Tennis in Oz!

After I travelled around Australia for a few weeks, a new chapter of my life began when I arrived in Melbourne.

After spending the first few days settling in, Sport Lived organised social activities which included moonlight kayaking along the Yarra River, trips to the beach and paddle boarding at St Kilda. My personal highlights were going to the Australian Open in January and a surf trip to Ocean Grove followed by feeding kangaroos at Ballarat Wildlife Park.

There were so many things to do in your free time in Melbourne, such as visiting the beach for the sunset (or sunrise if you're very eager), walking through the Botanical Gardens, going to the zoo, visiting the iconic Victoria Night Market, going out on Chapel Street or just exploring the city.

I felt very supported when looking for work in Melbourne. With a bit of help, I got a catering job at a food truck that enabled me to attend some unforgettable events including the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, St Kilda Festival, Brunswick Festival and Avalon AirShow.

I also got a job at the MCG which enabled me to work at regular AFL Football Games and experience Melbourne’s passionate crowds and also work at concerts such as Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles and Kip Moore.

But there was of course lots of time spent playing tennis in my everyday life here, as this was the reason I came to Melbourne. In addition to having membership at a nearby gym, I was able to join Melbourne Park Tennis club (which meant I could play on the courts used for the Australian Open!). I met a lot of talented tennis players and joined several social competitions as well as doing cardio tennis almost everyday. To challenge myself, I also started martial arts during my stay in Melbourne.

Now it's time for me to move on to New Zealand, but I know I'll never forget the people I met and memories I made during my Sport Lived programme.

Thank you!