A semester in paradise

Education: The classes I took at Bond University were overall small in size, and taught by great instructors. If at any point I felt like I was falling behind, I could easily ask for help and it was given. Also, from my experience the professors were all very accommodating of traveling contingent upon you expressing that you will make up the work you missed!

Housing: Some of the best dorm style housing I have ever seen. I lived in the "accommodation center", in a double dorm (with one roommate and a full sized bathroom in the dorm). On a weekly basis the dorms have housekeeping that comes in to clean your room (wash the sheets, make the bed, clean the bathroom, etc.) One of the other great perks is that all the bedding and toiletries were already provided and restocked by the housekeeping, which made it super easy as a study abroad student already on a budget!

Food: The dining hall features a menu that only changes slightly throughout the semester, and it is done on a pay per item basis (rather than a buffet style like those featured in schools within the US). This was one of the only challenges, as you have to budget pretty efficiently through balancing eating out and cooking meals in order to not run out of money by the end of the semester. However, there are several great restaurants in the downtown area that feature affordably priced food options and there are kitchens on every floor of the dorms.

Safety: The safety in the both the school as well as Gold Coast as a city was great. I did not at any point feel unsafe, even when I would travel on the public transportation alone at night.

Overview: I would 100% study abroad through this program again. CIS does a great job of integrating you into Australian culture from the minute you step off the plane. The excursions that we were taken on through the program added immensely into the overall experience, and the on site support for any questions or concerns was extremely prompt and helpful!