Australia Studies Centre (ASC)

26/06/2020

Due to the global impact of the COVID-19 crisis, we have made the difficult decision that the Australia Studies Centre (ASC) will not run for the Fall 2020 or Spring 2021 semesters.

Future ASC and other BestSemester program activities are still under consideration, and we will be using this next academic year to create a new strategy and vision for our global education offerings moving forward. Please check www.bestsemester.com for future programming updates.

23/05/2020

Another student described the lesson of flexibility they learned in the semester abroad. They shared “I set this goal for myself, prior to heading off to my semester, and I was surprised by the many ways I was challenged in this area. In Australia, I was challenged to be more flexible with classmates and the way of life in Australia. Indonesia presented a different challenge as I felt more culture shock and needed to adjust to a new culture and learn the social norms of the country. Our time abroad was cut short by a month and a half due to the Coronavirus, but this allowed me to learn more about flexibility on our journey home. With travel restrictions, our journey home totaled 46 hours, 23 of which we had to spend in the Taiwanese airport to avoid being quarantined in Taiwan. The 23 hours to arrive in Australia felt long, but my experience traveling home from Indonesia, stretchers me to learn more about being flexible. I think it can be helpful to anticipate your semester abroad to be a challenging and once-in-a-lifetime experience, but remember that the adventure continues once we arrive home. Reflect on lessons learned during the semester and do not forget to apply these lessons at home and allow these experiences to propel you forward to learn more even in the ordinary.

15/05/2020

ASC's program looked a little different this semester as students had the opportunity to travel and study in Jakarta, Indonesia for a portion of their journey. A student from the trip shared about her experience in Jakarta: "When immersed in the Jakarta culture for a month, I realized how much more I was challenged in my interactions. There was the language barrier and greater cultural differences which made it constantly uncomfortable—but in a good way. I think this type of discomfort is so important for students to experience. Even the simplest interactions with those unlike you spurs significant growth and understanding, and you connect with people in surprising and meaningful ways! I grew to appreciate and respect Indonesia's culture more as I continued these interactions. Witnessing how passionate our host students were about their city and culture was so impactful for me!"

30/04/2020

Students were able to visit the island of Bali for a few days! The group went on a bike tour, saw temples, a monkey sanctuary, rice terraces, coffee plantations, Indonesian art, and a fire dance.

29/04/2020

Concluding our time in Sydney with a week at the Great Barrier Reef! Students got to snorkel, visit Fitzroy Island and hike through some rainforests!

12/03/2020

13/12/2019

Snorkeling in the land down under... it’s just better (in our opinion)!

12/12/2019

Check out the post to learn some Sydney Harbour Bridge Fun Facts!

10/10/2019

We're off to Sydney!
--Opera House
--Bondi
--Government House
--The Rocks
--Bridge Climb
--Harbour Cruise