Why You Should Consider Australia

Living abroad is a thrilling experience. To be in another country and be completely dependent on oneself is life altering. Studying in another country is a chance for students to find themselves. Living and working or studying in a foreign place forces one to create a new life, new friends and gain a new perspective on life. Also, being around a different language or "slang" forces one to learn more about a culture and the people in general. Australia is a great place to find yourself.

I would recommend study abroad in Australia to any student. The people are welcoming and genuinely want to hear about American culture. The business world is very interesting and one can learn so much about how different cultures interact. The country is so beautiful and trust me, there is nothing more independent than being on the other side of the world away from everything you know. Australia is a great country and will give you the experience of your life.

My Experience in Australia

When I first arrived in Australia, besides the jet lag from a 2 day flying experience, I was on a culture high. It was so different from any place I had ever been. The people were friendly, the wildlife was beautiful and the sites were excellent. The first places we went to were the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. The weather was perfect and the overall culture was very different from ours. It was a great time for me, personally and academically, to learn about the people and culture, even things like hearing, "g'day mate!"

While I was there I had an internship at a public relations firm called, "Liquid Ideas." It was a great experience for me to grow personally and in the career aspect because I learned so much about how they handled PR. For example, they are very social with clients. Having a new client over to the office for a wine tasting was a regular occurance. I got the opportunity to write a few press releases and help organize events with clients and it was not only informational, but fun. The things I learned from their culture I felt that I could bring with me back to America and share with future employers. I was very fulfilled with my experience in Australia.

Why I chose Australia

When I was chosing my location for study abroad, I had in mind the following information: Employers globally are seeking new employees who are cross-culturally competent and who have had experience living in a different country. They are looking for employees who can communicate well with people from all over the world, both in language and in writing. Studying abroad will show future employers a students maturity and reliability. It will show their ability to cope with a new environment and demonstrate ability for a student to stand on ones own two feet.

I wasn't very confident in going to a country that didn't speak English as a primary language, and I wanted to go somewhere that would catch an employer's attention. Australia was a place that I didn't know much about, and it definitely caught my attention. I chose Australia because it was a country on the opposite side of the world, and I thought that my work experience there could benefit my future employer. Australia is influenced a lot by American media and I knew that having worked there, I could bring knowledge from a different part of the world and feedback about what they think about our media. I also thought the weather was ideal and the economy was stable.

The Next Thing to Consider

The second thing to focus you're attention on, and a very important aspect of the experience, is how you will financially handle the trip. Although studying abroad may seem difficult financially- there are many opportunities affiliated with university, and non-affiliated organizations, that constantly have scholarships available for students to apply for. It is very easy to find a scholarship or grant that will help a student pursue a study abroad experience.
I had a personal experience before my study abroad trip in which one of my professors sent me a link in my e-mail to apply for a scholarship. It was a one-page paper that I was supposed to write about how I thought study abroad would affect my future career and my MSU experience. The paper took me about twenty minutes to write, and got me $750. Definitely worth it! Be sure to check for even small scholarships, because in the end they will pay off.

The First Steps

Studying abroad has infinite benefits for students who are pursuing any type of career, or looking for an outlet to better themselves. Studying abroad during ones college years is a way to learn more about responsibility and self-reliance. Each county has the benefit of observation and participation in a different culture. Study abroad is necessary for students to acquire knowledge that will help them in their future career, and enhance their school experience.

This first step in studying abroad is to decide what you're interested in studying. Hopefully you can choose some where that you can integrate you learning experience with the culture. It's important to go somewhere that interests you culturally and geographically. It's important to think about things like the language, the weather and the stability of the economy.