I have been interested in studying abroad in Australia ever since my older sister did while she was in college. I was lucky enough to study in the same school as her in Townsville. Along with all of her amazing stories of the people and, of course the weather, i wasn’t interested in studying in Townsville because of its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and the school’s focus on marine biology.
Alumni Spotlight: Haley Colpitts
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Haley studied abroad in Townsville, Australia during the fall of her junior year in college.
Why did you choose this program?
What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
My program provider held a four day orientation for everyone in Sydney before we all split up and went to our respective schools. During this orientation they filled out days with activities like hiking the blue mountains, a walking city tour, a night time dinner cruise, and a trip to Bondi beach. James Cook University in Townsville hosted international student breakfasts every Tuesday with special Australian guests or presentations and music and free lunch Fridays where they also brought in traditional Australian entertainment and food.
On my own I had to navigate the city and figure out how to use the public transportation. That, however, was easy since things in Townsville are pretty similar to how things are from where I’m from plus in the same language. The most difficult thing to figure out was where my classes were, since I typically go to a small liberal arts school in America and James Cook had a campus that was significantly larger. I also had to figure out budgeting for all my excursions.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
My study abroad experience was significantly different then my other friends who went abroad to other schools or to other countries. James Cook University encourages abroad students to live in dorms with the Australian students. I found that this promoted my friendships with Australians and my involvement in the school.
I would recommend to students going abroad to Townsville to get involved in their dorm spirit and by to waste a single day. I remember there was a river walking distance from my dorm that had a dock and rope swing that a plethora of us frequented. It was a free option at exploring Townsville and enjoying the biodiversity which is unique to the tropics.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
Typically on a week day i would wake up in the morning, go to my dorms dining hall for breakfast then head out to class. After my classes i would eat some vegemite on toast and whatever the daily special was and hangout with my friends. After lunch i would either walk to the river or the pool or sometimes take the bus to the ocean. At night we would all go cheer on our dorm as they challenged the other dorms in sports for the year long competition. Weekends I would take longer excursions such as to the billabong wildlife sanctuary and then at night go support a boy who lived in my hall as he DJ-ed at a local bar with my friends.
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
My biggest fear going abroad was that I wouldn’t have enough money to do everything i wanted. I actually wasn’t able to, but instead of focusing of the stuff I could do, I focused on the once in a lifetime experiences that I was able to have. None of my time there I consider to be boring or a waste of time and even though my money did run out like I feared I am incredibly happy with how i spent it.
Do you have any prior travel experience?
I spent my spring break traveling to Bali with some friends who were also abroad. Bali was incredibly different to Australia and to America which was really eye opening for me. It was a country where bartering was the norm and there were wild monkeys everywhere. We got to do things like explore markets and temples, go surfing, and lay on some of the most beautiful beaches.