An Amazing Australian Adventure Past Review
By Kira Goodwin (Gettysburg College) - abroad from 02/07/2018 to 06/16/2018 with
IFSA: Townsville - James Cook University
I learned that I am much more independent than I think I am. This allowed me to both improve my independence, as well as gain confidence in my ability to be independent. This will be a great skill to have when I am working and living on my own in the near future.
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 was living with Australian students and got to see first hand the cultural differences between English-Speaking countries on opposite sides of the world. My classes were challenging, but enjoyable, although I was not a fan of the teaching styles of some of my Professors and did not enjoy the lecture-style classes. However, despite this I do think overall I learned a lot from this experience. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The IFSA staff in Townsville were great. They were super responsive and available. The first week I broke my foot I got multiple texts/emails a day. Leanne, our on-site representative was constantly in touch with us and made a point to meet with each of us one-on-one on more than one occasion, she was amazing. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I went in thinking I would have a roommate as I thought the housing I registered for said that I would have one. When I got there I found out I didn't. However my RA's were super friendly and I was able to quick;y become friends with a lot of other students. It was also very nice to be able to become good friends with a number of Australian students. It wasn't the nicest because it was dorm-style living with communal bathrooms and I didn't have air conditioning. But I was super happy to have lived there because I was able to gain a fully immersive experience from it. |
| * Food: |
It was dining hall food, which is never amazing. It was good, but after a while it got a little tired and repetitive, and they didn't have a ton of options if there was a meal you didn't like. It wasn't bad food, but it just got boring quickly. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
My accent obviously made me stand out, but for the most part I felt I integrated pretty well. Living with Australian students made me feel part of the Australian student culture in a way that I wouldn't have been able to had I lived off-campus. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I broke my foot. For both my emergency room visit and my follow-up appointments I had to wait for nearly two hours to be seen, which is comparable to home. The doctors were very helpful though, and overall the health care system was better because I didn't have to pay to get my foot checked out. IFSA was also great and was constantly following up with me to make sure that I was doing all right. |
| * Safety: |
It is a very safe place. Australia in general is very safe, having much stricter gun laws than the United States. Once I learned the bus system I felt safe taking it to town by myself and I felt comfortable traveling by myself as well. Australians are very kind and friendly. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I had so much fun and met so many great people. I got to know a beautiful country that I may not have otherwise been able to go to. It was overall just an incredible experience. |
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 there itself was not very expensive, the extra cost comes though if you want to travel to other parts of the country while you are there, that can be difficult and harder to budget for. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Hard to say but not including traveling, I'd average $50. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan ahead. If you want to travel, choose your top places and look at how much each costs, you may not be able to do everything you want, but if you plan ahead and prioritize, you can manage to do a lot. |
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 feel like I was well-prepared going into this program. If I knew more I may not have been able to learn as much about myself as I did. |
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 NetworkerAn active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume. |
