Alumni Spotlight: Aimee Morrison

Aimee is a 21 year old Stonehill College student from Lowell, Massachusetts. She is currently an Elementary Education and Environmental Studies double major at her school, and she works as a camp counselor in the summer.

What did TEAN do for you and what did you need to do on your own?

Aimee Morrison Kangaroo

Aimee: I can’t really think of many things the Education Abroad Network did not do for me. Whether it was applying for my student visa or filling out housing forms, TEAN always sent me email notifications with step-by-step instructions on how to find the appropriate paperwork and how to fill it out correctly. My advisor through TEAN was also very helpful and always available to answer my questions when I had any. I feel that TEAN even threw in some extra help by providing packing lists, providing a mobile phone carrier, and offering Spring break trips and weekend trips while we were in Australia.

What was the best place you visited outside of your study abroad city?

Aimee: I absolutely loved my week-long trip to Cairns! If you want to see the reef, the rainforest, and koalas, then this needs to be on your list of places to visit. While in Cairns I went horse-back riding in the rainforest, snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef, crocodile spotting on the Daintree River, and swimming under a waterfall. Cairns has something for every taste and interest and it is certainly a place not to be missed. Cairns is located in North Queensland and it has one of the most popular and closest access points to the spectacular Great Barrier Reef. When I visited Cairns, I was never bored and there was always something new to do or explore.

What is one piece of advice you would give future students?

Aimee: I would say save up your money, because in Australia, it gets spent very quickly! Australia is a bit more expensive than the States, but the opportunities you will have there are ones you won’t want to miss out on just because you are low on cash. I saved up money from my summer job for three years for this experience, and it helped me quite a bit. Also, it is not very difficult to get a TFN (tax number) to work in Australia, so it is a good idea to file for one as soon as you get there and get a part-time job for extra spending money and a unique experience.

Describe your program socially and academically.

Australia Scuba Diving Aimee Morrison

Aimee: Everyone is looking for something different with their study abroad experience, but I absolutely loved my time at James Cook University in Townsville. Here, I lived on campus with other Australians, and I made several local friends and I really enjoyed living in a residence hall and taking part in the college’s social life. Academically, James Cook is a wonderful research institution, and the classes I took got me out of the classroom and onto reefs and the outback. I was able to get a lot of hands-on experience in my classes, which really enabled me to get the most out of my science classes there.

Describe your favorite must-have food you tried while abroad.

Aimee: I must admit, I did not have very adventurous taste buds while I was abroad, but Australia does have some different desserts that I fell in love with. I would definitely recommend trying chocolate nachos, caramel mud cake, and lamingtons, just to name a few. The food in Australia is very similar to American food, and even most of the fast food restaurants are the same. McDonald’s is very popular in Australia, but remember to call it Macca’s. This is the name for McDonald’s in Australia, and once you are there for a week, you will be calling it that as well.