Australia- The DownUnder, my first throwback

To be honest, studying in Australia feels not that different from studying in Germany. But some differences apply due to the other education system and the culture.

Some similarities are:

- I go to the classes/lectures
- I have breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Students are late: in class, for tutorial, meeting for group work,...
- Learning materials are available for sale from previous students

- I ride the bike to Uni
- I meet friends whenever I have time


Some differences are:

- writing exams/assignments/Quizzes during the whole semester
- Very expensive reading Materials (required reading books)
- a lot of recommended reading articles/books/journals that give you a broader insight of the content in each week but takes a lot of time to read all of that 
- attending Tutorials for practise the content from the lecture
- having a "perusal time" before the exam actually starts, where you are allowed to different things depending on your course (reading, writing notes, start exam,...)

- having cold/hot lunch and hot Dinner (but that's because I'm living with the family and I did it different at home)

- doing exercises (sport) at 6 am rather than at 4pm

-  don't go out on fridays (because its more expensive)

Things I didn't expect:


- ALL lectures and Tutorials start on time
- The goal of studying is passing, the higher the score the more waste effort into the work
- sitting on my computer for a lot of time every day to read the recommended readings to be updated in all Coures
- writing the exams with 600 other students from different faculties in the gym.

- getting attacked by birds

Exam week

I think hat this list is getting longer with the time I'm here. I will make an update later in my second semester. But now I'm on my BIG Holidays. 

Best wishes from our Roadtrip!

Perth- meeting my new travel mates

After a good arrival in Perth I had 3 days on my own to explore one of the biggest cities in Australia. On Friday I met my Travelmates Angelique,Chloé and Sarah. All on working and holiday in Australia but originally from  France.

The first nights I stayed in a hostel close to the city center if Perth.
The koala backpacker hostel offered free breakfast which was really comfortable so I had no stress in the morning to find a place for breaky (Australian slang: [breakfast])

On my first day I explored Perth by the free CAT buses and by a lot of walking.
This day we had 38 degrees and almost no shade. But I was prepared with a water bottle, I had sunglasses, my hat and sunscreen. 
There are some water refill stations so I don't carry a lot of water with me, I just refill my 1 liter bottle.

Perth City

The second day I spent with finding a new phone that fits to my needs because my old one has some troubles with loading apps and finding GPS signal.
In the afternoon after spending a lot if money in the phone and accessories (I made a good deal) I booked the ferry to Rottnest island for tomorrow (Friday).

Because of the complicated conversation with my next accommodation (couchsurfing) I spent another night at the koalas backpacker hostel.

The third day I woke up early and made my way to Perth station to catch the Fremantle train to Fremantle (a small city south of Perth).
The ferries to Rottnest island departure at this harbour, North Fremantle or Perth. Fremantle is the cheapest and a nice city to explore, too.

Ferry to Rottnest island

Harbour of Fremantle 

I missed my ferry so I had to wait 1,5 hours for the next one. That gaves me the opportunity to walk along the ocean to explore Fremantle a bit. When I entered the marine steam engine exhibition I had a nice convo (conversation) with the stuff member. He told be about the best places to visit in Fremantle and a lot more.

Engine in the marine engine steam exhibition 

At Rottnest island I could never t believe that this is all true. It felt like in a dream.
The scenery, the way to get around this island, the feeling and the fact that I was on a boat with three foreigners for 3 hours.

The quokkas look great but the fact that it takes ages to get the right photo is hidden. But it's really fun to spend time with the happiest animals on earth.

This night I made my way to the Airbnb, our next accommodation. Tonight I met the French girls.

On Saturday we made our city trip in Perth. Had nice convos and laughed a lot.

In the evening we made wraps and prepared our lunch for the next day that we spent on Rottnest island.

It's different to explore the same places with more people than alone. Sometimes it's harder to take a decision what to do next but other times it's helpful due my bad orientation and decision making.

Chloé, Angelique, Patricia, Sarah on the ferry to Rottnest island

When we came home we wanted to cook omlett but because if the fact that all big grocery shops are already 2 hours closed (at 7pm). We had to buy a "cheap" dinner in a small really expensive shop that was the only shop open on our way home.

At home we packed our stuff for tomorrow.

We will start our trip at 9:30am up north.
First stops are planned already.

Patricia is going on BIG Holidays

As you may realized in my last post the break between semester 2 (till November) and Semester 1 (begins in February) is quit long compared to the break between semester 1 (ends in June) and Semester 2 (begins in July).
It's also not the regularly length of the break in Germany. So I am excited because I planned big trips.

This break influences my life in Australia as I have time to explore other parts of this Hugh country. I will come home back to the sunny coast and I've seen more than my host family. 

First I will relax, pack and organize all my stuff after my last exam on 5th of November.
After one week enjoying the sunny coast and getting ready for the big trips I will fly to Perth to meet French girls. 

Trip 1

We organized a road trip along the west coast. We will rent a car and drive along the coast for more than one month. When we will be back in Perth around the 2oth of December I will find a cozy place to spend Christmas on the 24th, on the 25th- the actual Christmas celebration day in Australia- I will fly to Adelaide where I will meet my parents the next day for my next trip.

Trip 2

I will rent a car with my parents that we can explore the way to Brisbane and maybe we have the chance to climb one of the Glass House Mountains and do some snorkeling.

Since now I have no exact plan for the time between mid of January and mid February. But that's good. I don't have to rush and plan everything in detail because I have enough time to explore Australia in this time a bit more. I might go to Tasmania, the "apple Island" of Australia to do some bush walks. Or I might go to lady Elliot Island. A beautiful little Island on the east coast of Australia, good for snorkeling and beach time.
Let's see- I might do both in the end, that would be really nice.

Trip 3

Mid February my best friend and her family will come here so we drive from Brisbane up north along the coast exploring the Fraser Island, the Great Barrier Reef and much more on the way to Cairns.

Trip 4

At the end of this month I will fly back home to Brisbane to study till June.

These Holidays are well planned but this is caused by my friends that will come here for just a short time. Maybe I would have no plan at all- where I will go, if I would be on my own, what I will do, how I will travel around, if I would work,... the whole three months.

I'm really excited to spend time with my family and friends on the other side of the world and exploring and sharing these experiences with my best mates. 

I'm also excited to spend time with people I don't know well yet and watch how we begin to get friends.

You will hear from my experiences soon.

Study times at USC in Australia

Now a few information about the structure of the study at USC.

The study times are all roughly the same in Australia. All Universities or Colleges start and end almost the same time.

Two study systems are available in Australia. The two semester system and the Trimester system.

The main difference between the systems is the amount of weeks one semester includes and the length of the breaks between the semesters.

The two semester system:

This semester (Semester 2- July to Nov) is split into 5 parts:
- Week 1 to 10: contact: lecture/class + Tutorials
- Week 10 (2): Study Break: 1 week break to relax or catch up on the subjects
- Week 11-13: contact: lecture/class + some Tutorials
--------
- Week 13 (2): Study Break: 1 week break to study for exams
- Week 14-15: Exam Period: writing Exams in the 'Exam Block'


Week 13 to 15 are only important if you have exams at the end of the semester. If you're lucky you won't have any exams so your semester finishes 3 weeks earlier!!

The structure of Semester 1 (Feb to June) is more or less the same as Semester 2.

The Trimester system:

- 1 weeks less contact and one break (after week 9)

- Week 13: Exams

- only one week break between Trimester 2 and 3

- 2 weeks break in Trimester 3

I'm in the two Semester system and I do have to write two exams this semester. But I'm still really lucky. I have them on the first two days of the 'Exam Block'.

So the exams are on the 4th and 5th of November. Fingers crossed that I will pass.

One semester Break in Australia is like...

Last week I had a break from studying. Due to my assessments I have to hand in after this week I didn't go on BIG holidays.

I studied and I had fun with friends and the family I'm staying with.

Firstly I went to Mooloolaba to practice for my swim.

Delicious Breakfast at the Beach...

...after a quick swim...

...with the family.

I also went to the Waterfall in Buderim.

Look at the tall unbowed palm tree next to the tiny palm tree.

A special trip was to the double Island and the rainbow Beach just two hours from home. This was a Trip organized by Emily. Amazing day trip with her siblings and Max from England.

We left the house early in the morning to get an early ferry and to drive on the beach at low tide.

'Easy' with a 4x4 car

breakfast at the beach

climbing up the sand dunes for a great view at rainbow beach

preparing lunch on the back of the car

Off to a short walk to the light house. On the way we have to cross a part of the ocean. 

Let's see how deep the water is, hopefully not too deep.

walking on the sand, stones, through the forest,...

Beautiful Rainbow Beach

View on the way to the light house

some information about the light house

View to the Double Island Beach, where we had breakfast. Just on the other side of Rainbow beach.

Enjoying the drive on the beach back to watch the sunset at the Beach of Double Island.

freedom

Enjoying the sunset at Double Island

Driving home after an amazing time

Last week we had a new record of temperature in October for the Sunshine Coast.

On 7th of October 2019 we had 32 Degrees.

No studying on this day but a ride to the beach to meet some friends.

Australia- am I in the right mood?

G'day Mate!

That's probably the sentence I heard the most since I'm here. But it's a nice sentence. Mate in this context means 'friend'. 

Australia is known for one of the most happiest country or even continent in the world. Maybe it's because people respect each other, they take care of their health, try to live without stress.

But I experienced not all of these aspects. I have the feeling that the Australians are mostly stressed. 
Stressed and relaxed because of work, free time activities or University stuff. 

Studying...

Free time...

Students in Australia are more relaxed about their assignments or presentations. I have to figure out why, so that I can improve my stress level when assessments are coming up.
Probably the priority is on free time activities rather then getting the best mark for an assignment that's only worth 15 marks (out of 100).

I will figure it out and might have to change my style of studying in my second semester at USC.

Being in the right mood to get along with the assessments is very important. 

Australia gives you the variation in studying. My short semester Break is the best example.

Busy study time for the next two months

I had to find a good place to do my assignments. I had a look at the Uni and at home. 
The University offers a lot of opportunities to study. Rooms inside, study launches inside or outside, studying on the grass with kangaroos and a lot more.

At home I could study in my room but till now the room is too cold due no sunshine the whole time. But the garden is big enough to find a place in the shade or in the sun (till now studying in the sun is possible for 1 hour, it will change in summer).

Some impressions of my places below:

On Campus

next to the family pool

at the beach

in front of my room - my balcony

I will be very busy the next few weeks. I have to write 3 essays and reports in several groups as well as 2 individual assignments. My last marks are 2 written exams in the first week of November. Let's see that I can do something fun in this time. But Uni is priority number 1.