Study Australia: Sydney is the best! Past Review
By Elizabeth d (PSYCHOLOGY., Simmons College) for
The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Sydney - University of New South Wales
It was so incredibly rewarding. I did more in those four and a half months and did more than I've done in the other 21 years of my life. It was the best four and a half months of my life. Even though I missed my family, it was so cool to be in a country by myself. I learned so much about what I'm capable of and became much more confident and self-aware. I made lasting friendships with people from all over the country, and internationally as well. Traveling was one of the most fun parts of the experience because we got to see even more cultures and meet new people.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | The University of New South Wales |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
School was the least exciting part of my study abroad experience. I learned more during my excursions, travels and interactions with locals than through actual classroom learning. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Everyone was super helpful whenever you had questions, and they knew so much about Australia that they had tons of fun facts and information for you so that you felt like you knew the country as soon as you got there. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My roommates were nice, but they could definitely do a better job of pairing people with similar interests or habits. Also, some apartments were way nicer than others, and it wasn't fair that everyone paid the same for different quality apartments. |
| * Food: |
We had to make our own food, so it wasn't always great, but no one went hungry. When we ate out the food was really expensive but usually pretty good. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Going out in a new country and learning all about their customs and traditions was the reason I studied abroad, and it was so much fun! I got to meet a whole new group of people who had really cool accents and we never met anyone who was openly rude or discriminatory toward Americans. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I never felt like I was in danger at any time. |
| 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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Definitely bring extra money for travel while abroad, because it's the most rewarding experience you can get. Also, food can be expensive but if you have a budget you'll probably do better. Shopping once a week is helpful too. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Students who are interested in studying abroad in Australia and enjoy living in a city setting with quick access to both the beach and countryside would love this program. Everyone you meet is interested in the same thing as you, which is getting to know Australia. It was so much fun and we got to experience so much from holding koalas and kangaroos to surfing beaches all over. We sky dived, bungee jumped and white water rafted during various trips. I can't believe how much we got to do in just a few short months, which turned out to be the greatest four months of my life. |
