Staff Spotlight: Lea-Anne Allen

Lea-Anne has studied in five countries (Australia, Japan, Sweden, Netherlands and Switzerland) and truly believes in the transformative power of studying abroad and travel whether for your full degree, a semester or the summer. Lea-Anne has worked in international education for 8 years and now resides in the United States, working with US and Canadian students, preparing them for the life-changing experience of studying at Macquarie University in Sydney.

I will be travelling to my 42nd country next week (New Zealand!) and find it very hard to pinpoint a favorite travel memory as they are so vast and varying, and each country teaches you something different about the world and yourself. Nothing beats one of your first experiences abroad, though, and for me that was a year living and studying in Japan. The emotional whirlwind that you go on as the weeks become days before you depart, and you realize what a huge adventure you have in front of you (for better and worse!) stays with you for a longtime. Time goes so quickly, though, and you need to ensure that you make every moment count.

I have been lucky enough to work in many corners of the world with my current institution and counsel students on the merits of Australian education, which I believe is one of the best in the world. International experiences and the relationships that you can build from them are so important. If more people travelled and met citizens with diverse world views and different stories, the world would be a much better place for each one of us.

There is a great saying in German: 'Erasmus nicht Krieg machen', which essentially translates to "make Erasmum [exchange program] not war". Macquarie is one of the international institutions I have worked for and I am reminded every day of the importance of diversity.

I worked with a Study Abroad student from the east coast of the United States who had never left her city or been in a taxi, never mind on an airplane that would take her across the world! The student was obviously very nervous about the entire experience, but upon landing in Sydney, she decided that she would give it absolutely everything that she has. There were of course challenging days, but by the end of it, she had joined the rugby team (a sport she had never heard of before) and made life-long friends.

After finishing her degree, she started a graduate degree in Europe - something she never thought would be possible.

We understand that studying overseas is a huge leap of faith for many students and it is likely to be the first time outside of your comfort zones. The university has an incredible support system for students, which includes 24-hour support services and much of the team have had very similar experiences, so you always have someone to speak to!

It's also nice to know that Macquarie is home to 12,000 international students, so there are many students in the exact same situation, which leads to a vibrant and welcoming community.