Australia or Europe Study Abroad?
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Anonymous
| If you had a chance for semester, a typical study abroad destination in Europe like Madrid or Prague or an Australian city like Brisbane or Queensland? |
Anonymous
| NO question -- Europe. I studied abroad in Australia (Sydney) and its basically America-light. I regret it. The only real positive was the proximity to other travel like NZ, Asia, India, etc. |
Anonymous
|
I studied abroad in Italy. I was able to visit more countries, experience different culture/history, and have been able to go back. I spent a lot of time in museums, practicing a foreign language, learning about art history, etc. My classes included field trips and were steeped in local culture/history/etc.
My husband studied in Australia. He visited some parts of Australia and was able to visit New Zealand. His abroad experience was more about adventure/outdoor experiences (kayaking, surfing, hiking, bungee jumping, cuddling koalas, etc). His classes were similar to what he would have been taking at his normal University. He has never been able to go back (it is so far and expensive). I think it depends on the kid and what you are trying to experience. DH and I both loved our abroad experiences, but they were very different. I tell my kids they should study abroad multiple times to get both. |
Anonymous
| What major? I studied architecture history in Italy. The location was integral, and it was a convenient launching pad for seeing other parts of Europe. I think a semester in Australia would be interesting too, but I would definitely recommend planning to travel around Asia while there. |
Anonymous
| I love Australia, but it is a cultural vacuum. There is nothing there to compare to Europe. |
Anonymous
| Definitely Europe. So many countries to see and they are easily accessible. |
Anonymous
|
Brisbane is boring.
I think it is individual specific. LOTS of kids from my college went to Europe and they hung out with each other. I went to NZ with SIT. Don't know if SIT still exists. I studied penguins in a beautiful place. It's something I'll never forget. I did luck out though. Some of the kids on the program did boring things. |
Anonymous
| I studied abroad at Notre Dame in Australia, which is on the west coast. I loved it, and I was able to travel all over Australia and New Zealand. It's a long way to travel. It's been more than 20 years, and although I'd love to return, I've never been back! On the other hand, after graduation, I worked in London for 7 years, and have probably been back to various countries in Europe dozen times since I moved back to the U.S, and we've also taken our kids several times. Europe is accessible and relatively easy to get to, especially if you live on the East Coast. Regardless of where you live in the US, Australia is a trek, so if it's something you want to experience, then study abroad is a good opportunity. |
Anonymous
| Personally, I think studying abroad in a country where English is NOT the primary language has the most value. |
Anonymous
| If Australia, I would go to Sydney or Melbourne, not Brisbane. |
Anonymous
Why? |
Anonymous
| Where do you find such good opportunities? |
Anonymous
| There are vibrant Australian art communities in Sydney and Melbourne if that's an area of interest. Very different from European art. Europe is easy to get to. |
Anonymous
| Europe is generally more affordable for students (bar Scandanavia, Switzerland etc) |
Anonymous
| I think Europe is a better option. Lots of different types of places you can visit, and closer to home. |