UTS Think Global

Velkommen to København

November 1, 2017

It’s now been more than two months since I packed up my life in Sydney and moved to Europe for a semester. After spending three weeks eating my way through sunny Italy and Spain, I moved to Copenhagen to begin the final semester of my law degree at the Københavns Universitet (the University of Copenhagen). It’s now been over a month since I arrived on a rainy summer afternoon in Copenhagen (standard), and I’ve loved every minute of it.

I arrived four weeks before my law classes commenced as I chose to enrol in a Danish language course. This is provided free for international students by KU, and ran for three weeks. While it was tricky, starting my exchange early by enrolling in this course was an excellent way to meet other exchange students from outside of law and settle into life in Denmark. It was also a rare opportunity to spend more time in Copenhagen before the end of summer. Exploring the city with new friends after class each day was great. A highlight included discovering the best cinnamon scroll bakery in Copenhagen, which bakes scrolls fresh on Wednesdays.

Copenhagen has a vibrant culture, and there always seems to be something going on. Each weekend a new festival/opening/event pops up. Thus far I’ve been to a free outdoor music festival set in a park beside a castle, a harbour festival involving free canal rides, and Copenhagen Pride, without any particular effort to seek these events out. It has been as easy as simply riding into town and seeing what’s going on.

Moving to Copenhagen has necessarily led to my first time living out of home. This was daunting, but something I looked forward to. I was lucky enough to secure accommodation at arguably Copenhagen’s prettiest hall of residence, Tietgenkollegiet. I share a kitchen with 12 other people, 10 of which are Danish. The opportunity to mix with locals has been a highlight of my exchange experience so far. I have found my kitchen-mates warm and welcoming, and full of tips and tricks for navigating life in Copenhagen – although Copenhagen is very liveable and easy without local knowledge.

For the rest of my exchange, I look forward to exploring Copenhagen and Denmark, planning trips around Europe, and hosting friends and family who visit. I am shortly going to Munich for Oktoberfest, and have plenty of more destinations on my list. While I am not looking forward to the cold or the Danish weather I have heard so much about (incessant rain), I am excited for my first wintery Christmas. Based on my experience in Copenhagen, I cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone thinking of going on exchange in Europe. It is fun, safe, modern, extremely liveable, albeit somewhat expensive (particularly eating out), and an excellent place to spend your weekends – or to use as a launch-pad to travel around.

Scott Preswick
11688342
Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Laws
Københavns Universitet
Denmark
Settling Down

October 31, 2017
Almost a month ago now, I arrived in Uppsala, Sweden, to begin my studies at Uppsala Universitet. Almost a month before that, I left Australia to spend some time travelling beforehand.

I started my travels in London. I travelled with friends to Paris, and we travelled through France together. After we parted ways I travelled to Italy for a week, before embarking on a two-week road trip around Iceland. My month’s travelling was amazing; Iceland in particular was like nothing I have ever experienced before, and was one of the greatest times of my life.

After a month of constantly being on the move, rarely staying in the same place twice, it has certainly been an odd experience to once again settle down in a single location. Compared to the weeks I spent travelling, the daily routine involved in living in one place (cleaning, going to uni, studying etc.) can almost feel boring and monotonous at times. But it need not be the case.

Travelling is so much fun because you are always exposing yourself to new sights and experiences. Staying still for too long can become associated with stagnation if you aren’t careful. Coming from the excitement of travel to the tedium of regular life can be a little jarring. I think that there are two key things to do when starting exchange:
- Apply the travelling mindset to your daily life:
  Break your routine and seek out new experiences. Always have a trip planned, even if it’s just a walk to a nearby landmark.
- Leverage the opportunities that staying put can offer:
  Make the kind of long term friendships that are difficult to come by while travelling. Explore your city in a level of detail you simply wouldn’t have the time to if you were passing through.
These lessons are the exact kind of thing that everyone told me when I left for exchange. Despite that, I think they’re something that I had to realise myself, and I’ve found that putting them into action is the hard part. Ultimately, I hope that I can take these reflections and apply them to my life when I get back to Australia.

Dylan Zachary Treisman
97117168
Bachelor of Information Technology
Uppsala Universitet
Sweden
Pizza, Pasta, Carbs!!

October 31, 2017

Hey guys! My name is Leila and if you haven’t guessed I am currently doing an exchange session in Italy at the Università Cattolica in Milano! Arriving in June and not starting orientation has given me heaps of time to travel, not to mention meet a tonne of people along the way! They’re usually from different countries but you’ll meet the occasional Australian that makes you feel a little bit at home, but then you find out they’re from Melbourne and there’s bit of rivalry (just kidding).

Anyways, I haven’t started classes yet but orientation is already under way! Our first ice breaker activity was the Amazing Race (Milano style) as oppose to the usual name 3 things about yourself that people don’t know about you.. Buffet lunch Italian style is to die for. It’s been so easy to settle into the university life, everyone has been so friendly and the campus is beautiful, but huge… took me half an hour to find my class this morning!

Milano is a beautiful city, the closest to Sydney I’ve felt because there’s public transport that works and it’s still an industrial city, a little multicultural and always busy!

I promise you exchange is always worth it! I already want to come back and I haven’t even left!

Leila Maugeri (12623397)

Bachelor of Global studies

Universita Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore (Milano, Italy)
Dobrý Deň!

October 30, 2017

I have spent the last 3 weeks travelling around Europe with 3 friends from UTS. Having already visited Spain, Italy, Greece and the Czech Republic, I have to say it has been an amazing, and at times, a little too busy of a holiday.

Spain, Italy and Greece

The trip started in Barcelona, where I was amazed by the wonderful architecture present in the city, and left not a little dazed after seeing right hand side driving for the first time! Choosing to ride bicycles alongside the cars shortly after being exposed to driving on the right was not a good idea.

After seeing this (relatively) quiet and urban side of Spain, we flew to an island known for partying across the world; Ibiza! Ibiza was a lively place with a young, partying vibe across the island. During my time in Ibiza I was fortunate enough to see and party with some of my favourite DJs/Music artists such as Kygo, French Montana and Dizzee Rascal!

The next city I travelled to was Milan; the fashion capital of Europe! Not having a huge interest in fashion myself, I was given plenty of opportunities to indulge in authentic Italian cuisine and admire the unique cityscape.

Our next stop were the Greek Islands of Paros and Mykonos. Despite their proximity, both islands had a unique vibe; Paros was a smaller island where Greek culture could be better observed, while Mykonos attracted many tourists due to its natural beauty and party hotspots. It was here in Paros where I was able to witness a sunset on the water for the first time.

Needless to say, during our time travelling around these 3 beautiful and culturally rich countries we made countless friends and met people with many unique stories; an unforgettable experience.

Prague

Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is where I will be spending the next 12 weeks and also my final semester of University. The country is well known for its unique, old fashioned architecture and of course; beer. The Czech Republic has a massive beer consumption of 142.6L per capita – which I am no longer surprised by after witnessing the locals drink beer.

The Prague cityscape is incredibly unique and stands out, especially when witnessed from Prague tower. Furthermore, Prague castle is a beautiful piece of architecture which resides in the heart of the city.

Aside from the sightseeing, the host university has been extremely helpful and caring, catering for all the exchange students’ needs. The other exchange students are also very friendly and make Prague an amazing place to visit for exchange. Despite having only been in Prague for a week, it feels strangely like home – all because of the people around me. I would highly recommend anyone considering student exchange to choose Prague!

Jayesh Malhotra
ID: 97117636
Degree: Bachelor of Information Technology (Co-op)
University of Economics, Prague
Czech Republic
Hej Aarhus! You’re Looking Good

October 30, 2017
If I could sum up my first three weeks in Aarhus in a few words, they would be beer, parties, new friends, the beautiful Danes, and an empty wallet. I am quickly becoming familiarised with the Danish culture that is epitomised by “Hygge” a word that when translated into English means, good vibes, cosiness and happiness. It can be used to describe social situations as well as a time when you are completely comfortable and content in your own company.

The introduction week was extremely well organised, it was informative, fun and we were always well fed with life-changing Danish Sandwiches (you’ll see when you get here). We were herded like cattle between lectures and events in an effort to make our Aarhus experience as easy and welcoming as possible. Although there were “compulsory” practical lecturers and library tours, and “optional” social activities, we found the inverse was the norm.

Life Style
- One of my favourite things about living in this beautiful city is owning a bike. It is 100% essential to buy a bike no longer than 3 hours of being here. Everywhere is a fast, brisk and often rainy 15-minute bike ride away (unless you’re lucky enough to live on Campus). My legs have also changed shape for the better in 3 weeks.
- With hundreds of bars and restaurants in a buzzing student city, there is always opportunity the have fun. Depending on your own budget/ and preferences, if you want to go out 4-5 times a week, you can.
Uni Life
- Very similar to Sydney, but there are no assignments and only final exams. We will have to wait and see how that goes. Other than that the quality of lecturers is very high, all very passionate about their field and always tend to be more interactive. My favourite lecturer brings his golden retriever to class, and there is also a nightclub below one of my lecture rooms, maybe this is why the Danish are the happiest in the world?
Cost
- The cost of living in Aarhus is cheap. Rent is $120, beer is $1 at the supermarket, a gym membership is $19 a month, groceries are the same as Sydney. Despite Denmark being ranked as one of the highest cost of living, housing is subsidised, universities can sell food and alcohol at cost price, and there are always efforts to help students save money.
Travel
- I chose Europe because we are lucky enough to travel to new countries relatively cheaply on our weekends. I have Oktoberfest in Munich planned, trips to Iceland and Lapland, Spain, Portugal, Budapest and Poland. Aarhus is a good base as it has two airports nearby, and Copenhagen is a 4 hour bus away.
Benjamin Stiles, 12678900

Master’s of Finance

Aarhus University, Denmark.
København: Five Months in the Happiest City on Earth

October 27, 2017

My decision to do exchange in Denmark was made completely on a whim, so I was pretty surprised when I realised that I had picked what is often known as the “happiest city in the world” as my exchange destination. What did a cold and rainy city in Scandinavia have going for it that made it one of the best places to live? Turns out, quite a lot.

From the colourful houses of Nyhavn to the gates of Tivoli Gardens, I almost immediately fell in love with Copenhagen’s charm. While skies may often be dreary, the Danes are basically experts at enjoying the indoors. Getting cosy with good company, delicious food and even candles is so ingrained in Danish culture that it has its own word – ‘Hygge’.

Another integral part of life in Copenhagen is cycling. Pretty much everyone you meet in this city will own a bicycle as it is the easiest way to get from place to place. The city has been designed to be extremely friendly to cyclists with bike lanes on most roads and parking outside buildings. Hopping on a bicycle can be a little intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it you quickly realise how efficient and eco-friendly cycling is – not to mention good exercise after eating one too many Danish pastries. For those who don’t want to cycle, Copenhagen also has an excellent metro system that can be used to explore the city.

One of the great things about studying at Copenhagen Business School is that the university provided us with ample opportunity to become immersed in Danish Culture. We were each greeted by a buddy the moment we arrived in Copenhagen, who brought us to our dorms and helped us get settled in our new lives. As part of the Introduction Social Package for exchange students, we went on a canal tour to see sights around the harbour, partied the night away at the Lake Pavilion and even tried our hand at Danish folk dancing.

Going overseas alone can seem rather daunting and I myself had some reservations regarding leaving home. However so far, exchange has just been a constant stream of incredible experiences. If you have the opportunity to go on exchange, do it because you won’t regret it one bit!

Michelle Ou
97113676
Bachelor of Information Technology
Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Chillburg Tilburg

October 27, 2017

“Why on earth would come all the way from Sydney to study here?”

With an incredulous look on their face, this is the question every Dutch person will ask once you’ve introduced yourself.

Tilburg, bless its heart, gets a bit of crap from its more beautiful European neighbours. But for us humble Aussies, it’s an adorable little city with everything you could need – from gourmet chips shops to Zara & H&M, plus dozens of cute cafés and bars nestled in the winding city centre. Plus, the supermarkets are mercifully cheap.

And anything it lacks in big city atmosphere, it more than makes up for with its student life. At the centre of the student life is Verbs, where hundreds of exchange students hailing from around the world are packed into 17 person, fidget-spinner shaped apartments with one shared kitchen, and a handful of bathrooms and showers. But what might appear to be the pre-conditions for a disease outbreak is in fact remarkably clean and organised – rarely waiting for the showers or toilets, plus the bedrooms are huge. And with 17 people per floor, there’s always someone to chat to, make dinner or have a hit of tennis with. Be warned – it is incredibly competitive to get into Verbs, so treat it with the same commitment as Splendour in the Grass and get in as soon as it opens and pick anything – all the rooms and flats are roughly the same and will sell out in minutes.

But whether you’re in Verbs or not, you’re tripping over yourself with opportunities to meet people. As soon as you arrive, there are welcome drinks and before long the incredibly well-organised student organisation, I*ESN, slots everyone into a mentor group which meets for dinner and drinks every Tuesday before everyone jumps on their bikes and descends on the exchange bar – Carpe Noctem – for a themed party. Plus there’s Intro Camp (would definitely recommend) and of course – the famed TOP week – a week packed with festivals, scavenger hunts, a pool party, pub crawls, parties every night and of course, the traditional Dutch cantus – where thousands of students gather in a massive warehouse on long tables, chant songs and scull beer (or wine if you’re tragically a fellow coeliac).

While there’s not an enormous selection of exchange subjects suitable for law students, the ones on offer are interesting and with some nifty manoeuvring you can score yourself a two day week, priming yourself for four-day weekends and trips with mates. With just one lecture for each class per week making up your timetable, there’s plenty of time to go on day-trips, hop on your bike and explore the city or go to the sports centre – where for $30 a month you can go to endless gym classes, have tennis lessons, play beach volleyball with your flat or even a hit of badminton or squash.

Apart from the rather inconsiderate weather (it’s started and stopped raining three times while writing this), I could not recommend Tilburg more highly – especially if you are, like I was, looking for a place where making great friends is guaranteed. Just maybe master how to ride a bike before you arrive – you’re going to need it.

Please feel free to message me with any questions and good luck!

Cameron Nicholls

12037444

Journalism/Law

Tilburg University

The Netherlands
All IKEA Everything

October 26, 2017

Hej friends!

It’s been quite a journey, but I’ve finally arrived and stayed in Sweden for about 3 weeks! I’m at Uppsala Universitet, Sweden’s oldest university, located in its 4th largest city. One of the best things about exchange so far has been that I’m in the middle of Europe (for the first time), and I arrived here after a month of country hopping (Italy, Austria, and France, in particular).

The transition into Swedish student life has been amazing, and frankly, every bit as idyllic and beautiful as I thought it would be. I say that off the back of two tours of Uppsala run by the university by a wonderfully entertaining guide, one in Northern Upplands, and the other at Gripsholms Castle. In the former, We stopped by some historic mining towns in and around Dannemora, then to the northern coast at Öregrund. Would highly recommend.

As for my (and most of the other students’) housing, Flögsta is where I’m staying; a 10-15 minute bike ride from Uppsala’s centre, and home to the infamous Flögsta scream. You live in a 12-person corridor, with each person having their own room and a shared kitchen at the end of the corridor. Every corridor is different with their own rules but regardless you end up talking to a bunch of interesting people. Uppsala, virtually being a student town, doesn’t really follow the ‘shy, reserved Swede’ stereotype, and everyone’s been super warm and welcoming. Also, everything is close by in Flögsta, the supermarket being a 3 minute walk and IKEA (and by extension, lunch) a 10-15 minute bus ride away.

Once I arrived at Uppsala Universitet and got settled at Flögsta, I needed to choose a student nation. Student nations are basically centuries old student organisations that offer housing, scholarships, club opportunities, and pubs to students — to get into nations and to have student identification you need to pick one out of thirteen. Though a lot of people stress over this choice, it’s not that big of a deal; I just ended up signing up to the one with a nice, cosy pub, and free entry into their club on Fridays (it’s called Värmlands Nation, you’re welcome).

To be perfectly honest, going on exchange and living on your own anywhere will be extremely rewarding (both are firsts for me), but having the opportunity to study at a world-class university, experience a beautiful city and meet people from all over the world that you can share those experiences with already makes Uppsala great choice for me. Now excuse me as this Australian braces himself for a Swedish winter.

Full name: Pranav More

Student ID: 97117509

Degree: Bachelor of Information Technology

Host University: Uppsala Universitet

Country: Sweden
Benvenuto a Milano

October 26, 2017

Ciao! My name is Christina and I am currently on exchange at Bocconi University in Milan and having the time of my life!

After two months of travelling (eating) my way through Europe, I’ve finally settled down into Milan. Milan is an absolutely amazing and vibrant city that offers a perfect fusion between old and modern Italy. Walking through the city you can stumble upon cobble-stone alleyways and thousand-year-old churches and castles, which is contrasted against modern designer stores and bustling restaurants.

Getting around the city is easy as public transportation is very user-friendly in Milan, with trams and metros running every few minutes. I would highly recommend checking out the Duomo (photos will never be able to do it justice), the Navigli area (beautiful canals that are always bustling with nightlife), Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Castello Sforzesco, The Last Supper (yes, it’s located in Milan) and Park Sempione (where surprisingly all the major nightclubs are located).

The people in Milan are super friendly and helpful, and are always extremely proud to share their culture with others. Although many people do speak English, I would highly recommend brushing up on some basic Italian, and even go so far as to enrolling in the Italian Crash Course offered by Bocconi (it’s also a great way to meet other exchange students).

And saving the best to last, FOOD! The food in Milan, as expected with any Italian city, is amazing. There are a tonne of places (particularly around the Navigli area) to get delicious pizza, pasta, gelato, pastries and aperitivo (a must-try Milanese tradition). Furthermore, for the coffee lovers (I’m with you fam!), there is a place to get an espresso on practically every block around the city. A note of warning ‘latte’ means milk in Italian, so make sure you order a ‘caffe latte’, otherwise you’ll be served a cup of hot milk (words from experience). I’d highly recommend having a meal on the La Rinascente rooftop, and also grabbing an Aperol Spritz at the Aperol Terrazza, with both venues boasting amazing views of the Duomo and Milan skyline.

In terms of the university itself, my experience at Bocconi has been fantastic. The university has an extremely well-organised international student desk team, which has made the transition a lot easier. The students are incredibly friendly and approachable, and with over 1,000 exchange students arriving each semester, you’re bound to make a lot of friends.

Bocconi University is also a part of the Erasmus Students Network (ESN), which is essentially a society that organises a tonne of student events for both Bocconi students and other university students in Milan. There is a party, aperitivo or dinner planned for practically every night of the week, and the organisation also arranges weekend trips to places such as Lake Como, Tuscany, Cinque Terre and Oktoberfest (to name a few). Attending the ESN events is a fantastic way to meet other exchange students, and also to explore the nightlife venues in Milan.

Every second of my experience so far has been absolutely wonderful. I have met friends from all around the world, and we’ve shared memories that will last a lifetime. Thank-you to both UTS and Bocconi for the amazing opportunity, and I can’t wait for what Milan has instore for the next 3 months!

Christina Kukec | 12001424 | Bachelor of Business
Bocconi University | Italy
Hej hej from Sweden!

October 20, 2017

My name is Dan and I have just begun my exchange in Uppsala, Sweden after two months of backpacking around continental Europe and Scandinavia. Uppsala is student city (fourth largest city in Sweden), situated in central Sweden about 40 mins north of Stockholm.The city itself is beautiful and old with a really rich history. It boasts a huge cathedral, viking burial sites from the 11th century and of course the University, which was opened in 1477. It has been a big shift from big city life in Australia and it has been fun adjusting to the Swedish culture and way of life.

Despite having been on the go for 2 months before arriving in Uppsala, the first week did not provide many opportunities to relax and recharge my batteries as, like all new students, I needed to settle into my new accommodation, buy a bike and tackle shopping in a foreign language. All of which done while participating in O week activities and nights out. I can happily say I made many new friends and got to try out traditional fika a fair few times!

Separate to the university are what are known as ‘Nations’, a concept unique to Lund and Uppsala, they which are effectively student run societies all providing different services, activities and benefits for members in addition to nights out on different days of the week. There are 14 in total originally based on various regions in Sweden such as Gothenburg, Norrlands etc. I joined both the Stockholm and Södermanlands-Nerikes (Snerikes) nations which have nights out on both Tuesdays and Thursdays and provides a great opportunity to connect exchange students like myself with Swedes from various backgrounds. What drives these nations are deeply seeded traditions and long running histories that date back hundreds of years. Just earlier this week I was able to attend a “Gasque”, which is a formal dinner that acts as a welcome for all new members. At this dinner we sang songs and ate traditional Swedish food whilst observing strict manners and formalities. For the few international students present it was great experience as for many of us were not used to such a traditional event.

Another interesting aspect of my exchange so far has been the shift to university housing. I am staying in a reknowned student area known as Flogsta and for me, this is the first time I have had the chance to live in dorm style accommodation. At first I thought it would be challenging to share a kitchen and living area with 12 other students but after only a short time we have become like a family, sharing meals and conversations almost every day. Despite that, Flogsta is not without a few unique qualities. The most bizarre part of living at Flogsta is the the imfamous ‘Flogsta Scream’. Every night at 10pm it is commonplace for students to open their windows and scream at the top of there lungs out into the night. I remember reading about this bizarre tradition before coming over and I didn’t really believe it happened, but sure enough at 10pm every night without fail there will be someone screaming. Another notable aspect of Flogsta is the community that has been developed around the trading of 2nd hand items. The beauty of the overlapping semesters is that there is always someone trying to get rid of clothes or furniture and being a way out of town, it is common to see various pieces of furniture being lugged up and down the street to save people from making the 3km journey to the town or further 2km to IKEA. This community trading has been really helpful for me to be able to furnish my room for not much at all.

Finally, the bike culture here is also something unique which I have grow to love. From where I, and a large number of other exchange students are staying, it is a 3km, or 10 minute cycle to the centre of town. This is where the university, nations and shops are. Without a bike this distance turns into a 40min walk, which even in the warmer summer weather is impractical. As such, your bike becomes your best friend and trusty steed. You rarely ride alone too with groups of students forming convoys regularly 10-15 bikes strong. Some of the best times I have had on the bike to date have been going to and from the nations on a night out. Where the Swedes can ride before they can walk, the addition of alcohol to exchange students not as comfortable on two wheels can, and has yielded some spectacular stacks and tumbles.

Coming on exchange has been the best decision I could have made and I am very excited for my next four months!

Daniel Hudson
97113878
Bachelor of Accounting Co-op
Uppsala University, Sweden