The BEST Experience Past Review
By Lilly Reding (Stonehill College) - abroad from 01/17/2018 to 04/21/2018 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Sydney, Australia
I learned so much about adapting to a different culture and living life with a more laid back attitude. I also learned about living independently and traveling without family.
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. |
The professors were so amazing and did a great job of immersing their students in the culture. My favorite class was Sports Marketing-we got to attend an Aussie Rules game and a soccer (futbol) game. The classes were overall less work than at my home university but were still very informative. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
All of the CAPA staff members were so helpful and welcoming throughout the semester! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Urbanest was in a great location-right near central station (a public transportation hub) and walking distance to Darling Harbor! It is a very modern building and the rooms have their own bathroom and plenty of storage. The location of Urbanest is very safe-I had no problem walking alone at night in the area! |
| * Food: |
Sydney is a multicultural city and that is represented in their food. There are a lot of cute cafes throughout the city-their coffee and brunch is amazing! They also have a lot of Asian food options-make sure to visit Spice Alley which is near Urbanest! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Through my internship, I really felt immersed in the culture. I had my own daily commute along with the other locals which was really cool. I also got to work with Australians and build many connections through my internship. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
CAPA did a great job of handling any health issues-health insurance is included in the program. There is a clinic within walking distance that can help with any problem-I went there twice and they were very helpful. Australia has great healthcare and hospitals-I definitely felt very safe and in good hands. |
| * Safety: |
I felt so safe throughout Sydney! I was totally fine walking alone at night. |
| 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) |
Sydney is an expensive city but it was easy if you plan ahead and do not eat out too often. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Cook dinner at home when you can! |
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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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? | Nothing-I felt very prepared for my trip! |
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. |
