Living on a Magic Island. Past Review
By Meredith L (English/Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 07/05/2013 to 12/04/2013 with
University of Tasmania: Hobart - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Studying abroad was very worthwhile for me. It taught me that I could live on my own and how. It made me more self-reliant and confident. It opened my eyes to another part of the world and way of living I could never have imagined until I got there. It taught me to be more aware of my surroundings. I learned how much I value the outdoors, and the type of climate I prefer. I also learned that I like living in smaller towns. I learned how to make friends on my own. I learned how to be adventurous. I learned how to be at peace.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
My professors were all very friendly and willing to help me on a one-on-one basis. Coming from a huge university I found this type of interaction valuable. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
|
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Found my own living arrangements upon arrival and was somewhat misled by the realtors on the amount of available rooms. If I could do it over I wouldn't have rushed to find a place and waited for a room that fit my expectations. |
| * Food: |
Food in Hobart is fantastic, but expensive. Still, I was able to live on about 120 dollars(AUS) a week buying most of my food from the Wooly's or Coles down the street. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Hobart is great because it isn't overrun with tourists, and everyone just kind of accepts you as one of the wacky lot who want to live there. It took me some time to make friends because I wanted to find local people who could give me a kind of behind the scenes experience. I am super shy but I did it, and I think that is mostly because Hobartians are so warm and personable. Hobart has a pretty thriving arts scene, there is always some exhibit to see, and Salamanca Market never gets old. It is a cultural scene you will definitely want to get integrated in to! |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
About halfway through the term my lymph nodes swelled up but I never felt sick. I went to the doctors on campus and although they were very helpful and caring, I had to get a lot of expensive tests taken before they would put me on antibiotics. In America they would have just sent me home with some amoxicillin. |
| * Safety: |
One of the safest places on the planet I bet. |
| 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) |
Australia is expensive because the minimum wage is $16, so all the prices are adjusted accordingly. I wasn't quite prepared for how hard it would be to live cheaply. Nothing is cheap. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I figured out how much money I could spend each week and took out cash each Sunday, that way I knew exactly how much I had spent and how much I had left. Buying groceries and making my own luches and dinners helped me save "heaps" (as they say in Aussieland). |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I arrived around on July 5th, coming from a Texas summer to a Hobart winter. Hobart is actually pretty mild all year round (although mainlanders think it is freezing), but it was really tough to adjust to it getting dark around 4 in the afternoon. I had to learn to embrace it, but at first it made me lonely. I also wish that I was prepared for my initial reaction to being in a strange place. Some people love change and novelty and jumped right into the experience and were outgoing and met others quickly and easily. When I first arrived I became really introverted and kind of depressed, I felt like I made a mistake going abroad and choosing Hobart. I saw other people doing so well right off the bat that I felt like I was failing. But now I know that that is just who I am. I take time to warm up to things and get my bearings, and there isn't anything wrong with that. After the first month or so (when spring started coming) I fell in love with Hobart and Tasmania. The location is not for everyone. It is remote and quiet. There is not much night life and it might not be a typically exciting urban place to live. But being in Tasmania is like being on another planet. It is so strange and surprising. I just had to learn to look for what it had to offer instead of what I expected it to be like. |
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. |
