Australia-Beach Life = The Best Life! Past Review
By Emily P (Sport and Exercise Psychology, West Virginia University) for
The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Gold Coast - Griffith University
Living in a different culture opened my eyes to how other people live their lives. The Gold Coast is very community oriented and always has soo many activities/markets going on. I loved experiencing those types of events. I became a lot more independent and open minded while abroad. It was awesome exploring some of the most beautiful beaches and meeting people from all over the world. My experience abroad has left me with the travel bug and I can't wait to travel more. I definitely plan on going back to Australia as well.
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. |
I studied at Griffith University on the Gold Coast. I chose classes that were going to be tranferred as electives at my home university. The grading system is different in Australia but I would not say it is any harder or easier. All of my classes involved a presentation, paper, and around one test. I had a smaller amount of work than I am used to but the assignments were worth more. Classes were different in that for every class you take, you have a lecture and then a tutorial which I think is equivalent to a lab in the States. Lectures were usually used for learning the material and tutorials were more interactive to do activities to help learn the material better. I genuinely enjoyed my classes and my professors were from all over the world; Korea, France, Greece, and Australia so that was an unique experience. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
One thing I loved about TEAN was having Helen, our Gold Coast go-to person. She was awesome and made the transition to Australia easy. When we first arrived, she showed us around the area and took us grocery shopping. We had a welcome barbeque to meet everyone. Later on in the semester, she took us out to coffee. At the end of the semester, we all met for a farewell dinner. All of these events made everyone more comfortable with each other and it was nice to know she was there for us to listen to our adventures and also be there for any concerns. Having her as an available resource improved my experience. Another great thing about TEAN is how organized the program is. While talking with students from other programs, it seemed that the application process was difficult and some aspects were fairly disorganized. Applying and preparing for Australia was a fairly easy process. Once in Australia, Sydney and my excursion to Cairns was really well structured which made the experience even more enjoyable and worry-free. Our guides in Sydney told us differences between Australian and US culture, explained the grading system, and also gave us advice on how to have an unforgettable experience. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in the Meriton Serviced Apartments in Broadbeach. It was really amazing and I highly recommend it. Other TEAN students from various places in Australia said that our housing was one of the best ones they had seen. Broady is a convenient place to live because everything is within walking distance: the beach, restaurants, clubs, the grocery store, and shopping. Surfer’s is also only a short bus ride away which is a more popular spot to go out. Other perks to living there was having weekly cleaning service, the indoor and outdoor pool, the sauna, and the gym. |
| * Food: |
Broadbeach has sooo many great places to eat. One thing I definitely recommend are the pies in Australia. Delicious! Also, you will see gelato everywhere! Buy some and enjoy. My motto to trying new food is always say yes. Be adventurous. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
One of the best decisions I made before studying abroad was signing up for the Cairns excursion. Some of my best trip memories were made on this excursion such as snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, bungee jumping, white water rafting, adventuring through the rain forest, and overall enjoying the town of Cairns. As I stated before, everything was really well organized prior to the trip which made Cairns a stress free excursion! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
One thing I loved about Australia is how safe I felt. People are always out and about in Broadbeach. That being said, you still need to use common sense. Especially being a girl, it is important to be aware of your surroundings. When going out, just be smart and always go out with friends. |
| 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
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | My words of wisdom would be say yes to every opportunity you can while studying abroad! TEAN makes everything easy and offers so much support that there should be no reason you don't have an incredible experience. Any type of student would benefit from this program. TEAN makes sure they can help with any individual needs/concerns. |
