Daniel (Sem 2, 2022)

My Exchange at The University of Sydney

I first found out about the 360 exchange programme through one of my cousins who is a few years older than me, she also went on two exchanges prior to me joining the university. I had asked her about overseas opportunities and she then recommended this idea to me. When I first arrived in my host city, it was very strange as it was the first time I had gone overseas or even a flight without any of my family. However, I was lucky as it was in Australia which is very similar to New Zealand and I also had plans of things to get ready in the first day of arriving.

During my stay in Sydney, I actually had a lot of issues with my accommodation, because I was wanting to get a cheaper place, I originally settled for a place that seemed alright, however, later into my tenancy, there were some infestations of flies etc. which was extremely hard for me to deal with alone, especially as I was living alone. At orientation, I met some a fair amount of people who were also on exchange coming from different countries, such as: Hong Kong, Germany, Canada etc. This was a great experience, as at UOA, the majority of my friends were locals.

When it came to teaching style, I was taking some electives and papers that I usually wouldn’t take at Auckland, but I found that I became closer to my lecturers and talked to them more, whether this was due to a smaller class size or just because I was overseas, where I didn’t have as many friends to talk to in class as usual. The cost of living in Sydney is substantially more than Auckland when it comes to accommodation, I paid $420 for a studio in an honestly not great area, apartments in the city were closer to $700 a week and shared studio student accommodations were around $530 at many of the major accommodation providers. When it came to food and transport, this was slightly more expensive than Auckland, maybe 20%~.

I took part in some of the cultural clubs in the university, but I mainly looked into some smaller badminton/volleyball clubs around the area which I lived in. This was from outside the university, as the university club schedules were coinciding with my class times, but it allowed me to get to know a more diverse range of people and this was something I enjoyed.

Some highlights of my exchange included exploring Darling Harbour, walking across the harbour bridge, catching up with friends that were there and also getting the feeling of living independently. I recommend to any students considering to go on an exchange to step out of their comfort zone. I very much see myself as an introvert, however, while on exchange I explored many activities and did many things that I wouldn’t usually do. It helped me learn more about myself and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for such an experience.

Q&A

What were some of the highlights of the academic experience at your host university?

I took a music course as an elective which I was very interested in and I could tell the lecturer was as well. The amount of support and understanding I received being an exchange student really helped me too.

Would you recommend any particular activity/activities unique to your host country or university?

Blue Mountains, Darling Harbour, Chinatown.

What are your top 3 tips for future students attending your host university or going on exchange to your host country?

Prepare living arrangements early, do new things, and understand your university obligations.

How much did you budget for your exchange? Was this enough? Were there any lessons learned that would help future students budget for their own exchange?

I budgeted around $15,000 for my exchange, this was more than I needed. Have a budget where you separate the amount of spending money you use for each category.

What are your most significant takeaways from your experience abroad?

I feel like I learnt more about myself as a person and have become more open to new experiences.

Do you want to share anything about travels you did outside your host city/country?

After the exchange, I went on a trip to Japan which I highly enjoyed!