Aussie Adventures: Prepping You for Down Under!

By Honor Cessford, Australian National University

Things I wish I knew before moving to Australia

If you are considering studying down under, here are several things I wish I had known before I moved to Australia:

Australia is Vast and Diverse: Covering over three million square miles, Australia’s size rivals that of the entire European continent. This significant size has implications for travel and transportation so is necessary to keep it in mind when planning trips & transportation.

Australia’s Varied Climate: Contrary to the assumption that Australia is always warm, there are distinct seasons. Winters can be quite cold, especially in places like Canberra where temperatures can drop significantly – when I landed in July it was -5 degrees! If you are after a warmer climate, Brisbane enjoys a tropical climate, while Melbourne is infamous for its “four seasons in one day.”

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My First Australian Road Trip

By Laura Docherty, University of New South Wales, Australia

Having been in Sydney for over a month now, I have really started to settle in and get to grips with life down under! I wanted to make sure I use my free time as wisely as possible whilst I’m here and go on as many trips as I can; the first of which was a road trip down the coast to Jervis Bay. 

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My experience of housing in Melbourne

By Ezmee Wyatt, University of Melbourne, Australia

This is a view of the Yarra River, which was right next to my hostel.

This is my first blog post after being in Melbourne for just over 2 months. I arrived on the 8th of July after a 24-hour flight, and felt ready to embark on this adventure. It has been such a whirlwind of experiences; I have only now found time to sit down and begin to reflect.

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Manly- A New Beach Spot!

By Mia Campbell, University of New South Wales, Australia

Moving to the other side of the world, it is easy to become a sheep; following the tourist hot spots which Bondi and Coogee have to offer. Since I have been here, by meeting new people and becoming more integrated with the local community this has opened me up to other less typical treasures Sydney has to offer.

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Things I WISH I knew and SORTED before I arrived in Sydney

By Mia Campbell, University of New South Wales, Australia

Studying abroad on the other side of the world is already daunting, so it is important to feel at home swiftly. Admittedly this does take time, but the list I will commence is a faster next step in the right direction.

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🌆 5 Essential Things to Do As Soon as You Arrive in Melbourne 🌆

by Emily Fujii Kyriakidou, University of Melbourne, Australia

Capturing the Pulse of Melbourne

Hello future scholars in Melbourne! 🎓 This city is a treasure trove of cultural richness and educational prowess. Before diving into all it offers, here are five essential tasks to get you started:

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The Blue Mountains

by Mia Campbell, University of New South Wales, Australia

Less than a two hour train journey from Sydney Central you digress from the cosmopolitan city life to the Blue Mountains. Here lies vast tropical forests and extensive scenic views of the mountain peaks. I asked myself what gives this national park this name, when surely the leaf green and vibrant coloured birds (which on this day decided to be particularly vocal by the way) I would consider as a better fit. The Blue Mountains are renowned for its eucalyptus trees which emit a blue haze. Standing at Echo point lookout (three sisters) my presumptions concerning the name were well and truly conquered.

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Tips and tricks for moving to Sydney

By Laura Docherty, University of New South Wales, Australia

Sydney Harbour and Opera House

I have now been in Sydney for one week – and so much has happened already! I have begun to settle in by making some new friends, finally finding an apartment(!) and having my first lecture. After leaving my parents at Heathrow with a few teary goodbyes I had the 11.5 hour journey to Bangkok followed by a 9 hour flight to Sydney, so it’s safe to say I was exhausted when I arrived at my hostel. However, the view of Coogee beach from our window made up for it! I met up with a few girls from Manchester and went to do some touristy things on my first day; Sydney harbour bridge, the Opera House and the botanical gardens. There was also a massive list of admin-type things I had to get done on arrival, such as getting a new sim, opening a bank account, sorting out a tax number and getting my student card. I think I have been dealing fairly well with the move so far – so here are a few of my tips for moving alone to the other side of the world!

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The Real Sydney? : My First Module

By Mia Campbell, University of New South Wales, Australia

‘The First Invasion’ Painting at The Museum of Sydney

I arrived in Sydney last week, studying at the University of New South Wales and to my pleasant surprise (not initially) I have to study an extra module as an international student. Although, before I mistakenly identified myself as a sloppy student willing to do the bare minimum: it goes without saying this module has really opened my eyes to the Real Sydney and what it has to offer. ‘Sydney History and Crime’ has allowed me to develop my previous ideas of this city: gorgeous, vibrant, with a wide array of beaches and a winter climate ridiculing the UK’s current summer. I now recognise that Sydney possesses these qualities and more, and I feel indebted to this university for showing me that so early on.

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Building a Life Abroad

By Tara Brougham, University of Melbourne, Australia

I arrived in Melbourne for my exchange nearly 3 weeks ago, and the last three weeks have been a whirlwind of meeting new people, getting to grips with classes in another academic system and all the (sometimes boring) life admin you have to do to live somewhere new. The vast number of things I needed to do once I had arrived in Melbourne was overwhelming, so the aim of this post is to make it that little bit easier for anyone else embarking on exchange, particularly in Australia.

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Snorkelling with Sharks

By Amani Bates, The University of Western Australia, Australia

The idea of swimming with sharks might sound a bit daunting, but Whale Sharks are the tamest type of shark you could hope to interact with. That’s why I took a punishing 18-hour bus ride from Perth to Exmouth to go diving in the Ningaloo Reef…

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Arriving down under

by Ffion Davies, University of Queensland, Australia

I have always loved travelling and visiting new places, meeting new people etc, so the international exchange programme seemed perfect for me. Australia is a place I’ve always wanted to visit, from a very young age. I’m hoping to do some travelling during my time here. Queensland has some breath-taking beaches that I would love to visit. I also would love to go to other countries that are nearby such as New Zealand.

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