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"Studying abroad"

I'm in my 2nd year at university taking a degree in Biology, specialising in the evironment, conservation and other green-type aspects. If I get an upper 2:1 or a 1st (which I will, I'm clever like that), I'm planning to take a Masters in Environmental Law, which will hopefully lead to a nice little career where I can actually work for what I believe in.
Ideally I want to work with the European Union to help formulate environmental policy, but that's a long way away.

Anyway, the point of this topic is this. I'm bored of this country. Really. I want to take my Masters in a different country. Unfortunately, I didn't realise this until about a year ago, so I'm not language-enabled. Expect for English, obviously. My university offers free Languages for All courses, so I'm about to begin French, hoping to buff up my GCSE 'skills' and work from there.

Oh yeah. Back to the point. Which is this. Has anyone studied abroad at all? I'm thinking USA or Australia. Preferably Australia. Two unviersities I've had a look at (on the web) and like the look of are the University of Sydney and ANU Canberra. Top two universities in Australia, apparently, so I'd have to get a good degree to get into the course.

I was just wondering if anyone had any tales of study abroad to relate to me? Just interested really, but any pointers or wise-like-an-owl words would be appreciated. Ta

Probably best as Stryke says to see Europe first, if you have a rough idea of where you want to go and what you want to see then you should be able to book flights online fairly cheaply. (Might even be worht seeing what flights are cheapest and planning based on them).

Yeh seeing europe may be a good plan for this year. I have relatives in Basle so if I get stuck I can just go there, as Switzerland is such a nice place anyway.

I'd like to find others to go with, but it's hard to find other people these days who are spontaneous and will follow something like that, and others just aren't all that passionate about travelling.

Time_Warp wrote:
> Yeh true Ali...Is that genuinely an idea worth trying? Because after
> my exams I have a summer of nothing to do and I love to see new
> things. New cultures, countries, landscapes just inspire me...and the
> UK doesnt have the same "effect" on me.

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Do Europe first. Nice culture chance, but most people have a decent grasp on English, so communication isn't a problem. Disease safe and the most beautiful cities in the world. Saying that, I haven't seen Paris yet. On the to do list.

Yeh true Ali...Is that genuinely an idea worth trying? Because after my exams I have a summer of nothing to do and I love to see new things. New cultures, countries, landscapes just inspire me...and the UK doesnt have the same "effect" on me.

I'm 20. Until I was 18, I just went on holiday with my folks. We had a villa in Portugal for a while, and we lived in Turkey for a year. Our next door neighbours moved to Rome, so we went down there a bit, driving though France, Switzerland and Italy. That was cool. Then when I was 12 we went to the Dominican Republic on a whim and I discovered scuab diving, still my favourite hobby. Since then (with the fam) it's been Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, St Lucia and the Maldives 3 times, soon to be four. We popped over to Northern Cyprus last year as well, that was cool. So different from the commerical, Grecian Cyprus.

Oh, and we go ski-ing most years, usually to Switzerland or Austria. Been to Kloisters, but didn't see Prince Charlie. Good thing too.
Sugarloaf in Maine was my best ski-ing trip, skiYanks rule :)

Then, when I was 18, I wanted to travel by myself. Last summer a load of us went to Prague (a load being my entire uni block) and fun was had, Yes yes. Then three of us struck off on our own for two weeks. Went to Vienna, Graz and Salzburg. It was ace. I'm on my own for the Barca etc plan right now, but I'll get a few more.

I'd recommend taking a few people with you, it makes it better. But aim to meet people as you go and travel with them for a while. On average, hostellers are genuinely nice and funny people.

Travelling is one of my passions. I plan my trips around zoos, art galleries and scuba diving. Seems to work out :)

My advice would be to travel when you can.

Pack some clothes, passport and some cash, go to the airport and see where you can get a flight too and go.

life is too short to sit around and think about maybe doing things.

Stryke, you're 20 right... how many places have you been to abroad? And do you go with a big group of friends or like with one or two etc etc?

I love to travel, I wish I got the chance more ofen, but like I said I have years on you so I'll see it all too :-)

AliBoy wrote:
>> You obviously don't watch neighbours enough, there are some howlers
> there too :-)

--

Every day, my friend. I'm a student, it's like the law to watch it. Carmella? Libby? Yes Yes. Although Libby's gone. Shame.

Stryke wrote:
> AliBoy wrote:
> .
> You only want to go to Aus to dive don't you?
> :0)
>
> --
>
> Well, yeah. That's a fair point. But, erm, all the ladies are hot
> over there. Every single one.

You obviously don't watch neighbours enough, there are some howlers there too :-)

Oh and Prague is cool, over rated in parts but away from the touristy parts is got a lot of good stuff.

AliBoy wrote:
> .
> You only want to go to Aus to dive don't you?
> :0)

--

Well, yeah. That's a fair point. But, erm, all the ladies are hot over there. Every single one.