Completing an academic exchange for one semester at The University of Queensland in Australia is one of the best decisions I have made during my time at University. I was slightly hesitant about committing to something like this, so far away from home, but in the end I could not be happier to have done it. During this exchange I had the opportunity to see a very different and interesting country and in turn adapt and embrace the lifestyle there. For me, Australia became a home away from home and I had such a great time studying, living and working there. You meet so many great and interesting people whilst doing an exchange, and I know that I made some lifelong friends in my time in Australia that I will keep in touch with.

One of the biggest advantages of completing an exchange programme is that you get a genuine feel and understanding for the country as you live there and you also have a good opportunity to explore the country in your free time. I concluded my exchange with 2 months of travelling in this part of the world and in this time I managed to see Australia and all the diverse states and cities and I managed to also explore the north and south island of New Zealand in a campervan with friends, island hop and see all the great things that Fiji has to offer from scenic boat trips to snorkelling with sharks! Being able to travel around and see these places that always seemed too far away was incredible and I loved every minute of my time over there . I will be certain to head back at a later point in life to get another dose of this unique and wonderful experience. I believe that the exchange also taught me many life skills and one of them was to not find a big adventure like this daunting and off-putting, but to embrace the new chapters in life such as this. I also think that it teaches you important networking skills when you go to live in a country where you are a foreigner and don’t know anyone, because you then embrace the social aspects of being there and you meet new and unique people. I will always value my memories and experiences from my exchange semester and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat given the opportunity.

Morgan Wilson, International Business Management