Past Review
By Andrew W (Art History, Criticism and Conservation., University of Hartford) for
IFSA: Melbourne - University of Melbourne
I loved Australia, no questions about that. I learned how to live on my own without ties to a place, and how to establish a life outside of my comfort zones. The world is a huge place, yet I still met a few people who knew others from home. The USA isnt the centre of the world like we sometimes think we are. Each place has stuff going on, news happening, and there really is no centre of the world. I wish I had been in a few more situations where meeting Australians on a personal level would have been possible. Most were commuting, or way to young to relate to my way of life at 21 in college.
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. |
I enjoyed it much more during my 2nd semester once I was used to it academically. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Dara Moss was by far the best person to lead me along my entire journey, for the year I was in Australia. She is extremely personable, driven, and one of the best people I met while abroad. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The location was 100% perfect. Loved being right in the heat of Melbourne. I wasn't exposed to many Australian students right away though, which was unfortunate. |
| * Food: |
Loved the food in the city! Any cuisine you wanted, any time of day or night. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
My favorite events were the sporting events, like AFL games. Also the bi-weekly coffee clubs were a great way to experience the cafe culture that Melbourne is known for. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I didnt need to use anything while i was there, but if i had to i knew I was covered and safe. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent a lot, double what I expected. I didn't work first semester, so I spent all my money by Christmas. Then I worked for December, then again February-May. It was worth it though, because I got to see so much of the country! |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Australian alcohol is expensive -- be careful not to be to excited to spend $50 a night on drinks just because you can. Thee night life is great, but make sure you pay attention to what you're spending. The saved money can allow you to travel more! |
Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* 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?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Look into which city sounds best -- dont just assume Sydney is going to be perfect. There are other awesome cities the the major ones you have heard of! |
