UTS Think Global

Uppsala University, Sweden

November 1, 2018

One week into my exchange in Uppsala and I think it’s safe to say it I’ve completely fallen in love with Sweden. If you’re wanting to study in a vibrant, buzzing student town with plans to travel Europe during the semester I can’t recommend Uppsala enough.

Life in Uppsala is very different to crazy Sydney life. You learn fast the necessity of having a bike as that is how everyone gets around here (even in the rain and apparently snow too)! At Uppsala university you only study one subject at a time and the ‘lectures’ are the same size as tutorial classes making the lessons very personable. The university is extremely supportive and even allows you to retake exams if you fail the first time. The first subject I am undertaking is called ‘Why some Countries are Rich’ and is a really interesting history subject taught through an economic lens. Throughout the semester I am also taking a Swedish Beginners course which is super interactive and a good way to meet more international students. The best thing about doing electives here is that most elective subjects are only a couple of times a week. This means there is lots of free time to travel and explore Europe. Skyscanner is a really good app to get if you want to travel because it shows the cheapest flight prices for all airlines. Last week a group of us from the same class (barely having known each other for a couple of days) booked a trip to Poland together because flights were only $42 return! The uni also organises tours around Sweden for international students on weekends which is a good way to explore the country.

In terms of meeting people, it is hard not to make friends here. Uppsala has such a high intake of international students, all in the same boat wanting to meet people, so it’s not a difficult task – especially if you live in a place like Flogsta where there are corridor parties every week. Uppsala also have 13 social clubs called Nations which organise events throughout the week for students. Last Sunday I went to a free Salsa and Bachata dancing class held by one of the Nations just for fun – would definitely recommend. They also held events just for the international students during orientation week, such as a walking tour, scav hunt, free waffle brunch, a traditional Swedish dancing class… you get the idea. This was a nice way to mingle with other overseas students who had also just arrived to Uppsala. The nations either have their own club, pub or restaurant, (or sometimes all three), so is a huge social hub during the week – especially given food and drinks are discounted.

One of my most favourite things about Sweden is the culture of Fika! Similar to afternoon and morning tea, Fika is an excuse to have a cheeky coffee break with your friends at any point in the day. Sometimes we have three Fikas in one day just as an excuse to catch up and eat cinnamon buns. Tip to save money though, (especially if you’re a regular Fika goer), is to pack your own tea bags and you don’t have to pay for hot water or milk 🙂 or sometimes even the nations provide free Fika! (Yeah you learn to be a little stingy on exchange)

Overall, my experience in Uppsala so far has been really positive – with some of my favourite times just exploring the city by myself or having a picnic by the water with people I only met a couple hours before. If you have any questions at all don’t hesitate to send me a message on Facebook or my email hannah.bhindi@gmail.com

Hannah Bhindi
12920637
Bachelor of Business and Creative, Intelligence and Innovation
Uppsala University
Sweden
University of Nottingham Ningbo China

October 30, 2018

From the minute the plane landed in Shanghai my mind was blown. It all seemed too surreal. The weeks dwindled to days and the days passed, leaving only wee hours before it was time to leave my life back at home, it all happened too quickly, and my brain was still trying to register the fact that I was no longer in my comfortable nest.

The moment my feet hit the Shanghai pavement was a wake-up call, the weather was completely backwards. From freezing to boiling, dry and wispy breaths to moist and humid pants, from the crisp smell of nature to the stuffy, pungent smell of pollution. It was positively scary and breathtakingly strange. My first week in China flew by, I stayed in a quaint little AirBnB in the Jin An district, where my sister and I roamed the streets and explored the city’s main attractions. Most of the locals don’t speak English but they were still incredibly kind, friendly and helpful. I didn’t expect the language barrier to be as challenging, but I was definitely proven wrong, luckily the translating apps did a fine job of getting my point across. The culture shock was daunting, but once you begin to assimilate it feels amazing, like you’re becoming one of the locals.

Upon arriving at The University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), my mind was blown for the second time in a week. The campus is practically a small town. The layout is impressive and harbours a nature-meets-modern-town vibe. They have an array of shops and facilities, from cafes to bookshops, banks to hairdressers, restaurants to cafeterias. If that’s not enough they have plenty of local malls and grocery stores where you can also sometimes see international brands that remind you of home.

I’ve decided to pick up two language classes (Mandarin and Spanish) which I never would’ve had the opportunity to do back at home and I’ve joined the boxing club and partake in Pilates classes provided at the gym. A gym that’s fully equipped and even comes with an impressive rock-climbing wall!

Above all, I’m incredibly grateful for the friends I’ve made thus far and am eager to add many more great experiences and adventures to my journey in China.

Alicia Rozali
12597340
Bachelor of Business
University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC)
Ningbo, China

Endeavour – Cheung Kong Student Exchange Program Mobility Grant recipient.
Aarhus Winter School, Denmark

October 30, 2018

As I was nearing the completion of my bachelors’ degree, I was reflecting on how I wish I applied for t the opportunity to go on exchange and study in a foreign country. I was excited to discover BUILD exchange and how I could take a short course and embrace a new and exciting cultural experience.

I chose to study at Aarhus University in Denmark. The subject taken over two weeks was ‘Climate Law’ with a focus on the operation of the EU and European climate policies. The classroom environment was small, relaxed and friendly with interesting lecturers. The information was a bit overwhelming for such a short amount of time but everyone was so helpful and supported each other. All other students in the course were Australia so there wasn’t really any cultural diversity between students. However, the university organised Danish activities for us to learn about the culture and Aarhus. Some of these included walking tours of the charming city, welcome breakfast and dinners, tours of ‘Den Gable’ (Old Town), art museums and campus tours. All extra curricular activities were so enjoyable and worth attending!

The city of Aarhus is the second largest in Denmark and extremely charming! Beautiful houses and streets, delicious food markets, cosy botanical gardens and amazing outdoor activities. Some of the highlights include going to the deer park where we were able to feed and pat free-roaming deers and going to Moesgaard Museum where we were able to see one of the famous Bog Bodies and learn about Viking history. Marselisborg Palace was also a highlight! The city was so safe and cosy! Staying in a suburb with a Danish family through Air bnb truly enhanced the cultural experience. One of the hardest parts was dealing with the weather, with temperatures always being less than 1^oC and a light snow, wind or rain nearly everyday. I was blessed to see the sun for two days in a row otherwise it is cloudy every single day in Denmark. The other challenge was the high cost of living. Transportation is expensive, as was food and basically everything in Aarhus and all of Denmark.

Despite the challenges, I would not trade my time in Aarhus for anything. It was a perfect way to complete my final subject for my degree. Exchange is amazing and a great excuse to speed up your course, travel and make new friends! Aarhus will always be of special meaning to me and it is a beautiful charming town. Despite loving this little city, I don’t see myself visiting again as I believe I experienced everything it had to offer! I do believe Denmark and other Scandinavian countries are well worth the visit. Overall, BUILD programs are a great opportunity to do short term exchange courses or internships and enhance your skills while creating unforgettable memories!

– Jasmina
Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands

October 28, 2018
I’m now in my second week of classes at Erasmus University Rotterdam (Erasmus for short), and have had a great experience settling in to life in Rotterdam. For anyone considering studying in the Netherlands, I couldn’t recommend the university and student life more highly.

It’s important to note that at Erasmus the exchange is with the faculty rather than the university. As such it is important to note which faculty the courses you want to take are run by, as this is where you apply for exchange. For my exchange I am studying at the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM). This is consistently recognised as one of the top business schools in Europe and attracts a high calibre of students from across the world.

The biggest challenge I encountered while organising my exchange was that RSM operates on a trimester system. During a trimester the majority of students will take 20 ECTs of subjects, but to meet UTS’ subject requirements UTS students need to take a load of 30 ECTs. So far, this subject load seems to be manageable, but it is definitely a more full-on study schedule than the other UTS students I know who have been on exchange.

As a city Rotterdam has exceeded my expectations in almost every way. The city centre is lively and has plenty of shops, bars and restaurants – it’s always easy to find somewhere to get a beer or a feed. The vast network of bike lanes (nearly everyone rides a bike) makes it cheap and easy to get around during the day and makes for an exciting trip home after a night out. With a huge student population there is always something going on, from catching up with friends at uni, exchange student events, beer cantus’, uni societies, or a casual Sunday sesh.

A couple of pieces of advice I have picked up along the way if you’re planning on going to Rotterdam:
- Plan to do the majority of your travel before (or after exchange) and enjoy the city while you live there. Some classes (especially minors) are compulsory so it isn’t practical to be skipping classes to go travelling each week.
- Organise accommodation early. There is a shortage of accommodation, and on campus housing runs out particularly quickly. Apply on the day applications open as it is allocated on a first come, first served basis.
- A lot of places only accept ‘Maestro’ cards and a normal Australian debit/ credit card won’t work, so you will need to open a bank account. ING is the easiest bank to open an account with (they don’t require a BSN number, which can take weeks to receive).
- The exchange staff at RSM are helpful, so make use of their resource in the lead up to exchange. They deal with a lot of students though, so once you arrive in Rotterdam it is much easier to visit their office in person.
If you’re going to Rotterdam, or thinking about heading there feel free to shoot me an email (alexander.t.vanveen@student.uts.edu.au) and I’ll try and clear up any questions you may have.

Alex van Veen
12545442
Bachelor of Accounting
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Netherlands
Université Paris-Dauphine, France

October 26, 2018
PARIS

It has been one month since I was away from home in Sydney. I was fortunate enough to visit few cities before embracing Paris as my new home for the rest of year. I went to Ho Chi Minh City, Munich and London to explore the cities and to catch up with few friends. Now that I have been living in Paris for two weeks, there are some experiences I’d like to share.

The University

My host university is Université Paris-Dauphine located in the nice neighbourhood of 16^th arrondissement in Paris. On the first week, they welcomed us with many activities. My favourite was when we explored the Latin Quarter district then sat on the riverbank of the Seine watching the sunset. There I met people from around the world who would be my classmates.

I use International Exchange sub-major in my degree in UTS for this exchange semester in Paris. It means that I can choose any business subjects to study. As Université Paris-Dauphine is predominantly a business university, they offer many interesting business subjects to take. P.S. for future students: since Paris is the city for luxury and fashion, it’s probably good idea to use those subjects if you are interested to broaden your knowledge (even for me who have worked in accounting/finance!)

The City

Ahh Paris! People dream to visit the city at least once in their lifetime. This is my third time and I’m lucky that I’m here now for five months in the 17^th arrondissement close to Arc du Triomphe. The area is quite residential yet very charming with many restaurants and boulangeries. I also found that the stereotypical rude Parisians are not entirely true especially if you make the effort of greeting in French and smile :)! And I have met some of the nicest people!

The three things I like the most about the city:
1. Paris is a beautiful city with many things to see and to do (Yes the Eiffel Tower is pretty, especially at night!). From the great museum like Musée du Louvre and Musée d’Orsay to the beautiful parks like Jardin des Tuileries and Jardin du Luxembourg. Or I can easily spend a day strolling around the neighbourhood like Le Marais or Saint-Germain-des-Prés. If you happen to buy a monthly metro pass, you can also visit some attractions like Château de Versailles and Disneyland.
1. The city has an obsession with food. Bread (Yes, those baguettes, croissants and crepes are delicious!) and cheese become part of my daily life. Yes the French food is great. But you can also easily find great food from other countries, such as Japanese, Chinese, Italian, etc, as the city is multicultural. Not to forget to spend hours sitting at the Parisian terrace, drinking coffee or wine and having a good long conversation!
1. With its proximity to other countries, you can easily board the train to Bruges, Amsterdam or London on the weekend or fly to Spain and Italy in southern Europe or Iceland and Norway in northern Europe. Explore new cities and meeting new people!
Bonne Journée!

Yossy Natasya
10968840
Master of Business Administration
Université Paris-Dauphine
France
Hong Kong Polytechnic University

October 18, 2018

Ni hao, from Hong Kong!

My name is Lyla, and approximately one month ago, the only time I had ever left Australia would have been when I was 7, heading off on the typical Australian family holiday to Fiji. I never imagined I would be living and studying overseas at the age of 21. Since I set off on my exchange journey, I’ve had the fortune of exploring parts of Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and of course Hong Kong, and there’s still much more to explore before my adventure comes to an end. It’s hard to put into words how invaluable this experience has already been; the beautiful places, diverse cultures, rich history and amazing people would have be at the top of my list.

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Hong Kong is known for its marvellous city and tall skyscrapers, however it is actually covered in 40% nature reserve and consists of hundreds of tiny islands- let’s just say, 1 hour travelling pays off well (not to mention HK having the world’s best metro system). Additionally, the culture here is totally different to that of Australia – I would best describe it as a fusion of East and West. Hong Kong’s centrality, also makes it very easy to travel to a variety of countries; flights are short and cheap, which is something which was a must for me.

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I’m attending the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), along with 5 others from UTS and about 400 exchange students in total. Uni life in HK is similar to that of Australia, however I’ve found that most exchange students here study business or elective subjects. I, on the other hand am studying science- let’s just say that I’m the only exchange student in my classes… However, learning with different people and teaching styles in relation to Sydney, has been a welcomed challenge and I feel as if it will only benefit me in the future.

I, like most PolyU exchange students, am living in a 2 person shared room at PolyU Halls in Hung Hom, which is only a 10 minute walk from campus and substantially cheaper than private accommodation. They have amazing facilities which include an outdoor pool, gym, table tennis spaces, pool rooms and PolyU also run specific events and tours specifically for exchange students.

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Ask me a year ago, and I would have told you that I would never be able to live overseas, and look at me now – I even survived a super typhoon! Making big decisions and moving to a different country is scary; whether your fears be financial uncertainty, cultural differences, language barriers, self-confidence or simply, leaving the ‘norm’; my advice is, if you’re thinking of applying for exchange- DO IT. You won’t regret it.

Lyla Hine
12577033
Bachelor of Forensic Science
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong

Australian Government New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant recipient.
Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy

October 16, 2018

Life in Venezia is to live in a paradox. It’s complexly simple, quietly noisy, and idly bustling. Only one thing is concrete; it’s beautiful.

I’ve found my home in Cannaregio, in the northern suburb of ‘the island’. You could say I live between two highways. Step outside my front door and you’re on the Strada Nova, a wide street teeming with touristic foot traffic at all hours. On the other side, out my window, you see the Grand Canal; the main ‘road’ of the city. From private boats, to water taxis, gondolas and public transport (vaporetto), it’s all happening on the water. That’s the magic of this city. I often sit on my windowsill and watch Venezia go by, taking in everything from the whimsical whistles of a gondolier, to the shrill sirens of the ambulance speedboats (of course, all public services run on the water – emergency, police, and rubbish collection!)

A 20 minute vaporetto ride down the Grand Canal you’ll find the main building of the Università Ca’ Foscari di Venezia – my academic home for the next semester. Being on exchange with a Communications degree is a wonderful gift, which has allowed me to choose a whole mix of varied and interesting subjects. I get to practice my native tongue in the ‘History of Spanish Society and Culture’, explore ideas in ‘Renaissance Natural Philosophy, Alchemy, Astrology and Magic’, and learn how my new home came to be how it is today in ‘History of Venice’. Whilst the classes are long (2.5 hours!!), I’ve managed to align my timetable so I only have to go in three days a week – and left myself a handy long weekend for spontaneous getaways.

A great thing about Ca’ Foscari is that it has a huge international student body. I met many new friends at the Welcome Day campus tour, and the free aperitivo that evening. Aperitivo is an Italian custom where you snack, socialise and drink (in Venezia almost strictly only spritz or prosecco) in the late afternoon/early evening. The city is dotted with bacari, simple bars that serve spritz and cicchetti – the Venetian version of tapas.

The student nightlife in Venice consists of many a spritz, 1€ wines, gelato and takeaway pizza slices – sometimes even getting to enjoy these simple pleasures on a pier next to a canal.

Between university by day and socialising at night, the everyday is threaded with many peculiarities. Venezia is architecturally old city, which has in turn adapted to modern life and the daily tourism influxes – without losing its charm. I do my grocery shopping in an old theatre that still has its original paintings on the ceiling, shop in a bookstore that keeps its novels in gondolas and bathtubs as they flood once a year. I push through tour groups on the Rialto Bridge on my way to class, and have mastered saying “no, grazie” to tourist scammers 10 times a day. Hopefully one day the rose sellers recognise me, but for now I’ll keep declining and falling in love with every single thing that makes Venezia what it is.

Victoria Fernandez
12904532
B. Communications (Public Comm.), B. Creative Intelligence and Innovation
Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia
Italy
TOP Week in Tilburg! Tilburg University, the Netherlands

October 15, 2018

TOP Week in Tilburg!

The day I arrived in Tilburg I was met by i*ESN students who collected me from the train station, introduced me to my first stroopwafel (certainly won’t be the last), and dropped me off at Verbs. Verbs is student accommodation for international students and is a must. You will live with 17 other people from all over the world and spend countless hours in the kitchen sharing meals and spinning yarns. On my floor alone students are from Hungary, Turkey, Slovenia, Italy, Spain, Germany, Taiwan, Colombia, Ireland and Brazil. If that isn’t international, I don’t know what is!

Being a student city, Tilburg came alive during TOP week and I can confirm the infamous TOP week certainly did live up to its expectations. On the first day of TOP week you are put into a group of approximately 15 students and have two mentors, who show you the ropes. The week is filled with organised parties, festivals, a pool party, a pub-crawl and a few too many beers… I particularly enjoyed the decathlon sports day – different sport and student associations’ hosted weird and whacky games for the afternoon – and of course the famed cantus – a huge warehouse with long rows of tables, singing along to pop songs (trying to sing to Dutch songs) and chugging your beer after each song.

I*ESN is an exceptionally well-organised student organisation that ensures you wont have a boring moment while in Tilburg. Each Tuesday i*ESN organises activities and a party at Carpe Noctem (the first one is ‘Welcome to Holland’ so make sure you pack some outrageous orange clothes). Looking up at the social calendar for the semester here is a short list of what is to come… intro camp, pub-crawls, cooking classes, karaoke, sports days and organised trips to Amsterdam, Oktoberfest, Morrocco and Prague.

Life in Tilburg is student heaven. The city centre has cozy pubs, fun nightlife and is in central Europe… what more could you want! One of the best things about living in Tilburg is riding your bike quite literally everywhere. One afternoon our group decided it might be nice to ride to Belgium for dinner (and some waffles)! I still can’t believe there were bike paths that took us all the way there! I have also joined the tennis and basketball clubs, which is a great way to meet Dutch and other international students. Although I’m not going to lie, it can be challenging in a competitive game of basketball when your teammates attempt to communicate in Dutch!

It is only early days, but I have had an incredible month and made friends from all over the world. I couldn’t recommend Tilburg more highly!

Lucinda Cornwell
12006122
Bachelor of Business Bachelor of Laws
Tilburg University
the Netherlands
Sophia University, Japan

October 11, 2018

So this is my first blog about exchange to Sophia uni. Unlike others, the Autumn semester in Japan hasn’t started yet and therefore I’m still in my own country, enjoying the relaxing long holiday.

Looking forward to the exchange life in Japan, I did some research about what I should bring or keep in mind. One thing quite important to remember is that the voltage in Japan is 100 volt, which is different from Australia (240 volt). So if you wish to bring your laptop, camera or any electronics, make sure to check the label on you device or its cord. (see the image below)

There should have something like ‘input: 100v-240v’, indicates its acceptance range. Bring an voltage converter if your device does not fit.

Other than that, it might be useful to bring a plug adapter (you can get one in Japan of course, but it’s always easier if we prepare first).

The wall outlet in Japan

The plug adapter I bought

The winter in Tokyo is much colder than Sydney, it can drop below 0 degrees. Don’t forget to pack gloves, knit cap and earmuffs if you come during December – February (season in the northern hemisphere is opposite to us)

My friend told me the public transport in Japan is developed very well and trains strictly follow the timetable (it can be accurate into half minute) . I can’t imagine but that’s so cool.

The subjects I’m going to take there will be free electives, which means I can learn something interesting beyond my major. Without knowing what the uni will offer this semester, one subject I’ll definitely take is Japanese. It’s always the best to learn a language when you live in that culture. Currently I only know some basic sentences, but I will work hard to improve during my exchange.

Also, I would like to join some clubs there, dances, anime or cooking. I wish I could make many new friends and get to know their culture.

And I’m planing to eat a LOT of delicious Japanese food / snacks. (get prepared to gain some weight lol)

I’m so excited for the coming exchange!

Dingding zhou
12956835
Bachelor of Science in Games Development
Sophia University
Japan
Ghent University, Belgium

October 9, 2018

What I’ve come to understand so far about Ghent and Belgium!

So I’ve just completed my first week as an exchange student at Ghent University and already have made the wisest choice to hire a bicycle for the duration of the semester. Ghent as a city is known as a ‘university hub’ and so alcohol, food, getting around is all made easier for students. I believe the best way to get around is through riding a bike, it’s a great way to see the city and everything is super accessible via this method. Belgium itself is known for its beer and I can see why! Not only is it cheap but they have higher alcohol concentrations than anything you would be used to in Australia. My first experience of a Belgian beer was in a bar that had 58 beers on tap! I was able to try a blueberry flavoured beer and not being a big beer fan, I really enjoyed it.

I am currently studying a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Structures), Diploma in Engineering Practice and at Ghent I am taking subjects in the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture in the Master’s Program. As I am in my fourth year at UTS and towards the end of my degree the subjects do not (as of yet) seem to be too far from what I already know. Furthermore, the English here is amazing! Belgians will get offended if you question them on their ability to speak English! Everyone speaks English which is very handy as the main language in Belgium is Dutch. Even though I am in the Engineering faculty I have decided to take up learning Spanish (…not Dutch). This will count as 3 ECTS on my academic transcript and I already love this subject as it is completely different to what I am used to.

Student accommodation is also in a great location right along one of the few canals in Ghent. My level in the student housing is filled with a lot of Spanish and Italian Erasmus students who love to party! They are also great at keeping you filled in on some of the many perks of being a student at Ghent University. For instance, I recently signed up to the ESN (Erasmus Student Network) and by getting into this group I can attend events each week and get good discounts on travel expenses such as Ryanair and flixbus trips. I was able to use the ESN card on my first Friday in Ghent to go to a club and get two for one tequila shots at the bar which costed 3 Euro. Of course, you need to be ready to start drinking at 10pm partying at 11pm and going to 5am in the morning.

I’ve already made use of how close Ghent is to neighbouring cities and took a weekend trip to Paris! I used flixbus which took around 4 hours each way to get to Paris. So far I am loving exchange and really appreciating what this city has to offer!

Siobhan Hamilton
97116711
Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Structures), Diploma in Engineering Practice
Ghent University, Belgium

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