As I smash out my last blog entry, I sit in the comfort of my own home once more. In fact, it’s already been two weeks since I’ve left Australian soil.
I bid goodbye to its hot Christmas in the summer and welcome back a California winter. I know, I know — “winter” as friends from the Midwest, east coast and Europe would then toss back to me.
As November comes to an end, so does my time here in Western Australia.
Classes and exams have officially wrapped up and I’ve spent the last week traveling to more parts of WA that I can get to with friends before we all jet off to our respective parts around the world.
Believe it or not, I’ll be on my last week of classes by the end of October! That’s followed by a week-long study break and then finals on four separate days throughout early November. And that wraps up my fall semester.
Crazy, right?
But before I really begin that countdown, I’d like to offer a few pointers for those who may be starting their journey for a semester abroad.
Continue reading “What I’ve Learned: Starting Your Semester Abroad Search”
“Are you happy with your decision to study in Australia?”
I remember answering the question with ease, the words falling out of my mouth as I spoke on the phone for an interview with The Daily Aztec. Since that conversation, it has occurred to me again the reasons why I decided to spend a semester abroad and I wanted to share them.
Around this time of the year in California, classes are just beginning to kick into full swing. A new semester brings on new routines and for some — myself included — the cafe-hopping habit makes its return.
Now in Perth, Australia, it’s the end of Week 7 and mid-semester exams are here. My last two weeks consisted of writing a literature review for my abnormal psychology class as well as studying for a biomechanics midterm. Most of my days were spent in either the campus library or my bedroom. It seems my studying routine has not been so cafe friendly this semester (the weekend brunches are entirely their own thing, of course).
Coming to that realization, I began to rack my brain for some differences I’ve picked up on as a student here in Western Australia.
Continue reading “Campus Culture Comparison: Murdoch and SDSU”
It’s been a little over a month since I’ve moved here and I’m slowly but surely falling in love with Western Australia. It helps that there are some striking features that remind me of home — sitting on the west coast of some kind, watching breathtaking sunsets at spectacular beaches.
And that’s exactly what I did two weeks ago. It happens to be one of my favorite days that I’ve spent here and I love looking back on it.
Growing up in sunny southern California, I am not accustomed to a lifestyle where the warmest weather maybe reaches 60 degrees for one hour and it rains on and off for days. A friend I made here who’s from Chicago definitely does not complain about the weather as much as I do.
Then there were days I felt absolutely restless. Other days I felt vaguely frustrated. I thought maybe I just needed a bit more sleep. Or a bit more caffeine in my system.
I began to recognize these were signs of being homesick kicking in as I traced back my frustrations. I wasn’t sure how to deal with it as it never truly sunk in when I first moved out for college. Then I received a timely e-mail from my health insurance provider about homesickness.
Cheers from Western Australia!
My name is Kat and I’m a kinesiology major now studying sport and exercise science at Murdoch University.
It’s been a few days since I’ve arrived in Perth and I’m still working on settling in. Honestly, it’s a slow and trying process but I’m optimistic even as I plod my way through my first week here.
This being my first time in Europe, I didn’t know what to expect. Without expectations to color my experience, Madrid is absolutely blowing me away.
I’ve been keeping a journal to record my travels and write about my activities every day, including my time volunteering and how I spend my free time. Each day has been an adventure with new surprises!
As I write this on my final flight back to the U.K. from Berlin, I can’t help but reflect on all the experiences I’ve had and the people I’ve met these past few months of being abroad. I’m blessed to have a group of women here who share the same love for knowledge, adventure and (most importantly) incredible food as me. I now have friends from the U.K., the Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark and Australia. I only hope they’ve grown from me half as much as I’ve grown from them.
Continue reading “Everything I Won’t Miss About Studying Abroad”
The global experience, as told by SDSU students 