Newcastle Livin'

When picking a school through AustraLearn, Newcastle seemed like the best choice for me because it wasn't in the city, yet was close to the CBD (Central Business District) AND it was surrounded by beaches. Any of five beaches was just a train ride away. I was drawn in for it's beauty and enjoyed it more so for the people. I would strongly recommend on-campus housing. I lived in Evatt House, which was a mix of Australian's and international students. Living with Australian's and not just other people from the same country not only helped me get around Newy easier, but it gave me a first hand account of the warmth and easy-going nature of the Australian people. I got more than just the typical "tourist" view of Newcastle and beyond. I developed such great relationships with the people on Evatt and still keep in contact with my Aussie friends after 2 years. AustraLearn was an extremely valuable contact throughout my program and after. The academics were vastly different from what I was used to (my college at home was only 1,600 kids) but challenged me nonetheless. My abroad experience changed my future goals, as I am now hoping to pursue a job in international education. I plan to go back to Australia some day soon; whether to work or play or both.