Monthly Archives: October 2019

Thank you Reading Abroad!

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After a long flight and a couple days recovering from the jet lag, it didn’t take long to settle in. Curtin University has been by far one of the friendliest places I’ve ever been. Everyone has been so accommodating and are very understanding that studying abroad can be quite a big deal, especially for those who have never travelled alone before. There are so many services available to all students for when you’re struggling academically, financially or personally and these are discussed openly by staff and student representatives.

As I arrived early, our accommodation team (UniLodge) arranged several activities to help everyone get to know one another as new people began to arrive. These included a silent disco, speed friending, pancake breakfasts, make your own wraps and a tour of the city.

These events helped me to settle in much faster and I’ve been able to meet students from all over the world, including those from Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, USA, Vietnam, China, etc.

The following week was our Orientation where the campus was bustling with fun events which you could book online with a personalised planner. I attended several tours, another speed friending, a volunteering information session and an official Aboriginal welcome which included a fascinating smoking ceremony by the Elder of the Whadjuk Nyungar tribe. What I found most admirable was how each staff member and student ambassador would pause before their talk to pay their respects to the Whadjuk Nyungar elders past, present and emerging and acknowledged their ownership of the land which the university was built upon.

At the end of the week, we took a trip to Caversham Wildlife Park to meet some adorable Australian animals!

The campus is absolutely beautiful and covered in art, which makes me very happy! Furthermore, it is a very green and environmentally friendly place with a strong emphasis on outside living which is understandable as the weather has been so lovely!

My advice to those considering study abroad is to not overload yourself and to take it easy. It’s very tempting to sign up to several guilds (societies/ clubs), take the maximum amount of units as well as to book in several trips. I did this and am now trying my best to simplify it all down. Remember you are here to study but also to embrace the culture you’ve decided to immerse yourself in so keep in mind the work-life balance we should all be aiming for.

Studying abroad is a great way to take a fresh look at your studies, to try units/ modules not available back home and to perfect your work- life balance. I never would have thought I’d be taking a virtual reality course but I already love it. In short, studying abroad has been like a fresh start for me and has really boosted my passion for my course. Everyone’s experience will be different but it is a very valuable thing to do and a great opportunity no matter where you go or what you study. Thank you Reading Abroad!         

I have had an incredible time so far studying abroad

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The last of Alicia’s Blogs. See her testimonial at https://studyabroad.reading.ac.uk/testimonials/i-will-cherish-for-the-rest-of-my-life/

I am now halfway through my year studying abroad at the University of Melbourne and the time has flown by! I have loved my time so far and have had some incredible experiences that I wouldn’t have been able to have without this opportunity. I have also met some amazing people but have sadly had to say goodbye to a few as they were only studying abroad for a term. We are keeping in contact though and I now have excuses to travel to even more countries. I have also had the opportunity to travel around Australia and have had an amazing time exploring this incredible country with the friends I have made here.

The first term ended with exams which were quite stressful, especially as mine were on consecutive days, and we were all very relieved when they were over. The exams are held in the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne which is a picturesque World Heritage Site-listed building that is lovely to visit outside of exam season but is very daunting when you do have exams. It can hold hundreds of students so it was more of a struggle to find your seat number than it was to take the exam itself. Exams were all over by 16th November though so we didn’t have to suffer for too long before we were finished for the term and able to go travelling. My friends and I decided to travel up the east coast of the country and the day after exams had finished we flew to Sydney. We spent several days in Sydney and visited the landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and walked over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We also did the famous Coogee to Bondi coastal walk and, as avid fans of the Australian TV programme Bondi Rescue, spent some time exploring Bondi beach and trying to spot the lifeguards from the show, with little success. We then hired a car in Sydney and drove up to Newcastle where we relaxed on the beach and visited some friends who were currently living up there. From Newcastle we drove to Port Macquarie where we explored the area before heading off to Coffs Harbour. From there we headed to Byron Bay which had some of the most stunning beaches and we spent several days lounging on them before heading up to the Gold Coast.

At the University I had joined the Cheer and Dance society and became a member of the MU Capri Pom team. We had our national championship in the Gold Coast so I stayed in the area whilst my friends continued to travel up the coast. The competition was huge and teams from all over the country as well as internationally came to compete. In our category we came 2nd which I was very proud of and I thoroughly enjoyed the competition as well as being a member of the team. I spent several days celebrating with the team in the Gold Coast then met my friends again to travel back down to Sydney. We drove down to Sydney just in time to be caught in the worst storm it had seen in decades and were forced to spend an additional day in Sydney. We then flew back to Melbourne and made it just in time before my friends had to fly back home. I have had an incredible time so far studying abroad and I can’t wait to start the next term!

I am loving every second of it

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The first of Alicia’s Blogs. See her testimonial at https://studyabroad.reading.ac.uk/testimonials/i-will-cherish-for-the-rest-of-my-life/

 

It has been a month since I arrived in Australia to commence my year studying at the University of Melbourne and so far I am loving every second of it. Melbourne is a very diverse city that is made up of lots of unique suburbs. I am staying in the suburb of Carlton which is just outside of the Central Business District so there is always lots to do and lots of shops and restaurants located conveniently nearby. There is also a very good tram system in Melbourne so I have been able to explore some of the other suburbs, such as St Kilda and Fitzroy, in my free time and I intend to do more exploring in the future. The weather in Melbourne is also a characteristic of the city, it is often said that you can experience four seasons in a day and I am still not used to how quickly the weather can change. It was quite cold when I first arrived here, as it was the middle of winter, but now it is beginning to warm up and I’m excited for all the BBQs that I’ve heard so much about.

  

The University campus is astounding. Parts of it are very old, with buildings that are similar to those at Oxford or Cambridge, but there are also many new buildings with amazing resources. I have a lot of my tutorials in the business building, known as The Spot, which was recently built and has an incredible lecture theatre, as well as a state of the art library specifically for business and economics books. Studying at the University of Melbourne has given me the opportunity to take courses that are not provided at Reading, such as Neuromarketing, which I am really enjoying. I have also been able to join new societies and clubs and I am part of the student exchange club and film club where I have been able to meet many new people.

    

I have also had a fab time exploring Melbourne with the friends I have made here. We have been to visit the famous Laneways and have been to watch a game of Australian Rules Footy which is great to watch even though we weren’t very good at following the game. We have also been down to the beach and explored Chinatown and Little Italy. I live nearby the well-known Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne and they run a winter night market throughout winter that has live music and lots of food stalls that we love to visit. It is also Melbourne Film Festival here at the moment and we have been to one of the events which was amazing and took place in the biggest cinema I have ever seen. We have also been to several bars and clubs and have plans to go on a party cruise along the Yarra River at the end of the month. We also have plans to visit Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef in our half term break in the middle of September and lots of plans to travel at the end of the term. Overall, I am having a fantastic time here and I don’t think a year will be long enough!