Amazingly fulfilling! Past Review

By (University of Central Florida) - abroad from 05/12/2018 to 07/14/2018 with

The Education Abroad Network (TEAN): Australia Internship Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned everything I could from my supervisors and co-workers! They taught me how to properly prepare diets for most of the animals, how to properly handle animals that were fragile, how to diagnose some illness and how to administer medicine to treat ill animals.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I learned a lot during my time abroad! My supervisors and co-workers were very welcoming and allowed me to join them on tasks above my skill level such as recreating enclosures, checking and diagnosing animals for illnesses and administering medicine.This internship solidified my dreams of becoming a wildlife rehabilitator!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

My supervisors and co-workers were all very open and easy to communicate with! I never hesitated o speak to anyone about any concerns I was having regarding my internship. In fact, I asked to work an extra day because I enjoyed my internship so much!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in a sharehouse with 6 other girls. I had my own room but shared 2 bathrooms, a kitchen and a living area with the other girls. Luckily, all the girls I lived with were very friendly, clean and fun to talk to! We all became great friends! The sharehouse company staff was also very attentive. They had an emergency call line for any concerns after hours and they also had a security come by every night to make sure everyone was okay. The sharehouse was very secure and cozy.

* Food:

Surprisingly, I did not have to buy all of my meals throughout my specific internship program. The parks I worked at had employee lunches and I was considered part of the staff so I got free lunch every day at work! I was absolutely delicious! Apart from that, any food that I bought in restaurants or at the grocery store was great quality and very tasty!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It was extremely easy to get accustomed to the Australian lifestyle! Everyone is very active and friendly but they don't get in your business. There are a mixture of cultures residing in Australia so its always fun to learn from communicating with other people.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I personally did not need any emergency healthcare other than buying cold/flu medicine from the local pharmacy. I had a simple cold during my internship and it passed by fairly quick. I did not need any vaccines for my program.

* Safety:

I always felt safe in Australia. The sharehouse that I lived in had security coming in during the night to check the premises and I would see law enforcement throughout the city during the day. I never heard of any incidents in my host city.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I interned in Cairns, Queensland for two months at Rainforestation Nature Park, Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Dome and the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary. As a biology major, working at these three parks solidified my dreams of becoming a wildlife rehabilitator. I was able to work with the animals everyday, learning everything I could from my supervisors. I am so glad that TEAN actually took my interests and future goals into consideration when looking for a placement for me; it felt so amazing to finally be able to take that first step towards my future career and help exotic animals.

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)

Interning abroad is not a cheap experience but it is well worth it!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The animals I worked with
  • The internship itself
  • The city
* What could be improved?
  • Everything was amazing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how to ride bike so I could ride around the city and get to see more of it!

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!