Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The best 5 months of my life! Past Review

By (Hearing and Speech Sciences, University of Maryland - College Park) - abroad from 02/07/2012 to 07/01/2013 with

WorldStrides Study Abroad in Sydney, Australia

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Aside from making new friends, both from the program and local people, I learned a lot about myself and about cultures I have never encountered before. I was able to learn how to live without my parents being a drive away for 5 months. I learned new things and what college is like in Australia from the classes I chose to take at the University of Sydney. I was able to travel around Australia on my program's organized trips which gave me the opportunity to see more of the country and meet new people. Also, I learned so much about a different culture when I went on my program's spring break trip to Thailand. This spring break was a jam packed week of amazing activities and trips. My whole abroad experience was absolutely incredible and I wouldn't change it for the world. Studying with The Education Abroad Network made my trip so much more enjoyable. It was easily the best five months of my life.

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* 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)

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? No
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Allot yourself an amount you can spend per month. This will keep you on track and you won't spend all your money in the first couple months of the trip.

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? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. They stayed in touch with us throughout the semester and I felt comfortable going to them with any problems I encountered.
  • The pre-trip, spring break, and weekend trips set up through the program were incredible.
  • The program's orientation upon arrival got us acquainted with the city of Sydney.
* What could be improved?
  • Communication between my study abroad program and my home university's study abroad office. Sometimes I wasn't notified of having to do something for my program application from my home university office.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how expensive things are in Australia because I would have tried to save up more money to bring over with me.