The best four months of my entier life Past Review

By (Criminal Justice and Corrections., Western New England University) - abroad from 01/01/2014 to 04/18/2014 with

CISabroad (Center for International Studies): Gold Coast - Semester on the Gold Coast

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Studying abroad expands your horizons and provides you with an entirely new outlook on life. It was definitely worthwhile and I would love to have the opportunity to do it again.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

There was a lot of emphasis put on research and proper formatting and citations. Classes consisted of two sessions per week consisting of a lecture and a shorter tutorial in which key lecture topics were discussed in further detail.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Jackie Chapman is awesome! She was always available and more than willing to help with anything we needed. Couldn't have done it without her!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The living arrangments were very good. Accommodation Centre was simple but got the job done. Afterall, most of my time was spent out of my room!

* Food:

Meal plans were not like they are here in the states. Meal dollars translate directly to regular dollars so you essentially pay the menu price for every meal. Depending on what you order it can be expensive.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There was just so much to do and so much to see that I felt at home in no time.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

There was only one doctor on campus and it was hard to schedule a timely appointment.

* Safety:

Your safety off-campus entirely depends on your conduct. If you don't go out looking for trouble you generally won't encounter any.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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)

Australia is a very expensive place to be if you do not work there and earn their wages. Therefore, it is easy to burn through money if you're not careful. If you're smart with money managament and put in the time to calculate how much you can spend, you will be fine.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Probably around $200. But that includes averaging out travel expenses which will be different for everyone.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Bring at least $5,000 to be comfortable.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

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

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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 friends I made
  • The natural beauty of Australia
  • Bond University's campus
* What could be improved?
  • An included CIS-sponsored trip at the end of the semester.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had taken advantage of study abraod multiple times and didn't wait until junior year to do it.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.