City living Down Under with Snap Gap winner Denae in Sydney

Snap Gap winner Denae is the lucky winner of an around the world trip in partnership with StudentUniverse, getting to know the world one homestay at a time. Having just rounded off her second stop off in Sydney, Australia, she told us what she made of life Down Under.

“I landed at the airport in Sydney with a flash of excitement and a sigh of relief. For one thing, I had been this close to missing my flight (a word to the wise- there are two airports in Tokyo, double check which one you're flying out of), and for another thing, I was just glad to be somewhere I was familiar with the language again.

However, I was not completely familiar with the culture. I thought I'd heard enough about this land of surfers and Vegemite to avoid some big surprises, but of course there were differences. My first lesson? Summer in the U.S. is winter in Australia.

An airport official took one look at the denim cut offs I had worn for the flight and gave a chuckle. After I stepped out of the airport and into the windy, rainy Sydney afternoon I understood why. I spun on my heel, headed straight back through the sliding doors, and went to change into some proper pants.

Even with all the surprises, my friendly hosts helped me to get into the swing of things in no time. In fact, the different locations of my homestays in Sydney helped me learn the two different rhythms of the vibrant capital of New South Wales, city slicker and beach bum, and I couldn't complain about either!”

Elizabeth Bay

Denae’s first homestay was in the picturesque surroundings of Elizabeth Bay with her host Julie. Julie’s apartment has stunning views of Sydney harbour and is located not far from King’s Cross and Darlinghurst neighbourhoods.

All smiles in #Sydney! #denaessnapgap #@studentuniverse #instatravel #australia #isthisreallife #opera

A photo posted by Denae McGaha (@telos.tesla) on

Unsurprisingly the location was a hit with Denae, telling us that “Julie's homestay in Elizabeth Bay and I were a match made in heaven as soon as I found out it was within walking distance to the famed Harry's Cafe de Wheels."

"I have a strong appreciation for the Commonwealth love affair with savoury pies. The homestay […] let me experience the nightlife of Sydney and I could take a train or walk home in not very much time at all. And in the daytime, looking out of the window was like looking at a postcard, I could even see the Opera House in the distance! In fact, it was a bit surreal.”

Denae’s extended trip with Snap Gap has taken her far from her home in the United States and as her birthday came around, she started to miss her family back home. Julie her homestay host found a way to celebrate the day with her however and to give her a wonderful Sydney experience.

“I'd seen the Opera House many times in movies and postcards, but my favourite view was seeing the Opera House lit up at night, when my host mom took me to the Harbour for drinks and views to celebrate my 22nd birthday. I was a little saddened to have a birthday halfway across the world, away from all of my family and friends, but having a host who would take the time to take me out and help me feel special warmed my heart!”

Bondi

To get a better sense of the different styles of living in Sydney, Denae chose a second homestay in the beachside neighbourhood of Bondi with her host Zoe. While life in Darlinghurst is more city-orientated, there’s a slower pace in Bondi that Denae made the most of during her trip.

“Living on the north end of Bondi Beach with Zoe let me see a more relaxed side of Sydney, the kind where you start the day with brunch and end it with the beach. Every morning I had the excitement of looking out my window at Sydney's most iconic beach, and then could continue a relaxing day of combing through thrift stores and taking up residency in one of the many coffee shops.

And there were plenty to choose from! My friend introduced me to a fresh and filling brunch at Lox Stock and Barrel, and I enjoyed my cherry strudel at Gertrude and Alice almost as much as I enjoyed combing through their many, many bookshelves.

But my favourite place to spend time ended up being at Paris, Cafe Go. It may be located on the main shopping street of Bondi, but it still feels like a hidden gem.

When the weather warms up, you can sit at the counter by the open window and watch the people go by as you wait for the waitress to deliver your generous portion of food, whether it's a hearty meal or something as simple as toast. Their Turkish toast even gave me the courage to try Vegemite.”

Being on the road non-stop can get tiring for even the most seasoned of travellers and Denae was glad to use her homestay in Bondi for some much needed downtime and R’n’R.

“Homestays helped me put down roots into the city, even though only there for a short time. Learning about yoga and clean eating from Julie opened my eyes to the fit culture in Bondi, and helped me be a little more healthy (not healthy enough to wake up at 6 and go to the yoga studio down the road, but still). And I got to meet other Sydneysiders and learn about all sorts of different lines of work at the dinner party Julie invited me to.

It was an effort to get my feet under me in a country that was so similar and yet so different from my own. But I'd like to think that my hosts and newfound friends helped me get the swing of Sydney life. And my diverse homestays in Sydney showed me the best of both worlds!”

Has Denae convinced you to explore Sydney?

Browse our homestays in the city to find the host that's right for you.

Homestays in Sydney

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