Longhorns Discover the Land Down Under

If three Longhorns jumped off a bridge, would you join them? During Marketing and Social Media Manager Janelle Sosa’s trip to Australia and New Zealand, she discovered the answer firsthand. 

In February 2025, 23 alumni of The University of Texas traveled together for 24 days to uncover the beauty and rich culture of the land down under. Through scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, exploring the vast Australian Outback, meeting with members of Indigenous tribes, and yes, jumping off a 140-foot-tall bridge, alumni were able to learn how connected we all are to each other and our planet.  

You might think that being on a trip more than 8,500 miles and at least a 17-hour time difference away from home would drive some to madness. Not this group. After eight hotel changes, seven flights, and multiple days on board a coach, travelers started every day with a cheery, “G’day!” or “Kia Ora!” And of course, because the Texas spirit can’t be contained, their tour guide, a “Kiwi” from New Zealand, surprised everyone all by donning a burnt-orange polo and playing “The Eyes of Texas” on his acoustic guitar at the farewell dinner. It goes to show that no matter where you are, you can always count on Longhorns to bring a piece of their beloved University wherever they go.

Part of Sosa’s duties while on this trip was to capture incredible content that truly conveys how once-in-a-lifetime this trip really is. Keep reading to see it for yourself.