4 months made of once in a lifetime experiences Past Review
By Lyndsey Michelsen (West Chester University of Pennsylvania) - abroad from 02/13/2019 to 06/16/2019 with
The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Perth - University of Western Australia
While abroad I learned so much more about myself, and really grew into myself as a person. I stepped out of my shell and became more outgoing and adventurous. The friendships I made abroad are unlike any that I have made in any other environment. I have a lot for these people and we still stay in touch even though we come from several countries all over the world. I traveled so a few countries and around Australia itself, growing my appreciation for the world and its beautiful people.
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. |
At first, I was nervous about how different the Australia school system would be, but when I got to UWA I was so surprised at how helpful the staff was, and how easy they made it for the international students to adapt. The professors were very knowledgeable and the workload was easy to manage. The exams weren't too different in difficulty and I had no trouble being successful even with a different system. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
All of the TEAN staff was incredible. When we first got to Australia and had our orientation, they did a great job of making us feel welcome and introducing us to the new country. Halfway through the semester, I went on a TEAN lead trip to Thailand, and the 2 leaders of the excursion really made the trip incredible. They knew so much and had so many things to tell us about their culture, but also things to teach us that gave us a greater understanding of the country as a whole. In my host city of Perth, we had an employee that took us on trips around the city to show us around but also be there to help with any and all issues we had during our semester. Having studied abroad in Perth and being from the US herself, she was very helpful and could relate to our current situations. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived at St Thomas More residential College and I loved it. I lived with not only Aussies but also so many other international students. This showed me so many different cultures and traditions, and I learned a lot from all the amazing people I met. I also loved how they had college-wide social events so we go to know each other better. Located right across the street from the university, and just a few minutes from the beach and the city, it was a great place to live. |
| * Food: |
Food was served at my residential college, and although it was good, the options weren't always the best. For people with dietary restrictions, I could see that they sometimes had difficulty finding things to eat that would follow their guidelines. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Living in college, I got to live with many Australians and learn a lot about the similarities and differences between there and America. I made lifelong friends that I still keep in touch with today. Perth had so many art and music festivals that we really saw the cities culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
n/a |
| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe in the city, and although not a city girl, it definitely was a place I always felt comfortable and excited to be there. As with anywhere else, students shouldn't wander around by themselves, but the overall crime of the city is very low. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I couldn't have picked a better program for me, and can't imagine how different my trip would have been if I went somewhere else. Everything from my host city to university to the TEAN program itself was exactly what I needed to be successful. |
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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 175 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure to check with your bank to see if you will have foreign charges while using it, but also that you won't have added fees if you transfer or take out money, you will want those extra dollars for something more fun. As best as you can try to keep a budget, but also have extra money saves just in case a trip opportunity comes up, or so when you get home you have a cusion. |
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 wish I had not spent my first week in my room afraid to put myself out there, and started making friends sooner. |
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. |
