Best five months of my life. Past Review
By A student (PSYCHOLOGY., Purdue University) - abroad from 07/08/2013 to 11/17/2013 with
The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Brisbane - University of Queensland
I learned a lot about myself and my personality. One thing I discovered is that no matter how different someone might seem to you when you first meet them, you can have a lot of things in common with them. Some of my closest friends while abroad were people I probably would not have approached back home.
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. |
I loved how the classes were set up with a lecture and then a tutorial. It really helped you get to know other kids in your class. Assignments were different than in the US, but definitely doable. |
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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? |
Living in the city was PERFECT! A 5 minute walk to South Bank and only a block away from the train station and bus station, we were in the perfect location to get anywhere we needed. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Living in the city, so close to local shops and cafes really helped me feel like a local. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Never had health issues |
| * Safety: |
My safety never felt threatened. I would take the 11pm bus home from a friends place and walking the couple blocks back to my place never seemed scary. Brisbane is a very safe city and as long as you're smart about things you will be fine! |
| 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) |
Like anywhere, if you're on a student budget you have to be careful with your money. Australia is more expensive,but as long as you're smart about what you choose to spend your money on, it's not too bad. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Food- $50 Other/going out on the weekends- $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't eat out all the time. Bring a lunch to campus instead of buying something there. Buy souvenirs at discount stores. Use a refillable water bottle (Aus tap water is very clean). |
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 thought studying abroad would be NONSTOP adventure every single day. I didn't realize that if you're living in one place for 5 or 6 months you WILL have very normal days. Of course, I had amazing adventures frequently, but I also had completely average days that were no different than back home. But don't fret over that, it means you're just like the locals, casually living half way across the world :D |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
