CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Sydney, Australia

I had never been abroad before, and going from upstate NY to Sydney, Australia was quite the trip. Other than the few trips to Canada just 10 minutes north of me, this was my first international experience. Navigating a new city was difficult at first but like anything, you get better with practice. I learned the bus routes and walked most of the time because the weather was always beautiful. My internship was at a local gym and going there taught me the true meaning of a global city. In one day, there would be clients speaking a number of different languages and the translation was difficult. Exploring the city was always a great time and I learned something new every day. Being right on the water, the views Sydney has to offer are tremendous and something I will never forget. I would suggest to anyone going abroad to save extra money for traveling as Australia is a large country with so much to offer. There are surrounding areas including New Zealand and Bali in particular, which I traveled to that are new experiences well worth your time. CAPA themselves were very helpful getting us to these places. The first few days we were taken on explorations of Sydney and learned quickly how to navigate the city. Any time there was a question, the staff was there and always offered suggestions of great places to go around town. Definitely the best decision I ever made was to go abroad. Being in a place like Sydney made my choice even greater. The friends and experiences gained along the way will never be forgotten. I can truly say going abroad has changed my life.

My entire experience in Sydney was beyond explainable. The program was extremely organized. All of our living arrangements, travel passes, and internships had been set up for us prior to arriving into the country. The program offered us a booking service to get from the airport to our hotel where we were greeted by CAPA staff and allowed time to settle in. There was nothing to be afraid or nervous about, everything was completely taken care of. During orientation they taught us about places to go, currency, opportunities to take advantage of while abroad, and more.
Once we were settled in we were allowed much more freedom, but they were still there for support when needed. I learned so much from my classes that I actually retained, where as here in the states I feel like i memorize things for exams and then forget the information.
My internship was with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, a National Rugby League Team. It was one of the best experiences of my time abroad, I got to be on the field for the playoffs, and worked with every department in the organization during normal office days. Sport management internships are really hard to land here, so I was very greatfull to be placed with the Rabbitohs.
During Spring Break me and three of my friends traveled to South East Asia and got to visit three different countries. Apart from studying abroad in general this is one of my best memories of my life. Studying Abroad gets you so excited to explore the world, you have to take advantage of every opportunity you encounter.
I can not explain all of the things that I learned and discovered in a written recap, all I can do is tell you that if there is any possible chance you have the opportunity to study abroad - DO IT! It will be a life changing opportunity you will cherish for the rest of your life.

My trip to OZ was amazing. I had the time of my life, CAPA is so supportive in the entire process and the internship option was the biggest highlight for me. Being able to gain experience working abroad is what set CAPA apart for me. The living is absolutely wonderful and very comfortable. The optional activities such as the walk about park, and tour of the city were great. I loved the optional trips for the entire group and opportunities to bond with the other students. I really enjoyed the week break to be able to travel as well.

I had an amazing time in Sydney, Australia on the CAPA program. CAPA allowed me to intern while also take classes. Each day was different, but some day I interned more, since I needed 20 hours a week, while some days I had more classes. While on this program, you get to learn the public transportation really well, since it's your only source of transportation around the city.

I spend my Fall 2013 semester studying and interning in Sydney with CAPA International Education. I loved being in Sydney! The city is packed with things to do from cultural events to concerts to shows in the iconic Sydney Opera House. There was definitely never a dull moment. Studying with CAPA was a great choice. They offered interesting classes that allowed me to learn more about Australia as a country as well as the city I was living in. They also arranged for my internship in Sydney based on my interests and majors. Having an internship in Sydney was the best way to get to interact with locals. I got to learn a lot about day to day life in Sydney, was educated about the city by those who knew it best, and was treated to the best food tour of the city. Pub life is very important and Sydney, and getting to unwind with my coworkers after a long day was what made me feel like Sydney was home. Studying in Australia is a great option for anyone who wants to go abroad and experience another lifestyle without knowing another language.

For the Fall Semester of 2013, I studied abroad in Sydney under CAPA International Education. At Sydney, I took classes for International Business and Marketing as well as undertaking an internship with a local Rugby Club for academic credit. The program's scheduling is not too heavy, allowing plenty of time to explore the city and find time for fun.

Completing an internship while in Sydney, Australia was probably the best decision I have ever made. The opportunity to learn about the workplace culture of a different country and meet and work with locals was an unforgettable experience. CAPA International Education organized everything I needed to succeed in my internship including finding an internship site, accommodation, and organized a travel agency for weekend getaways to vineyards, surf trips, and the Great Barrier Reef. The program was absolutely incredible and each student was given the freedom to explore the city on their own after the first weekend. The CAPA staff were amazing and always there to help and provide tips to make each student's time abroad amazing.

This abroad program had everything I wanted. It had the educational experience, the internship experience, and the immersion experience.

For the educational experience this program pairs with professors from Australian Catholic University. I took Australian Government and Politics which gave me an understanding of the history and basic structure of their government. It was especially interesting because while we were studying abroad we had the unique opportunity to see their government head get voted out of office. I also took and internship course that allowed me to reflect on the work I had done for Caritas and help me understand what I want from a Career.

For the internship experience I worked at a international nonprofit organization based in Sydney. Although this was not my first choice for an internship I loved working there. It was a very nurturing environment and I learned how to work on a fundraising team.

The immersion experience is what I value most from my time abroad. Even though I was only there for six weeks I only spent two weekends in Sydney. I had the opportunity to travel every weekend which was very important to me. I traveled to Melbourne, Hamilton Island, Center Head Beach, and Port Stephens. Every place I went I learned something new about the Australian culture.

Overall I had a wonderful experience and I would absolutely do this program again!