THE BASICS
Your first name: Lucas Kavanagh
Your partner university:University of Adelaide
Your UVic major during the exchange: Earth Science
UVic session(s) during which you did your exchange: Spring 2011
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GENERAL EVALUATION
Please rate your overall exchange experience on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating: 4
Comments:
The exchange was a spectacular experience; I met some amazing people and gained the motivation to pursue future travel.
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ARRIVAL
How satisfied were you with your experience of arriving in your host country or city? Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating: 3
Comments:
I had spent a few weeks in Australia before arriving in Adelaide so I already had a feel for the country. Adelaide itself is a very relaxed and quiet city (for its size) so settling in was very easy.
What assistance, if any, did you receive when you arrived at your exchange destination?
I met a very nice lady on the flight from Sydney who gave me a ride downtown, besides that I did not receive any immediate assistance.
How difficult was it for you to obtain your travel documents (visa, etc.)?
Getting an Australian visa was very easy (the whole application process was online and I had it about 24 hours later) but it was quite expensive.
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ORIENTATION AND ASSISTANCE
How satisfied were you with the orientation and assistance available to students at your partner university? Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating: 4
Comments:
A well organized program with clearly a lot of effort put into it, great for meeting other international students, not great for meeting local students.
How easy was it to find information you needed to know right away?
I found any essential information online with not too much difficulty.
What help did you receive from the international staff or office?
They were friendly and always answered any questions that arose. They were also very helpful when I needed to fax some documents to Canada.
What was your impression of the international staff or office?
Friendly and willing to help.
What was the orientation like at your partner university, if there was one, and how well did it suit your needs?
There was a very long (two week) orientation program at the University of Adelaide which was a great way to meet other international students (in the first couple of days) but the seminars became repetitive after that and I took most of this time to explore the city with the people I met at first.
What was it like to adjust to the culture of your exchange site and were there people you could talk to about what you were experiencing?
I found there was very little culture difference to adjust too but there were always lots of international students to share in the little “quirks” in Australian culture that we found.
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HOUSING
How satisfied were you with the housing available to students? Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating: 4
Comments
I stayed at a privately owned student apartment building, only three blocks from campus (UV Student Apartments). It was expensive by Victoria standards but was probably the cheapest option for accommodation in downtown Adelaide.
How early could students move in to housing at the beginning of term?
At UV, it was as early as your contract was for however you would need to pay for the entire apartment until your other roommates arrived.
What options were available for meal plans or cooking facilities?
There was a (very) small kitchen each apartment; it had a good stove but no oven. No pots, pans or utensils were included.
How satisfied were you with the food?
The grocery stores were well stocked but more expensive than in Victoria. I would highly recommend shopping at the Adelaide Central Market, as the food is fresher and usually cheaper.
How close are the residences to the university?
UV Apartments are three blocks from campus and less than five from everywhere else you need to go downtown.
Could students stay in the residences during major holidays?
Yes.
Which residence would you recommend to UVic students?
I would recommend UV apartments, mainly for the location (it really can’t get any better, they are half a block from the main intersection in downtown Adelaide). I did not hear good things about the official university residences.
If you lived in off-campus housing, how easy was it to find?
I found it by a Google search before I arrived in Adelaide, it is nice to know there is a place waiting for you when you arrive but a lot of people who waited till they were there did get in on last minute deals (some apartments didn’t fill up and therefore reduced prices).
What should future UVic exchange students know about living off-campus?
Be aware that there may be extra charges that creep up, take photos of your place when you move in (we moved into a very dirty apartment and needed to prove that when we moved out).
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COURSE REGISTRATION
How satisfied were you with the registration process at your partner university? Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating: 2
Comments:
Registration was overall very difficult to sort out, it worked out in the end but it took many persistent emails to figure it all out.
Please describe the registration process at your partner university.
Essentially, after you are all registered at the University of Adelaide, a letter with your registration password must be sent (by mail) to UVic. For me, this took over a month to get from Australia to Canada and apparently there is no other way to obtain this password so it took a long time for me to be able to register for courses.
What kind of help was available?
Not much, I was told to wait for the letter to arrive and contact them again at that point.
How successful were you in registering for classes you wanted?
Eventually I did get my registration password and was able to register for my classes. Some had filled up by that point in time but after making a complaint by email, they put me in the courses.
What advice would you offer to next year's exchange students about registration at your partner university?
If at first you do not get the courses you want or need, make a fuss until you get them!
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ACADEMICS
How satisfied were you with the academic program at your partner university? Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating: 3
Comments:
I came across two very distinct styles of teaching in Adelaide; I found the two geology courses I took to be easier than the equivalents at UVic and I would say the math courses were harder. I think this is because the math courses that I took there covered a significantly larger amount of material than the equivalents at UVic.
How did the style of teaching at your partner university compare with that at UVic?
Overall I would say it was more casual than in Canada, there were no professors who wanted to be referred to by last name, and they often attended social events put on by the university. In terms of in class, lectures were similar but labs were different as they were taught by the professors themselves, not graduate students.
How did the workload compare to what you would expect at UVic?
In terms of homework, there was much less than at UVic. More emphasis was put on final exams (as much as 70%).
How many courses did you take in your first term abroad?
Four.
Your second term?
Only did one term.
What would you recommend as an appropriate course load for other UVic students visiting your partner university?
Do a full course load (four courses), you will still have plenty of time to enjoy Australia!
What specific courses would you recommend to visiting UVic students?
Structural Geology II.
Why?
It includes an eight day field school to the Flinders Ranges which is not only a ton of fun but it is an extremely unique and important geological region.
If you studied in a non-English speaking country, what was the availability of courses offered in English?
n/a
What advice would you give UVic students about succeeding academically at your partner university?
Start studying for finals early, a lot of your mark will be those exams.
What was your impression of the computer facilities, library, and internet access at your partner university?
The internet in Australia is overall slower than in Canada but the university had some of the fastest in town. The library was small and the computers were often all in use but they were nearly done a new building devoted to student computing facilities.
What electronic devices would you recommend a UVic student bring (laptop, PDA, etc.)?
A laptop would be a very good idea as computers on campus were not always available.
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COSTS
Please indicate currency: Australian Dollar (at the time it was on par with the Canadian Dollar)
Books - per term: $300 (but I only bought one text book and one lab kit, chose not to buy the three other recommended books)
Accommodation - per month: $712.16
Meals - per month: $300 (food was more expensive than in Canada)
Local transportation - per month: $15 (I could walk almost everywhere, took about 10 trains and busses per month)
Health insurance - per term: $210
Personal spending - per term: $500 (you’re on exchange, you are going to spend a bit…)
Communications (phone, etc.) - per term: $150
Other university related fees - per term: $300 (this was mostly field school fees)
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EXTRA-CURRICULAR/SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
How satisfied were you with the out-of-class opportunities at your exchange site? Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating: 3
Comments:
Many social opportunities were organized for exchange students early in the semester, which was a great way to make connections. After that, most of the university-organized events were from UniSA but University of Adelaide students were always welcome. Pub-crawls are a particular favorite in South Australia.
What organized activities (clubs, sports, etc.) were available to students?
There were many clubs, sports teams and course unions available to students; I joined the university choir which was a lot of fun.
What extra-curricular activities would you recommend to future exchange students?
Definitely get involved in your course union as they are very active and organize many social events.
What do you recommend other visiting students see or do on their weekends or holidays?
If you are there in the fall (which would be spring in Canada), don’t miss the Adelaide Fringe Festival, it is the second biggest in the world and hosts many high-caliber shows. Live music is also abundant in Adelaide, check out places like the Thebarton Theatre or the Festival Center. There are also many nice beaches (especially to the south) and parks within the city to explore.
What opportunities were there for students to work on-campus?
To be honest, I am not too sure – I did not look for work when I was there.
Off-campus?
Even though I did not work, I know a few people who did (mostly in the downtown service industry), minimum wage is very good in Australia so it can be a good way to make some extra money. However, I do know many people who had a great deal of trouble finding a job. Since there is a medical school at the University of Adelaide, there were lots of students who took jobs as test subjects.
What volunteer or internship opportunities were there for students?
Once again, I am really not too sure – it just was not what I was looking for at the time.
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SAFETY AND HEALTH
How safe did you feel at your exchange site? Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 is the best rating):
Rating: 4
Comments:
Even though I lived right in the heart of downtown, I felt very safe in Adelaide. There was a large police presence in the center of the city and I never had any problems.
What are the biggest safety concerns for future exchange students going to your exchange site?
Not many, just be aware when you are downtown at night (particularly Hindley Street – it is the one with all the bars and clubs so it can get a little rowdy at times). Overall I would consider Adelaide a very safe city.
What are the biggest health concerns for future exchange students going to your exchange site?
The only one I can think of is if you live downtown, make sure to stay active (it can be easy to forget when everything you need is three blocks away).
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PERSONAL AND CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
What was it like making friends?
Very easy, other exchange students are looking for new friends just like you – it is easy to establish a friend group.
How successful were you at making friends with local (i.e., not international) students?
For me this took longer but I ended up meeting many Australians through classes, labs, clubs and field trips.
What was it like to adjust to the culture of your exchange site?
There are many small cultural differences between Australia and Canada but nothing major or particularly disconcerting so I found adjustment very easy.
What, if any, cultural differences did you find particularly challenging?
Passing people on the left side of the sidewalk! It may sound small but it took ages for me to get used to!
What parts of the culture did you most appreciate?
The generally easygoing attitude of people was really nice and relaxing.
How were you treated by local people? By university staff and faculty? By students?
Largely I was treated the same as local students. Some people did ask a lot of questions about Canada (usually because they wanted to travel) and the production of maple syrup (this was a surprisingly fascinating topic for many people).
As far as you could tell, how easy would it be for students with disabilities to study at your partner university?
From what I saw, the University of Adelaide tried to be as accommodating as possible. However, one thing to be aware of is due to a number of older buildings, not all classes are wheelchair accessible.
For students who are visible minorities in your host country?
Australia, like Canada, is very multicultural - there are many international students from Southeast Asia. There was also small aboriginal population.
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TAKING STOCK
What are the three most important things for students to take with them when they go to your host country or region?
I will be honest, just whatever you need to travel and have a good time; I had one large backpack of stuff that was more than enough. The most important three items were:
- Passport
- Camera
- Sunscreen
What are the three most important things you would tell a UVic student who is going to your partner university on exchange?
- Make friends with both local and international students
- Have fun in Adelaide, but leave time for studying
- Keep samples of your work in case you need it to get the transfer credit back at UVic
Is there any other information that you think might prove useful to UVic exchange students attending your host university?
Make sure you confirm with your professors at UVic that the courses from Adelaide will transfer. Do this before you go and get the confirmation in writing.
What was the most rewarding part of your exchange experience?
For me, it was meeting a network of people who were on exchange from all over the world and now having friends who I can go visit, almost anywhere I travel.
What was your greatest challenge on the exchange?
Exams were a little stressful for me (they were worth a lot of my course mark and I got sick around that time which did not help).
How has your perspective changed as a result of the exchange?
I have gained a love for world travel and cannot wait for my next trip!
What else do you want to say about your exchange experience?
As with any undertaking of this length, there were definite ups and downs but overall it was an amazing experience and I am so glad that I did it!