UCLA Study Abroad | International Education Office

Australia | Getting Settled in Brisbane

BY MONICA MARTINEZ

My name is Monica Martinez, I am a current second-year double majoring in Political Science and Geography/Environmental Studies. I am the lone UCLA Bruin studying at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia for Semester 1, 2017. Born and raised in the city of Los Angeles, I was more than excited to travel internationally for the first time, especially to a country (and continent) that is seven thousand miles away. I arrived in Brisbane three weeks ago and I have had the greatest experience thus far! Reflecting on my own experience, I would highly recommend that you take the time to plan and budget now, to ensure your time abroad is as stress-free as possible.

FLIGHTS

Flights to Australia can be expensive, reaching prices over $1,000. While it is important to secure your arrival to Brisbane by the mandatory date set by the university, I found there is no immediate need to purchase your plane ticket right away. I searched for months on STA Travel, a flight agency that provides discounted fares for students, and I noticed sudden fluctuations in prices depending on the month of purchase and day of departure. While I did see prices go up to $1240, I purchased a round-trip ticket two months in advance for only $735. Although not having a flight months ahead of your program can be frightening, I suggest investing time to search for the best deal because it can result in you saving money (in this case hundreds) that can be used later towards other expenses.

After securing your flight, take the time to check your baggage allowance and required travel documents to guide your packing. An important note: LESS IS MORE. Flying with Virgin Australia, my baggage allowance provided two 23 kg (50lbs) checked bags and one 7kg (15lbs) carry-on bag. While the combined allowance of 115lbs seems plentiful, everything does add quickly.

PACKING

DO take your most essential items (medication, passport, electronics) and then move on to clothes. I arrived in Brisbane in February and I planned to stay here until July – although this time frame is equivalent to Spring/Summer in Los Angeles, it is equivalent to Fall/Winter here in Australia because it is located in the Southern Hemisphere. MAKE SURE TO TAKE NOTE OF THE WEATHER or else you will find yourself wearing a jacket when it is 90F (from personal experience, I can tell you that this is not fun!) Pack clothes that you would typically wear every day to school, while also remembering to add a business-casual outfit for a future presentation or university-sponsored event, an outfit (or two) for a night out with friends in the city, and outdoor/swim wear for when you go sightseeing. The same idea would apply for shoes (take what you need rather than taking your whole closet).

A crucial piece of luggage that you need to bring before you come to Australia is an outlet adapter. I heard the words adapter and converter interchangeably, which was rather confusing, but they do not mean the same thing. You only need a converter if your appliances/chargers are not listed as 120-240V (which most American devices are). Purchase an adapter, either one strictly for Australia or an international adapter if you plan on visiting other countries during your time abroad. Additionally, IF YOU CAN feel free to bring toiletries, school supplies, cosmetics (makeup is SUPER expensive here, I recommend stocking up before arriving), and a first-aid kit. If you are reaching the weight limit, feel free to skip these as these can be bought here at a local department store.

TRANSPORT

From the Brisbane Airport (BNE), the main UQ campus is located in the suburb of Saint Lucia. While you can either get a taxi or Uber to take you to your accommodation, UQ provides a free service for international students known as the International Student Airport Reception. After receiving your my.uq.edu.au login, you can access the portal to sign up for a free airport pick up (you will quickly learn that free things are the best things). At the airport, student ambassadors from the university welcome you, answer any questions you may have, and even provide a few freebies to make your transition to Brisbane stress-free. The service collects all international students arriving in Brisbane between the designated time frame, making this a great opportunity to meet other students who are on the same journey as you. I found it comforting to find other students who shared the same anxiousness and excitement I did. From here, your driver will take you to your accommodation and you will be ready to settle in!

ACCOMODATION

Now, you are probably wondering what the word accommodation means: Accommodation = housing. On your pre-departure checklist, #3 states “Please note that you must arrange and pay for your semester housing. It is not included in the fees you pay to UCEAP and is not reserved or arranged for you.” This is where UQ Student Accommodation steps in! The website lists a host of housing options for prospective students, ranging from on-campus colleges (dorms) to UQ rentals. Living on-campus is a great opportunity for you to meet others, especially because each individual college is themed and hosts events throughout the year to make your experience memorable. BUT, be aware of the cost because securing your space in a college can cost a minimum of $10,000. To reiterate, you are looking at spending $10,000+ just for housing.

I chose to arrange my housing for the semester through the UQ rental option, selecting to live in a shared-house with other international students. This option provided me with the opportunity to meet other students, while living on a budget. Again: invest, invest, invest! Invest time in looking through the rental options to find the best fit for you! My accommodation is located a 10-minute walk to campus and 15-minute ride to the Brisbane Central Business District (CBD). I have my own individual room, bathroom, while sharing the kitchen, living room, and laundry room with three other students. The process was not easy, especially because the notion of having to pay rent every week instead of month was intimidating and because I was so accustomed to heading down to BPlate for food instead cooking my own, but it was so worth it!

I absolutely love it here in Brisbane! For anyone reading this and is nervous to go abroad, do not be because it will be the greatest experience of your life.

Stay tuned for the next post to read about my adventures here in the land down under!

Monica Martinez studied abroad in Brisbane, Australia in Spring 2017: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/australia/Pages/host_Queensland_AustraliaImmersion.aspx

Scotland | Airport Woes and Getting to Scotland

BY CAITLYN PICKARD

Having traveled internationally more than once and having had my share of interesting experiences while travelling, the beginning of my travels to Scotland began a bit rocky and challenged my travel experience. I decided to depart approximately a week before the program start date in order to insure that I’d arrive in Scotland on time. My mom, who has never left the country, and I decided to travel to Europe for the holidays. My flight was cancelled/delayed for about 5 hours. That was okay because I found out about it before leaving for the airport; unfortunately, the new route had a layover of 23 hours in Russia. I’ve done long layovers before but I really didn’t want to do that; especially because the 23-hour layover would be on Christmas day. Airports are not a conventional Christmas destination and also not particularly fun. Go figure. Upon arriving at the airport, I asked about our airline rerouting us onto the quickest flight to my destination, or at least something that didn’t have me stranded at an airport. Luckily, they found something that would have a short layover and have us arriving on Christmas day. We arrive at the airport to check in with our rerouted airline… who then tells us they do not have a ticket under our names. Of course, I begin to panic because the original cancelled flight had departed hours before. Neither our original airline or our new airline knew who we were supposed to fly with. Thankfully, everything was eventually situated, although we are still not quite sure what happened. All that mattered was that it was fixed.

After the holidays, I flew to Scotland and arrived at 1am, exhausted from travelling. The flight attendants began passing around visa forms that needed to be filled out before arriving at the visa stations. After exiting the plane, I rushed to the front of the line. My nice, warm hotel bed was calling my name. I got to the passport control officer, handed all the documents to him. He then asked, “Where’s your acceptance letter from the university?”. I pointed to the document I printed out and he said, “No, that isn’t acceptable. It doesn’t have the start and end dates of your semester program.” I then apologized because I didn’t realize it had to have the dates. He proceeded to tell me that all the other documents I had brought to him didn’t matter. I was thoroughly confused and starting to worry; what happens when you fly to a country and they don’t let you in?? Luckily, I didn’t have to find out. He let me through with a warning and my visa for Scotland perfectly stamped into my passport. I have been preparing for this trip for months. Prior to Scotland, I was studying abroad in Senegal. I thought I knew what to expect and all the things I needed for a smooth arrival. But, even in my plethora of lists, I still wasn’t fully prepared. Travelling is a finicky trickster, and it’s necessary to be flexible throughout the journey. Eventually, everything works out.

Traveling can be a scary thing, but it can also create the most interesting stories that tests your patience and flexibility. This may be a stretch, but the traveling to point A to B really adds to your character and teaches you a lot about yourself and interactions with other people. Although going to the airport and flying internationally can be stressful, I always look back at the downside and find that all the stress and worry I possessed at that moment turned out okay, sometimes even wonderfully.