Heaps and Heaps of fun for days! Past Review
By Elizabeth H (International Business., Saginaw Valley State University) - abroad from 02/13/2012 to 07/13/2012 with
ISA Study Abroad in Newcastle, Australia
It was very worth while, I may have a few more students loans taken out but it was totally worth it! I have to many great memories and friends from my time over there. Also this adventure helped me figure out what I actually wanted to do with the rest of my life and I changed my major because of it.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | University of Newcastle |
| 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. |
Overall the classes were easy, it was just hard getting used to the set up of the classes compared to the style we have here in the United States. Also I am not very good when it comes to writing papers and that was all we really did for assignments. But I felt like teachers were always willing to help as long as you were willing to put the work into it. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
GlobaLinks administration was always there if you needed help with ANYTHING! Also the Study Abroad office right on campus was very helpful with answering any questions. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived on campus, I loved living in Edwards "Teds" Hall, it was a great way to really meet a lot of Australians. My whole hallway was Australians and one Canadian, Also living on campus over there is such a different atmosphere than US campuses that it really was a great experience. |
| * Food: |
After going from the SVSU dining hall where you can eat all you want, and have about 10 different things to choose from. the dining hall at UoN got a little repetitive. But it was better than having to go grocery shopping and spend all my money on food vs. traveling. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The Australian culture doesn't have a lot of major cultural differences for the U.S. but the bridging cultures program was a great help into this transition. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I ended up getting a cold and sore throat while I was over there, Through GlobaLinks you are given a great heath care plan, I ended up only paying for my medicine and just going to the health center right on campus and was cured up and ready to go after a few days. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in Newcastle. The University isn't right in town, so you don't have the crazy hustle and bustle of things around campus, but town was just a short bus/train ride away. While Newcastle wasn't super huge, when I did go into town I always felt very safe, and on campus I felt safe as well. Just like many campuses here in the U.S. they had a free car service that would pick you up from your classes, dorm or train station at night to drive you where you needed to go if you didn't feel safe walking by yourself. |
| 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 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
It was defiantly a challenge since the Australian standard of living is higher, the cost of things were more expensive, but its defiantly do able. You just have to know where the hidden fees come in if you use your card, and keep track of your spending. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | No |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Food was included, so I didn't buy much other food, but probably about 30-50$ extra on a week for personal spending. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure you know what banks charge higher fees when taking money out of ATM's. Also see if you can get a student concession card for the trains and buses. When traveling remember that you don't have to stay in the 5 star hotels, I loved staying the the cheap run down hostels, made for some good stories and memories :) |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 10+ |
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? | how expensive things were to buy over there! Also during orientation week our college had a lot of themed nights, these were hard to participate in since I didn't think to pack clothes like that. Would have been nice for the school to give us some of that information. |
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. |
