Student Experiences
Letters from Abroad
Dear Study Abroad,
We have had a great time in Australia so far! We both live on campus in Hawthorn, which is one of the suburbs of Melbourne. The city is only a short train ride away and there's so much to do and see there. We've gone on tons of adventures including zip lining in the forest, a sunset harbor cruise, seen the Sydney Opera House, swam with the fish in the reef, and plenty of shopping. We've both had a chance to see some of Australia's native animals and get up close and personal with kangaroos and koalas. For our semester break we went to New Zealand with 3 of the friends we've made here and drove a camper around the whole South Island. We saw tons of sheep, mountains, and glaciers. This past weekend we spent the day in the sun at the Caulfield Cup Horse Races, which is part of the local spring carnival. We've met and made friends with people from Australia, the US, and all over the world. We've experienced Australian culture and share some of our culture with them as well. It's been heaps of fun!
Cheers,
Amy Regnier & Hayley Sheridan
Melbourne, Australia
Swinburne University of Technology
Fall 2012
Student Spotlight
"After taking Spanish for four years, and still not fluent, I was eager to go abroad and fully immerse myself in a Spanish speaking country. After visiting the study abroad office and learning about the San Sebastián exchange program, I realized it was the ideal program for a full immersion experience. Situated on the coast of Northern Spain, in the Basque region near the border of France, San Sebastián is a lively city with beautiful beaches. This program arranges for students to live in apartments with other students just walking distance from the university. Hoping to improve my Spanish, I inquired about possible home stay opportunities and the school referred me to an amazing family who has often housed foreign exchange students. Although I was nervous in the days leading up to my departure, upon my arrival I was immediately comforted by the friendly nature of the Basque people in this small beach town. My host family picked me up from the airport and drove me to their house that would soon become a second home for me. They were incredibly loving and kind; staying with a host family offered all the comforts of living at home paired with the freedom to enjoy my sojourn to the fullest. At the Universidad de Deusto, three of my four courses were taught in Spanish which contributed significantly to my improved comprehension of the language. Additionally, the university coordinated a variety of social events within the city that fostered new and lasting friendships for me. To this day, I am still so close with the friends I made at the Universidad de Deusto because of our shared experiences and love for Donostia. Known for its awesome surf spots, authentic cuisine and exciting nightlife, San Sebastián is an incredibly fun and beautiful city to spend a semester, or even better a year, studying. After my five month sojourn I am so happy to have gained this monumental experience and to have successfully achieved my goal of becoming fluent in Spanish."
Camile Jimenez
San Sebastian, Spain
Universidad de Deusto
Spring 2011
