An Exchange to remember!

Virginia Rigobianco, A26 Study Abroad and Exchange Ambassador

Autumn 2026 Exchange Student, University of Turin, Italy

I still remember applying for my exchange semester at UTS thinking how crazy would it be to actually fly to the land down under. And then it happened: before I knew it I was on a 29h journey to Sydney, Australia.

I was lucky enough to get into Yura Mudang, the student residence on campus, and meet not only some nice roommates, but also a lot of other exchange students coming from all over the world. The first few weeks were filled with activities, both with the residence and the

university, and I admit it was a bit overwhealming, but so much fun and such a great way to get to know the campus, the city and a lot of people, many of whom I would share a classroom with in the next months.

Thanks to many of those events I also got to meet people eager to discover all that Australia

has to oIer and to try new and exciting activities, some of which I would have never thought of trying before and yes I am talking about spending a weekend at surf camp and jumping out of an airplane.

One thing I really wanted to do while in Australia was explore it and fortunately at UTS you can always find people ready to travel. I experienced driving on the opposite side of the road,

being able to fit a week worth of clothes in a 7kg bag (yes they weigh your carry-on here!) and seeing so many diIerent, weird and cute animals; my favourite are wallabies and wombats (their poop is cubed shaped…).

As for Sydney, the city is beautiful, there is always something to do, a new neighbourhood to

explore or a restaurant to try. Sunrises are absolutely worth waking up early for and the one at Bondi Beach really stole my heart. The Opera House, by the way, is stunning. I had the chance to see it almost every week but I really never got tired of its beauty. Also, if you ever want to see it from the inside or are a fun of classical music, theatre or ballet, being a student will get you some nice discounts. One last thing about the Opera House: if you’re lucky enough you’ll get to spot Benny, the adorable sea lion that sunbathes on the steps leading to the harbour.

All fun and games, but the reason I went to Sydney was to study and boy was I not

disappointed by UTS. With its beautiful library and cosy green area, getting ready for

assignments and tests has never been easier. The professors are always ready to help and

encourage you and group projects can be a lot of fun with the right people, so get out there

and talk with classmates!

Unfortunately all good things have to come to an end, but I’ll remember the time I spent in the land down under as one memorable experience filled with adventure, iced lattes and

fortunately not a lot of Vegemite (and yes I have tried it the right way, just a little on toast with a lot of butter, but it’s still a no for me).

Have fun and say yes to all new adventures, you won’t regret it!