Outback is Home Past Review
By Madison Hutchinson (Berea College) - abroad from 02/13/2016 to 06/25/2016 with
AIFS: Perth, Fiji - Murdoch University
It has really thought me to chill, like relax, take some time for yourself, do something that you want to do, not what everyone expects from you. You don't have to be that society expectation anymore.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The academics are very different here, I didn't really feel that I was learning much from them. Also it was deemed to be ok to get a lower percentage on an assigment/test because the teachers "grade hard". This seems to not be an efficient way to mark scores. It was hard to relate. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Everyone was great and super helpful. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved the flat style living. It was fun, but could be frustrating at times. So many personalities made it hard to get along sometimes. |
| * Food: |
It was ok, good, but I miss my food at home. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I really love Australia's culture and society. It seems like a place I could live forever. The drinking culture is very different, and was really hard to understand at first. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have any bad or hard health issues. We had an on campus facility and a close by chemist. Easy. |
| * Safety: |
I never felt endangered. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I just love being here in Perth, although I have heard that some of the other programs did include a few other things, which would have been nice, but I loved AIFS. |
Finances
|
* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
It was really easy to not spend much money, except for food, but I found that I wanted to spend it more often. But it's possible to no spend much,ddefinitely. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spend around 40-50 a week, which included snacks, meals etc, Other stuff I didn't really have to buy much else, but around $80 each week (total) |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Budget early, but you will be surprised that you don't spend as much as you budgeted, which leaves more for later! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I new what I wanted to accomplish, I'm here now and have thought about my whole life and now am pondering everything all over again. I also wish I knew how to cook... |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
