Arcadia Australia

By Chloe Goldstein, an Emerson College Student who studied on the Sydney Internship Program in Fall 2017

It absolutely didn’t hit me that I was leaving Sydney and leaving all the incredible people I’ve grown so close to these past few months until I hopped on the train to head to the airport this morning. Four months has never gone by so quickly in my life.

I studied abroad previously in Barcelona, but studying in Sydney through Arcadia was far more memorable for many reasons. I primarily chose to study in Sydney because I wanted to join a program that offered internship opportunities. Of course, I had a very specific internship I was looking for. I study broadcast journalism with a focus in radio and I highly prefer public radio over commercial stations. I figured this request would be far too specific, so I was just hoping for any internship that was related to journalism. I was told the Arcadia staff would do their very best to find the perfect internship for me and they seriously did.

MY INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE

My placement was at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) with the radio and digital departments. The ABC is Australia’s national broadcaster, think the BBC in the United Kingdom or NPR in the States. My internship advisor at the ABC was so unbelievably sweet and organized for me to work on a number of different projects throughout the three months I interned there, rather than doing the same thing or working in the same department daily. I event planned for a huge national podcasting conference, helped launch a new listening app, contributed to several podcasts, and once a week I filled in for a woman who was on a leave of absence where I managed the studio bookings desk for national radio programs.

This was without a doubt the most valuable and enjoyable internship experience I’ve ever had. I interned at the most ideal placement possible and I was exposed to so many different opportunities, which definitely sparked new interests. Also, the work environment was so unique and special. Everyone was always so positive, so kind, and overall just a pleasure to work with. I always felt so appreciated for my contributions and I really didn’t feel like an intern, because everyone was so welcoming and always wanted me to feel included. I was constantly invited to meetings and to casual gatherings during lunch breaks or after work.

MY ADVICE FOR INCOMING INTERNS

My advice for incoming interns is simple and can be interpreted in many ways, but it can easily be forgotten: get the absolute most out of your internship experience. Think of this as a once in a lifetime opportunity, which for many of us it will be in many ways. We all know that working is tiring and repetitive and sometimes we’re just not in the mood to do it, but this experience is different. It’s a huge opportunity to learn and make some really strong connections. It’s a chance to experience how an Australian work environment compares to the US, and it’s also a chance to understand how your field of study compares between countries. Definitely don’t be afraid to ask tons and tons of questions. You must appreciate your internship while it lasts, because it goes by way too fast. I know this advice sounds cliché, but I really believe this stuff is important if you’re looking to get the most out of your experience interning abroad.

My internship was Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays typically from 9-5. Unlike internships I’ve held in the past, the ABC is openly very relaxed when it comes to start and end times, so sometimes I’d come in at 9:30 and stay a bit later depending on what I was working on and who I was working with that day. I was super lucky, because my internship was literally directly next door to my dorm accommodation. My commute was less than a minute long once I was outside (elevators can slow you down quite a bit).

TAKING COURSES AT UTS

On Mondays and Fridays I took classes at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). I took three courses at UTS, in addition to doing a research project for Arcadia relating to my internship that was due at the end of the semester. On Monday I had two workshop classes that were each three hours long and on Friday I had a 90-minute tutorial followed by a 90-minute lecture for the same course. At first I was a bit concerned that interning three days a week and taking classes would be a lot, especially because I also wanted time to socialize and travel. However, to my surprise this wasn’t an issue at all. My course load consisted of all electives which could be why I felt I had it easy, but I know plenty of others who took difficult courses, worked the same hours as me, managed to go out way more than me and still received really high marks.

The workload is super doable and although they grade very differently than in the States, it’s still quite easy to receive good grades if you actually do the work and put some effort into it. Definitely read the course syllabi before choosing your classes. From my experience, they follow them extremely closely. An important piece of advice… if you choose courses that don’t have a final exam you’ll be done with school three weeks before everyone who has exams. UTS has two weeklong “study vacations,” which is definitely the ideal time to travel or go on some really solid day trips. One is in mid-September and the other is in late-October, which comes directly before a two-week final exam period.

LIVING ON CAMPUS AT UTS

Arcadia study abroad students stay in the UTS Housing accommodations. Everyone during my semester was placed in the most popular, most new, and most centrally located dorm (Yura Mudang). It’s located right next to Central Station, a main train station in Sydney. My classes were held in the basement of Yura, I had it very easy. We were each placed in six-person co-ed flats with single rooms. The accommodation is like a hotel, equipped with game rooms, lounge areas with televisions, and indoor/outdoor cooking areas. On the roof there’s a large balcony with barbecues and tables and a gorgeous panoramic view. This is where students have pre-drinks before going out (think relatively crowded college rooftop party).

I can’t even begin to describe how much I loved living in the dorms at UTS. In Barcelona I stayed in an apartment with two other American girls, but I prefer this so much more. UTS Housing has an event and activity schedule that comes out each month, so there’s always stuff going on. The other day they brought a petting zoo into the lobby of Yura during the exam period. There are also so many opportunities for free food, it’s awesome.

What I will miss the most about Sydney is all of the amazingly wonderful people I met and became so close with. I now have very serious plans to visit friends all around the world, which I couldn’t be more excited about. When I studied in Barcelona I was ready to head home, but right now all I want is to be back in Sydney.