November 2019
G’day, mates!
Welcome back to the Center for International Programs’ study abroad blog, where we explore new countries and give updates on fun, upcoming study abroad related events and activities each month. The first installation of this blog series was such a blast to make, so it’s super exciting to continue sharing this project with everyone.
As you may have guessed from the rather obvious and iconic greeting at the beginning, this month’s featured country is Australia. It would seem safe to assume that Aussieland doesn’t need much of an introduction, so let’s skip the dawdling and see everything the Land Down Under has to offer!
Monthly Country Feature: Australia w/ Lyndsey
Australia is a very unique country with tons of geographical and cultural diversity to it. The modern and beautiful coastal cities that contain most of the island’s population contrast so distinctly with the wide expanses of nearly desolate grasslands of the Outback. Current Global Ambassador, Lyndsey, is going to take us through her own Australian experience from a few months ago.
Why don’t you start by introducing yourself and your study abroad experience.
Hey, I’m Lyndsey Michelsen, a junior studying at WCU. It took me a little bit to decide where I wanted to study abroad; I first thought I’d go somewhere in Europe, but I also knew I wanted to go somewhere with easy access to the ocean, so in the long run I ended up going to Perth, Australia. I studied at a university there for the entirety of spring semester in 2019, which lasted for 18 weeks from February to June.
What kinds of things did you learn while abroad; about the country, about the world, about yourself, etc.?
The thing I learned the most about was definitely myself. While I was abroad, I found out I could be a lot more independent and self-sufficient than I gave myself credit for. Since I was out of my comfort zone so often, I would constantly force myself to take more risks and seize more opportunities, and I learned to love adventuring and trying new things. It was also really fun to learn about Australian culture and their way of life. I met so many cool people, and so many of them place a lot of importance on things like sustainability and environmentalism, which was really refreshing to see.
What was your favorite landmark or attraction you got to visit?
Funny enough, my favorite place I got to see wasn’t actually even in Australia. There was a period during my trip that I got to visit the island of Nusa Penida in Indonesia. Thanks to the brilliant blue ocean and amazing landscapes, the island had some of the most beautiful scenery I’d ever seen in my life. The people we met there were so kind and caring too, and the food was amazing as well, so it was just an all-around incredible trip. I of course still loved my time in Australia, but Nusa Penida was something special.
Was there anything about the country you visited that felt very different or strange compared to your home country?
Australia obviously shares its language with the US, but there was still an interesting kind of language barrier thanks to the heavy accents and really unfamiliar slang people used there. Things like McDonalds being called “Maccas” or gas stations known as “servos” was really challenging to get used to. Aside from the vocabulary issues, there were some interesting cultural differences too. Everything in Australia was so “green”; it was nearly impossible to find plastic bottles anywhere, and you’d have to pay for disposable bags at the grocery store if you didn’t bring your own reusable ones. One final weird thing that stood out to me was the fact that people didn’t have to pay for their gas until after they were done pumping. A rule like that would never fly here in the States, so it was so weird to see how honest everyone was over there.
Describe the tastiest piece of foreign cuisine you tried while abroad.
They may not seem like much at first glance, but I’d have to go with a snack food called Tim Tams. They were these tiny little wafer cookies dipped in chocolate, and they came with a huge selection of different flavored fillings. They could be eaten on their own or dipped in coffee or tea as a kind of biscuit, but either way they were super delicious. One other thing I need to mention are some different kinds of Australian chips. While they weren’t necessarily my favorite thing to eat while I was there, they were definitely notable to bring up because of all the cool and weird flavors that were available. The best kind were the chicken flavored ones because they surprisingly did kind of taste like chicken.
Is there anything else you want to talk about your study abroad experience that wasn’t addressed in any of the previous questions?
Getting to travel to a country that is relatively similar to the US was so strange because of how similar yet dissimilar everything felt at the same time. I heard from a lot of people that studying abroad in an English-speaking country is a bad idea since everything is basically the “same,” but that couldn’t be further from the truth. There are always enough cultural differences between the two places that it’s still a super cool and informative experience, so I just really think anyone who’s thinking about studying abroad shouldn’t let other people sway their opinions, and also shouldn’t be afraid to try new things and learn more about yourself.
Upcoming Events/Deadlines
With Thanksgiving break right around the corner and the semester getting ready to wind down for the year, there isn’t much in the way of school-wide events for the near future. But that doesn’t mean you study abroad enthusiasts should be slacking; far from it!
Winter break is fast approaching, so that means many of you are likely to soon start heading off on your own study abroad adventures. And those of you with trips planned for the spring, many of your deadlines are coming up, and it will also be your own time to depart before you know it.
Conclusion
This concludes the second edition of the WCU CIP study abroad blog. Thank you for stopping by, and stay tuned for the next post that’s scheduled to drop during finals week. Until next time, my friends.
Catch you later!
West Chester University Education Abroad 