IFSA: University of Sydney Partnership

When I was on a study abroad program with IFSA at the University of Sydney, I got a chance to join Orbit, a K-Pop focused dance crew, and SoulXPress, a Hip-Hop society.
Orbit Dance Crew produces dance videos where we cover-dance choreographies of famous K-Pop songs as well as participates in dance competitions. I joined Orbit in August, and we started practicing together soon after. Our practice location was around the ground area at the International Convention Center (ICC Sydney), and we used the glass wall of a building there as our mirror for rehearsing the choreographies. It was in public, and we were not the only group practicing in such a way. In fact, a lot of different groups such as skaters and football skill-freestylers would also come there to either practice or showcase their works. That was a very unique experience as a dancer for me because I had to build courage to practice dancing in public, which was new to me. Nevertheless, with the help of my fellow lovely Orbit members, I was able to bring my confidence up and danced along well. We entered a dance competition in Sydney in November and won the second place. I really enjoyed my time with Orbit.
SoulXPress always holds dance classes in various sub-genres of Hip-Hop in a dance studio at the University of Sydney every week. It was also very affordable for SoulXPress members to take these classes, and the dance teachers were amazing. I was able to shape up and improve my dance skills a lot better from those dance classes. SoulXPress also occasionally holds dance battles together with other dance societies from nearby universities, and those give a chance to show our skills to a wider audience while being able to learn from other dancers at the same time.
In conclusion, there are a lot of opportunities for dancers studying in Sydney. With all the helpful peer-dancers around, I am sure that every dancer will enjoy their times in Sydney.

The pre-departure for my study abroad experience was fraught with personal uncertainty. I didn’t even decide I wanted to go for sure until the day of the application deadline! Working with IFSA helped make this logistical process smoother for me. Guidelines on filling out visa applications, access to detailed course catalogs, and flexibility on deadlines helped me feel less daunted and actually capable of going on this new journey. If not for that, I wouldn’t have had the incredible experience I did.

While I was in Sydney, I felt myself becoming more confident and independent. I planned a solo backpacking trip up the east coast of Australia during one of our reading breaks. I was able to meet a few people in hostels and pushed myself to have the independent travel experience I wanted. I saw some beautiful places and was also able to take the time for self-discovery.

In the classroom, I became clearer on what I wanted to do with the rest of my undergraduate education. At my home university, I am a double major in economics and environmental studies. Until Sydney, I had never taken courses explicitly combining those two interests. But, seeing the intersection of economic management and environmental justice concerns opened my eyes to new perspectives. In an interdisciplinary field, it is important to have a broader view of the issues, as different regions around the globe have different approaches. I was able to see environmental policies employed in Australia that I had never come across in my studies in North America. Through the IFSA partnership, I was even able to secure an internship at a local company, which I did for school credit. The skills of cross-cultural communication in the workplace and at school deepened my experience and have served me in new situations ever since.

While I was abroad I participated in an internship course at University of Sydney. My internship was in an ecology research lab on campus that worked with wallabies,
ringtail possums, and bush rats. It was a very relaxed setting and I really enjoyed helping different PhD or Honors students with their projects and field work excursions. I worked around 10 hours a week and I am really glad I was able to participate in this unique global work experience. The internship opportunity was what drew me to IFSA and I am really glad I chose to study abroad with them. There are many different internship placements for students and some of friends studying business were able to intern at various companies in Sydney. No matter what you are studying, there is an internship or research position available for you.

Everything about my study abroad experience was beyond what I could've hoped for — I made so many new friends, took interesting and challenging courses that aren't offered at my home university, and had the opportunity to go on most of the cultural events and trips offered by my program. One part of my experience that I wasn't prepared to have enjoyed to the degree that I did, however, was the my experience at the university. What surprised me most about the University of Sydney was how comfortable I felt at such a large university. My home university is a small, liberal arts college in rural upstate New York, so I figured that the transition to a large, urban university would be shocking at least. What I found however, was that even though it was a large university, it still had a campus, and even though my lectures were larger than I had ever experienced, I was still able to connect with my teachers and classmates through tutorial sessions. These two aspects of the University of Sydney shocked me the most because they made such a large university feel like more of a community than I could've anticipated.

My time in Australia was absolutely incredible. I fell in love with Sydney and also had the opportunity to travel to numerous other locations in Australia and New Zealand. I met so many amazing people along the way who helped me understand Australian culture as well as rethink my own culture at home. I have nothing but good things to say about IFSA. From the moment we were accepted into the program, they helped us every step of the way. They not only walked us through important requirements and logistics of traveling (Visa, packing lists, travel documents, etc.), but they helped prepare us mentally, emotionally, and culturally by asking us to reflect on our identity, values, goals, and so on. When in Sydney, we became so close with our IFSA program directors. I really enjoyed getting to know them and they were always there for us when we needed them. IFSA also provided us with amazing opportunities, such as visiting the Opera House, wildlife sanctuary, the Blue Mountains, an Aussie sporting event, and a homestay weekend. I highly recommend attending each and every one of these activities - they were included in our program fees and provided moments of priceless cultural immersion. IFSA also prepared us for our experiences returning home. IFSA constantly prioritized our individual experiences, identities, and thoughts and opinions, which was so beneficial in every aspect.

I really enjoyed my study abroad experience at Univeristy of Sydney! I am a Biology major so I was able to take a really interesting Marine biology course that is not offered at my home university. I also enrolled in an internship course that placed me in an ecology research lab where I assisted with field work with wallabies, ringtail possums, and bush rats. I lived in the Urbanest apartments close to campus with many other American students from different universities as well as international students. The apartments were very nice and very close to the train station. Sydney was an amazing city with beautiful beaches and coastal walks! IFSA did a great job of planning events throughout the semester that taught us a little bit about Australian culture. We went to an Australian Rules Football game, Country Life Weekend where we stayed with Australian farming families, and a Harry Potter show at the Sydney Opera House!

I am a junior physics major and thought it would be very hard to get credits while abroad, however the IFSA staff in the US and the onsite staff made it a very easy transition! I was able to obtain 2 major credits, a minor credit and a general education history credit. The classes were challenging and I was able to take classes that aren't offered at my small liberal arts college normally. I also loved my time at the University of Sydney because I stayed at an on campus residence college where I lived with Australians everyday and got to know them very well from day to day and made some of my best friends there. The campus itself was beautiful and the city was an endless adventure with something new to do every weekend. I loved this program and experience and highly recommend it to anyone interested in Australia!

The University of Sydney is a gorgeous campus, the city of Sydney is a even more stunning, and the country of Australia as a whole will leave you breathless. I would recommend this experience to anyone who is even considering Australia. I made lifelong friends, engaged in cultural practices, and even learned to surf ( like a tourist). For me, it was the perfect choice because I wanted a place that was new from home, but also similar. It opened my eyes to the world and has led me to pursue a career in international relations. After taking a course called International Business Strategy and having the opportunity to asses the inner workings of an Australian based company, I realized that the only thing more rewarding than studying abroad would be working abroad. Please, if you have the chance, pursue this opportunity .