Studying at the other side of the world
Coming to Sydney on a 21 hour flight from Germany was exhausting, but definitely worth the effort!
During the weeks before the UTS orientation week, I visited the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and the Royal Botanical Garden on bike. Traveling by bike easily enabled me to get a first impression of Sydney, its different neighbourhoods, large shopping malls and Darling Harbour.
I went to the Blue Mountains on a sunny day in order to see the “Three Sisters” and hidden waterfalls in the forest. There are different walks with several levels of difficulty to choose from, leading you to a variety of impressive viewing points. With the 510 metre scenic cableway you can experience the forest panorama from a bird’s eye view. It is really amazing that Sydney offers on the one hand the big city life and on the other the almost untouched nature. In the Blue Mountains you can definitely explore the silence of nature and the endless landscape views. Don't take my word for it. Find out for yourself!
Another highlight, has been the trip to the Royal National Park. It was an easy journey by train from Central Station to Cronulla and ferry to Bundeena. The most impressive thing was the combination of the huge variety of beaches, cliffs and trees as well as the diversity of the vegetation, including lagoons, in the middle of sand dunes.
So far, I've met lovely people from all over the world. The rooftop of UTS Housing and the common areas has provided lots of opportunities to talk to, eat and play with other students in the evening.
I am very keen to explore the courses at UTS, and experience what it means to study abroad in Sydney, especially comparing differences and similarities between my home country and Australia, and the incentives Australia offers besides studying.
I'm already planning, if there is time between the courses or at least after the examinations, to visit the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns and experience diving there, as well as exploring the neighbouring Daintree Rainforest, adding to that, a few days in Perth city and on its beaches, a visit to Melbourne and a drive to witness the Twelve Apostles.
Charline Herm
Hochschule für Technik, Wirtschaft und Gestaltung, Constance, Germany (Legal Management)
Down Under and the UTS
Hey everyone, my name is Samantha and I am doing my Masters in Legal Management at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). One reason why I have chosen UTS was its large range of subjects and the good reviews of students from my home university who were also part of the Study Abroad Program. Another reason was the country of Australia itself, including its variety of sights and cultures, that I am excited to experience during and after my studies.
With my friend Charline, my first explorations before the UTS orientation week, were on bike to visit the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and the Royal Botanical Garden.
I also went to Bronte Beach to relax and see the lovely seaside. The waves were huge and it was real fun in the water, but I had to take care to avoid the blue bottles that were all around the beach that day. Another amazing beach day was my visit to Shelly Beach in Manly, where I traveled to by ferry. Shelly Beach is small and uncrowded, offering really nice possibilities to walk on the cliffs. However, if someone tells you there are no sharks, he or she is definitely lying: I was swimming in the water, when a lifeguard came with his jet ski and recommended all people leave the water because a shark was seen within five kilometres. So be careful!
Another day trip was to the Royal National Park. You can get there by train from Central Station to Cronulla followed by the ferry to Bundeena. The park offers several tours to a wide variety of beaches, trees and cliffs. Even though the day was cloudy, I still enjoyed the experience. I could see different animals. For example, I saw a snake sunbathing on a rock, a lizard eating some fruits and different birds flying over my head. If you enjoy nature, walking in silence, having an endless view on the landscape with the sound of the waves in the background, you will definitely appreciate this place. It’s awesome!
Samantha Pittlik
Hochschule für Technik, Wirtschaft und Gestaltung, Constance, Germany (Legal Management)