Leia Robinson ’21 is a history major and education minor who studied abroad in Melbourne, Australia, last semester. At the University of Melbourne, Leia took classes on history, economics, and sociology, which complemented her study of history at ÀÏÍõÂÛ̳ while broadening her knowledge of Australia.
"My favorite class was the sociology class where we discussed the societal concept of family. We inspected Australia's governmental policies and how they affect aboriginal families across the country," says Leia.
Outside of the classroom, Leia explored the city with friends and tutored at a local high school. She also visited Australian landmarks and traveled to nearby countries.
"A highlight of my time abroad was traveling. I was lucky to be able to travel up the East coast to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef and of course see the iconic Sydney Opera House. Once classes ended I also traveled to New Zealand's South Island and Bali, Indonesia," says Leia.
On choosing a study abroad program, Leia says:
"I chose to study abroad in Melbourne because I wanted to experience living on the other side of the world, but still within a country that primarily speaks English. Additionally, since I knew I wanted to travel while abroad, Australia provides geographically diverse and iconic places to visit within the country and other amazing countries close by."
Reflecting on her study abroad experiences, Leia suggests:
"My advice for students looking to travel abroad is to go somewhere that's compatible with both your academic interests and travel interests. Go somewhere you've always wanted to go and push yourself to travel around once you're there."
Each year, about one third of the junior class studies abroad, usually for one semester, at one of more than fifty approved programs. Students may begin to think about study abroad in their first year and are welcome to visit the Study Abroad Resource Library in the Lower Level of Guild Hall and to begin to explore approved programs.