Year studying abroad - shall I go to Australia, or China?
Year studying abroad - shall I go to Australia, or China?
Hi, i’m having loads of trouble deciding where to spend my next year of university! Thing is, I can choose pretty much wherever I want, there’s choices on most continents.
I thought I’d narrowed it down to Australia, either Brisbane or Sydney, but now I’m thinking I’d have a more interesting time in China (Ningbo)?
Just wondering if anyone who’s actually spent some time in these places had any advice :?
I’m going to want to be traveling around the country I’m staying in/surrounding countries in my spare time/holidays.
thanks!
China.
Haha. Care to expand? :) Does anyone know anything about that area of China?
haha I would, but since I’ve nevre been to either of them I wouldnt be any good. Just China would appeal to me more I think because it would be a completely different culture.
I’ve never been to that part of China but I would say definitely go there instead of Australia. China is AMAZING and Ningbo sounds pretty cool. It’s close to Shanghai too if you fancied a quick trip there.
I’m inclined to agree and say China. Never been there but I have been to Australia and I think China would offer you more opportunities and more culture whilst being cheaper (theoretically)
I had a quick look at Ningbo and it looks pretty nice and its twinned with Nottingham so what more do you need lol
Just out of curiosity what is it you’re studying?
Yeah, Australia is sounding more and more like ‘the easy option’, lol. And I want to have a go at learning Mandarin.
It’s course v. location at the moment I think. I think location might be more important :)
I’m inclined to agree and say China. Never been there but I have been to Australia and I think China would offer you more opportunities and more culture whilst being cheaper (theoretically)
I had a quick look at Ningbo and it looks pretty nice and its twinned with Nottingham so what more do you need lol
Just out of curiosity what is it you’re studying?
I’m at Nottingham, Ningbo’s actually part of it. :)
International Relations.
I’m at Nottingham, Ningbo’s actually part of it. :)
International Relations.
Well all the best with this decision, either way it’ll be a better place to study than the UK that’s for sure. I wish I could finish my course abroad…
Another vote for China. There’s some cool stuff in Aus, but in many ways it’s very much like home and the main point of studying abroad is to experience different stuff.
Anthony
I’m on my year abroad in Germany at the moment - go to China, you will not regret it one bit! The only way you’ll truly learn a new culture and language is to get right out there in the deep end. Australia would be a bit too similar to being at home, wouldn’t really be worth the trip…
Well all the best with this decision, either way it’ll be a better place to study than the UK that’s for sure. I wish I could finish my course abroad…
Thanks :)
Thanks everyone for your replies, I’m rethinking Australia now - China does sound good, definitely a serious contender 8)
Bring on september! Scary.
Don’t think of it as scary but an adventure! Get yourself a phrasebook for the first few weeks (better still, start learning Mandarin ASAP - I highly recommend EarWorms) and get yourself some language classes organised once you’re there.
China a country that is a huge contradiction, which works so well. It is steeped in culture yet so modern and crammed full of people, yet so chilled out.
Ahhh, thinking back reminds me of seeing 50 or so people doing synchronised Tai Chi in a park in Chendgu right next to a bustling main road.
And ancient crumbling buildings in Beijing in the shadows of huge skyscraper apartment complexes.
Take me with you? :D
Don’t think of it as scary but an adventure! Get yourself a phrasebook for the first few weeks (better still, start learning Mandarin ASAP - I highly recommend EarWorms) and get yourself some language classes organised once you’re there.
China a country that is a huge contradiction, which works so well. It is steeped in culture yet so modern and crammed full of people, yet so chilled out.
Ahhh, thinking back reminds me of seeing 50 or so people doing synchronised Tai Chi in a park in Chendgu right next to a bustling main road.
And ancient crumbling buildings in Beijing in the shadows of huge skyscraper apartment complexes.Take me with you? :D
Hop in my suitcase! haha
By scary I mean more how quickly it’s going to come around! I might take a Mandarin module this semester, and I’ll definitely take classes there - and try EarWorms - what is that exactly? Audiobook? Podcast? :s I am so rubbish at languages but who knows, I can try!
It sounds amazing. Do you have any photos? The opportunity to explore the country is really exciting, it’s so varied.
Ah yes, the thing about travelling anywhere is how quickly it will come around! EarWorms is an audiobook type thing that uses the theory that we learn quicker with repetition and music; in the same way we learn song lyrics.
I used it to learn a bit of Mandarin, and although I can only speak a few words, the words I can speak I do so confidently! :)
Have a look on http://www.earwormslearning.com/intro.html where you can listen to a sample and download the small phrasebook (http://www.earwormslearning.com/pdf/Booklet_Chinese.pdf)
I have around 500 photos from my time in China (only 4 weeks, sob!), some of which are on my blog: http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/30442/Hanoi-Vietnam-Nanning-China-20
I can’t say for sure what the temperature will be like where you are but I had nothing but gorgeous hot, dry weather with one day of torrential rain, and one day of insane smog. :)
