Interning and Personal Development in Sydney

The pre-departure for my study abroad experience was fraught with personal uncertainty. I didn’t even decide I wanted to go for sure until the day of the application deadline! Working with IFSA helped make this logistical process smoother for me. Guidelines on filling out visa applications, access to detailed course catalogs, and flexibility on deadlines helped me feel less daunted and actually capable of going on this new journey. If not for that, I wouldn’t have had the incredible experience I did.

While I was in Sydney, I felt myself becoming more confident and independent. I planned a solo backpacking trip up the east coast of Australia during one of our reading breaks. I was able to meet a few people in hostels and pushed myself to have the independent travel experience I wanted. I saw some beautiful places and was also able to take the time for self-discovery.

In the classroom, I became clearer on what I wanted to do with the rest of my undergraduate education. At my home university, I am a double major in economics and environmental studies. Until Sydney, I had never taken courses explicitly combining those two interests. But, seeing the intersection of economic management and environmental justice concerns opened my eyes to new perspectives. In an interdisciplinary field, it is important to have a broader view of the issues, as different regions around the globe have different approaches. I was able to see environmental policies employed in Australia that I had never come across in my studies in North America. Through the IFSA partnership, I was even able to secure an internship at a local company, which I did for school credit. The skills of cross-cultural communication in the workplace and at school deepened my experience and have served me in new situations ever since.