Once in a Lifetime Experience! Past Review
By Connor O (accounting, Providence College) - abroad from 02/13/2013 to 06/24/2013 with
Arcadia: Sydney - Macquarie University
I learned a large amount of life skills that I probably should of known before my travels abroad. I learned how to better cook for myself, how to plan extensive trips and vacations, and how to integrate myself into a different culture.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The required workload to pass each class is pretty low. Right now we have finals and papers due but it is really the first time i have been forced to plan my activities around my schoolwork rather than vice-versa |
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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? |
When we first moved in we were shocked that they were not particularly clean. After cleaning and living there I have come to appreciate the arrangements. I guess just as most other dormitories, it comes down to your roommates... if they are loud, not clean, etc., it will be unpleasant. |
| * Food: |
N/A We bought our own food from the local supermarket, we did not have a meal plan of any sort.. not sure what rating that would receive. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Despite being in the country for several months, living with only Americans give you the feel that you are still in America. I have made some Australian friends but none are that close; if I was to live in an American/Australian integrated housing I probably would feel more integrated with the local culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
N/A Fortunately I did not have any experience with the healthcare system! |
| * Safety: |
Overall quite safe, never felt threatened while being in Sydney |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
Everything in Australia is significantly more expensive than America. On the weeks that I did not travel I tried not to spend much, but when we traveled the expenses were quite high. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $75 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Do your best to buy cheap at the grocery store, 60 cent pasta tastes just as good as $2.50 pasta, things like that add up after a while. Also, plan your travels in advance if you can, you can save a whole lot on flights and hostels if you purchase them early. |
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? |
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? | I wish I knew about the distance Macquarie was from Sydney and the beach. I was under the impression, whether by a fault of my own or false advertising by the program, that we were right next to the city while in fact it takes a solid hour plus to get there from our housing. To get to the beach is even further, close to an hour and a half. For someone who wished to surf a good amount of time I was here, I would probably rather have gone to a school in Sydney or somewhere up the Gold Coast |
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. |
