Unforgettable Past Review
By A student (Political Science and Government., Clark University - Worcester) - abroad from 07/21/2012 to 11/24/2012 with
CIEE: Perth - Arts and Sciences
I learned a lot about who I am - that I am brave and willing to take risks - in ways I was unable to comprehend before. I also gained so much valuable insight about what it really means to live in a global world, to be an American, and to exist in a culture with different values.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I took an internship and one additional class and had a full semester load. The internship was research intensive but managable. My other unit included only two assesments due at the end of the semester - so the workload was relatively light and the grading was not the most hard (rather, equivelent effort gave me equivelent grades compared to my US classes). The fewer contact hours and limited class discussion did, however, make it feel like I was learning a bit less. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The CIEE directors - Paul and Kate - are amazing at what they do! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing is connected to campus. Everyone get's a single and lives in a shared flat with bathrooms, a common space, dining area, and kitchen. It is easy to get from there to other places around Perth because the campus and accommodation are both located on a main road. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Because the university culture is such that there is not a huge campus life (compared to US campuses with significant on/near campus residential communities) it was difficult meeting and really getting to know Australians as compared to other international students. However, I also had an on campus job which really helped me to meet and connect with a lot of students who live in the area. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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) |
There is a difference in food pricing. Items such as yogurt and eggs are more exensive, while things like milk and bread costs were comparably equal to the States. Fast food and eating out were both much more expensive in Perth. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Shop around. There are fresh food markets in Freo and a fruit stand in Kardi that often sell things a bit cheaper than the local supermarket. |
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 wish I had the foresight to plan travel after the program ended within Australia rather than simply booking a ticket back home. |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
