Home Away From Home Past Review
By Shannon C (Rutgers University - New Brunswick) - abroad from 06/11/2015 to 07/25/2015 with
IES Abroad: Sydney - Study Australia Summer
Studying abroad was one of the best decisions I ever made for myself. It was an incredible experience and I was able to share it with other wonderful people. Going through IES made everything easy and simple so we could focus on getting the most out of our time there. I would absolutely recommend studying abroad with IES - I made memories of a lifetime and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The academics were just right - interesting information, manageable workload, and personable professors. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program staff went out of their way to ensure everyone was comfortable and happy. They made the transition to being abroad incredibly easy and continued to advise us on great things to see or fun things to do. We all formed a great relationship with program staff - overall the program administration was wonderful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The housing provided was comfortable and clean, and living with the other students allowed us to all get to know each other. I have made lifelong friends through this program! |
| * Food: |
Our house was one block away from many great restaurants. There were so many great places to eat all over the city. In addition, all events/dinners planned by IES were phenomenal and we were very well taken care of. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Living in the city allowed us to immerse ourselves in the surrounding area. We were able to explore local restaurants, parks, comedy clubs, bars, and more. The program staff also made wonderful recommendations to us all. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
A friend of mine had an infection before leaving for Sydney. When it began bothering her again a week later, one of the program staff went out of her way to bring my friend to get medical care. Healthcare was very close to our house and was very accessible. |
| * Safety: |
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| 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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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? | 0 |
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 truthfully wouldn't do anything differently. IES was with me every step of the way, so there was no point when I felt confused or lost. Everything about the program was well planned and well executed, and it made my experience as smooth as possible. |
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. |
