The Real Aussie Experience Past Review
By Madison Hutchinson (Berea College) - abroad from 02/13/2016 to 06/26/2016 with
AIFS: Perth, Fiji - Murdoch University
I really just learned how different and what seems to be, how isolated the United States really is. It's like we are the only ones to function like we do. Everyone else seems to understand leisure, except us.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Athira is really great! (Exchange and Study Abroad Murdoch Staff) |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Loved the apartment style |
| * Food: |
Mostly cooked at home |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Always something to do! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Easy to maneuver. |
| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
AIFS is a great program to travel with. From the flight option, where they will partner you with another student travelling from your region, to the meal plan, where I was able to forget about budgeting for food, the nitty gritty details were all planned for me before I even left the country! They also set up my housing before I arrived and lived with another AIFS student. |
Finances
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* 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) |
Don't try to go buy souvenirs every week. It's pointless and a waste of money! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 80-100 AUD |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try not to spend money on things that you did not come to Australia for- ex. fancy clothing or shoes. Try to remember why you are there and what it is that you want to EXPERIENCE. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Take advantage of EVERY opportunity because you will loo back thinking, "I wish I would have done that". |
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. |
