International Exchanges

“An exchange abroad isn’t a year in a life, it’s a life in a year”

June 26, 2012 marked the beginning of my adventure to Australia and my incredible exchange to Deakin University. While at first Australia was not my top pick of destination, it became apparent as soon as I arrived that it was the right choice for me. I was placed at the Burwood campus, roughly an hour drive outside of downtown Melbourne. During my time there I met loads of extraordinary people: international exchange students from across the globe, teachers, advisers, residence staff, and of course, the amazing exchange coordinators.

My exchange was an experience that I will never forget. Living in Australia presented different challenges, such as being unfamiliar with a new culture and their norms. Almost everything seemed backwards to the Canadian way of life, even the toilets flushed differently! Luckily, with the help of new friends and the welcoming internationals’ committee, it was an easy and comfortable transition to a new world. One of the best parts of being on exchange is the sense of independence it offers. Personally, while I received a great deal of help from the international exchange committee, I needed to take the initiative to learn things on my own. More specifically, studying at Deakin was unlike anything I had encountered during my time at Bishop’s. The school system in Australia was unfamiliar but presented to be a pleasing challenge. Aside from academics, an exchange abroad offers an opportunity to be involved in different activities, for instance, watching popular Australian sports, such as Rugby and the Australian Football League (AFL).

After spending 6 months abroad, I would highly recommend this extraordinary experience to anyone who wishes to learn more about another country, another culture and most of all to learn more about themselves.

Courtney Dunnigan