The Australian Experience

By Natasha Gros, Exchange student in Australia

After 22 hours of travel I finally found myself in Melbourne. I had arranged airport pickup before my departure so when I got off the plane there was someone waiting for me and they brought me and the other international students who had arrived that day to our accommodation. I decided to go with on-campus accommodation at Swinburne residences, although it is really expensive the location is definitely worth it, right on campus and close to grocery stores as well as a street with lots of shops, restaurants, and cafes, it’s also a 10-15 minute train ride to the city center. I got a three bedroom apartment so I am sharing with two other girls who are from Australia; We hit it off right away which has made living here enjoyable.

The weather here in August was rainy and cold, it was hard coming from Canada’s summer, especially since I only brought a limited amount of cold weather clothes. I was informed that it was one of Melbourne’s worst winters but now it is spring and the weather is wonderful, so all is well!

The first week was very busy; there was international student orientation as well as first year student orientation which I attended as well. At orientation they guided us through some things that we needed for our time here, what we should expect here in Australia, they told us about their culture and teaching styles, and informed us of all the services they provide for their students. In the first week I also set up a bank account with ANZ, a cellphone account with Optus (they have awesome month to month plans), and got a myki card which you can use for travel on all trams, trains, and busses. Swinburne international also organized a bunch of events during the first week so that you could meet up with all the other students as well as enjoy some free food. They also organized events that allowed us to explore the city and its attractions, such as the street art, laneways, Chinatown, museums and art galleries. Swinburne also does semester trips which go to the surrounding areas of Melbourne, I went on one to Phillip Island where I got to see the little penguins, go sand surfing, and see some beautiful beaches and cliff walks, they also do a trip to the Heallesville Sanctuary and a surfing trip.

The city of Melbourne is amazing, they have really awesome restaurants, shops, and cafes and although it’s a big city they still have a lot of parks and gardens scattered throughout which are nice to visit and get a break from city living. They have a big market in the city center and I recommend getting fruits and vegetables there as they are much cheaper than at the supermarket. Footy, AFL, or Australian League Football is a big sport here and I recommend going to a game, even if you have no idea what is going on it is still a lot of fun. Melbourne has a lot of teams so there are a lot of games going on around the city. Hawthorn is the big team here and that’s the team that most of Swinburne roots for. I also really enjoy Swinburne as a school, I have all my classes at the Hawthorn Campus so I don’t know what the other campuses are like, but Hawthorn is not too big (although it seemed huge and overwhelming at first) and the teachers are really nice. I have found the majority of people at school and around the city to be very approachable and friendly, there are always the few that are not but I would expect that anywhere!\

For mid-semester break I went to New Zealand’s north island with a few friends from school. We rented a campervan and spent the week partaking in various activities. We visited Hobbiton to see firsthand where part of Lord of the Rings was filmed, we went to a Maori cultural dinner and were immersed in their culture, we also went white-water rafting, caving, canyon swinging, and of course went on plenty of hikes and enjoyed New Zealand’s natural hot springs. New Zealand is a beautiful country and I would recommend travelling there, but the costs for activities can add up quickly so make sure it’s within your budget!

The weather during the spring here is very temperamental, one day it will be rainy and 15 degrees and the next day it will be 28, it gives you a nice break from the hot days but do not expect to go to the beach everyday as spring is considered their rainy season! However, if the forecast for the weekend is supposed to be nice then I would recommend doing the Great Ocean Road, which is a stretch of road that goes along the coast as well as into the green hinterland. A group of my friends and I rented a van from Melbourne and made a weekend trip out of it by renting a house at the midway point of the Great Ocean Road. We spent a day driving all the way to the end to see all the attractions like the Twelve Apostles, The Grotto, Gibsons Steps, and more! And then we spent another day at the beach in Lorne, the water was still a bit cold as it was the middle of October but when it’s hot out its perfect to cool down in. I know that there are options to do a guided tour of the Great Ocean Road but I would recommend getting a group together and doing it in your own time. Most car rental places will only rent to 21 year olds or older so that should be taken into account when planning your trip, and if you’re worrying about driving on the opposite side of the car, on the opposite side of the road, it’s weird at first but you get used to it!

At the beginning of November is the Spring Racing Carnival, which is a huge week-long lavish horse-racing event, with the main race being the Melbourne Cup Race. It is considered the “race that stops a nation” and although I have never watched horse racing in Canada, I certainly got into it here. You can get tickets to the Flemington Racecourse and watch the race in real-life, but all the bars and restaurants are going to be showing it as well. I opted for watching the race at Federation Square in the city center, but next time I would have probably bought a race-day package that includes food and drink, quite pricey, but worth the experience. If you plan to go to Flemington for the races make sure you dress up, because in addition to horse-racing the Spring Carnival is also big on fashion!