A Life Changing Australian Adventure! Past Review
By Ciara J (Culver-Stockton College) - abroad from 09/27/2015 to 11/28/2015 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Sydney, Australia
I learned many things pertaining to my major, international marketing, but even more important than that, I learned a great deal about myself. I learned my strengths and weaknesses and I am more in touch with the career path I will likely take upon graduation. I also made life long friendships with some amazing people. It was definitely worthwhile.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
While I was abroad, I took two business courses: International Marketing and International Business and Trade. I was also enrolled in the internship course. At the time, I thought we had a large amount of work; however, now that I am back in my home institution, I find it much easier to contribute in class discussions. I also feel like I have a better, more well-rounded view on a variety of worldwide topics. In the end, the experience would not have been as beneficial without the course work. It was also extremely interesting to be taught by an Australian and experience the differences between the American education system and the Australian education system. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The on-site administration was top notch! Our course instructors were good about responding to e-mail and working with us on different projects. The coordinators that planned our excursions and offered advice and guidance whenever we needed it went above and beyond my expectations. They were always right there to help us wit any situations that may arise or were just available to chat and check up on us! I felt like they truly cared about the students in the program and I felt very welcome. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The living arrangements were extremely nice. I opted to live in the apartments rather than a homestay, so I lived in the Meriton Apartments on Danks Street. The staff was friendly and extremely helpful, providing us with whatever resources we needed. We had a maid service once a week, which was extremely nice as we wanted to spend the bulk of our free time exploring rather than cleaning. |
| * Food: |
As a college student on a budget, I spent a lot of my money on cheap meals; however, there were a few times I decided to splurge and had great dining experiences. A group of friends and I ate at the Sydney Tower Buffet. It was expensive, but being a buffet the food was endless as was the variety. As expected, Australia had a great variety of seafood. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I was able to get into a routine with my commutes to school in work. I felt in touch with the public transportation by the end and was equipped to give directions to those unfamiliar with the area. I truly felt like an Australian after a few weeks into my time abroad. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
N/A |
| * Safety: |
I felt safe in Australia. Sydney was not a crime ridden city and I felt comfortable the whole time. It is important to avoid getting too comfortable as would be the case for anywhere, because it's good to remember that even unexpected things can happen. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
It is always a challenge to budget because there are so many types of food that you will want to try; however, I found that planning special dinners helped me stick to my budget and gave me something to look forward to. I would say I spent around $250 at the grocery store the first month and roughly $100 the following months. I was able to limit eating out as well. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $200 - $250 not including when I traveled to different areas. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Create a budget before you embark on your trip. Keep it with you and after you have assimilated into the different prices, make necessary changes. Do your best to abide by your budget and leave an adequate amount of money for extra expenses. |
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? | I would have liked to speak with a CAPA alumni to answer all the questions I had, but since I was the first student from Culver to go, I didn't get that luxury. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
