The best 4 months of my life so far. Past Review

By A student (Biology, General., Temple University) - abroad from 07/08/2011 to 11/11/2011 with

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Sydney - University of New South Wales

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

This was my first time going abroad so it was really cool to be in, let alone LIVE in, another country. I liked seeing how other people lived and what their culture and customs are like. I really appreciate that I got to meet people from all over the world, not just Australia. I would say that this trip was certainly worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	UNSW has a great reputation in the sciences and, as a biology major, that was something I was looking for in a host university. I felt that the classes were rigorous and that I did not sacrifice my education in any way by studying abroad. There was only one class that I was not completely satisfied with but it had to do more with the professor rather than the course itself.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:	Overall the food was great! One of my favorite things to do (both abroad and in the U.S.) is try new foods and I did plenty of experimenting while abroad. Sydney has a ton of great restaurants that serve both Australian and American favorites (just in case you start to miss home).
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

* 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)	I gave this section 5 stars but it really depends on what you want to do. It's extremely easy to spend money while abroad, and because I wanted the best experience possible, I actually got a job at a local Subway Restaurant so that I could fund my adventures. After getting the job, which I found within the first few weeks of my trip, it was pretty easy to do all of the things that I wanted to do and still have money left over for food and drinks.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	It definitely varied by week. I would say around $40 for food, plus any special activities you want to partake in.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Save as much as you possible can prior to your trip. If that still isn't enough, try getting a part time job like I (and many of my friends) did. I only worked 1 four-hour shift a week and I had plenty of spending money because the wages in Australia are higher than that in the U.S. (i.e. I got paid $16/hour at Subway).

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans International Students
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?	TEAN did a lot of the leg work for me. The group activities at the beginning of the program. The help and support that the TEAN staff provided before, during and after my trip.
* What could be improved?	I absolutely loved my apartment, but it would have been nice to live in a place where the other tenants weren't old and slightly cranky. Study abroad students should be able to legally buy student bus/train passes (not really TEAN's jurisdiction).
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I knew wow expensive Australia could be. I'm not talking about fun activities that study abroad students do, but just the cost of living. Once you figure out your financial situation, this really is not an issue!

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 Urbanite A 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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Physics IA
Course Department:	Physics
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The course was challenging (which is expected for a physics course), but my issue is that I did not feel as if the professor truly wanted me to succeed. He made little effort to help students during/outside of class, which I feel is unprofessional and not the way that a professor should treat his students.
Credit Transfer Issues: