Life-changing and eye-opening! Past Review
By Morgan R (Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services, University of Northern Colorado) - abroad from 02/16/2015 to 05/29/2015 with
University of Canberra: Canberra - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned so much more about myself than I thought I would. The biggest thing I'll remember is that I can be happy on my own and without the approval of others. You meet so many different types while abroad and it's okay to not necessarily like each and every one of them, but you still need to realize how to get along with them.
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. |
UC was so different from my home Uni in that most of the classes are very "self-led." You don't see a lot of busy work throughout the semester. Instead, you'll have 2-4 big assignments or exams for each class. Classes are structured more for discussion and it is expected that the material covered in class has been read prior to class time. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The UC study abroad staff was so kind and helpful! Especially at the beginning of the semester when things are still a bit confusing. They were so welcoming and they'll help you with just about anything. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Weeden Lodge was nice, but it was kind of a bummer that the windows didn't open. It is also about a 20 minute walk from campus, but it is closer to the grocery stores/mall. |
| * Food: |
I cooked for myself while in Canberra, but the only "meal plan" available in Weeden was a truck stop/cafe type place downstairs. It seemed better suited for snacks and drinks than full, healthy meals. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Being on exchange, you meet mostly other international students. This is wonderful, but having more involvement from the UC buddies would have been fun. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never had a health issue, but UC has an on-campus student health center. |
| * Safety: |
I feel incredibly safe here in Canberra. Even walking around near Weeden at night isn't scary. |
| 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) |
Yes, living in Australia is more expensive. That's just a fact. But it was still possible to live pretty cheaply here. Especially if you don't buy a lot of alcohol or junk food; the healthy food here is a bit cheaper! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100-150 AUD per week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Set aside a portion of each paycheck for your trip. You'll be surprised how fast it'll stack up! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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? | RELAX. Everything will work itself out once you get here. Don't worry about the tiny details before you arrive. |
