Why did you choose this program?
I chose this program because I felt that Sydney offered everything I was looking for as a destination to study abroad. I was interested in experiencing city living, as well as taking classes at a large university (to experience a contrast to my small home uni). Additionally, Sydney is known for its beaches and laidback culture, which I was super exited to experience first hand. I loved being in the city and having everything be so accessible to me, with all of my favorite things just a walk or short bus ride away! I found myself exploring the beaches, the mountains, and walking around the many farmers market the city has.
In a more practical sense, I also figured that living in Sydney for 5 months as opposed to visiting Australia for a holiday would be a lot more worthwhile considering the distance, travel time, and expenses. I found that it was very valuable to be able to have Sydney as my "home-base" for a substantial amount of time, as it allowed me to visit many other countries and places in Australia that I would have never otherwise had the opportunity to travel to had I just gone to Sydney for a short vacation.
What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
TEAN assisted me with the majority of aspects regarding my education abroad experience. They helped me with securing my student VISA, took care of my health insurance, gave guidance on booking flights, provided a pre-departure orientation as well as an amazing on-ground orientation week in Cairns, Australia at the Great Barrier Reef. In addition to this, the program also took care of securing student housing for me, which was a huge help because finding a place to stay in Sydney as a student can be extremely challenging and costly. After I arrived in Sydney, they helped me get acclimated to my University and provided a number of activities throughout the semester that were included in the program and were a great opportunity to take advantage of!
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
I would recommend to save up a lot more than you are expecting to! Not only is Sydney an expensive city to live in, but there are also so many more opportunities for traveling and experiences that I had realized or financially prepared for. By saving up and preparing to spend a lot, you are able to give yourself more financial freedom and less stress during your time abroad. It is so important to feel like you can live in abundance and fully experience everything to its greatest potential instead of worrying or limiting yourself in what you can partake in. That being said, if you can swing it, spend it! Money is best spent on experiences you will never forget, and will always come back to you:)
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
Typically, I would wake up and go for a morning walk to a local cafe to get an outstanding coffee (what a great start to my day!). After this, I would return to my apartment and get ready to head over to campus, which was a convenient 15 minute walk away. After class, sometimes I would take the bus to the beach and spend the rest of my afternoon enjoying the beautiful weather, or I would head back to my apartment to do some school work or go to the gym. On the weekends, I could always be found going to the farmers market, the beach, or the Blue Mountains. I also loved grabbing dinner with friends or my roommates, where we loved to head to Spice Alley or Newtown to dine at some of the best restaurants! We also loved to end our night with some frozen yoghurt (I highly recommend Yo-Chi)
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Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
Going into my experience, the biggest fear I had was my housing accommodation. I was most nervous for living with 7 other people and having to share a room and common area with so many people. I overcame this fear simply by going into the experience with no expectations and trying to remain as open as possible. Once I got settled into my apartment, met my roommates, and got accustomed to my new life and routine, my view changed significantly and my fear subsided. I actually grew to love living with so many people! It was so nice to always have people to do things with and know a solid number of individuals while learning to navigate a completely new city and country.
Write and answer your own question.
The city of Sydney has so much to offer and always has extremely cool things going on! Make sure to take advantage of the countless of free activities and experiences you will find in Sydney. Time Out Sydney has some of the best recommendations for restaurants, cafes, and how to spend your weekends. Each week they update their top things to do, and share some of the best information about the city!