1 Biology Feb 18, :46 PM. 2 Biology Feb 10, :51 PM. 3 Biology Feb 3, :38 PM. 4 biology Jan 20, :41 PM

Transcription

1 Page 1, Q3. Major 1 Biology Feb 18, :46 PM 2 Biology Feb 10, :51 PM 3 Biology Feb 3, :38 PM 4 biology Jan 20, :41 PM 5 Biology Jan 19, :31 PM 6 Biology Jan 18, :27 AM 7 biology, kinesiology Jan 17, :18 PM Page 1, Q4. Program (City, Country, Program Sponsor) 1 Townsville, Australia, Arcadia Feb 18, :46 PM 2 Townsville, Australia, Arcadia University Feb 10, :51 PM 3 Townsville, Australia, Arcadia Feb 3, :38 PM 4 Townsville, Australia, Arcadia Jan 20, :41 PM 5 Townsville, Australia, Arcadia Jan 19, :31 PM 6 Townsville, Australia - Arcadia Jan 18, :27 AM 7 Townsville, Australia, Arcadia University at JCU Jan 17, :18 PM Page 2, Q1. How much did the accessibility of Occidental College s study abroad program influence your decision to attend Oxy? 1 I knew I wanted to study abroad when I was applying to schools, and Oxy's study abroad programs was the best of the schools I was choosing between. Jan 20, :45 PM 24 of 44

2 Page 2, Q4. To what extent did you succeed in accomplishing your goals? Why did you succeed or not? 1 I feel like i learned a great deal about living as part of the global community and even though I maybe missed out on some of the classes I had originally wanted to take, I still believe I succeeded in all the important areas. I made new friends and discovered an amazing country while expanding my world view. 2 I succeeded in growing as a person and academically and I realized that I love Australia 3 I accomplished my goals in a different way than expected. My classes themselves were not very different from those I could have taken at Oxy, but the experiences I had in 'the field' made all the difference. It was one thing to go to a lecture on marine invertebrates, but seeing them in real life while diving on the Great Barrier Reef was an amazing experience. 4 I exceeded my expectations of how well I would reach my goals. I wouldn't have traded that experience for anything in the world. 5 When I knew I was studying abroad in Australia, my goals were to be more independent, be more open-minded and to gain different perspectives on life and American culture. In Australia, I learned how to ride the bus for the first time, met many many people from all over the world, not just Australia, especially from Germany, Norway, and Denmark. At the same time, I wanted to extend those goals to my academic life, expand my knowledge and perspectives in biology. In Australia, I obtained my SCUBA license, learned about the eco-conscious government that was setting a carbon tax to reduce pollution, and experienced a lifestyle where almost all of the technology conserved water and electricity. I was also definitely able to succeed in achieving these goals because Australia was not TOO difficult to adjust to and because everyone that I had met there was very friendly, welcoming, and helpful. 6 I got to take courses not offered at Oxy and volunteer with a professor doing exercise physiology research with equipment that Oxy does not own. I feel like I met my goals overall. Feb 10, :53 PM Feb 3, :39 PM Jan 20, :45 PM Jan 19, :34 PM Jan 18, :40 AM Jan 17, :21 PM 25 of 44

3 Page 3, Q1. How many students were on the program? 1 16 Feb 10, :58 PM 2 16 Feb 3, :41 PM 3 17 Jan 20, :48 PM 4 16 Jan 19, :35 PM 5 around 16 Jan 18, :51 AM 6 17 Jan 17, :27 PM Page 3, Q2. How many Oxy students? 1 7 Feb 10, :58 PM 2 6 Feb 3, :41 PM 3 7 Jan 20, :48 PM 4 7 Jan 19, :35 PM 5 7 Jan 18, :51 AM 6 7 Jan 17, :27 PM 26 of 44

4 Page 3, Q3. Please comment on the goals and academic abilities of your fellow students. How were they similar/dissimilar to yours? 1 All of the Occidental students were biology majors (or some focus in that area), and so we had interest in the same classes. While I took more cell and molecular biology classes and the others perhaps took more marine science or ecology, we still had overlap and could often discuss with each other. Feb 10, :58 PM 2 We are all biology majors and we all strived to improve our knowledge of biology Feb 3, :41 PM 3 Most of my fellow students were there to fulfill pre-med biology classes. While we had some classes together, I took more classes focused on ecology and research. 4 I was surrounded by driven, motivated young adults who constantly inspired me. Most had a focus on biology, a similar focus to mine. 5 Most of the students in the Arcadia program I was with had very similar goals to mine. Almost everyone was a biology major, some were pre-health students. Not everyone, however, was a marine biology major. We did have one non-oxy student who was an astrophysics major from Colgate College. Two girls were from Scripps College. Everyone was academically ambitious. Even though they were juniors, and I was a senior, there were some who took the same classes as me or harder. 6 Everyone was pretty much at the same level in the program, and almost everyone in our program came from small schools on par with Oxy. As for the uni as a whole, I found Oxy holds us to a higher standard so I felt that classes were easier abroad. Jan 20, :48 PM Jan 19, :35 PM Jan 18, :51 AM Jan 17, :27 PM 27 of 44

5 Page 3, Q4. Describe the background of your classmates, e.g., all Americans, all Oxy students. 1 My program group was all Americans from different schools around the country, but once I got to James Cook University my friends were Australian, Norwegian, Danish, French, Canadian and various others. While most were Caucasian, nevertheless I learned a lot about places other than Australia. Feb 10, :58 PM 2 The people in the arcadia program were from all over america! Feb 3, :41 PM 3 A few of my classes were mostly Australian, and the international students in my classes were mainly Americans, Norwegians, and Germans. 4 Some classes had many study abroad students while others had mainly Australian students. 5 In my BZ2450 Biodiversity of Tropical Australia, at least 50% of my class was American. In my EV2006 Environmental Economics class, I was the ONLY American. In my other two classes, BZ 3061 Behavioural Ecology and HI 2006, there was a good mixture of Americans, a couple international students, and Australians. 6 2 of my classes had a ton of Americans because they were typical study abroad classes (Biodiversity of Tropical Australia and Australian and Pacific Exploration) but my other 2 classes only had a few, they were mostly Australians (invertebrate zoology and molecular genetics). Jan 20, :48 PM Jan 19, :35 PM Jan 18, :51 AM Jan 17, :27 PM 28 of 44

6 Page 3, Q5. Describe your housing situation. 1 I lived in George Roberts Hall on campus. It is divided into 8 blocks, where every unit is a suite of 3 or 4 bedrooms with a shared bathroom and common room. Every suite exited to the outside, and we had a beautiful central quad. While the College was the farthest away from main campus (about a 20 minute walk) it was nevertheless a very unique atmosphere and the students there had a lot of College spirit. We also got air conditioning in our rooms, which was not common in other residence halls. 2 I lived in a self-catering dorm and I loved cooking my own healthy meals when people in Australia in the dorms ate like slop. 3 I lived in a single room in University Hall, a dorm on campus. We had a dining hall attached to our dorm. Feb 10, :58 PM Feb 3, :41 PM Jan 20, :48 PM 4 I lived on campus in the best dorm ever. Jan 19, :35 PM 5 I dormed in George Roberts Hall. SO FUN! and I would have to say much better than Uni Hall. ;) It's an apartment style dorm. There are three people in each suite and it's always either 3 girls, 2 girls and 1 guy, or 3 guys. You share a bathroom, a living room, and a countertop for your microwave and refridgerator. There's a volleyball court right next to the dining hall and a common room with a TV, piano, and pool table. This dorm is also only a 5 minute walk away from the Ross River. However, it is like a 15 minute walk to the main class buildings and library. 6 I lived in Uni Hall, the best college on campus. The food may be awful, but the community is great. Jan 18, :51 AM Jan 17, :27 PM 29 of 44

7 Page 4, Q2. In which of the following did you participate: 1 I joined SOMAG, the JCU anime club but otherwise I had a job on campus that took much of my spare time. Feb 10, :01 PM 2 Ultimate Frisbee Club Feb 3, :44 PM 3 I joined the JCU dive club, but I was actually able to find better deals on dive trips than those offered by the club. I also participated in social sport on a soccer team and a touch rugby team. Social sport is their equivalent of intramurals. 4 I joined the Townsville Ultimate Frisbee league and met some of my very best friends and my current boyfriend through this organisation. I even got to help out in planning and organising events for the club. Jan 20, :52 PM Jan 19, :38 PM 5 Ultimate Frisbee Jan 18, :53 AM 6 I volunteered with a professor for research, all you have to do is ask them. I did Monday night social sport which you just sign up a team and did various Fisher- Shield sports where you have to try out for. Also, there are tutors in the library which I used for essay help. Jan 17, :33 PM Page 4, Q3. List any courses and/or professors you would recommend. 1 I enjoyed Glen Chilton, who taught Biodiversity of Tropical Australia. A very entertaining professor, although the class is pretty easy and almost all Internationals. Ecological and Conservation Genetics was a reasonably difficult course, however the lab work was very interesting and the professors were mainly good. Feb 10, :01 PM 2 Molecular Genetics with Patrick Shaefer. Photography was interesting too. Feb 3, :44 PM 3 Janine Sheaves for any class, but specifically Invertebrate Biology. David Pike is also a great lecturer, but he is often paired with Glen Chilton who can be annoying. 4 Aquatic Animal Ecophysiology - Guy Carton Biodiversity of Tropical Australia - Glen Chilton Jan 20, :52 PM Jan 19, :38 PM 5 Professor Glen Chilton Jan 18, :53 AM 6 Invertebrate zoology or anything with Janine Sheaves. Biodiversity of tropical Australia was cool but a little too easy. Anthony Leicht in the exercise physiology department was good as well. Jan 17, :33 PM 30 of 44

8 Page 4, Q4. List any courses and/or professors you would suggest avoiding. 1 Well, it depends on your tolerance. I took Australia and Pacific Exploration as my culture class, and I thought the content was interesting, however it is a 2 hour lecture, and the professor Claire (don't remember last name) was rather quiet and didn't really write on her slides, so you had to do it all by ear. Many of my friends found it dull/trying, but she is still entertaining at times. 2 Marcus Sheaves- Coastal and Estuarine ecosystems. He's a nice guy, but his lectures were extremely disorganized and boring, plus the labs were just used as more lecture time. Feb 10, :01 PM Jan 20, :52 PM 3 HI 2006 with Professor Claire Drenin Jan 18, :53 AM 4 Anything with too many field trips, they sound cool but lots of times you have to pay for them and they take up a lot of time, its better just to go with friends on your own time. I thought Glen Chilton was a little full of himself so he spent a lot of class talking about himself, but if you like birds then you will like him. Jan 17, :33 PM Page 4, Q5. Did you experience academic problems? 1 I needed to enroll in the molecular genetics class at James Cook and I tried to contact the department head of biochmistry, they never responded back, and I talked with the International Student Center and they straightened everything out Feb 3, :44 PM Page 5, Q5. What factor was most important to your language improvement? 1 Language improvement doesn't really apply in this program Jan 18, :55 AM 31 of 44

9 Page 6, Q1. How much interaction did you have with people of the host country; other international students; other Americans? 1 Well my primary group of friends was mostly international. My Arcadia program group was close, and there were a lot of foreign students. That being said, I saw and talked to Australians every day and had a lot of fun. Feb 10, :05 PM 2 All day every day, I love all of the friends I made in Australia Feb 3, :45 PM 3 Tons of interaction with aussies! Living in a dorm with mostly Australians was awesome because they were the majority of your dorm-mates. Lots of interaction with other internationals because we all met during international orientation. 4 I had a lot of contact with Australians as well as study abroad students from other countries such as Germany, Norway, South Africa, France, and Spain. 5 I interacted with a good mix of other Australians, Americans, and International students. Though I could maybe say there were more International students I met than Australians. However, we all studied and hung out together a lot. It was never JUST other Americans, or JUST other international students or JUST Australians. The Australians were very open to the Internationals. 6 Everyday, I was living with Australians. I also met a ton of other international students at first before the Australians got to school. My typical hang out group was a mix of Australians and some Americans. Jan 20, :56 PM Jan 19, :40 PM Jan 17, :39 PM Page 6, Q2. Did you contact Oxy alum living abroad as part of the Alumni and Study Abroad Partnership Program (ASAPP)? 1 No Feb 10, :05 PM 2 no Feb 3, :45 PM 3 no Jan 20, :56 PM 4 no Jan 19, :40 PM 5 no 6 No Jan 17, :39 PM 32 of 44

10 Page 6, Q3. What strategies can you recommend for meeting locals and making friends? 1 Live on campus. I cannot stress this. College living (especially at GR with suitemates) comes with a lot of events and makes it easy to socialize. 2 Join the ultimate frisbee club! There are 100 Australians who know how to party and be great friends! 3 be friendly when you first get there, and always say yes when people invite you to gatherings/social events. Feb 10, :05 PM Feb 3, :45 PM Jan 20, :56 PM 4 Be yourself and have fun, Aussies love genuine people Jan 19, :40 PM 5 Join clubs! I joined ultimate frisbee! Even if you're not athletic or have never played in your life. They will teach you how to play and they are so happy to meet new people. I heard others joined Anime club and made a lot of friends there, if you're into that. Also, participate in your college's events during orientation week. When there is a party, don't hesitate to just walk in uninvited. A big thing there is also the intercollegiate sports competitions. there's basketball, rugby, touch football, and soccer, etc. 6 Meet a ton of people at the beginning, go to free things like when the Red Frogs do pancake night, get on a social sport team, and go out. Jan 17, :39 PM Page 6, Q4. Were there aspects of the culture with which you were not comfortable? 1 The Australians do not really have a concept of "politically correct", which means that initially you may be shocked by the things they say, which can often be racist or sexist, however in the main it is generally joking. So getting past being offended I think is necessary when you get there. Feb 10, :05 PM 2 none Feb 3, :45 PM 3 Racism towards indigenous Australians was present and uncomfortable, but difficult to confront aussies with it. Jan 20, :56 PM 4 none Jan 19, :40 PM 5 The most uncomfortable thing was their use of profanity in casual terms. Especially the "c" word. It's not a HUGE deal over there as it is here. 6 At first, I was shocked by the language they use and how it was a very male dominated culture but I didn't mind. Probably the most uncomfortable part would be how people talk about the indigenous population. Jan 17, :39 PM 33 of 44

11 Page 6, Q5. What suggestions do you have for future participants for engaging with the culture? 1 Have fun. Get involved in everything you can, particularly Ultimate Frisbee. It is a HUGE on campus sport and I missed out due to other commitments. But those people were very tight and its a great way to make friends. Also, Aussies at JCU see foreigners come and go every year, so at some point they just stop making the effort to meet everyone. So at the beginning of the year, make the attempt and sit with people you don't know at dinner. IT HELPS. Feb 10, :05 PM 2 Try to bartend! You meet some interesting people while working abroad! Feb 3, :45 PM 3 Don't be surprised to hear some 'language' you aren't used to hearing. Jan 20, :56 PM 4 It's very similar to ours and easy to adjust to. Jan 19, :40 PM 5 Be ready to learn a lot of new Australian terms. 6 People are very inviting so its pretty easy to get involved if you try. Jan 17, :39 PM Page 7, Q1. How much did you spend on airfare to/from your program? 1 About $1800 Feb 10, :10 PM Feb 3, :48 PM 3 $1500 Jan 19, :43 PM 4 $ $1500 Jan 17, :44 PM Page 7, Q3. What was the approximate exchange rate during your stay? 1 Roughly 1:1 Feb 10, :10 PM US to 1 AUD Feb 3, :48 PM 3 pretty even with our dollar Jan 20, :02 PM Jan 19, :43 PM USD 1.3 to AUD 1, but it got better Jan 17, :44 PM 34 of 44

12 Page 7, Q4. How much did you spend on books and supplies? 1 ~$150 AUD Feb 10, :10 PM Feb 3, :48 PM 3 ~200$ Jan 20, :02 PM 4 $150 Jan 19, :43 PM $300 Jan 17, :44 PM Page 7, Q5. How much did you spend on local transportation to/from daily class? 1 None Feb 10, :10 PM Feb 3, :48 PM 3 0 Jan 20, :02 PM 4 $50 Jan 19, :43 PM none Jan 17, :44 PM 35 of 44

13 Page 7, Q6. How much did you spend on personal travel during your time abroad? Please specify length and nature of your personal travel. 1 I spent about $550 to go to Melbourne and back, and otherwise bus fare at least a few times a week was about $3 for a daily ticket. Feb 10, :10 PM 2 New Zealand for 8 days-$1800, Sydney for 5 days- $1000 Feb 3, :48 PM 3 300$ on a week trip to Brisbane/Gold Coast 200$ on a weekend trip to Airlie Beach/ Whitsundays cruise 150$ on weekend trip to Daintree Rainforest/ Cairns Jan 20, :02 PM 4 $300 for a trip to Whitsunday Islands for 4 days during the semester break. Jan 19, :43 PM 5 Going around town during the week and weekends on the bus, I spent about $7 AUS per week. After the semester ended, I took a trip down the East Coast using the unlimited one-way pass on the train which cost about $450 AUS. 6 $4000 I went to NZ for spring break, then traveled throughout the semester with friends (mostly road trips) and I stayed 3 weeks after the semester to travel. I also went diving a lot which costs more. Jan 17, :44 PM Page 7, Q7. Describe how you took your meals, e.g., groceries prepared in kitchen, dining hall etc., and how much you spent on meals weekly, not including, bars, clubs etc.? 1 I ate mainly in the dining hall, which gets very boring fast, so occasionally mixed it up and ordered pizza or went out. Feb 10, :10 PM 2 I prepared my meals by myself. and I spent about 25-35$ a week Feb 3, :48 PM 3 all my meals were eaten at the University hall dining hall. I had a meal plan. Jan 20, :02 PM 4 dining hall provided meals, but I spent about $30a week on dinner out with friends 5 I had my meals in the dining hall. The food is terrible. But eating out is VERY VERY expensive. so I just had to eat the food at the dining hall. If you want to eat out, A meal is about 20-30$. It's cheaper to buy groceries and make your own food, but share with other people. For 40$ you could make a light breakfast, lunch and dinner for 2 people for 2 days. That's a minimal estimate. 6 I ate in the dining hall, even though its gross it will save money. I always have snacks though because I eat a ton, and we would get pizzas on Tuesday because its cheap, so maybe $15 each week. Jan 19, :43 PM Jan 17, :44 PM 36 of 44

14 Page 7, Q8. What would you recommend as a minimum monthly budget for incidental expenses, excluding travel? Please include recommendations for such items as: local transportation to/from daily class, telephone calls, internet, laundry, museums, concerts, movies, cafes, restaurants, pubs and clubs. 1 The whole country is EXPENSIVE. If you live on campus but want to buy snacks for your room like I did, it is probably at least $50 a month, most likely more. JCU claims you pay for internet time, but you don't actually so no worries there. A meal out is always upwards of $15, closer to $25 usually, so depending on how often you eat out I would say $ a month. Feb 10, :10 PM 2 at least 300 a month in extra cash Feb 3, :48 PM 3 50$- always buy day passes for the bus because you can use them even after midnight. Also recycle day passes with other friends who have used it on the same day. 10$ lunch at the brewery is delicious and pretty cheap. The Mad Cow(a bar) is lots of fun if you don't mind a fair number of older people, and there's never a cover charge. Cowboys are a local rugby team and games are really fun and easy to get to, plus only 10$ Jan 20, :02 PM 4 $500 Jan 19, :43 PM 5 Australia is EXPENSIVE. I became VERY thrifty in Australia. But still, the money flows. I would say budget for about $500 for the first 2 months. This does, however, include costs for the bus, just in case, taxi, Laundry ($2 per wash/dry), sports fees, student membership fees, textbooks, going out to a restaurant once in a while, cell phone, weekend trips, costumes for pub crawls (go to thrift stores), alcohol (buy only when on sale, or go to bars on cheap nights), etc. 6 $ Jan 17, :44 PM 37 of 44

15 Page 7, Q9. How do you recommend taking your money abroad? Did you open a local bank account? 1 I opened a bank account there because I had to get a job, owing to my lack of money anyway. That makes life much easier, so even if you don't work, opening a bank account and transferring in money means you don't have to get the exchange rate and fees on every transaction, just once and so it ends up costing you less generally. 2 I opened a bank account and transferred money to my Westpac account. Also while working in Australia, you need to have an Australian bank account to receive your direct deposit 3 I just used Westpac because I have bank of america at home and westpac didn't charge me to withdraw from their atm's. Feb 10, :10 PM Feb 3, :48 PM Jan 20, :02 PM 4 I used my bank's credit card and it worked fine. Jan 19, :43 PM 5 If you don't already, get a Bank of America Account. I didn't, but I heard that there is no transaction or ATM fee because BoA has some partnership with the Australian bank called Westpac. Or, if you get a job, you'll have to open an account there. You can wire your money from the states, but the fee for the transfer is also expensive. I took a citibank card with me, and that charged 3% every time I made a transaction, but no ATM fee at a WEstpac ATM. Try not to go with a card from a smaller bank because it will be more expensive. 6 I would either get a Bank of America or open a student account abroad with Westpac or Commonwealth. I did Westpac and just wired mony over so I saved a ton on transaction fees. Jan 17, :44 PM Page 8, Q1. What sort of items or clothing did you take along and then find you did not need? 1 None Feb 10, :12 PM 2 Basic clothing for the heat during Australia's spring is sufficient Feb 3, :49 PM 3 long sleeved shirts, sweatshirts Jan 20, :04 PM 4 long sleeved shirts Jan 19, :45 PM 5 I went during their winter. The first few weeks were actually quite cold, but all you need is 1 or 2 pair of jeans, t-shirts, and 1 hoodie. I brought with me 2 big winter coats, stupidly, and only needed 1 for the 2 days in melbourne. I also brought with me like 4 pairs of jeans. don't need that many. just mostly shorts. I also brought too many fancy dresses, only need like 2. I also brought my own bed sheets and linens and towels, didn't need them (except for the toga party). George Roberts provided them for us. 6 I did not need 4 pairs of pants, 2 would have been fine. Jan 17, :52 PM 38 of 44

16 Page 8, Q2. What did you take that you found most useful? 1 Computer, a book or two. I traveled pretty light. Feb 10, :12 PM 2 my camelbak was very useful for hikes and around campus Feb 3, :49 PM 3 swim trunks! Jan 20, :04 PM 4 singlets (tank tops) Jan 19, :45 PM 5 For ladies, tampons. They don't have the same kinds. 6 Bathing suits! Also, some stuff like contact solution because that kind of stuff is expensive in Australia. Jan 17, :52 PM Page 8, Q3. What do you wish you had brought along? 1 Nothing. Feb 10, :12 PM 2 nothing Feb 3, :49 PM 3...nothing Jan 20, :04 PM 4 Instead of a suitcase, I wish I had brought one of those framed backpacks you get from northface because it was a big hassle to drag around a suitcase while travelling down the east coast for a month and moving from hostel to hostel with no elevators! A good sturdy water bottle. 5 Some pictures to decorate my wall when I first got there. Also, more t shirts because laundry is always annoying. Jan 17, :52 PM Page 8, Q4. Were there any items you wanted that you were unable to obtain? 1 No. Feb 10, :12 PM 2 deodorant that was a solid Feb 3, :49 PM 3 mexican food Jan 20, :04 PM 4 reeses penut butter cups Jan 19, :45 PM 5 Neosporin for minor cuts 6 No, my mom sent a little box with anything I had forgotten. Jan 17, :52 PM 39 of 44

17 Page 8, Q5. In general, how would you describe the weather in the area in which your program was based? 1 Beautiful. In winter in Townsville it is never really below 70 degrees and we had rain maybe 3 times the whole trip. Feb 10, :12 PM 2 humid and warm, but pleasant Feb 3, :49 PM 3 very hot, very humid, occasional rain but it never lasted for an entire day. Jan 20, :04 PM 4 very warm and humid Jan 19, :45 PM 5 sunny, good degree temperature. only rained like 2 times. But like I said before, the first 2 weeks were a little chilly and good for a hoodie. 6 So good! I went in July-November which is the dry season, its better because you don't have hot, humid rain or stinger season. It was warm and a little humid, but warm weather at night is really nice. Jan 17, :52 PM Page 8, Q6. Did you have access to computers and/or ? If so, please describe what type of computer services you used. Did you use your Oxy ? 1 Yes. JCU provides you with a student . You also have to pay for printing there so you have to put money on your ID card for that. Feb 10, :12 PM 2 yes I did, I brought my computer with me Feb 3, :49 PM 3 I was given a student account for JCU, and my room had an ethernet cord and socket in it. 4 I had access to internet through Ethernet cables in the rooms. I used oxy and jcu 5 There was a computer lab at the dorm and in building 2 and at the library. George Roberts had ethernet cables in each room for laptops. Internet is a bit slower there. I did not use my oxy except to keep in touch with oxy and home. You get your own James Cook Uni account. 6 Yes, everyone is given an ethernet cord in their room. Also, the internet quota is not real so dont worry. There are also computers you can use and print from in the dorms and library. They gave us a new account but I used my oxy account too. Jan 20, :04 PM Jan 19, :45 PM Jan 17, :52 PM 40 of 44

18 Page 10, Q1. Any suggestions to the IPO for improving Occidental s on-campus orientation or other services? 1 No Feb 10, :14 PM 2 it's a good orientation. maybe just eliminate the general study abroad and only have meetings in small groups with participants of each country separately Feb 3, :52 PM 3 no they were fantastic Jan 20, :07 PM 4 No, it was good Jan 17, :57 PM Page 10, Q2. What information about your program could be emphasized more to prospective applicants? 1 The cost of living as well as getting a job while there. Feb 10, :14 PM 2 just to be open to enjoying the culture Feb 3, :52 PM 3 Townsville is a very rural part of Australia that is really far from many of the major tourist spots. It was difficult and expensive to get to Sydney, Brisbane, Ayer's Rock. 4 Australia is a good place to get fully immersed in the culture, there is no language barrier. Lots of people expect it to be the same as America but it is interesting to see how it is different. Jan 20, :07 PM Jan 17, :57 PM 41 of 44

19 Page 10, Q3. Describe the overall strengths and weaknesses of the program. 1 A very fun trip where you get to meet a surprising number of European exchange students. For biology, diving on the Great Barrier Reef as well as visiting the Rainforest make it an ideal place, and many classes offer field trips in that regard. However, I do wish I could have also worked on a language while abroad, so that is a downside. Also, and I reiterate, the cost while living there. 2 Strength would be getting us so prepared to go abroad. Weakness is all the paperwork required to go abroad. 3 Direct enrollment is great because you really feel like any other student at JCU. One of the weaknesses is that JCU is a public school and we had to pay for EVERYTHING, including our student membership, and 50$ per intramural sport. Feb 10, :14 PM Feb 3, :52 PM Jan 20, :07 PM 4 too short Jan 19, :46 PM 5 It would be better if Oxy could offer the option of studying in Cairns as well. Jan 18, :46 AM 6 I don't have anything negative to say, I think it was the best semester of my college experience. Jan 17, :57 PM Page 10, Q4. Do you have any suggestions for the program director(s) and/or staff off-campus? 1 No. Feb 10, :14 PM 2 I like that you kept in contact with people while abroad and responded to s in a timely manner. Feb 3, :52 PM 3 no Jan 20, :07 PM 4 No Jan 17, :57 PM 42 of 44

20 Page 10, Q5. For what sorts of students, if any, would you recommend this program? 1 Biology, as it is already a biology oriented trip. Feb 10, :14 PM 2 Biology students or anyone who just wants to really enjoy the culture of Australia Feb 3, :52 PM 3 students looking for amazing labs and field trips for science classes. Jan 20, :07 PM 4 all, especially biology majors Jan 19, :46 PM 5 students majoring in marine bio, ecology bio, or molecular bio, maybe UEP. Jan 18, :46 AM 6 People who like adventure. The best way to fully experience Australia is to have tons of free time, people don't book themselves solid like in the states, its more last minute so you will miss out on more if you are over booked. Jan 17, :57 PM Page 10, Q6. Are there students you would especially recommend not enrolling in this program? 1 No. Just not non-bio majors. Feb 10, :14 PM 2 people who do not like the great outdoors should not go to Australia Feb 3, :52 PM 3 humanities majors Jan 20, :07 PM 4 no Jan 19, :46 PM 5 I guess if you are really feminist because you might get offended. Jan 17, :57 PM 43 of 44

21 Page 12, Q2. Please provide any additional comments here. 1 I think my first hand knowledge about going abroad would be useful to anyone planning to go to Townsville in the future 2 I really appreciate how helpful the IPO was during the stressful application time. It was so easy to go in any time and read through the binders, and talk with the advisers there. Feb 3, :53 PM Jan 20, :09 PM 3 Studying Abroad in Australia was the best decision I have ever made. Jan 19, :48 PM 4 Advice for future students: Make sure to double check everything or expect room for error or leniency. For example, bus schedules: they don't always arrive on time, they are sometimes 15 minutes early, or 15 minutes late, or sometimes skip over your stop. Another example, we were told that we had to pay for internet, but in reality they never charged us for it... Things like that 5 I don't feel qualified to speak on the topics of gender, race, or women because all I know on the topics are from my observations, I don't study those topics. I would like to help any other way. Jan 18, :51 AM Jan 17, :00 PM 44 of 44