Australia Made Me Who I Am Today Past Review

By (HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS., University of Hartford) for

ISA Study Abroad in Gold Coast, Australia

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a sense of independence and self-esteem because I was able to have the time of my life with no help from my parents.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was very similar to UH, however, the grading system was a little more difficult.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The program emailed you often to make sure that you were doing alright and gave you more information on things that the student might need to know.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived right in the middle of campus which was perfect because I didn't have to walk for to get food, go to class, or see my friends. I was about a twenty minute bus ride away from the nightlife and the beach which was a perfect amount. The school also provided all the necessities like sheets, toilet paper, and even came to was my sheets and vacuum every week.

* Food:

The food was very good, got a little repetitive but they did switch in some new items every two weeks. I definitely recommend getting a meal plan because food is expensive.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I did things there that I would never get another chance to do, like snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef. I made immediate friends and we planned a trip every weekend. I had to do everything that I could because who knew when I'd be able to go back again.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I felt 100% safe at school and even walking around at night. There were always people outside and Australians are especially concerned with taking care of each other and looking out for one another. I did get sick while at school and the health services on campus really helped me and I was able to get my prescriptions at a very small cost.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I spent about $5,000 on food, trips, souvenirs, and other personal expenses. Everything there is about 2 to 3 times more expensive than it is in the US.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I definitely recommend getting a meal plan at school, that will save you a lot of money. I would also recommend not worrying about bills and money when you get home because the money that you spend in Australia will be totally worth and it nothing that you do back home will compare to it.

Language

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Excursions
  • Their helpfulness
  • Meeting people in the orientation
* What could be improved?
  • Orientation Housing
  • More excursions
  • Food
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I recommend going there with an open mind and trying everything that you would never try before because there is nothing like going home after 4 months and not regretting anything and not wishing you did something that you didn't.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Australian Popular Culture

Course Department: AUST11-105_113
Instructor: Jane Hunt
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was mostly for Americans. It focused on the stereotypes that Americans have about Australia and doesn't do a good job of proving any of them wrong or right, they basically just recognized that we have these ideas. The projects and papers we had to write for the class were based around a stereotype that we had. We did not learn about differences and what they like to watch and listen to. We also did not go on field trips. The teacher seemed to be more interested in showing us famous movies than teaching us about the country. The lectures consisted of the teacher reading off a powerpoint and the students listening and the tutorials had the students actually talking and getting involved which was nice.
Credit Transfer Issues: No, I took it as an elective.
Course Name/Rating:

Scientific Thinking and Research Skills

Course Department: CORE11-113_113
Instructor: Desha Welsh
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was the best course that I took there. The information that we learned was applied to every class I took there and the courses that I take in the future. The teachers were amazing and really took the time to make sure we understood the information.
Credit Transfer Issues: No, It transfered back.
Course Name/Rating:

Australian Sports in the Modern Era

Course Department: SPMT11-100_113
Instructor: Glen Tunks
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course disappointed me because it was more of a sociology class on sports rather than an informative class about the sports that Australians play. The teacher was a Masters student and didn't really give direction and instructions on the paper or tests, and when the students didn't do well he was shocked. The course covered a lot of general information on sports like why we play them.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Psychopathology

Course Department: PSYC13-312_113
Instructor: Aileen Pidgeon
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was very interesting as well. We discussed every mental disease and their symptoms. For a few of the assignments we had to diagnose a patient with a disorder and back it up with evidence. The teacher was very intelligent and got the whole class to participate.
Credit Transfer Issues: No, It transfered back.

Comments

Thanks, Danielle, for your feedback! We'll be sure to take this into consideration for future students. We're so glad you LOVED Australia!

Anonymous April 19, 2012