I'd Rather Be in Australia! Past Review
By A student (Springfield College) - abroad from 02/15/2018 to 07/01/2018 with
CISabroad (Center for International Studies): Semester at University of Sydney
i learned a lot about being independent and traveling on my own. I learned about sticking to a budget and saving money. I learned that you have to push yourself out of your comfort zones to meet people. And the most important thing I learned is that, it's okay to go out and do fun things by yourself. Don't be afraid to go to the beach alone or go do something fun by yourself. There's something rewarding within those experiences.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I did not like that we all lived with the same people from our abroad program. I liked the people on the CIS program a lot but it made it harder for me and some of the other people I became friends with to venture out and meet more locals because we were surrounded by familiar faces. It would be cool to have the different programs like CIS and Teen to mix or to even just have only one person from each program in each apartment in Urbanest. It makes it easier for us to want to branch out and stay out of the apartment more to meet new people. I also found that because I was around certain people on my program more, that I had more problems getting along with a few people just because I was with them so much. Also, I wasn't expecting to have to buy so many things like silverware, pots, and pans for the apartment because I figured it would already have a lot of things stocked. I would have like to have either known beforehand that I might have to buy them, or to have urbanest already offered things we would need. |
| * Food: |
the food in the city was amazing!!! however, the food programs at urbanest specifically aren't all that inclusive. I have diary restrictions and needs and they didn't make a very big effort to accommodate to that. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I made a few aussie friends that were able to show me around a few of the local attractions. It was a bit hard at first getting myself out there because we were so close in living with other people on our program so it was harder to branch out because we were still very new to the country and wanted to stick around to familiar faces. I think it would be great to have the abroad advisor take us around the cities we were living in after the official orientation, to give us a better feel for what's really around us. That would have been a really nice experience. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I personally did not need to use any health care when i was there but my friend got really sick and she said it was a breeze to find someone to help her out. |
| * Safety: |
I always felt safe in the city whether I was with someone else or if I was by myself. Safety advice even in safe areas, always try to go with a buddy, don't leave things lying around, lock your doors in your apartment so no one thinks it's okay to sneak in and take your things, etc. Just make smart decisions and don't be reckless but have fun at the same time. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I would want to go to another country and meet new people from a different place! |
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) |
Living in Sydney was definitely more expensive than some of the other cities but it was manageable if you stuck to a budget for each week. Also, don't forget to factor in travel expenses!!!!!!!! I totally forgot to think about just how much i would be traveling so i spent a lot more money than i imagined because of the activities i wanted to do and places i wanted to go. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | about $100-150 a week on groceries. $15-20 on travel in city (bus, train, ferry) and anywhere from $5-50 on random shopping or spending. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | SAVE SAVE SAVE!!!!!! make sure you plan ahead before going abroad about the other places you will want to travel to. also remember you will be paying for little things like your 'metro' card to take public transportation and those funds add up. Don't be afraid to pack your lunches or snacks when going to classes, or the beach or even on road trips. It will save you so much money when you don't have to eat out for 1 or two meals a day. Don't carry cash on you all the time because you are more likely to spend it. another good tip is to get a credit card that doesn't charge you international fees every time you use it. Those charges will add up super fast. |
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? | that i would spend a lot more than i was expecting. to branch out more from the people i lived with and go out and make more friends. it's okay to go and have fun by yourself. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
