Australia is A Nice Mix of Europe and America Past Review
By A student (Economics/Business, Brandeis University) - abroad from 08/19/2015 to 12/03/2015 with
Boston University: Sydney - Sydney Internship Program
Good skills on the resume. Tons of fun Aussie slang. A lot of cool adventures.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Classes move very quickly and professor present a lot of information, but overall not that difficult. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were all nice and pleasant. If you're coming from Brandeis do note that Jewish holidays are not really known of in Oz so you will have to let them know about them but they're very accommodating. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Dorms are dope. Security won't let you bring people home from clubs but the actual dorms are really nice. |
| * Food: |
Theres plenty of Asian food around the building. Food is generally more expensive than in the US. Rooms have kitchens and the program will sometimes buy you more cookware if you need it. Cooking for yourself is the way to go if you are on a budget. Grocery store right around the corner. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Only once you start your internship really. Otherwise you are always surrounded by Americans. Beyond that you are in a very Asian neighborhood so you might feel like you aren't even in Australia when you walk around. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Dentists and Doctors are easy to find. Have to pay costs upfront with your insurance but the reimburse you once you're home. |
| * Safety: |
Tony, the security guard, is the man. Building has great security. The city feels very safe in the areas you will likely go. You'd pretty much have to make a conscious effort to find the bad neighborhoods if you wanted. |
| 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) |
Sydney is expensive but the exchange rate helps |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $250 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Cook for yourself, buy as much alcohol as you can duty free. Alcohol is the biggest expense. Make use of public transportation. Book travel as far in advance as possible. The first half you will get many long weekends, so travel a lot then and book it as far in advance as possible. Travel JetStar for the best fare and take very early flights. |
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? | Rugby season is in our Spring |
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. |
