Study Abroad Spotlight: Kalie Whitehouse

Class of 2012

University: The University of Sydney

Location: Sydney, Australia

Partner: Arcadia

Semester Abroad: Spring 2011

Duration: February-June

Reason for going:

I decided to study abroad because I was looking for a change.  Being a junior at Bryant, I wanted to experience something new, and I was able to do that through the study abroad program.  I have never been away from home for longer than a couple of weeks, so I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could live on my own.  Also, why not take advantage of such a great opportunity? I have always wanted to travel to Australia, so this was my chance.

Best experience/memory:

It is extremely difficult to pick my favorite experience because I had so many.  If I had to choose one, I would pick my trip to Fiji.  While I was there, I visited a traditional Fijian village.  We were welcomed into the village and were allowed to walk around and take pictures.  While I was walking around, a mother came up to me holding her daughter and asked if I could take their picture, because she has never had a picture of her baby.  This experience hit me hard, but it was also so rewarding for me to see how people live around the world and how much I take for granted.

Funny cultural experience:

In Australia, green peppers are called “capsicums.”  When I went to a Subway restaurant, I ordered peppers in my turkey sandwich and the lady had no idea what I was talking about.  Instead of having green peppers, she put a bunch of salt and pepper on my sub.  I made sure to not make that mistake again!

How was the school different from Bryant University?

The University of Sydney has around 50,000 students, so it was a nice change from the 3,500 students at Bryant.

How did this experience change you?

My study abroad experience has made me into such an independent person.  It gave me a new perspective on the world and has made me interested in travelling and experiencing new places and cultures.

Would you study abroad again given the opportunity?

YES! I can easily say it was the best five months of my life.  I experienced so many new things and made a lot of great friends along the way.  I know my memories from Australia will stay with me for the rest of my life.  I would recommend studying abroad to everyone I know; it was such a great experience.