UTS Think Global

Maastricht University, Netherlands

February 10, 2020

Stroopwafels, 3am bike rides, and copious amounts of beer are a few key words I would use to describe my last few weeks living in the beautiful city that is Maastricht in the Netherlands. Prior to arriving in this city I had been travelling across Europe with my best friend, visiting iconic places that I’d only ever dreamt of exploring. I had no idea that this small student town just under 3 hours from Amsterdam would be just as breathtaking to explore as some of the most popular tourist spots in Europe.

I have been living in student accomodation (Building C – definitely the place to be!) which is filled with buzzing excited exchange students from across the globe, all ready and eager to have a good time whether that be going pub crawling, city exploring or just lying in a park and listening to music.

Inkom week has just ended and I urge anyone who is considering exchange in Maastricht to definitely sign up! Inkom week is the city’s orientation week and is on a scale that I cannot even put into words! From foam parties, Cantus parties (where everyone throws beer in the air whilst singing along to songs and you are left looking like you have just come out of the shower), festivals, pool parties and more! Inkom Week takes over the whole city and is an amazing way to bond with locals and exchange students alike. It’s also a great way to explore Maastricht as the events planned during the week take you all across the city – so having a bike is a must!

One of the main aspects of Maastricht living that I have taken some time to adjust to (and still struggling to do so) is riding a bike around everywhere. One of the main tips I’d give is to buy a second hand bike as soon as you can, a sturdy lock (as bike theft is rampant here) and to always remember where you have parked your bike amongst the sea of other bikes (something I am still struggling to do).

Already, the ISN (International Student Network) have planned a trip for us to Oktoberfest at the end of next month. Given the distance and affordability of flying to other countries from the Netherlands, I and the other students have already started discussions about weekend trips to Greece, Croatia, Switzerland, Italy and much more! The beauty of living in Europe!

All in all, I cannot believe I have only been in Maastricht for 2 weeks. The experiences I have had and the people I have met have made my short time here incredible. I can’t even imagine how amazing the rest of my exchange is going to be.

Anna Tran
Bachelor of Business
Maastricht University
Netherlands

For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au
Copenhagen With Max Wileman

February 7, 2020

Let’s skip the cute introductory sentence, I likely only have a couple minutes of your time with which it is my civic duty as your Australian mate to convince you to join me in Denmark. (This doesn’t count as a cute intro).

Hygge:

Every Australian blogging about Denmark will begin by mentioning Hygge. With your best interests, I am also obliged to mention it, but I’ll keep it quick:

Hygge is best translated as ‘cosy’, and basically captures the spirit of an entire culture. The Danes are big fans of everything cosy; including beers, picnics and pastries.

The important difference however is that Hygge is shared with friends. It’s because of this Hygge that Danes have been rated the happiest society in the world.

Language:

Denmark is not the only nation with this drawcard, but nevertheless it’s crucial to understand that the country gives the best of both worlds when it comes to language.

The first language of Denmark is mind-blowingly ‘Danish’. It’s a crazy and fun language with a ‘Y’ that’s secretly a ‘U’, a ‘J’ that prefers itself as a ‘Y’ and an Ø, Æ, Å that are all intended to publically shame you when asking for directions.

But once you’ve had a good crack at speaking Danish, the good news is that you can repeat each question in English because the Danes speak English perfectly. Perfectly enough to have amazing banter with, and perfectly enough that I’ve met Australians living for multiple years who never even so much as learned how to say ‘thanks’ properly in Danish.

Society- Jante Law:

I could easily be disagreed with, but in my experience I would argue that Danish society and governance is mainly different from Australia due to a set of heavily engrained social rules called Jante Law. Jante Law basically commands that you don’t think you’re better than anyone else, and the result is a society where people are very genuine and humble personally, yet proud as a nation.

I would ascribe Jante Law as the reason why I found the Danes to be so grounded and welcoming socially, in what I’d describe as the opposite of ‘Influencer’ culture which is pretty pervasive in Australia.

This can also be seen their government system; the Danes have one of the highest tax rates in the world, which is used to fund an amazing welfare and education system. Students in Denmark are able to rent apartments and travel during holidays simply through the paid education system and some good budgeting.

Denmark is also a landmark for progressive ideologies. It was the first country to legalise pornography and held the first gay marriage in a church.

As a child who was told since he was 2 that he was special (even as a twin, no joke), its amazing to experience such a society where everyone acts so collectively. I tried to highlight how this influences facets of society but it truthfully seems all-pervasive. The only way to understand it is to experience it, and I would argue that it’ll blow your mind wide open.

Final remark:

I had way more things to talk about, I failed miserably to capture everything about Denmark. With more time I would’ve talked about the history, the mouth-watering pastries, the badass bicycle system, or the weather which is actually good conversation here because its so elusive.

But all in all, I’m loving my trip and would highly recommend to you all.

Max Wileman
Bachelor of Business
Handelshøjskolen i København
Denmark

For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au
Korea University, South Korea

February 5, 2020

Hello from Korea University! It’s been almost two months since I arrived in Seoul and I cannot believe how fast time is flying while on exchange. Though it has been rough sometimes (homesickness can get pretty intense), so far my life in Korea has been amazing! There are so many fun things to do in Seoul, and many opportunities to travel from the city itself (I am currently writing this from Jeju), so I highly recommend coming here for exchange or at least visiting if you plant to travel during or after your study abroad experience.

Now, on to the topic of campus life. I am currently living on campus at CJ International House in a suite of 4 small (but cozy!) single bedrooms. My roommates and I have a common living area and two bathrooms – which we share according to the bedrooms closest. Although initially hesitant about sharing living quarters, my roommates and I get along great and have heaps of fun hanging out together! When we aren’t busy studying or exploring Seoul on our own terms, that is.

Overall, CJ International House is great and very convenient to live in – it isn’t too far from both the science or main campus, and has good facilities such as study rooms, a free gym, washing machines and driers, and 2 kitchenettes per floor. The only issues I have had so far would be with the kitchenettes getting a bit crowded at times and the massive hill residents have to trek up when coming home from Anam’s main street. However, the entire university is quite hilly, and I can feel myself slowly adjusting to the hike with each climb being marginally easier than the last.

I am taking direct equivalent subjects, plus one elective for a Korean language course. Studying science at Korea University is drastically different from studying at UTS – unless it is specifically stated in the subject’s name, there are no lab classes, and most subjects that are taught in English are only lectures taught for 1 hour and 15 minute sessions twice a week. The class sizes are also quite small, with only around 30 students in each classroom with most being domestic Korean students. This means that at times the professors will switch to Korean to explain difficult concepts after trying to do so in English, which is usually fine but it can be a bit hard to maintain focus.

So far, I haven’t really had any assignments, just small homework tasks and quizzes. This is because midterm and final exams weigh rather heavily on determining your final mark, so don’t forget you have to study on exchange as well! Learn from my mistakes.

The Korean classes are very beginner friendly and run Monday-Thursday. If you manage to schedule your timetable correctly, you can get Fridays off, which is great for taking small trips throughout the semester if you wish to do so!

One benefit of studying science is that there is less competition for enrolment, most classes have a limit of 15% exchange students, and most students on exchange study communications. I had no trouble with enrolling, but still be careful and punctual when going through the enrolment process, especially if your degree is popular amongst other exchange students.

To any prospective exchange students – good luck on your application process and I would 100% recommend coming to Korea to study!

Imogen Hanson
Bachelor of Medical Science
Korea University
South Korea

Australian Government New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant recipient.

For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au
Uppsala Universitet, Sweden

February 3, 2020

After a few weeks of travel through Sicily and Slovenia with friends, I arrived in the Swedish town of Uppsala. I came a month early to try and learn some Swedish as a part of the intensive language course that the university offers. I would highly recommend doing this course if you want to make the most of your experience in Sweden. Not only has it taught me some basic, conversational Swedish, but has also allowed me to experience some of the Swedish Summer, settle in, and make some new friends before the start of the term. We’ve been frequenting the Student Nations most nights. The Nations are unique to Uppsala Universitet, originally starting as a way for students from other regions of Sweden to meet with those from home (e.g. Stockholm locals would join Stockholm Nation). Each Nation has its own appeal: some are well known for their night clubs/bars, while others do, for example, games and movie nights. Depending on what your scene is, there is generally a nation for you. Our group all joined Södermanlands-Nerikes Nation (aka Snerka-Derka), which has its club nights on Tuesdays. It’s good fun, but you pay the price come Wednesday morning classes.

The accommodation where I am living is called Flogsta, and it is renowned throughout the town. Think brutalist, Soviet era architecture with a uni-party vibe mixed in and you’ve got the picture. Our Flogsta family includes Kain, who is also a UTS student studying here in Uppsala, Annie (posh-Londoner), Celia (half German/half posh-Londoner), Charlie (another Londoner, but he’s cockney and super chavy), Julian (the charming Austrian), Tess, Emma and Evan (the quintessential Americans), Tobias (the Cambridge graduate), Gabriel (Columbian and Swedish spice) and our man Erman (half Turkish, half French and he speaks all the languages).

The most wholesome activity we have done so far was without doubt our hike in the woods. In Sweden, there is a customary law called allemansrätten. This translates in English as “freedom to roam”, which essentially means that the land, lakes and rivers belong to everybody. For this reason, it is common for the locals to forage in the woods for mushrooms and fruit. There are also public cabins scattered across hiking trails where you can rest and stay for the night. It was a special experience, and we are thinking of going again this weekend.

At the start of September the Semester will officially begin and the town will be flooded with other students (around 40,000 in total). We are all very excited for the next six months to come, irrespective of the cold winter we keep hearing so much about!

Jordan Roods
Bachelor of Communication / Bachelor of Laws
Uppsala Universitet
Sweden

For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au
IE Universidad, Spain

January 31, 2020

I have just started studying law at IE Universidad – Madrid campus and am loving it so far.

Life in Madrid is very laid back and it took a few days to adjust to a much slower paced lifestyle than Sydney. A typical day involves late starts, dinners between 10-11pm before heading out at 1am.

After a 7 week tour around Europe, I was so glad to settle in Madrid create a home out of my 4 bedroom apartment in Sol. My housemates are all from Italy so I get to practice my Italian at home and am slowly learning Spanish during everyday interactions with locals.

Sol is right in the centre of Madrid, with tapas bars, cafes and restaurants being at my doorstep. My balcony is above a small but lively square, so it has taken a bit of time to get used to sleeping through the chatter until 2am and young people coming out of the club at 6am, it is truly a city that never sleeps. The adjustment is definitely worth it and would recommend prioritising living in a student area brimming with life (such as Sol, Malasaña, La Latina or Chueca) than living next door to Uni (located in an upper class area) as transport in Madrid is very efficient anyway and it is only a short bus ride away.

I am only in week two of classes at IE but so far the teaching style has been quite different to UTS. There are no lectures and tutorials are structured in a small classroom with around 30 people. A large portion of our grades are attributed to participation, so doing the readings is important. In saying that I have a few law subjects that have no readings at all and are entirely practical based. For example, one of my subjects is called Law Unplugged – Negotiations and during our first class we had to role play a hypothetical scenario involving strategic negotiation on behalf of a company. Marks are based on how well we negotiate and whether we achieved the desired result. Something to keep in mind is that being most known for its business school, I have found that the IE law courses offered are also heavily business influenced.

Being so central in Europe I am already planning weekends away to Morocco, Portugal, the South of France and have just booked tickets to Oktoberfest.

Cost of living in Madrid is ridiculously cheap, there is a tapas bar on my street that does 1.50 pints of beer and sangria and another student bar where you only pay 5 euro for a huge drink and they give you a large plate of tapas for free of their choice (this never disappoints when you can’t be bothered to cook). Below is a trendy place around the corner from me that is a deli during the day and wine bar by night. I have also just gotten a transport card for young people that costs 20 euro a month to take any form of transport.

It is impossible to get bored here, there is always something to do, whether it is wandering the streets and discovering hidden gems, playing 5 aside football in El Parque del Retiro or visiting the many museums and art galleries free for students.

Next week I am going to sign up to a free salsa class – something I never thought I’d do!

Emma McCarthy
Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Communications
IE Universidad
Spain

For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au
Sogang University, South Korea

January 29, 2020

Sogang University is a Jesuit University located in the heart of Seoul, just two stops away from one of the few famous clubbing areas, Hongdae. Located in Sinchon, Sogang is close to not only public transport but cheap food, alcohol and shops! But before I dive into the story about how I was able to spend $60 AUD on more than just 1 piece of clothing unlike in Australia, let me introduce to you what studying in Sogang University is like.

Within South Korea, the most famous University are the S.K.Y universities: Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University. These three universities are usually the ones foreigners know about because they’re usually mentioned in the Korean dramas. However, Sogang University is actually really well known with locals in being in the top 5 universities within South Korea. Also, the University is located on a small hill, well mountain, so for those who are trying to avoid the Korea University hill, don’t make the same mistake as me because there’s more hills here.

Within Sogang, attendance is key! You can only be late 4 times before you get an absence and 4 absences mean you’ll fail the class. And yes, they count attendance right at the start so if you’re 1 minute late, you will be marked late! Within Sogang, for most classes, you get two 75 minute classes or just one 2 hour and 45 minute class a week. Unlike UTS, Sogang is really strict with homework so make sure you do it! Depending on your professor or class, sometimes you will have distinct lectures and tutorials whilst others are usually mixed. Another important point with Sogang is that if your class does not have enough exchange students, depending on your professor, they may change the teaching language of the class back to Korean even though it is registered as an English class! So make sure you have back-up classes or enough basic knowledge to help you understand!!

Now back to the fun stuff!

If you love fashion and cheap food then you’ll love it here in Korea! With cheap deals where you can buy multiple outfits (from head to toe) for just $50 AUD and cheap street food where you can be full and spend less than $10 AUD! Did I mention cheap alcohol yet because you can get unlimited cocktails for just $15 AUD!! Korea is a place where you can play hard after studying hard!! But before you come over, make sure you do your research because certain things aren’t acceptable!

Crystal Sharron Wu
Bachelor of Arts in Communication
Sogang University
South Korea

Australian Government New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant recipient.

For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au
The Copenhagen Charm

January 27, 2020
I have fallen in love with this city, with my bike, and with 4am shwarma. Copenhagen is not just a goldmine for design and architecture, but coffee shops, bars, art, live music and of course, biking. Coming off the back of three weeks travelling through Italy and Mallorca, I was a little nervous as to what the future semester would bring. Before my trip I’d heard nothing but great things about life in Copenhagen – from the cute colourful buildings, to the beautiful canals, the concept of ‘hygge’ and the prolific bicycle routes. As you can imagine, I had pretty high expectations. So when I was greeted with unusually hot weather, beautiful swim spots, blossoming trees and extremely friendly exchange students, I was over the moon. My first night was spent with other exchange students from my accommodation (Basecamp) at a bar called Bastard Café – a cosy bar where people go to drink and play board games. I was immediately confident that finding a great group of like-minded friends would not be a challenge.
I quickly slipped into exchange life and despite the mass of Australians, have made a great group of friends from across the globe. Two weeks in and my friendship group continues to grow. In these initial weeks before class starts, I have quickly learnt that six months here will not be enough. Warm, balmy days have been spent swimming at Nordhavn Bassin, drinking by the water at La Banchina, grabbing dinner at Reffen food markets to watch the sunset, followed by a night out exploring local bars such as Floss bar and Condesa. Given it is a very expensive city, you’ll find yourself heading to bars with a drink in hand (thanks to the lax Danish laws). Other activities I can highly recommend is taking a GoBoat around the canals, kayaking around Lyngby, visiting Louisiana Museum (this place was just breathtaking) and visiting the Greenhouse in the Botanical Gardens.
Not only is Copenhagen extremely groovy and at the forefront of design, but they have nailed the ‘work-life’ balance, the education system, groovy restaurants and bars and basic infrastructure. The Danes are also extremely fashionable and incredibly attractive, which is poetry to the eyes. The city continues to inspire me and with such a strong attachment to it only two weeks in, I’m beyond excited to see what this semester has in store. For now, skål!

Imogen Wirth
Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Communications
University of Copenhagen
Denmark

For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au
Miami University (Ohio), United States

January 24, 2020

I’ve just completed my first couple of weeks at Miami University in Ohio and it has honestly been the best experience. Miami U is what I had imagined the perfect college town to look like, located 45mins away from Cincinnati, the entire town is dedicated to the University. Brick streets and colonial-style houses pave the way towards the beautiful campus which is surrounded with lush greenery.

The campus is huge and has everything you’d ever need. I’m staying in a newly refurbished hall of residence that even has a Starbucks connected to it, it’s so clean and the living areas are like a beautiful hotel. The Party Scene consists of a few small bars, a club called Brick Street, House and Frat Parties. Brick Street is the most popular for the students and they have different themed nights every week, it is always packed with people and you want to go early so you can get in. The Frat parties are exactly like what you see in the movies – so fun, loud music, cops are called often.

The class sizes consist of 20-25 students and the professors are so passionate about what they teach and genuinely care about their students succeeding in their class. Miami offers lots of really interesting subjects and has so many different extra-curricular activities. I’ve just joined a sorority and it has been such a surreal experience. I’ve had so much fun making connections with people from all around America and being the only Australian in the entire university!

I got into MU through the ISEP program and ISEP made the entire process relatively easy. I would definitely recommend going through ISEP as it completely streamlines the whole process. Eating American food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner has been an adjustment, and I’m definitely missing the more interesting varieties of food around UTS. That being said the food is fresh and can be really healthy if you want it to be. There are not many exchange students that come to Miami, so its really cool have a close-knit group of a few exchanges as well as hanging with the Americans. I have completely immersed myself in college life through joining clubs, a sorority, and a social soccer team and its the best way to make friends. I am honestly so glad I came to Miami, it is truly a life-changing experience.

Charlotte Tennant
Bachelor of Communication
Miami University
United States

For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

January 22, 2020

Hello from Singapore!

Today marks the 50^th day of being on exchange. After sharing this information with my roommate, we’re both in agreement that we’re staying another semester, because it’s gone way too quickly. I never really believed people when they told me the time would fly, but now I’m pretty sure of it.

Life at NTU is quite different from UTS. The campus itself is huge, located in the west of Singapore away from the main city. Free buses run around campus, which often get packed very early on in the day as students escape from the 35°C heat and 75% humidity. Like UTS, NTU has some interesting architecture, with all my classes being held in a building appropriately called “The Hive”, resembling a beehive. Sustainability is a big focus here, given the amount of energy needed to power air-conditioning constantly; so facilities often take a modern and eco-friendly design.

The newer facilities have classrooms focused on collaboration between students, with every tutorial involving some sort of short group presentation from our table. I find there is less interaction between the professors and students than back at home, but each class always involves open discussion. The culture of university and studying here is quite competitive, as each class is graded using a ranking system. It reminds me of a mini HSC for every course. Whilst it ensures the grading is fair across every subject and takes scaling of marks into account, I think it can foster an unhealthy mindset and can occasionally prevent students from working together. In that aspect, I do prefer the grading systems we use back home to lessen the pressure off everyone.

My subjects are really interesting, and aren’t what I expected. I’ve used my free elective on Buddhism, learning about the history and culture of pre-modern Buddhism around Asia. Given the focus on Western religions in Australia, I have never studied Eastern religions, so it’s been great to dabble in history as a break from my science courses. I also take Medicinal Chemistry, Cognitive Development and Evolution in Health and Disease as my direct equivalents. Having a large focus on technology, I’ve found my Evolution course uses a lot of genetics software, which I’m having to get used to, but it’s been a good learning curve. Interestingly I don’t have any practicals or labs, which is a major part of studying science at UTS.

Food is a huge plus which I can’t not mention. The campus has canteens everywhere, which all have different food outlets that are lots of fun to try. The closest food court to my residence hall has $3.50 ramen and $3 fried dumplings which I’ve definitely developed an addiction to. Fresh Indian food has also been amazing, with $6 rice, curry and roti prata freshly made. I’m trying to stay away from Western food, but can’t help myself from doing a Maccas run every now and then on campus.

Aside from university, Singapore is a beautiful city that is rich with so many different cultures, given how close it is to the rest of Asia. Having lived in the country before, I was so excited to return and see what had changed, and visit places I fondly remember. It’s easy to travel to nearby countries on weekends because of how close it is to Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia (to name a few), and with the amount of exchange students here, it’s not hard to find a group to go with. I’ve loved the experience so far, and am so excited for the rest of the exchange.

Ashlee Negrone
Bachelor of Advanced Sciences
Nanyang Technological University
Singapore

Australian Government New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant recipient.

For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au
Ryerson University, Canada

January 20, 2020

I’ve been in Toronto now for just over two weeks and it has been a wild and overwhelming time so far. I arrived on a Monday evening around dinnertime and I was so exhausted from the massive journey (via LAX) that all I wanted to do was check into the hostel and pass out. But the weather was so nice and warm, I figured I would go for a little wander around the area I was staying. The area is Kensington Market and its full of restaurants, cafes, and bars – there are lots of young people walking around all the time and its very pleasant to stroll. I didn’t last long before I had to go to sleep. I spent my first few days in Toronto walking around the city heaps and going into little shops and cafes I stumbled across. I also did a bit of shopping at vintage stores I found and went to some gigs – this is how I made my first friends. I met some guys at a gig and have made more friends through them, I also made a best friend through a housing Facebook page and we instantly hit it off. She is now my roommate which is great.

I have absolutely fallen in love with the way of life in Toronto and the people I have met have all been so welcoming – I feel like they are my kind of people. I have only done 2 classes at Ryerson University so far but they both seem incredible and like they will be quite challenging in a good way. The assignments seem very relevant and like they will teach me skills that are very applicable in the current media landscape. The teachers come across very knowledgeable but also approachable, so I am not hesitant to ask them things. As for the other students, they too seem very helpful and in the know so I will definitely be using them as resources during my time here to get the most out of my experience, both academically and socially. The campus itself is all just buildings in the downtown city area, so to walk between classes you’re just walking amongst the CBD area – it’s confusing at first, but I think I’m going to come to like it.

I didn’t get into the student housing which I was stressed about at first, so I knew I would have to find housing independently, but I am really happy it happened now. I met a really good friend on my first day in Toronto and now we have signed a lease together to move into our own place. The lease is only month to month, which is less common, so it means I don’t have to commit to a long-term amount of time seeing as I am only here for a semester. I am worried for the winter as the weather has been really pleasant so far, but I am also excited to experience it. I think Toronto is very similar to Sydney in a lot of ways and Ryerson is quite similar to UTS, except Toronto is bigger and has more going on. In terms of the music and arts scene, it’s quite similar in crowd. The only thing I would say is that people in Toronto seem more open and less cliquey – I am not sure if that’s because I am putting myself out there more though. I do not have my timetable finalized yet bit so far I am doing mostly new things I haven’t done before, which is really exciting.

I am excited to see how the uni semester goes and to compare it to studying at UTS.

Veronica Dulagil Moorhouse
Bachelor of Communications
Ryerson University
Canada

For more information about the UTS Global Exchange program please visit: www.global-exchange.uts.edu.au

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