Come to Australia for a Semester in the Field! June 22, 2023
By A student (Organismal Biology, Scripps College) - abroad from 02/03/2023 to 05/18/2023 with
SIT Study Abroad: Australia - Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology
I learned how to communicate with fellow scientists and researchers and conduct an independent project. I also became more comfortable in the field, and got experience in fieldwork I would never get at my home institution.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
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 was a little disappointed that we weren't able to do homestays during my semester and instead stayed in hostels which were quite cramped (4 of us to a room). Hopefully they will do homestays again in the future! |
| * Food: |
Australian food is not terribly different from American food. It was alright. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Without homestays there weren't as many opportunities to experience the culture. However, we did do a camping trip with aboriginal elders which was a highlight. It was excellent to learn about their culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Our program handled COVID very well, but anything else was not addressed very well. When people became sick, they were not separated from the group. Because of this, many people got sick. One student was even vomiting in front of all of us on a nature walk. We had two hospital visits on our program as well. |
| * Safety: |
Our host city was relatively safe, but we were warned not to go out alone at night due to gang activity. The only incident I had personally was a local person asking me for money. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
this program really helped me hone my skills as a researcher within the scientific community. I loved getting to explore Queensland and the unique ecosystems of the region. |
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) |
actually ended up with some extra stipend money at the end of the program! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $20-$50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | cook as much as you can! I saved the most money when I prepared my own meals. |
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? | 0 |
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? | make sure you know about your health insurance before you leave, as well as local laws and regulations. |
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. |
