UTS Think Global

NTU & Singapore

September 24, 2015

I have spent almost 2 months here in Singapore now and this far it’s been nothing but great! I’ve made really good friends from all over the world and explored what Singapore has to offer as well as come to enjoy my classes at NTU.

The city of Singapore is a mix between east and west. It’s really modern and clean and has got everything from great shopping and nightlife to impressive nature and cultural sites. The locals are friendly and it’s really easy to get around thanks to the convenient MRT system.

The campus here at Nanyang Technological University is big and most of what you need you’ll find on campus (supermarket, 7-Eleven, banks, computer shop, pool, gym etc). It’s served by multiple buses however walking around is quite easy as soon as you’ve learned your way around. As for the food there is plenty of options in the campus canteens, offering everything from Asian cuisine such as Korean and Japanese, to western cuisine and chains like Subway and Starbucks etc. The food is really cheap, especially if you eat from the Asian stalls. There are lots of exchange students at NTU which makes it easy to make friends from different parts of the world.

Campus

Campus

Campus

I got lucky enough to get accommodation on campus, which is really cheap. I’m sharing a room with a girl from Malaysia and it’s working out really well despite previous concerns about not having my own space.

Our room when I first arrived (study area behind me)

Some of the places I’ve visited this far is China Town, Little India, Chinese Gardens, Gardens by the Bay, Orchard Road, Haw Par Villa and Kampong Buangkok. We also got the chance to celebrate SG50 and went to the Formula 1 Grand Prix. As for the nightlife, Singapore is a great city to go out in and there’s plenty of rooftop bars and nightclubs. There are multiple exchange groups run through Facebook which organises events and special deals for exchange students.

Gardens by the Bay

Little India

Sri Veeramakalimman Temple

Haw Par Villa

SG50 celebrations in Marina Bay

Rooftop clubs

Marina Bay

Another advantage of living in Singapore is the great location and the cheap flight tickets available. I’ve already been to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and I’m leaving for a week in Taiwan in a couple of days, as well as having a weekend in Vietnam booked for later. I cannot wait to explore more of what Singapore and the rest of Asia has to offer!

Lina Lindegren, 11782455
O Canada!

September 22, 2015

It has been exactly 3 weeks since I arrived in Toronto and I’m loving it so far!

First off, I couldn’t believe how warm it was for the first week of my arrival! I knew it wouldn’t flat out freezing when I first got here but I wasn’t expecting the warm weather and even higher humidity!

After settling in to my accommodation (which has a great view of the city), where I have met many other exchange students, I began the orientation process and the commencement of classes at Ryerson. Ryerson is very similar to UTS in many ways, especially aesthetically with a large brown tower right in the middle of the city and modern design building to its side, making me feel right at home!

As a media Arts and Production student I was ecstatic that I would have the opportunity to take part in the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this year. I saw 3 great films during the festival. The theatres catered to extremely large audiences and it was so exciting to see how generally enthused and excited all the locals were to enjoy the festival and the art of film making. One of the films I attend was directed my a Canadian director (and that made the audience cheer like mad!) The pride Torontonians have for the festival has been a delight to see.

So far I have been able to complete a few touristy adventures, which due of the beautiful sunny weather has consisted of multiple trips to the Toronto Islands. To get to the Islands you catch a ferry over the Lake of Ontario and are presented with a beautiful view of the Toronto Skyline and the extremely tall CN tower.

This past weekend I also had the chance to visit Niagara Falls (a 2 hour bus trip from Toronto), with 9 other exchange students. I didn’t have high expectations for the falls but its beauty floored me. It was definitely worst the trip (and the water spray)

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So far I am loving my exchange experience, I have made some great friends and I feel really settled. I can’t wait to explore more of Canada and I am currently booking a trip to Vancouver in the uni break in a few weeks!

Indyana Taffs, 11724996, Ryerson University, Toronto.
Hong Kong: More than a city of Skyscrapers

September 22, 2015

Hong Kong from the 118th floor

The above picture is what many will think of Hong Kong as; a vibrant economic hub teaming with skyscrapers. And it is, but as I found out, it has so much more to offer.

When I first arrived in Hong Kong, a few exchange students and I thought it would be a great idea to get our bearings of the place. To do this we headed straight for the Ozone Bar atop the International Commerce Centre building on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong. At 118 floors up this sky bar is the highest in the world offering the amazing views of the densely populated urban metropolis below.

Sai Kung Rock Pool

However as I alluded to before, Hong Kong is more than just a city of tall buildings packed closely together, but it also offers amazing natural landscapes. In fact for a city as small as Hong Kong, you may be astounded to hear that 40% of the area is actually country parks and nature reserves. Above is a photo of one country park I visited which not only had an amazing beach, but also an amazing rock pool complete with an 8 metre cliff jump. Although admittedly as this is Hong Kong, it wasn’t exactly a quite area, not that it detracted from the experience.

Hong Kong Baptist University

This is the university that I am currently completing my exchange experience at; the Hong Kong Baptist University. It feels fairly similar to UTS, however unfortunately they do take attendance quite seriously. This can be quite a pain when there is so much I want to explore here in Hong Kong and the many exotic destinations that are easily accessible.

My cosy home for the next four months

One of two 20 story accommodation towers

The accommodation provided by the university is actually a great deal. It is very reasonably priced considering how expensive property is in Hong Kong. The room that I was provided is small and shared with me by a local student. Our room also shares a bathroom with another room on the other side. I found that I got used to the small living space quite quickly as although the amenities are quite basic, they are all very functional. Students in Hong Kong, including exchange students, are a very social bunch so I really don’t spend too much time kicking around the accommodation these days. One thing I would recommend to prepare for if you are thinking of Hong Kong; is to be flexible with your sleep schedule. University students here like to stay up real late, around 2 – 3 am every night.

Victoria Harbour

Both doing an exchange, and seeing Hong Kong has been a great experience so far. I can’t wait to see and do even more.

Patrick Walsh
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A good time is free in the worlds most expensive city

September 22, 2015

I must admit, coming into my semester abroad in Zurich, my main goal for my time was not to study; it was to travel, to see as much of Europe as possible.

That is not to say that university life has been uninteresting, or even irrelevant – on the contrary, studying the law of Switzerland and the EU is incredibly fascinating. While many foundational concepts are the same as Australian law, the international perspectives and considerations that underpin much of the policy is fascinating, for example with regard to European economic law. Outside of class, time is spent trying to find a table at the Mensa (cafeteria) at lunch, taking part in any one of the hundreds (yes literally hundreds) of free sports and activities, or simply sitting on the Polyterrasse overlooking the city.

In my first 9 days in Europe, I did travel to 3 cities (Zurich, Paris and Lyon). It was an overload of sights, tastes and experiences. As it turns out, seeing all of Paris in 3 days is no easy task. At one surreal point I found myself sitting in front of the Eiffel Tower, trying to simply soak in my surroundings, and comprehend what I was experiencing.

It was in the weeks following this trip, once I had returned to Zurich, that I began to truly appreciate the experience of ‘exchange’. I spent time simply exploring the city, each day finding new and incredible views; I spent time playing sport or getting to know all of the new people I have met. My goal has changed from simply traveling and seeing Europe. I want to experience Europe.

Zurich from the Grossmunster tower

Whether that be exploring the city in the afternoon sun, night time swims in Lake Zurich, or having dinner with the numerous friends that are made at pub nights, get-to-know events and house parties, I am open to it all. My short time here has been incredible, and I cannot wait to keep experiencing Zurich.

Jack Little

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47.376887 8.541694
Winter is coming…

September 22, 2015

Every day that passes sees the sun set at a distinctly earlier time than its predecessor. I have witnessed the beauty of a European summer and as September marches to a close I am beginning to prepare myself for the obsidian abyss that will be the coming winter in Uppsala, Sweden.

Thank Thor (and all the Viking gods) that this little student town has no dearth of activities in which to get involved. The primary means of staving off seasonal depression will no doubt be the “Nations” – an amalgam of an American fraternity and Australian student union. There are 13 different “Nations” which represent the various provinces of Sweden – a system historically designed to provide new students with way of connecting with other, geographically related students. They have since transcended this narrow framework and provide the best way of engaging in the panoply of student sports, arts programs, and fermented yeast appreciation events. It doesn’t hurt that the Nations are expressly written into the Swedish Taxation Legislation, permitting them to sell alcohol at a rate far below the heavily regulated state levels.

I have the benefit of dual-membership, a decision made to exploit the free entry into the Tuesday night (yes, Tuesday night) clubbing scene at ‘Snerikes’ Nation, and the outdoor adventure group found through ‘Norrlands’ Nation. It is through Norrlands that I auditioned, and was welcomed into, the Nation Choir. With Christmas coming (eventually…), being a member of the choir means free access to a variety of events and parties, and liberal quantities of schnapps.

Beyond this, the weekends have been occupied with a series of trips to various cabins set up in the surrounding forests. Uppsala benefits from being placed essentially in the middle of a national park which means 20 minutes on a bike sees any intrepid explorer ensconced in nature. This allows for foraging, and the forest-garden has yielded mushrooms, blueberries, and lignonberries (from which I made a jam).

Double rainbow during the pre-cabin bike ride

The classes, or class in my case, are straightforward and engaging – favouring the Socratic method to the lecture-delivery often found in Australia. The subject ‘Criminal Law Theory’, which I am taking currently, has provided me with a chance to see a new, philosophical side to the criminal law, one which I am grateful to have.

I have only been in Sweden for approximately a month, but have found the time to be actively involved in several different extracurricular activities while still focussing on my university work. There is no doubt in my mind that the coming few months, irrespective of the winter, are going to be ones to remember for the rest of my life.

Duncan Handel

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We’re not in Sydney anymore…

September 22, 2015

It seems like so long ago now, sitting on the super long flight from Sydney, all the way to Copenhagen, kids screaming, family teary faced at the airport. But after that ‘ordeal’ eventually I found myself on the other side of the world, with the sun shining and Tay Tay blasting on a local radio. Still nervous as anything I got to my accommodation, only to find out I had to pick up my key on the other side of town, off to a flying start. Thankfully they were nice enough to let me into my room for the night, where I crashed immediately, not waking until 3 am, cheers Jetlag.

So after a rocky start I eventually started at my new University for the semester, ITU, which is a very modern looking uni, located right next to a small river and not far from a very nice Kebab stall, my regular lunch of course. Once I met the other exchange students, who had come from as close as Germany and as far as the USA, settling in was easy, as everyone was keen to hang out together and explore the city and more importantly drink (of course). The city itself is beautiful, and very different to Sydney. The architecture is old, like many European cities, which gives it a very unique feel, with plenty of grand old buildings, housing libraries and Universities.

ITU itself is a very cool place, despite taking Masters level courses, quite the step up I assure you, the content is interesting and I am enjoying the Game Design courses that are not available back home. There is plenty of opportunity to interact with others, be it with lan parties, the Friday bar (which incidentally hosts some cracking parties) or through the uni organisations that are present around the uni. As it has been said before, the Danes are a quiet bunch, but get a few beers in them and you can’t shut them up. They love to have a big night out which is always a positive thing.

Overall, it has been a good first month in Copenhagen, and despite a rocky start, settling in was easy and have had no problem meeting people and having a great time.

Harry Rex

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Like People? Like Culture? Like Markets? Like Travel? – You’ll Like Eindhoven

September 20, 2015

I have been in Eindhoven (The Netherlands) for just over three weeks and I feel as though I am still only scratching the surface of the exchange student life.

From the moment I got here I was treated to rain. Lots of it in fact. The majority of The Netherlands is below the sea level and rain is more common than sun. However, the locals were still riding around on their bicycles completely unphased and this inspired me to do the same. Since then I have not looked back and have learnt to love the weather.

Like people?

The first week here was outstanding. I met my housemates, got a bike and set up my life in my new home. By day we familiarised ourselves with our environment and by night, with each other. The exchange student population here is enormous and full of interesting, exiting, mature and very relatable people from every corner of the globe.

Family dinners are common. Almost every night of the week really. So if you are planning on coming over here start preparing some signature dishes. Going up against the likes of the Italians, Brazilians, French and Turkish means you need to know your food to make a statement here!

Like European Culture?

Inside Eindhoven there is always something to do. The university has some sort of event on every day, time is spent with friends riding around or in a park listening to music and chatting. The huge pedestrian trip in the city centrum (centre) is lined with cafés serving delicious Dutch delicious delicacies and beautiful Belgian beer.

The student accommodation is 10 minutes at most from anywhere that you will need to go on a daily basis. The university is an easy cycle and the bar street which houses over 57 bars is so close its hard to find excuses not to go meet friends.

Like markets?

Tuesdays and Saturdays both hosts the largest markets here in Eindhoven. You can find everything from bike locks to fresh fish. They give me the opportunity to fill up my fridge with my housemates with some fresh, local and CHEAP produce for the week. Also, every third Sunday there is the ‘Feel Good Market’. An event that has music, drinks, food, arts and crafts all in once place. It is an amazing day out and there could be nothing better than after a weekend out in Belgium coming back to Eindhoven with all my friends, sharing plates of delicious food and decadent desserts followed by a cold beer and an hour or two of Frisbee.

Like Travel?

Being in a country like The Netherlands you will have endless opportunity to travel. Every weekend there is at least one large group of students going to cities in Germany, England, and Belgium or inside Holland itself.

Like all these things? – You will like Eindhoven.

The group who went to Antwerp.

Some of the boys on a trip to Antwerp

Enjoying some food in the sun at the ‘Feel Good Market’.

Riding to uni is far from a chore.

Miguel – In our workplace on campus.

Playing Frisbee in the park that is nestled inside the International Student accommodation.

Sean Lurie

11398942
Singapore Spring 2015

September 20, 2015

Singapore Exchange Blog

Hello! This blog will briefly cover my first month here in Singapore. I will focus on my initial arrival, living conditions, and what I’ve managed to go and do all in this first month.

I arrived in Singapore on a Sunday night, staying in a hostel as it was outside of the campus housing check-in times. This was roughly $25 AUD/SG (the currencies are currently equal) for a bed in 4 person room. The hostel had free Wi-Fi and breakfast.

The next day I caught a taxi to the NTU campus. The check in process was quite smooth, and soon I was all unpacked. I was fortunate to be allocated to on campus housing which is far cheaper than living in an apartment off campus. My rent fees for a little over 4 months are $1200. I was also lucky, as I was allocated to Hall 3, one of the newer halls, which has aircon.

Here is the room as I arrived. My room is a double room which I share with another exchange student from The Netherlands. Our single beds are off to the left in photo one, and below left in the second photo, separated by shelving units.

Hall 3 itself is split into 5 blocks. Each block is a 6 story building, with roughly 8 double and 2 single rooms on each floor. There is a shared bathroom on each floor, mine having 4 toilets and 4 showers. There is also a small sink, and a hot water dispenser on my level. I have been eating at any of the many canteens around the campus for most of my meals. Meals are quite cheap, with something like this chicken rice being $2.50. If you are more adventurous with your food than I am, you can try all kinds of things.

This past month I’ve seen a lot of Singapore. I’ve seen many, many huge malls, some even with canals and boats in them. I’ve seen Gardens by the Bay, the Marina Bay Sands, the Merlion and Sentosa. I also arrived in time to experience the festivities for Singapore’s 50^th Birthday celebration, SG50. More recently I’ve been to Malaysia (twice now), and saw the first practice day of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix. Below are some photos of these experiences.

Canals inside a mall.

Gardens by the Bay

Marina Bay Sands

Merlion

“50” formation flight during the SG50 celebrations.

One of the many monkeys at Batu caves, Malaysia.

One of the Redbull drivers during a F1 practice session.

Pharrel at the Grand Prix Concert

Singapore is a major travel hub within South East Asia, and I already have 2 trips planned over the next month or so. I would definitely recommend you to strongly consider Singapore for your exchange semester!

Damon Croxton, 11379017
Budapest Living

September 18, 2015

So i’ve been in Budapest now for roughly 2 and a half weeks, and it’s been a pretty intense few weeks. I’ve found a flat right in the heart of Budapest, just near the main railway station. Its a cosy 3 bedroom apartment and takes 8 minutes on the tram to get to uni (which makes the 8.15 starts slightly more bareable). I live with a german guy and a french girl, who are great to live with. They are both very different from the majority of french and german people on exchange who seem to almost exclusively hang out and live with people from their home country, luckily for me this isn’t an option as i’m the only Australian on Exchange at BME

View from my balcony

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The orientation program was organised by the Exchange Student Network (ESN), made up of hungarian students known as “mentors”. It went for a week, and it was awesome. Each day or night there was a different event, where you put into a different group and were forced to meet other people, and do activities such as Tour the campus, pub crawl, drinking games, city rally and a welcome party. The week finished off with a camp at Lake Baliton, which was a smaller town a few hours from Budapest, where we did more activities, explored the city and did some swimming. It was an awesome week, i meet loads of people, its safe to say a few beverages were consumed in this week.

My mexican friend Pato enjoying the mini train ride

One of the major difference between Sydney and Budapest is the price of things, Budapest is soooo cheap! A pint of beer costs around $1.50, you can get kebabs on pretty much every corner for about $2.5, you can get sandwiches from uni for $2 (so its not even worth your time to pack a lunch) and rent is about half what I pay in Sydney. So far i have no idea how much i’ve been spending because roughly 1AUD = 200 Forent, but i’m getting used to it.

University is reasonably similar to Australia, where you have lectures and tutorials although my classes are quite small. Also their online resources are pretty much non-existent, so that could be interesting. I’m also taking a Hungarian Beginners Course, which is actually a very difficult language, and the elderly hungarian woman who teaches us is very impatient 😦
So far i’m absolutely loving this city, and excited for the next few months!

Luke Rowntree

11417641
Majulah Singapura !!

September 17, 2015

Study exchange was always a top priority in my university experience, so when the paperwork was all finalised and approved; I prepared my mind and body for an exciting adventure. I was expecting Singapore to be a more Western version of Asia, but I was definitely proven wrong. It’s eclectic mix of Chinese, Malay, Western and Indian cultures have seamlessly melded to create a unique Singaporean culture of its own.

When I stepped out of the nicely air-conditioned Changi airport in Singapore, the humidity hit me like a heat wave. Coming from the chilly winter days in Sydney meant that it was a shock to the system. Nonetheless, I have adapted to the warm weather and have embraced tank tops and shorts for every occasion.

Luckily I was able to score cheap housing on campus in a decently sized shared room with an ensuite style bathroom. The first few days at Nanyang Technological University were filled with making new friends, shopping for supplies and exploring this new land that I would now call home for the next 4 months. Their MRT train system and buses are extremely easy to use and also convenient, with a train arriving every 2-3 minutes. I also happily discovered that the food on campus and at Hawker Centres outside were super cheap with meals ranging from $0.80-$7. My roommate did not arrive from Switzerland until a few days later but we instantly became great friends. Both locals and other international students are extremely friendly, and there are a whole lot of on-campus events and Facebook groups hosting trips and gatherings for exchange students.

My side of the room

Hawker Centre

The first weekend was the Golden Jubilee of Singapore’s independence which meant parties, celebrations and great shopping sales. The streets, shops, restaurants, trains and buses were covered in posters celebrating this momentous occasion. A whole group of us also got to experience the live fireworks and festivities along the beautiful and iconic Marina Bay. Overall, it was a great introduction and first impression of Singapore as we got a glimpse of their strong national pride.

Golden Jubilee parade !!

Girls day out

As the weeks carried on, enrolment for subjects began and the workload started to slowly pile on. Determined to make the most of my experience, I decided to treat myself to some wine and cheese at the Epicurean Market, which was an annual food event hosted at Marina Bay. Let’s just say, there were no grumbly tummies that weekend.

Chef Tetsuya Wakuda !! STAR STRUCK

Free caviar samples? YES PLEASE!

Cheese, cheese and more cheese

As an exchange student from overseas, we were treated to a long weekend during the recent Singaporean election. I snapped up the opportunity and along with a few other Australian students, packed our bags and headed off to Hong Kong for 4 days. It was a fun-filled jam-packed adventure as we were immersed in the hustle and bustle of the busy Hong Kong city life complete with bright lights, shuffling crowds and delicious street food. One of the many perks of studying in South East Asia; especially Singapore, is that travelling to neighboring countries is inexpensive and well worth it. A whole new culture and atmosphere, just a short flight away.

It is currently 6 weeks into semester and I have made a whole load of local Singaporean and international friends from Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, Japan and America. I’ve partied hard, studied hard, and am positive that this is only the beginning as I look forward to more great friends, great food and great memories.

Turning my world upside down

EXCHANGE MOTTO: In Singapore, it’s never too early for ice-cream.

Kim Dao

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