The Best Semester of my Life Past Review
By Brendan T (Marketing., Bentley University) - abroad from 07/05/2012 to 11/16/2012 with
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (RMIT): Melbourne - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I feel as though the whole abroad experience was very much about self-discovery. I am much more comfortable now with myself, which has made it easier for me to interact with others. My social skills have been bolstered by this trip. It was definitely worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
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? |
RMIT Village was a fantastic living arrangement. The rooms were not anything special; the living space of each person was pretty small. However, the social aspects of RMIT village more than made up for the drawbacks. There is a heated pool in the center of the courtyard, a glass house where people go to socialize, and a very nice lounge with flat screen TVs and leather couches. RMIT Village is also a very popular living choice for other study abroad institutions, which gave us the opportunity to meet people from all over the world |
| * Food: |
It's hard to actually rank food on this list because it was not provided by the institution or the dorm facility. Food was independently purchased and cooked. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt very comfortable with the local culture of Melbourne. The community there made Americans feel very welcome, and encouraged us to participate in their cultural activities. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Comparatively speaking, Melbourne is an extremely safe city. Sure there are some areas that one might not want to walk through alone at night, but that is about the extent of safety concern. |
| 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) |
The amount of money that I spent weekly varied greatly. Everything is expensive in Australia. If you plan on drinking out at bars then be prepared to spend a lot, because alcohol is extremely pricey. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $70-$250 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Minimize use of debit/credit cards. It is very easy to lose track of your spending this way. |
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?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | I really wish I knew how quickly the semester would pass by. Had I done a better job of managing my time, I would have definitely wanted to visit more places |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
