Dan Smith
Degree and Year of Degree: 3rd year BA, Psychology
Which university abroad did you attend? Swinburne Institute of Technology
Which city/country did you go to? Melbourne, Australia
Where did you live when you studied abroad? An apartment in Melbourne
What was the easiest thing when you arrived in Australia? Communication and talking to people. The fact they speak English and have a culture very close to Canada was a big help.
What was the most challenging thing when you arrived in Australia? Finding a place to live.
What did you find different about studying in an Australian University? Studying was very similar to studying at UNBSJ. There was more of a focus on always questioning what you have been taught which was a very interesting aspect of the study.
What do you find most interesting about Melbourne, Australia? The culture of the city was very interesting. It is the fashion and art capital of Australia and is an interesting place to even walk around in. Also immigration is a major part of the of the city’s culture, so it is a unique blend of Australian, European and Asian influences.
Which courses did you take? I took all Psychology courses including Abnormal Psychology, Social Psychology, Cognition and Human Performance, and a Philosophy of Psychology course.
Which course did you enjoy the most and why? The Philosophy of Psychology was the most interesting course I had a chance to take. It looked at the theory of practicing Psychology as a science and the problems this approach creates.
Most memorable experience in Melbourne, Australia? Seeing a lot of the unique wildlife in Australia was amazing. Wild kangaroos, koalas and possums are not difficult to find outside of the city.
Funniest thing that happened to you in Australia? I came across a koala in a tree during a hike I was on outside of Melbourne. By approaching the koala I had awoken it and it let out a growling noise towards me. I thought this was because it was annoyed with me having just disturbed it, but I came to find out later that this noise was the mating call of the koala…
What surprised you most about Melbourne, Australia? How clean Melbourne was. For a city of 4 million people it was very clean and a beautiful city.
What did you miss about Canada when you studied abroad? Besides family and friends, I missed Canadian sports. Both playing and watching sports like hockey and football, the NHL and NFL are not popular in Australia.
How many other countries did you visit when you were studying abroad? I got to travel to several places within Australia, but I did not travel anywhere else.
What are your future plans? Completion of a Psychology major and moving onto medical school.
Do you have any advice to future students, who may wish to study abroad? My best advice would be to apply and seriously look into taking advantage of this study abroad program. It is an excellent chance to see a part of the world that you normally would not have a chance to see.
