UTS Think Global

The Danish Girl 2.0

May 3, 2016

I have been on a UTS Global Exchange in Denmark for about four months now.

Where is Denmark you say? Good question, you really have to squint at the World Map to find it. Denmark’s only border is with Germany, and if you can imagine the outline of Norway and Sweden forming the open maw of a beast, then Denmark would be devoured first.

Denmark compared to Australia

You may have heard about Denmark making headlines in the news earlier this year for its stringent refugee policies and paradoxically that they were named the happiest place to live in the world, for the second time in a row. Why am I bringing up news? Because I am currently studying in Denmark’s second largest city, Aarhus at the Danish School of Media and Journalism or Danmarks Medie- og Journalisthøjskole. Quite a mouthful, and just so you know, I still can’t pronounce the street I live at.

ARoS: Aarhus’ Museum of Contemporary Art (Yes you can walk in the rainbow)

Since my arrival to the land of the Vikings, I have tried to become as Danish as possible in the following ways:

1) Biking: Biking is a way of life in Denmark. This is similar to other European countries such as Holland. The difference between cycling in a city like Amsterdam and cycling Aarhus or Copenhagen is that Denmark isn’t as flat. There is no doubt that the Danes have Viking ancestors. They bike every day, every way, rain or shine. I bought a second-hand bike for my stay, and it has proved both challenging, rewarding and a great way to feel a part of Danish culture.

Drinking games in Denmark involve tree stumps, hammers and nails, SKAL to that!

2) ‘Friday bar’ and BEER: Friday Bar is exactly what it sounds like. Each University faculty has their own ‘Friday Bar’, which opens at 2 pm every Friday. Speak to anyone about their plans for Friday and it goes along the lines of people saying: ‘I’m going to Friday bar for starters,’ (As if there was only one ‘Friday bar’ in the entire city). Danes are also very proud of their beer and beer drinking. Expect to drink a lot of Carlsberg, Tuborg and Ceres.

3) Danish cuisine- its more than just ‘Danishes’!: Danish cuisine is more than just meat, potatoes, and sauce. Well, it isn’t really, but here are a couple of my favorites. The Fransk Hotdog: a kind of Danish fast food/street food cuisine. It is basically a hollowed out toasted baguette with sauces of your choice and a hot dog in that. It is food you can eat with one hand and there are virtually no sauce spillages. The Bøfsandwich is the Danish take on a hamburger. It includes several sauces, pickles, beetroot, raw onions, grilled onions and even crispy roasted onions (something you can only find in Scandinavia, much to my disappointment). This is then topped off with traditional brown sauce- kind of like gravy but not even close. Other highlights include drømekage AKA Dream Cake, koldskål- kind of like cereal except with little biscuits. And of course, the danishes are bigger, better and more delicious.

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4) Wearing black: Scandinavians wear A LOT of black.

Supporting AGF, Aarhus’ football team, this is Aros the mascot 🙂

Beer and all black aesthetic at the football

5) Travelling around Denmark- because why not? Having been to Europe before, I wanted to see parts of Denmark. Aarhus to most Northern point of Denmark is about 3 hours away, and in takes about that same time to drive South and end up in Germany. The country is SMALL. I have been to the capital, Copenhagen on the island of Sjælland (Zealand). Odense, home the Hans Christian Andersen on the island of Fyn. And on the mainland Jylland (or Jutland) my friends and I road tripped to Billund, Aalborg, Hirtshals, Frederikshavn, and Skagen where you can go to the most Northern point: Grenen, a long skinny sandbar where you can see the intersection of 2 seas, Skagerrak, and Kattegat.

I now have two more months in Denmark, and with the change of season from winter to spring I have seen wildflowers of every colour bloom. (It has also snowed in April…typical Denmark). As it gets warmer, more Danes come out of their seeming winter-hibernation phase. This means BBQs, trips to the seaside (Aarhus has a seaside!), visits to the reindeer park and music festivals. One music festival in Aarhus I volunteered at was called SPOT festival that exhibits an array of upcoming Scandinavian music and bands.

Reindeer park!

For those who had no idea about Denmark, I hope this blog post has been interesting and for all those planning of thinking of going on an exchange to Denmark, DO IT!

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Emily Mundzic 99130383
The Madrileña Life

May 3, 2016

Hola! It has been nearly 4 months since I packed my bags and flew 32 hours to complete my exchange program at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid in Spain.

I’ve been living in Sol, right in the heart of Madrid with 11 other flatmates from all different corners of the world. The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) also organised a lot of events for the incoming international students for everyone to meet one another and embrace the Spanish culture (including dinners, parties and a trip to see flamenco). Through these and in my classes, I’ve made some really good friends.

Madrid is a great place to be as a student. It’s affordable and there is always something to do. There are lots of narrow streets lined with cafes and tapas bars with fantastic food. (from tapas and churros to even the cafe con leches). Fiestas and siestas are a real concept here! It’s taken some time to get used to – they take their nightlife very seriously but it’s nevertheless an exciting vibe to be around.

I’ve also taken some trips around Spain, including a trip to San Sebastian with the university, and in Europe – Switzerland, Ireland, Portugal and I just got back from Holland a few days ago! The best way to do this is to arrange your timetable so your classes are 3 consecutive days with a 4-day weekend (I only have classes from Monday to Wednesday!). I’m looking forward to seeing more of Europe during the summer once my semester finishes.

I would recommend for anyone to study in Madrid – it’s a vibrant city with a rich culture that is so vastly different from Australia. Ultimately, this exchange has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

Below are a few snapshots of my exchange experience so far!

Palacio de Cristal in El Retiro (the Central Park of Madrid)

Hiking trip to La Pedriza – about an hour outside of Madrid

Churros con chocolate!!

The sun setting in Puerta de Sol – the centre of Madrid (usually the meeting hub before a night out)

Annemarie Stein (12001463) | http://travelbeautyandwhatilearnt.wordpress.com
Exchange in Uppsala

May 2, 2016

Uppsala is the 4th biggest city in Sweden and the biggest student town, located only an hour out of the capital city Stockholm. I arrived in mid January and boy was it cold! Coming straight from the Australian summer into the middle of winter where temperatures could hit -20 was definitely an experience!

I soon however fell into the exchange lifestyle and have loved every minute of it. Uppsala University has 13 Student ‘nations’ which are basically Student Clubs. I joined Snerikes nation which meant i got discounts on most Snerikes events, but it also allowed me access to all the other nations which included breakfasts, lunches, dinners, pubs, gasques, and clubs. The Nations is what gives Uppsala a buzz. There is always something fun going on, and lots of fun amazing people to share the experiences with.

I stayed at the Flogsta accommodation. Definitely the place to be for student life (though don’t expect a spotless kitchen as you will be sharing with 12 people!) There are corridor parties at least a few times a week as well as lots of pre-drinks before the clubs. You get your own big room with a desk and your own toilet so it was really perfect. Most people buy a bike for about 600 krona (approximately 100 dollars) and take a 15 minute ride into town when necessary.

Aside from partying and Fika-ing (cake and coffee which the Swedes love), there are plenty of other things to do like ice skating on the frozen lake, rock climbing, board games at the nations, trekking, football, you name it. Most students make the journey up to the town of Kiruna and/ or Abisko National Park in hope of seeing the Northern Lights, as well as riding a snow mobile and dog sledding. That was truly an amazing experience which i highly recommend!

I studied EU criminal law, and Law and Economics. My favourite part about studying was being in a class with people from all over the world. Each had their own perspectives on law and it was fascinating hearing about how the other systems worked.

I have truly loved my time here and have had some of the best months of my life. I’ve made life long friends from all over the world, and have been lucky enough to travel other parts of Europe during my study breaks, such as when i went to Spain over easter. I would encourage anyone considering exchange to take the plunge. You certainly wont regret it!

Stephen Mcloughlin – Student number: 12022556
Maastricht – The Netherlands

May 2, 2016

Today I am writing a happy Blog about my exchange semester in Maastricht – The Netherlands.

I have been here for just over 3 months and I can honestly say it has been one of the best experiences in my life. Maastricht is a small, quaint town with lots of little hidden cafes, bars and local dutch ins and outs. The university itself is situated all over the city and everyday you see students buzzing past on their bicycles to quickly make it to class. Here they use PBL which is an alternative way of learning but definitely keeps all the exchange students on the ball!

I have really enjoyed my Exchange Semester for many important reasons. Firstly the fact that you can travel in Europe is incredible. I have been to Brussels, Spain, Sweden, Copenhagen, France, London and yet to visit Sicily next week. The world is really your oyster and you have to embrace every moment. When living in Maastricht I chose to stay at the Guesthouse Building C which is where all the exchange students live. It is a great environment because you are surrounded by people from all over the world. It is easy to make amazing friends which you will stay in touch with for the rest of your life. We share and do so much together and the people you live with become your Family. There is a incredible place called St petersburg in Maastricht where you bike ride to and we create a bonfire and watch the sunset . It has been one of my favourite spots to socialise and enjoy the peaceful surroundings.

If I was considering coming on Exchange I would most definitely choose Maastricht as it is situated in a very central part of Europe which makes travelling particularly easy. I like the fact that it is a small town and you really do feel like you are part of a community. The dutch people are super friendly and I have not had one bad experience this culture. I am obsessed with the Stroopwaffles and Zachte Zoete Drop.

Here I have shared a few travels photos which emphasis how much there is to see and do if you go on Exchange! I am terribly sad that it is coming to an end and I really wish I could stay in this magical place for ever.

Kyla Marais 11998200
Tilburg: Where everyone knows your name

April 28, 2016

Say you’re studying in Tilburg and you usually get two responses. First, “Where?” and then there’s usually a, “Why?”. But don’t let that turn you off.

Tilburg is a small university town in the south of the Netherlands and I love it. A big reason for this is the warm sense of community that starts as soon as TOP-week (their O-week) begins. With all the events hosted throughout the week, you meet a whole bunch of people and make friends really quickly. It’s worth noting that most of these people will not be Dutch. However, having friends from Italy, Spain, Finland, Peru, Sweden, Germany and China to name a few (and yes some Australians), is all kinds of amazing.

Team Australia about to hit up Carnaval

If you go in our Autumn, be warned: when you arrive you’ll experience the kind of cold that goes straight to your bones. But don’t worry, all the biking (which is a must here) keeps you warm and being here for Winter means you get to experience Carnaval. Carnaval is a 4-day festival that precedes Lent. There are parades and people of all ages are out in the streets, dressed up, drinking and dancing to Dutch music.

This is a photo of another great Dutch tradition: cantus. This was by far one of the best nights I’ve had whilst on exchange. Think Oktoberfest crossed with karaoke. Everyone sits at these big tables, you get a booklet of songs and essentially drink and belt the night away. A number of these are organized throughout semester. This picture is from my last cantus. What’s especially awesome about this one is that it’s mid-way through semester so you get to go with the friends you’ve become closest to and everyone just has the best time.

Another great thing about Tilburg is that it’s smack bang in the middle of Europe – which makes travel so convenient. Whilst here I’ve been to Kitzbuhel, Dusseldorf, Brussels, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, London and at the time of writing this will be heading off to Budapest tomorrow (no joke) before spending 2 weeks in Spain. Not to mention, the always charming Amsterdam and the rest of the Netherlands are right on your doorstep.

London Sights

Design in Denmark

Snow days in Austria

Cultured Rotterdam

Blooming Netherlands

Class-wise, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the subjects I’ve taken at Tilburg University. Being a law student, your options are limited as a lot of the courses require you to have studied EU law or international law. But a benefit of this was that I took really interesting subjects that I probably wouldn’t have done back at UTS. In short, the lecturers are passionate, the workload is similar if not easier to back home, and it’d be worth checking out the one week intensive courses on offer as this equals more time for travelling. Priorities.

All in all, exchange has been the most extraordinary experience. Sure you’ll find yourself opening google translate every time you buy groceries and be constantly on the lookout for good coffee (it exists!). But all that’s nothing when you consider the lifelong friends you’ve made and the incredible places you’ve visited. And I’m only half way through!

If you want to know more, feel free to contact me with any questions.

Email: florence.tan@student.uts.edu.au

Instagram: flo34t

Florence Tan, 11693254
Vienna Pause

April 28, 2016

I pressed pause on a seven year long finance career to move abroad for a year and complete my postgrad. It was a bucket list item to live overseas and learn another language, so when I was offered the chance to live in beautiful Vienna and study in an area close to my heart, the decision to pack a suitcase was easy.

I landed in the cold of winter at 6am. My bags had decided they wanted to vacay in Abu Dhabi, the trees were bare, the streets grey and to be honest, I didn’t know what I’d gotten myself into.

Austrian efficiency came to my rescue. My landlord was on time, letting me into my apartment and showing me how to work the thermostat (very important when it’s less than 10 degrees outside). The airline delivered my bags straight to my door. I was ready to go.

And go I went, straight on the university ski trip. It’s not the best ski season this year, but when you’re skiing over the Austrian alps to have a pizza lunch in Italy, there is not much to complain about.

University here is a little different to home, but adjusting is easy. Most classes are run entirely as group projects with almost weekly presentations. Instead of just getting up and going at the end of class, you knock on the table to thank the lecturer. And Germglish (German-English) is a thing! “Are you going to do that, or no?”. “You should think through it”.

By far, the best thing about Vienna is the people I’ve met. They are almost too nice! I’m constantly off dancing with my classmates, wine tasting with my German class or meeting up with Australian expats for a meal. As the weather gets nicer, and the grey landscape turns to green, I simply can’t wait to spend summer here drinking in the culture, history, language and friendship.

Karina Harley 11771779
Snowy Sverige – Uppsala livin’

April 27, 2016

When I first left Sydney it was a sunny 44 degree day; 24 hours later – I was standing in deep snow in -18 degrees, waiting for the bus to Uppsala. It’s safe to say my body was in shock, but within days I had adapted and was finding any excuse to go and play in the snow!

Uppsala is a truly beautiful student town, and is just 30 minutes from Stockholm, full of life and fun. Most of that fun is run by the “nations” – which are a kind of fraternity/sorority thing – as a student at Uppsala University, you have to join one of these student nations, and trust me, you want to. The nations are a place for only students to hang out, eat, drink, party and much, much more. They organise events daily which means there’s always something to do, and makes it easy to meet plenty of other students, both Swedish and internationals! This is the nation I joined called ‘Snerikes’ (short for Sondermanlands-Nerikes, an area of Sweden) and yes, it’s in a bright pink castle.

The choice and range of classes offered at the uni are great PLUS they’ve all been run really well – very flexible, and very discussion based, meaning less assignments and more interaction with classmates. The learning environment is completely different to anything I’ve experienced before and the facilities here are really nice too, here’s a picture of where some of my classes are (in the turret of the castle!)

Yes it may be cold, but the sun is always out and the sky is almost always blue. At the moment, the sun is rising at 5am and setting at 9:30pm. Spring here is beautiful. There’s even a massive 3 day festival which happens at the end of April called ‘Valborg’ which is to celebrate the beginning of summer – people come from all around Sweden and Europe to the small student town of Uppsala to drink, lay in the sun and celebrate together!

That is the view from my room here in Uppsala. I live in Flogsta, which is a very lively student area (where most exchange students choose to live), not because of the high standard of living, but for the community and social side of things. I’ve made a great group of friends from all different countries (mainly Belgium, The Netherlands and Australia) and all 15 of us eat dinner together in a different persons corridor each night. Another very unique thing about Uppsala are the ‘gasques’ which are balls/formals that the nations put on for students. A chance to get dressed up with your friends and be fancy for the night (and trust me, the Swedes go all out).

Another thing I’ve really loved while here is the ease of travelling. Not only is Sweden extremely organised in every aspect of their public transport (very unlike Sydney, whoops) but I’ve found it really easy to go travelling around Europe on the weekends or between classes. I’ve had the chance to drive across Sweden, up to Norway and check out the Northern Lights and go dog sledding in Lapland, as well as visit Rome, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Estonia, Berlin, Prague and Krakow – but to my surprise, I always call Uppsala “home” when in these cities, and always look forward to returning to my own little Flogsta room surrounded by friends.

Thanks to UTS Global Exchange, I’ve been able to have the trip of a life time. Not only are you looked after by UTS but Uppsala University makes the transition into uni here super easy and extremely enjoyable 🙂 I’ve met friends for life, learnt to live independently, had time to experience the Swedish culture and traditions, ticked a bunch of places and experiences off my bucket list, and been pushed out of my comfort zone in the best way possible. Here’s to the rest of exchange and the adventures to come!

If you have any questions or need some tips – don’t hesitate to get in contact with me 🙂

Email: clare.c.harding@student.uts.edu.au

Instragram: claarre

Clare Harding, 12025250

Clare Harding, 12025250
The Denmark Diaries

April 27, 2016

“Baby, you’re so hot I only need 4 layers”

13 weeks ago I was off to Denmark with one of my closest friends to find out why it’s the happiest country in the world even though it was a snuggly -8 degrees. It’s currently a warm 6 degrees but any weather is ok after I bought an amazing big fluffy coat and made 100 snow angels.

When people ask me why I chose Denmark I never really have a proper answer. The people at the exchange fair this time last year just convinced me all too well, I applied and then realised how amazing the university I was going to would be.

I am doing my exchange at DTU (Denmark’s technical university) just outside of Copenhagen (which amazingly was my first preference). While most of the other international students live down the road in bright red shipping containers, I live in a dorm with 15 Danish guys on campus (which was also amazingly my first preference with my own bathroom) with an amazing (max) 7-minute walk to class. We have free 3D printing, an aeroplane hanging down from the library and an amazing cafeteria for lunch.

Before classes started we had an introduction week where I became friends with pretty much everyone. What I’ll miss the most is walking into the gym and being able to wave at basically everyone in there. The second thing ill miss the most is being able to go literally anywhere. My first trip out of Denmark was a $2 return flight to Stockholm. Literally $2. But I also got to see so much of Denmark on an amazing two-day road trip, breaking into closed castle grounds and seeing where the north and Baltic Sea meet.

Every trip I’ve been on has been with a different bunch of amazing international students. My spring break was traveling Italy starting off in Cinque Terre, which is literally the most amazing place I have ever been (Italy also sounds like an amazing exchange country). We then went to Rome where I accidentally fell over and smashed my face but that Rome hospital experience was one in a million. After that I got to go to Amsterdam, which was so crazy and quirky then Munich this past weekend for Spring fest which was the most fun I’ve ever had (it even included crying from laughter).

Literally anywhere would be amazing for exchange just as long as you do it. It’ll be the best decision you’ll ever make and best money you’ll ever spend. Life wont be the same without it. Now it’s the last few weeks to get all my assignments done then travel for 2 months (Eastern Europe, Greece, Italy and Paris) till we have to be back at UTS for the second (and my last) sem!

Feel free to contact me about your own exchange experience and check out my instagram for AMAZE pics or my friends videos of our amazing experience.

Abbey Rubiolo 11701339
Hej hej from Stockholm, Sweden!

April 27, 2016
My exchange experience in Sweden began, not in Stockholm, but in the town of Lulea, in the far north of the country, in the middle of winter. The sun only crept above the horizon for an hour or so a day, and the temperature never rose above -10 degrees. I spent my time ice-skating on the frozen archipelago that surrounds the town, before travelling beyond the Arctic Circle to the one-horse town of Abisko.

Ice skating in Lulea (around midday)

Abisko is truly a winter wonderland, with husky-sledding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing all on the cards. Topped off, of course, by nature’s most spectacular night show: the Northern Lights. Swirling greens, reds and yellows, dancing through the sky above the snow-covered silence of the Arctic tundra. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. And this is all before the semester even starts.

Dogsledding across the Arctic

Northern Lights

Husky puppies!

Then to Stockholm. In the four months I’ve been here, I’ve learnt a few things about Sweden and the Swedish people. Everyone is happy, friendly and extremely polite (even if you have to put in a bit of effort in the beginning!). It’s not as expensive as you’d think – about on par with Sydney prices, although dinners out are few and far between. And it’s a beautiful country, whether you’re looking at the frozen lakes in winter, the trees blooming in spring, or the daylight creeping towards the midnight sun in summer. The student life is great as well, with lots of fun events, awesome parties, and the chance to meet people from all over the world!

Exploring Stockholm

Spring morning in Stockholm

And Stockholm is the perfect jumping-off point for exploring Scandinavia, the last true wilderness of Europe. You can take a cruise across the Baltic to Helsinki and the Baltic countries (well worth exploring, especially to give your wallet a bit of relief!). You can take the train to cool Copenhagen, or over the mountains to the Norwegian fjords, or a ferry out to Stockholm’s archipelago. And being the capital of Scandinavia, Stockholm has great connections to the rest of Europe as well.

Nyhavn, Copenhagen

Admiring the view – Naeroyfjord, Norway

Finally, some tips:
- Bring plastic: everyone, everywhere, accepts card, and cash is unnecessary (but try to get a card with no bank fees!)
- Bring a good quality coat (but don’t trust in it): layers, gloves, a scarf and beanie are essential
- Get cheap flights: sign up for SAS’s Youth Fares through their Eurobonus frequent flyer program, and get cheap flights for Under-26’s all over Europe
- Save, save, save: life’s no fun if you can’t do anything 🙂
- Learn a little bit of Swedish: hej (hi) and tack (thanks) will do wonders
So, would I recommend Stockholm for exchange? 100 percent. It’s a fun, easy and beautiful city, full of awesome people, and the perfect base for amazing adventures all over Scandinavia. And if you come, make sure you head up north – it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Daniel Barnett, Student ID 11411372
Dublin City University

April 27, 2016
As my global exchange at DCU comes to an end, my friends and I have been reflecting on very important things, like why on Earth we chose Dublin, Ireland of all places for our study abroad choice. General consensus? Nobody knows. For most it was because they wanted an English speaking country that was not England itself, or it was their only option for financial reasons.

Me? Well to start off DCU was my 4th of 5 preferences for where to go on exchange. So you can imagine at first I was pretty devastated, I mean I was meant to get into one of my top 3 schools (all in America) and turn 21 and have the time of my life. 2 out of 3 of those things still happened… because I didn’t have to leave early to go to America to start in January I got to have a sick 21st birthday at home with all my friends before leaving in Mid-January and heading to London for a few days before landing in Dublin for my next big adventure… and yes, as cliche as it sounds, this has been one of (if not) THE BEST experience ever.

Dublin City University is the only University on the Northside of Dublin, making it clearly the coolest (up to debate from schools like Trinity College, DIT and UDC etc. but whatever)… The main campus is located in Glasnevin, about 20 minutes on the bus from O’Connell street at the heart of Dublin. With a Leap Card (like an Opal Card) it only costs €2.05 per trip which is pretty grand if you ask me considering a cab is upwards of at leeeeeeast €13 (nearly $20).

DCU is currently in the process of combining with St Patrick’s College and the Mater Dei Institute of Education, both Education Colleges in Drumcondra to become the biggest school of Education in Ireland. I am currently studying Primary Education at UTS and found this out after I got here, but hey, that’s exciting! The lecturers are incredibly nice and actually I’ve found them to be very helpful, they’re very accepting of exchange students so instead of looking around like a lostie, just tell them and they will try and help out as much as they can.

Quick note: If you are going to Ireland, use your heads guys. It’s going to be cold. Deal with it. Have a raincoat at the ready. It’s currently April (almost Summer) and yesterday it hailed almost all day… but two days ago it was like 15degrees, yaaas!

DCU is actually also really close to the airport, it’s like a 10-15min bus so when you have days off/long weekends you can easily jump on a RYANAIR flight at the crack of dawn without having to go too far to get to the airport. HOWEVER, Ireland is not a very big country and if you have your license I definitely suggest going for as many road trips as you possibly can, there is so much to see and Ireland has such a rich history full of incredible stories. Not to mention some great pubs and food…

Guinness Storehouse tour in Dublin, must do, the whole inside of the building is shaped like a giant pint glass… it’s pretty impressive, they have a 360 degree Gravity Bar at the top that’s similar to the top of Centrepoint Tower

If you like hiking (or even if you don’t) there’s incredible national parks like Connemara National Park on the West Coast of Ireland that will (quite literally if you do the hike) take your breath away…

There’s also the Wicklow mountains if you like this kind of thing,

Not to mention the famous Cliffs of Moher, honestly how is this even real?!

If you’re feeling a little more cultural there’s always the Temple Bar area on St Patrick’s Day if that’s more your scene…

Gotta get into the spirit though guys…

You can also cross the international border and head into Northern Ireland which is still a part of the UK, do NOT ever imply that Ireland itself is part of the UK because pls, do some research, this year was the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising… Just, know where you’re going guys… it’s important.

In Belfast you can go to the Titanic Museum which is pretty damn impressive if I say so myself…

Or if you’re adventurous enough you can cross the Carrick-a rede rope bridge that nearly made me cry…

The Causeway coast is incredible and the Giant’s Causeway itself is pretty unbelievable, (not just the part where the rock formations were supposedly made by a giant)

There is so many things to do both in Dublin and all around Ireland… I had no idea what I was getting myself into coming to Ireland but I am so unbelievably glad I did. I live in student housing with 4 amazing Irish girls and I’ve made so many friends from different parts of the world.

What I’m trying to say is that it’s okay to be disappointed if you don’t get your first, second, or even third choice on your placement list. Go in with an open mind and it’ll pay off. Your exchange will only be as fun as you let it be so suck it up and smile, you’re going to be a student at another university for 4/5 months, open up, relax and enjoy every single second.

If you have any questions for me or want to hear even more stories about my experiences in Dublin, I have my own wordpress where I’ve been documenting my time, not to mention my instagram for all the good pictures… #attemptingtostudyabroad is my new favourite thing to tag it’s very accurate, haha. My friend and fellow UTS student Mads also made a bunch of awesome videos of our experiences that you can see here.
- Rose Bailey 11705050

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