My time in Australia is almost to an end. This encompassing time abroad has truly gone by and I am sad that I will return back to the states in less than a month. Australia has been a great experience; the people, the food, the sites and experience all hold a meaningful place in my heart. Since my last blog, I, along with the rest of the University of Portland students who are studying abroad in Australia, had the pleasure of taking an excursion to Broome. Broome is in the northwestern part of Australia in a region called Kimberly and is home to some of the most deadl
y animals in the world.
Upon arriving in Broome, we had the opportunity to go to Cable Beach at sundown where we got to ride camels along a 22-kilometre-long stretch of pure white sand, set against a backdrop of red ochre cliffs and crystal turquoise waters of the Indian
Ocean.
The next part of our excursion required us to take a four-wheel drive into the Australian Outback, commonly known as the bush. At our camping ground, there was nothing but red sand and trees, however; we were greeted by Aboriginals who got us accustomed to this unfamiliar setting. Moreover, an Aboriginal elder taught us how to mud for crab, which were crabs in mangrove trees. These crabs often bury themselves deep within the mud, so it becomes difficult of find and catch them. It was definitely a struggle as many of us where in knee-deep mud trying to use a 
metal stick to pull them out of their holes. However, the crabs made a scrumptious meal and therefore, the day of hard work was worth it.
During the evenings, we gathered around a campfire to listen to our Aboriginal tour guide talk about Aboriginal involvement throughout history. It was interesting and exciting to learn about Australian history through an Aboriginal perspective. We were able to ask him any questions we had about the Aboriginal culture or the history about the region. Recently, Aboriginals gained native titleholders of Broome, in which was proven through a 7,000 year old footprint that was uncovered on the ground. It was amazing to see the footprint that showed that the Aboriginal people were here before the Europeans arrived. Moreover, we were able to take part in an Aboriginal traditional dance, where we got to see the native Aboriginals get painted in white stripes and dance with eucalyptus leaves to the sound of the didgeridoo, a traditional Aboriginal instrument. It was amazing to be a part of the oldest culture in the world.
Broome was an interesting and new experience for many of us and I was glad to have gone on this trip. It has taught me a lot more about Aboriginal people than I could have learned in the classroom. I am sad that I will be leaving this amazing country soon, but it has been an experience that I will never forget.
See you soon USA,
Nathan