I joined this program for a billion reasons but for the sake of the people reading this I’ll try to shorten it down. After traveling to Spain on a family trip over the summer, I developed the travel bug. No one in my family had ever studied abroad but I couldn’t find a reason not too. Besides traveling, making new friends, and living my life to the fullest...I’ll be attending grad school in a year and they rank international work very high. Just a little added bonus :)
Alumni Spotlight: Taylor Courtney
Why did you choose this program?
What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
Salisbury University does a fantastic job taking most of the organization out of my hands. My only tasks consisted of getting a few forms signed, a few phone calls with the global experiences team (resume prep, skill building, etc.), and then completing an interview for my internship. The school was very supportive and made sure I was on top of my tasks. They were always there to answer my questions and put me at ease.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
I have 2 big pieces of advice
1. SAY YES TO EVERYTHING! Even if something isn’t up your alley, try something new. That being said, try to cross one big thing of your To Do list every week. Also, download the “Pin Drop” app. It marks everything you want to do on a map. SUPER CONVENIENT!
2. Don’t except an internship if it’s not exactly what you’re looking for. I personally loved my internship but one of my roommates didn’t step up and say that she didn’t like the internship they lined up for her. This program is extremely accommodating and will find an internship you’ll love. They’re really big on having a 10 out of 10 experience.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
My internship was very different in hours compared to everyone else. Most internships are 9-5 from Monday-Friday. Most days after work, I’d try to get together with the other people in the program and grab dinner or do a small activity. On the weekends I always tried to do something BIG. By doing this, I crossed off everything on my list!
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
My biggest fear was actually commuting to my job. I found out a month before going to Australia that my internship was 2 hours away by transit (most are local). I didn’t find out until the week before I got to Australia (when my boss emailed me) that she picks me up and drops me off from work 3 days of the week. Global experiences knew this too but I didn’t ask. I simply uberpooled (HIGHLY RECOMMEND) the other days. Most of the time I saved 50% off my Uber fee and they didn't pick anyone else up. I realized that commuting to work wasn’t even worth fearing. If you’re uneasy about something, talk to the global experiences staff or email your employer.
What were your favorite things you did in Australia?
-Camping in the Blue Mountains
-Figure 8 Pools
-Sydney Bridge Climb
-Great Barrier Reef (a little piece of advice, you’ll want 3-4 days here at least!)
-Melbourne Cup in Melbourne!
-Glow worm caves
-Holding a Koala and Feeding Kangaroos at the Gold Coast
-Grounds of Alexandria
-Wine tasting in Hunter Valley
-Chinese Garden of Friendship