UTS Think Global

Exchanging in Korea – Korea University

March 22, 2015

My name is Caroline Kim and I am currently on exchange at Korea University for a semester. Although it’s only been three weeks since I’ve been here it has been, by far, the most exciting, exhilarating and invigorating experience. Since those of you that are reading this blog are also students like myself who are interested in exchanging to Korea/Korea university – I’ll try to answer all the questions I myself had prior to applying and after having been accepted.

APPLICATION PROCESS

I’m exchanging at Korea University for the law part of my degree and as all you law students would probably be aware by now, if you study law – you have to go on exchange for law and that cuts down the list of hundreds of partner universities to a very small circle (from my memory around 10-15). But even then, Korea university and Yonsei university really aren’t options for you unless you are capable of reading and writing Korean at a university level – this is because the undergraduate law school has changed to a post graduate law school and so it is essentially a ‘dying’ course and so whilst there are still a fair few law classes you can take, you must be prepared to study and sit your exams in Korean. If you are not a strong Korean speaker I really strongly advise against applying for a Korean university.

For those of you that are looking to apply to Korea University who aren’t studying law – go for it!

A secret rooftop garden/hang out I found on one of the buildings at KU.

EXCHANGE PROGRAM AT KU

I’m not sure how other universities have set out their exchange programs but I feel as though Korea University has a system that creates an environment that really allows all exchange students to feel included. As soon as I arrived at the KU orientation, all exchange students were split into 7 groups of roughly 60-80 students per group and every week would hold one lunch, one dinner and a group activity on the weekend. These lunches and dinners allow exchange students to find the good and cheap restaurants around Anam (main area you will be hanging out at night/during breaks at uni). The group activities on the weekends allow you to experience the Korean culture and do ‘touristy’ activities (some of these include the Buddhism expo, temple stay, lotte world etc.). On top of this, from before the orientation you will be contacted (usually via email) by your buddy. Each buddy is generally assigned 4-6 exchange students and they will help answer all the administrative and general questions/be your first ‘Korean’ friend at exchange. The buddy also organizes separate group activities for the other exchange students that they are ‘buddied’ with once every 2-3 weeks for activities that are better suited to smaller groups of people. You will also be slotted into a new group within your big group for ‘language buddies’ where you will interact with other people in your group and teach them English as you attempt to learn Korean (but really you just hang out with them and have fun J).
So written above is a very generic run through of the formalities that KU undertakes for exchange students however, even apart from these groups that KU makes for you, you will make a whole heap of new friends from all over the world. And since everyone is on exchange, everyone is more than willing to make new friends and have fun and do touristy things with you! I know just before coming here, I was scared of not making friends and of not fitting in, but it honestly is highly unlikely because everyone is just lovely and so willing to meet people. And within the first couple weeks, there will always be exchange parties to go to inclusive of all exchange students that are studying in Seoul that semester.

So KU offers an exchange program that really ensures that all their exchange students feel included and have an absolute ball.

Gyong-buk-goong palace that KU exchange program (KUBA) guided.

NIGHTLIFE IN SEOUL

Being of Korean background, I’ve been to Seoul a many number of times and gone out but every single time I am amazed at how crazy/fun the nightlife in Seoul is. It is a completely different environment to Sydney nightlife. Korean culture itself has a very strong drinking culture. In Korea their drinking culture is that they will have different ‘stages’ or ‘rounds’. So the initial round would most usually be dinner accompanied with alcohol (Soju or Makgeoli) and then after dinner you go round 2 to a different restaurant and just drink and play drinking games etc. this will usually continue for anywhere between 3-6 rounds. The first exchange party I went to, they drank for 10 hours…

Of course, there is also a clubbing culture in Korea. Korean clubs are completely different to Australian clubs. Most clubs play EDM unless you go to a club that specifically plays pop/hiphop/rnb and the only way for me to really explain how good and crazy clubs are in Korea is that most of the time when I leave the club, the sun has already risen (6AM). And the club stays full (on a Friday night) till about 5AM and it starts to empty out around then.

So Korean clubs and nightlife/drinking culture is something that even if you don’t come on exchange you should experience at least once in your life.

Nights out with new and wonderful exchange friends and local KU students!

ACCOMODATION

I was unsuccessful in my application for a dormitory on campus at KU and at first I was worried that I would have to find individual accommodation on my own but KU has a great system where they offer unsuccessful students accommodation close to the university known as a ‘gositel’ but really is like a dorm but you get your own room and depending on the gositel may or may not get a private bathroom. But for a temporary stay these are absolutely perfect and in my opinion are better than dormitories in that they are easier to get to as opposed to the massive hill you need to hike if you’re staying in the CJ international house. Also, there are close to 0 rules in the gositels whereas if you’re staying in the dorms you’re subject to spot checks, curfews and no visitors past 10PM. So if you’re unsuccessful in your accommodation don’t fret, KU will sort you out with accommodation that’s better than the dorms at KU.

My room at the ‘gositel’!

QUESTIONS

I think this covers the basic questions all of you will have but if you have any specific questions that you’d like answered, please don’t hesitate to contact me on: caroline.kim-1@student.uts.edu.au

Caroline Kim
Maastricht University, Netherlands

March 22, 2015

WHY EXCHANGE?

After months of researching and applying to universities, I was finally accepted to attend the School of Business and Economics (SBE) at Maastricht University. Maastricht ticked off all my personal requirements for going on exchange –

✔️ Located in Europe

✔️ English is widely spoken

✔️ Strong support system (academically and socially)

✔️ Relatively inexpensive (in European terms).

The main reason I wanted to go on exchange was to experience a new culture, meet new people, become more independent and of course study in a different environment. Before I arrived in Maastricht I did not know anyone, but luckily living at the Guesthouse C-building allowed me to meet new people immediately, and make new friends.

The Guesthouse Grounds

THE AREA

Maastricht is a town located in the South-East corner of the Netherlands and is the capital of the Limburg Provence. It is claimed to be the oldest town in the Netherlands, with one of the main bridges in town, Sint Sevaasbrug, erected in the 13th century. There is a lively vibe, being predominately a student town. Maastricht is also known for its shopping with markets held in the two main squares (Vrijthof and Markt), in addition the cobblestone shopping streets which host many international brands such as H&M, Zara, Bershka, Lush and Hollister.

Stadspark, Maastricht

Picnic in Stadspark, Maastricht

Vrijthof, Maastricht

LEARNING SYSTEM

Maastricht has a different system to UTS. The semester is split in half, where you study two subjects per period. You have two tutorials for each subject per week. The tutorials are also very different from UTS, as the maximum class size is 15 students, where everyone is forced to participate, which means a lot of preparation before class. Maastricht is ‘stricht’ with attendance and workload, but its results have proven it to be an effective method of learning, especially in regards to retention rates of course content.

School of Business and Economics

PARTYING AND EVENTS

Cantus

The ESN (https://www.facebook.com/ESNMaastrichtNL) organises many events for exchange students. In arrival week, there was at least one event on a day allowing students to meet each other and expand networks. The events in the first week included city tours, a pub crawl, neon party, semester kick-off party, dinners, cultural night and a hangover breakfast. This was when I learnt that it is extremely rare to go out to a party before midnight! The ESN organises parties and events every week with different themes. One of my favourite ESN events so far was Cantus. Cantus is an event revolved around singing songs and drinking beer in accordance with various rules. For example, at the completion of each song a glass of beer must be skulled, drunk until told to stop, or sipped.

It is pretty easy to find another party going on, whether it be at the guesthouse or in town. Facebook lists all the happenings if you know where to look. As they say, ‘study hard, party harder’.

Cantus

Neon Party

Dutch Cultural Night

BIKES

The Netherlands is known for bikes, and if you ever have the experience to live here, you will need a bike. A bike will allow you to get to any where in Maastricht in a maximum of fifteen minutes. Luckily the Netherlands countryside is quite flat which makes riding pleasant. There are dedicated bike lanes which are shared with electric scooters and mobility scooters, so even those who are not the most experienced at riding can feel comfortable. Although coming from Australia, it did take some getting used to riding on the opposite side of the road.

I purchased my bike from the ESN in arrival week, but there are many places to buy bikes, just do not buy one off someone in the street as it is likely that it has just been stolen. Bike theft is pretty common, so getting a good quality bike lock is necessary. I am enjoying riding my bike and getting to class in a few minutes, compared to travelling an hour via bus into the Sydney CBD. What is more, the task of riding your bike back to the Guesthouse after a night out can be a little challenging, but also creates some lasting memories!

Bike ride to Belgium

TRAVEL

Jardin des Geants, Lille

In addition to studying I have been lucky to do some travel. In the first four weeks of my exchange, I visited four countries (it helps that the Belgium border is 15 minutes away, and the German border is 30 minutes away). My first trip was to Cologne, Germany with my new South African friends. Cologne was less than a two-hour trip away from Maastricht. The next trip was in the second half of Carnival week (a week off university for parades, costumes, drinking and recovering) where I went to Lille, France. I have also visited Belgium a few times via train, and by bike to visit friends.

Luckily I have more time off class coming up for Easter, and several long weekends in April and May to do some travel. So far, I have booked a trip to Helsinki to visit some old friends and a trip to Berlin with a new friend.

Maastricht Carnival

Cologne, Germany

CLOSING

There is one thing that I have learnt that every exchange student could do more with – sleep! There is so much to do in a day, and finding time for everything from studying, grocery shopping, washing, planning travels and socialising, it can be at times difficult. However, this has meant my time management skills have drastically improved, and no doubt will be utilised in my future.
Lara Wallis 11694902
I study at a Baroque Castle

March 20, 2015
If I were to describe Mannheim in 3 words I would say convenient, multicultural, and developing. When I first walked out of the train station it very much reminded me of Melbourne the way trams lined the middle of the roads. People weren’t rushing to get to places and they seemed nonchalant that an asian face had arrived. This gave me the sense that transport was efficient and reliable (YES!) and that the locals were used to being surrounded by different ethnicities. With the number of what I assumed were exchange students walking around, I didn’t feel so out of place.

Mannheim quadrate

It was definitely a helpful factor arriving a week before lectures began because it surprisingly took a whole week to get enrolment and other living matters sorted! And thank goodness the city was systemised like a grid (the ‘quadrate’) or we would have been lost half the time! Nevertheless every step was easy and straightforward; the support from the International office here was great and the best thing was we barely had to wait in a long line for anything! – registering with the foreign admin office, setting up a bank account, sorting out apartment rental contracts etc.

I guess I had expected adapting to a foreign lifestyle to be difficult but Mannheim truthfully provides a great foundation for that transition. I mean the way things worked were pretty similar to Sydney and there’s only a few things you’d have to make a habit of. For example:
- Putting your groceries in your eco-friendly bag as fast as you can before the cashier can tell you the sum
- the recycling system (organising trash yourself and returning all your water bottles for 25c that you initially pay for)
- Parties begin at 1am and ‘pre drinks’ are called ‘pre game’
- I wouldn’t make a habit of this but drinking disappointing coffee!
- Bread ALL day EVERY DAY!
The first month was quite fun getting to know the quadrate and the variety of shopping available. We Australians found comfort giving some stores a home name – Aside from Aldi and iKEA we had found a Reject Shop (Woolworth, yep but no ‘fresh food’ & no ’S’ at the end), a Myer (Galleria), a Priceline (Douglas or DM), a Chemist Warehouse (Rossman), a Rebel Sport (Decathlon), a Kathmandu (Engelhorn) and even a Trade Secrets (T.K Max). So I was loving Mannheim. When you’re used to living 1hr 20mins from university back home, having everything less than 15 min walk away is amazing.

The people are interesting, the food is diverse, the university is organised, and there is ample activities around town to check out! Movies, parks, the Rhine-Neckar river, theatre, sports, gym, rock climbing and more. When the clouds clear up and the sun comes out more it’ll surely be time for some Aussie bbq!

After 2 months you’ll pretty much know the easiest and best ways to organise travel – and there’s also your buddy you can ask all those little questions to! Going abroad is a marvellous thing and if you’re anything like me, you’ll already be thinking about your next move after a week :P. While you ponder about whether exchange is possible for you right now (because you know you already want to), here are some pictures of my experiences to enthuse your endeavour!

Making Schnitzel the German way

You can judge the coffee haha

Frankfurt

Berlin wall

Schneeballs! (Snow balls), Heidelberg

Berlin

Do it as a student! When will be a better & more affordable time? 🙂

Julia Su – 11214347

49.487459 8.466039
Life in Switzerland

March 19, 2015

When people think of Switzerland, assuming it is not confused with Sweden, they think of chocolate, cheese and banking secrets. Having been lucky enough to find myself abroad in Zurich, I have discovered there’s more to this small, mountainous country than the stereotypes imply.

Switzerland’s unrelenting natural beauty allows for a myriad of opportunities for sight-seeing and exploring the natural environment. I have taken every opportunity available to go skiing, which doubles as a chance to see the mountainous regions of the country. The breathtaking views from the ski stations peppered across the alps often leave me wondering if I’m dreaming. In the ski resort of St. Moritz, for example, you can easily enjoy a day of endless pistes and a coffee at three thousand metres, before hitting the small bars and pubs to meet cool, interesting people from all over the world.

I decided to live in student housing and it’s a great way to meet people and enhance your experience no matter where you decide to go on exchange. There’s a bunch of awesome people from a range of nationalities who are lots of fun and always keen to party. A typical night sees us drinking into the early hours of the morning as a group or heading into the city to enjoy loads of awesome clubs. The nightlife in and around Zurich is incredible.

I’d recommend for anyone who is considering a semester abroad to make it a reality. Exchange provides a unique, potentially once in a lifetime opportunity to make memories which you will never forget!

-Josh Blick
USA Exchange Morgantown West Virginia

March 19, 2015

I am on exchange in Morgantown West Virginia!

I am absolutely loving it here, everyone has been very welcoming and I am living in the International house, so I have met people from all across the world. My close friends are from Denmark, Turkey and Canada.

We celebrated St Patricks day this week and it was the biggest day of the year here in Morgantown, with lots of celebrations throughout the whole day and night.

I am about to head off to Miami on Spring Break for 9 nights so it will be nice to have some sun and heat as it has been minus temperatures!
An Aussie Abroad: Party in the USA

March 19, 2015

It’s been two months since I first set foot on United States soil, and what a two months it has been. The beautiful San Diego provides much more than an amazing coastline and a buzzing community. The downtown and Gaslamp Quarter is home to a thriving nightlife and a litany of awesome events and concerts… I managed to see Snoop Dogg live at a venue for a piddly $10, the Australian equivalent would cost at least $80 if not more! Obviously, the beaches are stunning. Each one has a pier that stretches out at least 100m. And every beach has something particular about it; Pacific Beach is home to the bars and pubs that students frequent during the week, Mission Beach has a popular theme park for younger kids, Ocean Beach is very bohemian and offers a Byron Bay-feel to it, and La Jolla provides the high-end style of living where the streets are immaculate and the shores and caves are populated by very cute Sea Lions.

I am quite an outgoing person and so I didn’t have any trouble in meeting new people and making friends. The trick for anyone thinking of studying abroad and considers themselves shy is that because you’re foreign you are instantly more interesting. You have lived halfway around the world your entire life and your customs and way of life are usually very different. This is interesting. This makes people want to talk to YOU! However, if you never go out of your way and talk to people, you never give yourself the opportunity to be well received. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and you owe it to yourself and all the others that would love to be in your shoes to make the most of every opportunity that is presented to you.

I regularly party at fraternities that are very exclusive because I managed to meet people who were in that frat and who loved the fact that I was Australian. They have been very accommodating and ensured I experienced the true college life. What that pertains to I will leave to your imagination. Once again, I wouldn’t have experienced these opportunities if I hadn’t gone out of my way to meet the locals. Beyond the partying, the friends I have made have shown me all of the best spots around San Diego as well as a lot of locals spots that tourists just don’t know about. The walks and hikes are beautiful and the destination is usually either an incredible beach that is surrounded by canyons and cliff faces that simply don’t form on the Australian coastline. For anybody travelling to San Diego in the future I highly recommend Torrey Pines, Potato Chip Rock, and Sunset Cliffs; all are absolutely breathtaking and well worth the hike.

We did a trip to LA last weekend which was incredible. We did everything from exploring the magnitude of wealth held within the Hollywood Hills and Beverly Hills, to driving through South-Central LA stopping to look around Compton and Watts Towers, which is considered to be the most dangerous projects in all of America. It was an eye opening experience to witness the level of poverty contained by these areas and yet less than 45 minutes away there is such excessive wealth that could be donated to these areas to truly improve the quality of life. We visited Venice Beach also, which was absolutely riveting. The people were so eccentric and outgoing that nothing seemed out of the ordinary. People would hear a song they liked in a store and immediately start dancing and singing in the street and nobody batted an eyelid. We watched street ball on the famous courts and saw bodybuilders in the muscle beach gym which is literally on the sand. At night we either went out in Venice or Hollywood and both nights were very large and great fun, we were a little worse for wear in the mornings but the adrenaline of being in LA kept us going. All in all it was an incredible trip.

We have Cabo for Spring Break in a couple of weeks and Coachella a couple of weeks after that so will definitely be providing an update after those but for now I have to leave and continue to live the good life. Until next time.

Kieran Glynn
Sprichst du Deutsch?

March 19, 2015

I’m now well into my second month at Mannheim University, Germany. On the first day I arrived into Mannheim I remember I was given a list of administrative tasks that I had to complete before I was able to start attending Uni. I didn’t know anyone at the time and I spent the next day or so frantically running around the city trying to sort out everything (without any knowledge of German). It was freezing cold and I had left my beanie, scarf and gloves at home. I definitely wasn’t feeling tip top of the world. It was at this stage that I saw the castle of a University that I was going to spend my next half year in and life didn’t seem so bad.

Fast forward a month and a half later, it’s needless to say that going on exchange was probably the scariest yet most enriching decision I have ever made in my life. I have made friends which I no doubt will keep in contact with well beyond the end of the semester, tackled the ridiculously pedantic language that is Deutsch and grown a newfound appreciation for the Aussie Summer.

The city of Mannheim is small (well compared to Sydney) but I’m absolutely in love with it. There is a mysterious scent of chocolate and kebabs that lingers throughout the city and if you follow it you’ll find quaint eateries, discount grocery stores and a sea of bicycles. Mannheim University organises countless events so you can get to know not only fellow exchange students but also the locals. Beer and pretzels are both cheap and abundant, so I’m pretty much in a constant state of euphoria.

If you’re thinking about going on exchange and you’re a little hesitant, just go for it. Be open to new experiences and talk to people you wouldn’t otherwise normally talk to. Travel on your weekends (or your weekdays) and get lost in the cultural mismatches.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. — Mark Twain

Brigitte Duong 11442011
Aussie in Tilburg

March 19, 2015

In early January 2015 I finally arrived at the small Dutch city of Tilburg or my second home for the next 6 months whilst on exchange. I know ‘second home’ sounds cliché but since day one and being welcomed off the train at ‘Tilburg Universiteit Station’ by my mentors of I*ESN I have felt right at home.

My roommates definitely play a key role in ensuring it feels like home. I live with 16 other amazing exchange students who are all from different countries (2 Finnish, 2 Irish, 2 Canadian, 1 Slovakian, 1 Argentinian, 1 Polish, 1 Singaporean, 2 South Koreans, 1 Italian, 1 Taiwanese and 2 Cantonese). We believe that we live on the best floor on street Professor Verbernelaan or ‘Verbs 28’ (we’re probably right though). Every Wednesday night we cook family dinners and any other day we are organising events and just generally looking out for each other. I always look forward to Tuesday nights whereby we bike to Tilburg City Centre to party at ‘Carpe Diem’, which is a club only for exchange students.

In regards to Tilburg City, although it is only a small city compared to Amsterdam or Rotterdam because it has such a large student demographic the City Centre is always buzzing at night. This exchange has been such a great opportunity to learn more about the Dutch culture; from cycling, eating famous Dutch cheese, singing in a beer cantus or taking part in the annual Carnaval festival (which has definitely been a highlight for me – a weekend of constant partying and insane costumes).

Lastly, being on exchange in Europe has allowed me to visit so many other amazing countries and experience different cultures. A few weeks ago I was in Lapland (northern Scandinavia) and was fortunate enough to see the Northern Lights, go dogsledding and snowmobiling. It was a trip I will never forget. I am so excited for the remaining months of my exchange. Once exams finish in late May, I am planning to do two months of travelling around Europe and I’m hoping to spend as much time as possible near the beach!

Doei, tot zeins.

Dominic Raneri (11406648)
Red Hot CHILE Peppers

March 18, 2015

Latin America. A throbbing life force full of music, food, art, culture, energy, wine and so much more! Choosing Chile as the ultimate exchange location was not hard for me. South America calls to me. Chile in particular calls to me. Something about the bustling life of Santiago Centro with the awe-inspiring backdrop of the Andes gives me goosebumps each and every time I see it. One moment I’m on the back of a motorbike battling through the endless traffic and the next I’m staring up at snow topped mountains, majestically towering over the busy city. This place is nothing like Sydney, and that’s exactly why I’ve come here.

Night life starts after 1am here, getting to a club any earlier is pointless as you will be the only one there. Where is everyone? “La previa”… loosely translated to “the pre” . Tradition here is to get together at someone’s house, drink up a storm and get into the spirit before heading out for a “carrete”. The “carrete” is so accepted and part of the culture here that during our orientation session at the university, they discussed responsible “carrete” techniques, how many piscolas (pisco + cola) to consume and pouring techniques. Yes, that’s right. How to pour piscolas so that you can handle the tasty little beverage so many Chileans call theirs. Drinks are free-poured by the staff here and more often than not there is more pisco than cola in a single drink so I now see the value in the staff of the university educating the exchange students – nonetheless I don’t see people complaining when the bartender is free-pouring quality Chilean pisco into the glass!

Chile is so diverse in its natural landscape. Being here in summer means I am seeing the Andes with vegetation and little snow and can trek my way through to find amazing places such as el Embalse del Yeso.

El Embalse del Yeso:

2hrs from Santiago and many kms of winding narrow rocky roads through the heart of the Andes, the mountains give way to a breathtaking natural glacial lake of a deep blue colour that I have never seen in my life. This place is magical. The water is clear, fresh and so pure that I knew each handfuls I scooped up had never been touched by any other human – this is a very powerful feeling.

Valparaiso and Viña del Mar

Iconic towns a little out of Santiago that are a must see for all visiting this amazing country. Valparaiso – “Valpo” is a beautiful seaport city that needs to be explored either on foot or on a motorbike. Taking a ride on a 100+ year old funicular up to the cerros allow you to enjoy views of Valpo and by making your way through the rocky streets you find yourself greeted by colourful houses and street art on walls and stairs alike. Amazing!

Viña del Mar like many beach towns has a bustling culture and feels a bit like Bondi (South American version) with it’s “beautiful people” jogging along the coastline and walking their expensive dogs. It seems like a lot of the glamour of Chile has ended up in this city. Aside from the nightlife, the best part about Viña is that only a small motorbike ride away is Reñaca….

Reñaca

The waves of this long surf beach roll in onto the beautiful white sand and thousands of people occupy spots on this amazing shoreline. Music stands here & there can be heard as you walk along the promenade, some blasting out salsa and reggaeton, other with throbbing electronic music. The people like it loud here! Oldies and families don’t seem to mind having a huge sound system right behind their picnic on the sand! I love this place! Behind the beach (literally crossing the road) Reñaca offers clubs and nightlife that are packed late into the night. My favourite bar – sunset bar – has the dance floor covered in sand and looks out over the beach to – you guessed it – watch the sunset over the horizon. The place is pumping all summer and the music here is sensational if you like electronic music.

Empanadas

These tasty little suckers are addictive, watch out! If I could somehow healthily survive on a diet of empanadas and fruit juice, I would and Reñaca would be the place for it. The fresh seafood (prawns, clams, scallops…) mixed with melted cheese and wrapped in homemade pastry cooked in stone ovens makes for the tastiest snack/dinner/even breakfast I could ask for!

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

The core reason to why this experience is so amazing. Although it may not seem like it, I am not here merely to enjoy myself and travel, I have actually chosen this university for a reason. The uni – known as UC (Universidad Católica)- is number one in Latin America and has an incredibly high academic standard. The students here want to learn, they motivate each other, they study hard and know how to balance that with a fun lifestyle. I admire that and have instantly become more motivated than ever in terms of study. There are subjects here not available back at home that are opening doors and inspiring me for my career. Workload is demanding but the courses are super interesting and classes are much shorter so the attention span holds for the whole duration and I walk away feeling satisfied that I’ve learnt the content. San Joaquin – the campus that houses the faculty of engineering – is green and lush with tree-lined walkways and grass everywhere. There is a huge sporting complex and people are always riding their bike around. Undoubtedly though, the best part of the day is 1pm where all classes stop for a lunch break and thousands of students meet to relax in the shade and even indulge in the well known siesta!

Overall, this exchange experience is changing my life for the better. I feel enriched and invigorated. Exchange is quite possibly the best decision I’ve made in a long time.

Chile, you have won my heart!!

Michelle Quaglia

-33.469120 -70.641997
Copenhagen!

March 17, 2015

Copenhagen is truly a beautiful city filled with beautiful people. Everyone cycles everywhere – the great thing about this is that you save money on transport and you also get fit! Thankfully there is free health care for exchange students, so you don’t need to worry too much about crashing into anything!

The University of Copenhagen, not unlike UTS, is scattered across the city and doesn’t have a campus. It is very easy to get to uni, as most of the student houses are only a 15-20 minute cycle away from the main campuses. The inside of the university is absolutely beautiful! Each subject has 1 – 2 classes per week, with allocated reading material. I am currently studying Introduction to Danish Law, International Human Rights Law and States of Emergency Powers. The subjects are extremely interesting and it is interesting to see how the Danish education system works.

Since Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark, there is so much to see and do, such as the Little Mermaid, Amalienborg Palace and The Marble Church. Moreover, the cobblestone streets of Copenhagen are absolutely beautiful!

Although it is expensive to eat out, the famous Danish open sandwiches (smørrebrød) are a must!

What I also love about Copenhagen is that there is so much to do all the time. With so many food markets, flea markets, cafes and bars, there is literally something for everyone! Further, a lot of the other main Danish cities (such as Aarhus, Odense and Aalborg) are only a quick train ride away. It’s also easy to visit cities outside of Denmark – so far, I have been lucky enough to go see the Northern Lights up in Kiruna, the wonderful city of Stockholm and the exciting city of London!

It’s hard to believe that it has already been six weeks since I arrived here in Copenhagen. I have met some truly amazing people here in Copenhagen and I have had the most amazing experience here so far.

I am excited for the rest of my exchange adventure!

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