Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A Piece of My Heart Will Always Be in Sydney Past Review

By (Finance and Financial Management Services., Purdue University) - abroad from 05/22/2014 to 07/11/2014 with

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Sydney, Australia

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned so much about the Australian culture, about working in a corporate environment, and about myself. After seeing how much personal growth I had gotten out of my study abroad experience, I'd say it was worth the cost ten fold. I would do it all over again in a heart beat.

Review Photos

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Sydney, Australia Photo CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Sydney, Australia Photo CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Sydney, Australia Photo CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Sydney, Australia Photo CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Sydney, Australia Photo

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.

I loved the international business class that I took while in Sydney. It was very cool to study while overseas, and then be able to apply the knowledge I gained in the classroom to my internship in Sydney.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

CAPA did an amazing job of reaching out to the students and making everyone feel welcome. I had never been out of the country and I was extremely homesick and overwhelmed at the start of the trip. I am so thankful to have had CAPA on-site to help me through all of the emotional stress. I ended up loving my time abroad and I owe a lot of that to CAPA!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I stayed in a serviced apartment in Waterloo, which is a safe suburb of Sydney. The apartment was fully stocked with dishes, towels, laundry essentials, and kitchen appliances. It was an awesome place to stay because I always felt safe and I got to stay in the same building as all of the other Purdue students. The Meriton was very close to bus stops, grocery stores, restaurants, and ATMs which made it very convenient.

* Food:

The food was awesome! Everything tasted very fresh and delicious. The only thing that I didn't like was how expensive it was, but it was totally worth it! I tried alligator, emu, and kangaroo while I was down under, which made for a unique eating experience to say the least!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very integrated into the culture, especially since I got to intern with all Australians.There was so many opportunities to interact with local Australians, which I absolutely loved! The night life was exciting and the entire experience was unbelievably awesome.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had access to pharmacies and the people working there were very helpful. I never had a need for other healthcare facilities, but CAPA gave us a lot of helpful information for that kind of thing and I am confident that it wouldn't have been difficult at all.

* Safety:

Australia is incredibly safe and Waterloo, which is where I stayed, was no exception! I never felt unsafe during my time abroad. I really appreciated the fact that I chose a safe area for my first time out of America.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

Sydney is an expensive city, but there are ways to keep costs fairly low. I chose to buy groceries instead of eating out all the time. However, traveling is always going to be expensive and I think when it was all said and done, it was well worth the costs.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I would advise you to make food at your apartment/accommodation rather than eating at restaurants all the time. That alone will save you a lot of money.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The CAPA staff was amazing and so helpful!
  • Australia was absolutely beautiful and there was always so much to do!
  • I felt so safe, even though I was away from everything I was comfortable with!
* What could be improved?
  • More opportunities to interact with college-age Australians
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew to make a budget before going abroad. It was very expensive and I wish I had a plan set in stone beforehand.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!