UTS Think Global

Ryerson University, Canada

April 16, 2018

Trip to Niagara Falls

Life on Global Exchange has been full on since arriving 2 months ago. Despite the countless information sessions, describing the exchange experience can do it no justice.

Strangely enough, Toronto is like Sydney in many ways. It is a very multicultural city, there is lots of good food and many tourist activities to do all within short distances. This, combined with Ryerson University also being very similar to UTS, made settling into life here very easy and stress free. Ryerson is also a campus that has many buildings spread throughout the city giving it a laid-back atmosphere that many people enjoy. The biggest differences are the weather (approaching -20 the first week I arrived) and the classes themselves. The classes here are 3-hour long lectures – No tutes like back home. They are long and boring, but the upside is that they are also easy. A semester studying here has made me appreciate the world class quality of most degrees from Australia and the cultural difference of a bachelor’s degree from North America vs Australia.

My view of the city

The second biggest part of the exchange so far is the social life. I’m currently living in an apartment building that houses around 40 exchange students from all over the world. There is a group of people doing something every night, guaranteed. It also helps that there is a great bar literally 10 steps from the door. But aside from most people’s alcohol tolerance increasing it is important to find a group of friends you click with. Meeting new people to study with, eat with, chat with and travel with is what exchange is all about. Every week there is a new group of people planning a weekend trip to the US, UK, Cuba or somewhere in Canada. This exchange provides one of the best opportunities to travel to some amazing places. I have already been lucky enough to see some of the US, the snow in Canada and Niagara Falls.

The best burger I’ve ever had

Finding a balance is important though. Keeping in mind, you are there to have an international study experience, which means attending classes, and a decent amount of study.

Dominic McEwen
98096249
Bachelor of Business
Ryerson University – Ted Rodgers School of Management
Toronto, Canada
SGH University of Economics Warsaw, Poland

April 12, 2018

Until now I could never have imagined myself going for a night out when the temperature outside is minus ten degrees celsius, but maybe there is something in the Polish vodka.

Living and studying and exploring Warsaw has been an exciting experience so far! The magic of snow somehow makes you forget the cold, and with the sun coming out more as Spring approaches, Warsaw really does shine.

I am studying at SGH, the University of Economics Warsaw, where I am taking classes in European Integration, Philosophy, Americanisation, and a bunch of other fun subjects. The main building is pink on the outside and the library is over 100 years old, but at the same time it’s not so different from being at UTS (they follow Harvard style referencing too!).

With over 250 students visiting on exchange at SGH alone the program for exchange students here is incredible, we are so well looked after you’ll feel at home right away. The ESN team at SGH organised mentor buddies to help us settle in, as well as a jam packed orientation week. In one week I meet so many new friends from Poland and from around the world, had a city tour, went iceskating in the national stadium, met the municipal police (it was a safety demonstration I swear!), experienced a Polish style dorm party, ate traditional Polish food, had a snowball fight, and explored countless bars and clubs.

In terms of liveability, Warsaw has amazing public transport; you buy a three month pass that gives you unlimited rides on their trams, buses, and the metro. As well as this, almost everyone speaks good English so you’ll always feel at ease, but learning the basics of Polish has been a fun challenge too.

With Poland being in the centre of Europe and with flight prices that are incredibly inexpensive, I am looking forward to a semester of travelling around Poland and Europe with my new friends, and of course studying hard too.

In a city so rich with history, and with vodka and kebabs so abundant and cheap, it really is a fantastic place to be!

Rachael Piech
98066727
Bachelor of Business
SGH, University of Economics Warsaw
Warsaw, Poland
Stockholm University: I Hope This Semester Never Ends!

April 9, 2018

Today marks exactly two months since I last set foot in Australia – and what an amazing few months it has been!

I am currently on a semester long exchange at Stockholm University in Sweden, and have loved absolutely every second of it so far.

When I first arrived in Stockholm, it was immediately clear – going on exchange was the best decision I have ever made. It took no time at all before I had settled into daily life in Stockholm. This was of course aided by Stockholm University’s amazing orientation program.

During the orientation week and in my classes; I have been able to meet so many new people. Within such a short period of time I have made so many great friends who I know I will keep in touch with for many more years to come.

The University itself is extremely student friendly, with many student activities regularly planned by the Stockholm University Student Union. The classes I am studying are also really interesting, and really flexible. Not only do I enjoy class, but I really enjoy listening to perspectives from other students who come from all over the world.

What is most interesting about studying at Stockholm University is that subjects are not taught concurrently. The academic semester is broken up into two ‘periods’ and you only study one subject at a time. For the first 10 weeks of the semester I have been studying ‘Legal Systems and Methods’ and during the remaining 10 weeks of the semester I will be studying ‘Swedish Law in Context’. I have found this style of teaching to be really effective because you are completely focused on learning a single subject and are taught in much greater detail.

One of the things that surprised me the most about exchange in Sweden is the ‘Fika’ culture. I still find it so amusing that 45 minutes into class, the teacher will stop for everyone to have a coffee break and of course a cinnamon bun!

A highlight of exchange for me has been travelling throughout Europe; after all, Stockholm really is the gateway to Scandinavia. I have only been on exchange for 2 months, but so far I have already cruised to Estonia, partied in Copenhagen, hiked in Iceland, dog sledded/snowmobiled in the Swedish Lapland’s and even have a Norwegian road trip planned for next week.

In-between all this travel, I have recently been trying new sports such as Skiing and Ice-skating. Obviously back in Sydney, snow is not a very familiar sight, so living only 25 minutes away from the Ski Slopes is such a novel idea to me.

Overall, I can honestly say there has not been a single day where I have been bored, or regretted choosing to study at Stockholm University. Exchange is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and I would absolutely recommend Stockholm University to anyone considering exchange.

Michael Absell
99137337
Bachelor of Laws & Bachelor of Business
Stockholm University
Sweden
Ryerson University, Canada

April 5, 2018

Nathan Phillips Square and Toronto Sign

I’ve been in Canada for two months now and its fantastic. Upon arriving here, the distinct feelings I had were “It’s cold!” and “Actually, no, its freezing!” Quite a change from the Australian summer! Nevertheless, after purchasing a pair of waterproof boots and a very warm coat, I was set to explore this diverse city.

Ryerson University is similar to UTS, although one key difference is that the business subjects focus a lot more on current issues, and Canadian students are never late to class (ever)! Another key difference is that there’s a pond on campus that you can skate on when it’s frozen! And speaking of skating, a typical Thursday night in Toronto involves going to a Ryerson Rams ice hockey game before going to our local bar for some poutine and a drink or two.

Ryerson Rams Ice Hockey Game

Ice-rink at Ryerson

Another highlight of exchange so far has been going to Montreal during reading week. It was enchanting to see more of the French influence in Canada than you typically come across in Toronto. In particular, the day trip to Quebec City was extremely scenic and European. Although, it’s important to note that the French influence is apparent in all parts of Canada. It’s very noticeable when attempting to buy groceries as one side of the package is always in French – this takes some getting used to. Montreal itself was also a highlight and I enjoyed visiting Notre Dame and Rue St Paul.

A favourite adventure of mine was also visiting Niagara Falls with a group of friends! We had the best day taking in this awe-inspiring site and finding rainbows in amongst the falls. Hard to believe such natural beauty is only a 2hr bus ride from the bustling city of Toronto.

Lauren and I in Quebec City

Lauren and I in Quebec City

The social life around exchange in Canada is very happening. I’m staying at a student co-op with other exchange students from all around the world and it’s been amazing getting to learn about other cultures from them. And we’ve certainly been infiltrating the group with Australian culture too (there are at least five of us so far!). With these new friends, I’ve explored the inner city neighbourhoods such as Korea Town, Little Italy, Kensington and Harbourfront, and soon we’ll do a day trip to Niagara Falls. Another thing I’ve done here that I would highly recommend is climbing the CN Tower. On a clear day, you can see all the way to New York. Much like Sydney’s Centre Point Tower, it’s the best view of the city you can possibly get.

CN Tower

I can’t believe how quickly this exchange is going, and how many fantastic friends I’ve made here and I’m so excited for the next few months of exploring and getting to know this wonderful city.

Goodbye and au revoir for now!

Hannah

Hannah Gibson
99212654
Bachelor of Business
Ryerson University
Canada
Korea University

April 2, 2018
Korea University building ‘Woodang Hall’

Living in Seoul has been a fascinating change of pace from life back home in the suburbs of South-West Sydney. It has been a culture shock in many facets of everyday life, from shops and streets being alive past midnight on a weekday, to smaller lifestyle quirks here, such as coffee shops being treated as unofficial libraries by the local students of Korea University. The campus of KU has strong British architecture influence, and classes feel like being back in the high school system. (Attendance is expected/mandatory in most cases, mobile phones/laptops are confiscated from usage, classes are all in a classroom setting even for lectures)

The main street that KU students leak out onto after classes

New activities I have taken up while on exchange has been optional Korean language classes and a traditional cooking class. Despite having half-Korean heritage, growing up I was never really exposed to Korean culture as my family in Australia was near non-existent besides my mother and one auntie. I felt that beyond my exchange, it would be appropriate to learn some skills that would be applicable and usable back home whilst being a nice way to remember my time spent in Korea.

Something you could probably accredit to my upbringing in Sydney, but I have found it very unusual to be in such a homogenous country. Upon reflection this seems like a rather obvious statement but growing up as mixed heritage, and in a city where different ethnicities are found all throughout took some adjustment. Other tidbits I have noticed living in Seoul thus far;
- I knew plastic surgery was quite popular amongst men and women, but I wasn’t expecting makeup usage to be as high as it is amongst men
- The delivery service in Korea is incredible, most restaurants and even some grocery stores can deliver to my doorstep until late into the night, and most don’t even charge for the convenience.
- Shoving whilst walking around train stations to get through crowds is pretty normal, everyone does it in such a fashion that would probably cause a fight on a cityrail train
- I knew on paper Korea is a highly populated country, but it is still crazy to see people everywhere you go at all hours of the day, and clumps of high rise apartments even when heading out to the countryside, which I witnessed heading to Pyeongchang seeing farmland intertwined with 40 story apartment blocks.
There are plenty more examples of small things I notice that remind me that I am no longer at home, these are some of the more common ones that arise. If anything, I feel like I am learning more about my country by living here, as I am able to have a proper point of comparison for once. I definitely have a bigger appreciation for the beaches within driving distance to my home, as I realise the option for Koreans is a cross country train to Busan which is an all day trip. In fact, I no longer think our weather is that extreme, it was shocking to come from 30 degree weather to snow and borderline negative temperature in Seoul which almost never happens in Sydney.

Rare snowfall from my dormitory

As far as classes go, I am studying completely different material to back home. To make exchange work I saved all my elective classes available to complete here. As a result instead of studying core subjects in Construction Management such as cost planning or human resources, I have chosen subjects in psychology, Korean history and culture, and beginner film studies classes. It has been refreshing to experience a completely different type of university experience compared to back home, with much more contact hours and interaction with the campus in general.

In summation, it’s been a nice change of pace from home thus far, and I look forward to the experiences and memories to come throughout this exchange. Here’s to the next three months or so!

Andreas Kokkinis
98051283
Bachelor of Construction Project Management (Senior)
Korea University
South Korea
Ladies and G(H)entlemen, welcome to Flanders!

March 28, 2018

At the time of writing, I have only been in Belgium 3 weeks since the start of February 2018. But that has been more than enough time for me to love Gent and Belgium as a whole.

I’ll begin with the student life, because it separates this exchange destination to what my other friends on Erasmus experienced. 30% of the 260 000 population are students, with 5% of these being overseas academics. The sheer volume of young people give an incredible vibrancy to a city steeped in tradition. This contrast is best demonstrated by having one of the 500 available beers at the pub opposite the Belfry tower, and then partying at the seedy Overpoort avenue which are open until 7am. To balance out the consumption of carbs you will drink, sporting pursuits are abundant. The large Spanish contingent means there is significant competition in Futsal, whilst basketball and volleyball are also promoted.

Whilst the accommodation looks like a correction centre, its mixed dormitories and shared cooking spaces provide great social outlets. Try and be quiet after 11pm, but if you listen to me you aren’t grasping the essence of exchange. The greatest drawback is NO WIFI, and rationed VPN connections. Read a book, I guess.

Academically, this has been the most eye-opening semester of my life. Three-hour lectures are tough, but when you are tackling subject matters like ‘Sexual and Relational Ethics’, you can really sink your teeth in. The campus is similar to UTS, but spread across the whole city, so invest in a bike and nothing will be more than 15 minutes away.

The language to learn in the region is Dutch (Boterham means sandwich!) however everyone speaks English but try and put in an effort. Proximity is the most impressive part of the low countries, with 30 minute trains taking me to Brugge one weekend and Brussels the next. But unlike the tourist trap former and industrial latter, Gent will steal your heart by being a functioning city whilst feeling like you are in a fairy tale. If you somehow get sick of this place, travel is easy. I have 5 different trips planned, and that doesn’t even count the world cup in Russia!

Ed Harriott
12578656
Bachelor of Business
University of Ghent
Belgium
FH Vorarlberg, Austria

March 25, 2018

Counting down day after day, going to Austria all seemed like a dream to me. The idea of going to a complete foreign country for 6 months seemed quite daunting and didn’t really hit me until we actually arrived in Dornbirn— which involved a tiring 22 hour plane ride to Zurich, and another 2 hour train ride to Dornbirn. Jet lag was a pain for the first few days, where we found ourselves sleeping at the most random times of the day (Ourselves = Alice and I. Refer to her blog for a more interesting story, stay tuned.)

It is now my third week in Dornbirn, and I must say I love it here. The food, the people, the hikes, the views you get from the school—everything! The international students move and interact like one tight family. I am currently staying at Sebastianstrasse— student accommodation for international students—and it’s crazy to feel as though we’ve known everyone for months. With initial concerns of feeling homesick and meeting new friends, meeting everyone certainly did a major part in settling in Dornbirn with ease. Going out to the famous Mr John’s bar, skiing, hiking, weekend trips to Milan, Germany and Switzerland and just group night outs—you are constantly kept busy with interesting activities (Lots of party events are organised if that interests you). Grocery shopping is a huge part of my life here in Dornbirn, where Alice and I go on daily errands for some good speck (schpeck, cured meat) and bergkase (cheese) that we haven’t gotten sick of YET.

The amount of different people you get to meet through this program is insane- students from Finland, the Netherlands, Brazil, Mexico, Belgium, Japan, France and MORE. You also get to meet the local students who are also very lovely and helpful in figuring your way around Austria. Not to mention, FH Vorarlberg has this great ‘buddy’ system where international students (like myself) get the opportunity to actually ‘meet’ and befriend local students before arriving in Dornbirn. They help you answer any questions that you may have and also offer to pick you up from the station upon arrival in Austria— alongside with other things like suggesting night outs, day trips to Vienna and other more exciting things. We went sledding the other night, playing a few traditional Austria games (that I lost, and had to shout everyone drinks) and listening to the live band up in the mountains. It was quite a wild night where Eugenia (A friend from Mexico) and I ended up flying off the sled, rolling into the thick snow. The ‘fun’ part of this was actually losing the sled as a result, watching it fly into the woods right down the cliff. We had to pay another 90 euros for it, which hurt my soul but all in all it was still a great night.

FH Vorarlberg so far has been amazing (The views that you get from the uni are actually GOALS). They have a great program for international students that allow us to further bond with each other and the local students of Dornbirn. They also offer a surprising range of different sports and activities like skiing, volleyball, football, rock climbing and kickboxing. I’ve taken up rock climbing, volleyball and kickboxing and so far they’ve been quite good! In terms of my course, I realised that most of the subjects were theory and group based —in comparison to UTS where there is more of a focus on practical aspects of design. Despite being quite content heavy, I’ve learned about interesting business approaches to design that I hope to practice in the future.

Travelling has been one of the most thrilling part of this exchange journey, as Dornbirn is located near the border of Germany and Switzerland- and is generally close to all the other European countries. The other weekend, we took a 5hr 30 minute bus ride to Milan, – a trip that was decided upon literally 3 hours before we left- only to end up with hands full of shopping bags. We’ve currently planned another weekend trip down to Salzburg and hoping it will be good.

Overall, life here in Austria is amazing and I look forward to the next 4 months of my stay.

AUF WIEDERSEHEN (I’ve been learning German here, and I’m not sure if it’s going too well)

Jenny Kim
12609057
Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication
FH Vorarlberg
Austria

jenny.kim@student.uts.edu.au (if you have any questions 🙂 )
Stockholm University, Sweden

March 21, 2018

As an exchange student from Sydney, Australia, being on exchange in Stockholm, Sweden has opened my eyes to a completely different culture, way of living and of course, climate. When I first arrived in Stockholm I was in utter shock at the beauty the city had to offer. I was surrounded by old, stunning buildings, that were nothing like back home. Seeing a city covered in snow for the first time was also breathtaking! The city itself is easy to get around, with everyone speaking such good English and happy to help. Straight away Stockholm struck me as a very friendly and exciting city.

Being on exchange in Stockholm has given me the opportunity to not only explore Sweden, but also the rest of Europe. For example, within my first few weeks of university I had already visited Estonia, Denmark and had booked two other trips with the university. Being able to live so close to the rest of Europe gives you the opportunity to go places much easier and for a couple of days at a time. However, my experience on exchange has been completely enhanced by the amazing new friends I’ve made.

Being on exchange allows for you to interact with new cultures, learn new traditions and see other people’s way of life. Walking away from exchange I know I will be going home with a whole bunch of new friends, that I will stay in contact with. Furthermore, while it was hard at first to adapt to the Swedish weather, considering I’ve come to realise Australians don’t really have a proper winter, the weather has given me the opportunity to improve my skiing skills and try new activities! For example, only just 40 mins from my student accommodation is a ski field in the city where I have been able to ski at. I have also had the amazing experience of dog sledding, snowmobiling, seeing the stunning northern lights and Sauna/frozen Lake swims in Lapland! These are just some of the few reasons why I’d highly recommend exchange in Stockholm to anyone considering it. Seriously, do it!

Elodie Jane Bethuel
98126030
Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Business
Stockholm University
Sweden
Sophia University, Japan

March 20, 2018

It’s March 21st and the plane is about to leave. The Sydney which was blazing hot all week has suddenly started pouring as if a calamity has struck. Maybe this is a sign that Australia will miss me after I depart …

Just kidding.

For some exchange students, this is the period when they are coming back from exchange. For others, this is the period when they are undergoing their exams or simply still studying. For me, I haven’t even left yet!

I think especially as someone who hasn’t left yet, there’s so much that needs to be completed before even considering the journey. Things you need to buy, people you need to say your farewells to and food that you need to eat because you won’t be having it for another couple of months!

Goodbye doggo!

In amongst of all of these items, your preparation tends to be poor as everything is crammed and rushed to the last minute. Personally, I was living off coffee and energy drinks every day and on four hours of sleep which isn’t exactly the best combination for your body, but I think it’s something that happens to many people. It may be that your friends want to do something spontaneous on the weekend before you leave, it may be that you forgot to buy spare cables and you need to get them on express shipping, it may be that you need to complete an important project prior to leaving and it’s not even halfway done! Whatever it may be, unexpected things tend to happen so you will rarely be completely prepared, the only thing you can do is soldier on and push yourself so you can depart with no regrets.

I have had many of my friends, family and colleagues ask me, “Hey, are you excited about your exchange?” and to be honest, I am quite mellow about it. It’s a strange feeling, I should be excited, I should be full of anticipation, but all the emotions I currently have lead to indifference.

I don’t know where this emotion is coming from honestly. I think I am a kind of person who will be able to understand the surrealness once I board the plane, because I know it will be awesome, I know I will have so much fun and I know that it will definitely change me as a person. This journey and experience is something that we have been working towards for a year in advance so it only makes sense that our expectations are so high.

For some people, their journey has ended. For others, their journey is still in progress. For me, my journey has just started.

Peter Khuu
12039537
Bachelor of Science in Games Development
Sophia University
Japan

Australian Government New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant recipient.
Saga University 2017

March 20, 2018

This was a short three week program at Saga University in Japan. Although it was a short period of time we still learnt a lot and made many unforgettable memories. The first day involved meeting all of the group members. As everyone came from different backgrounds and spoke different languages, it was very interesting for our first few conversations.

For the three weeks we explored the surrounding areas including Saga Castle and Saga Shrine, traveled to Ogi and Ureshino, took Ofuro (a special type of Japanese bath), joined a Japanese tea ceremony and traditional Yosakoi dance, and of course we attended Saga University for some study.

We became friends with our Japanese partners and other university students. At the farewell party, we did not want out trip to end, so we organised to meet each other either in Australia or Japan. This trip was so special as it was definitely a once in a life time experience.

Hsin-Lun Chan, Global Short Programs Student

Recent posts