta suburb, which is home to the largest Vietnamese community in Australia. We ate at an amazing Vietnamese restaurant and had their famous chicken along with pho. We explored the nearby markets afterwards. It was an incredible experience to see a nearby suburb with such major influence from Hoa Vietnamese culture.
Where are you currently working/studying?
Right now, I am doing my research project about South Pacific sea level rise from the Center for Global Sea Level Change lab at NYU Abu Dhabi. I spend my sophomore spring semester at NYU Sydney, and that really motivated me to go abroad again. During my junior year, I will spend my fall semester at NYU Buenos Aires and then the spring semester doing an exchange at Waseda University, NYU’s partner school in Tokyo, Japan.
When thinking about your experience at NYU Sydney what stands out to you most?
It’s very easy to get caught up in hanging out with friends in your program, but my most memorable experiences came from everything I did when I was alone. I joined a local university’s powerlifting team and spent much of my free time training with Australians or just by myself. I really loved creating my own life while at NYU Sydney, while still having the routine of going to class.
How has your experience at NYU Sydney impacted life after college?
Before leaving for NYU Sydney, I talked with my older friends at NYU who had studied abroad. Many of them felt that although they had fun while away, they felt that they didn’t really progress professionally because they had to leave their daily routines in New York. I think my semester at NYU Sydney proved that wrong. With good time management and the willpower to take video calls in the middle of the night, I was able to balance classes, weightlifting, nature activities, and professional development. I even felt that I was progressing further while in Sydney than in New York because my experiences in Australia were being translated into personal development skills that I incorporated into my applications and interviews. This really gave me the confidence to go abroad for another year, knowing that I don’t need to be in New York to get where I want to be. It’s really up to you whether or not your semester abroad hinders you from reaching your goals. For me, it got me to those goals even faster and pushed me to create new ones.