Push Yourself Past Review
By A student (Neurobiology and Neurosciences., Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/01/2013 to 11/01/2013 with
CIEE: Perth - Biology + Ecology Field Studies
I gained a great deal of maturity and independence studying abroad, expanding my horizons and shaping my perspective. I would highly recommend living and learning in another country to anyone who has the opportunity to do so.
Review Photos
Personal Information
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The academic component of the program was definitely manageable but what I enjoyed most was the relevant and interesting course material. We had a plethora of resources at our fingertips such as easy access to our professors and other professionals and experts in the field which we were studying. |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our program director Paul Hollick was incredible, providing us with guidance and support when needed but also having a great sense of humor and making every place we visited, everything we did, an experience to remember. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I would have liked to have been around more students and gotten to know local Australians my age. |
* Food: |
For food, we were pretty much on our own and I was often cooking or going out to eat down town. When away on our research trips, students alternated cooking dinners for the group. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Given the nature of the program, we didn't experience a great deal of integration into the greater Australian culture though actions we took, such as joining the University soccer team and cheering on the Fremantle Dockers, enhanced our immersion into the local culture. |
* 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
* 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) |
Perth is a very expensive city but if one budgets correctly and cooks often, they shouldn't have a problem. |
Language
* Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | That people in Australia drive on the opposite side of the road! |
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! |
Individual Course Reviews
Course Name/Rating: |
Marine Biology |
Course Department: | Biology |
Instructor: | Jennifer Verduin |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | While lectures may have deviated from the subject at hand, this was an interactive, hands-on learning experience that got us up and in wetsuits before the sun to conduct research at a fringing coral reef. The best part was that our professor Jen was right there with us, rolling around in the waves, showing she was extremely passionate about her line of work which was inspiring to see. |
Credit Transfer Issues: |
Course Name/Rating: |
Conservation Biology |
Course Department: | Biology |
Instructor: | Kate Rodger |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | Challenging in the sense that our final assignment consisted of a 25 page lab report, this course was definitely rewarding. Our second research expedition took us to the southern forests of Australia where all the work we did went towards saving a critically endangered endemic species. This was the course that I had the most background knowledge prior and that helped me to become engaged in the material and get the most out of it. |
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Course Name/Rating: |
Living and Learning in Perth |
Course Department: | |
Instructor: | Paul Hollick |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | This course offered a much-needed contrast to the science heavy schedules we were taking and was eye-opening. I would have never thought Australia would vary from the United States so dramatically, both countries being English speaking, but this course showed me all the ways it did and more and I am very grateful to have gained a rounder, broader perspective having studied abroad. |
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Course Name/Rating: |
Sustainability |
Course Department: | Environmental Studies |
Instructor: | Anne Matan and Talia Raphaely |
Instruction Language: | English |
Comments: | This course offered another angle to the environmental framework of which our program was based and covered a wide range of topics including issues addressed locally, nationally, and universally. Not only did I gain an insight into how sustainability is conducted around the world but I was able to create my own personal vision of how I want to live sustainably which I apply daily. This course and what it's taught me has therefore had a lasting impact. |
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