GlobaLinks NewsWire » adventure & experience

GoOverseas.com Features GlobaLinks Learning Abroad

admin — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 23:08:25 +0000

Megan Lee, a writer at GoOverseas.com, has posted a lively profile on GlobaLinks Learning Abroad and a Question-and-Answer with Marketing Director Deborah Morrison.

GoOverseas.com is a centralized website providing resources and articles for meaningful travel abroad,

Check out Lee’s column at: http://www.gooverseas.com/study-abroad/study-abroad-profile-globalinks.

Making the Call: How Students, Universities Weighed Studying Abroad in Japan After Earthquake and Tsunami

admin — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:59:43 +0000

By Kelli Modica

Once Student’s Decision

Nicole Carlson with new friends upon her arrival to study abroad in Japan.

When Nicole Carlson, a student at Georgetown College, faced the challenge of deciding whether to continue on her study abroad program in Japan or cancel in the face of the news of natural disasters, she decided to go.

Carlson departed for Japan on March 23^rd, less than two weeks after the earthquake struck. It was not a decision she took lightly. Carlson and her family took time to learn the facts before making a decision whether to head to Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) in Beppu, Japan, on the south island of Kyushu.

“My family and I watched the news every day for good news, and though there was a lot of bad news, we could see that the situation would get better, and was already improving then,” Carlson explains. “After learning how far away the earthquake and tsunami (and resulting nuclear danger) were from APU, I quickly decided that I still wanted to go. My parents were still supportive of my study abroad trip, though my mother was very worried about it. One thing my dad told me before I left was that he thought the people who chose to cancel their study abroad trip because of the earthquake would see the danger pass over in a matter of weeks, and would regret their decision to not go.”

The earthquake, tsunami, and issues at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant were not enough to deter some students from studying abroad in Japan during the Spring and Summer 2011 terms. Despite all of the damage in northeastern Japan caused by these disasters many students, professionals, and universities felt specific areas of the country were safe for student travel.

But with a devastating death toll that climbed well over 15,000 people and three major disasters, many international students and professionals chose to return home or cancel their plans to head to Japan at that time. So, how and why did some students, their parents, and some of their home universities decide to continue the study abroad program as planned for the Spring 2011 term?

Home University Decisions

Nicole Carlson enjoys the cherry blossoms while studying abroad in Japan.

At the University of Minnesota many factors influenced the decision to approve students’ participation in a study abroad program at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) in Beppu, Japan. Shelly Fisher, Ph.D., is program director of U of M’s Learning Abroad Center. She explains how and why the university came to its decision to allow students to go forward with their plans to study in Beppu, Japan, despite the Travel Warning issued by the U.S. Department of State:

Under University of Minnesota Board of Regents policy, students cannot study in countries under a travel warning unless they have received approval from the University’s International Travel Risk Advisory & Assessment Committee (ITRAAC).

However, in this case, ITRAAC did give approval for APU students to study in Japan for the 2011. The decision was only undertaken after extensive discussion and was based on the distance from the earthquake, tsunami, and the nuclear reactors involved, support from APU, and advice from various specialists including the U.S. Department of State, the university’s international health insurance provider and its security division, nuclear science experts at the University of Minnesota, and AsiaLearn.

Kathryn Olinger, director of admissions for GlobaLinks Learning Abroad and AsiaLearn, explains how her company made its decision:

“We would never put our students in a knowingly dangerous situation, which is why our research was pertinent to our decision to allow our students to participate in the APU program in the spring,” she said. “Natural disasters are unpredictable, but it isn’t helpful to live in fear of the unknown. Any concerns over the safety of a location should be thoroughly researched so students and their families can make an informed decision about studying abroad.”

A Student in Japan When the Earthquake Struck

AsiaLearn students, including Nicole Carlson, who went for Spring 2011 semester.

University of Louisville student Adria Schwarber was in Japan when the earthquake hit, but luckily for Schwarber she was on the APU campus in Beppu, Japan, where she felt much removed from the tragedy. In fact, she didn’t immediately know an earthquake had occurred,

“When the earthquake hit I was actually talking to my father on Skype,” she said. “He called to ask if there had been a large earthquake, but I had not heard anything on the news. It wasn’t until I looked the information up online that I saw the story. The next day on the news we saw the devastation from the tsunami. People were optimistic about the death toll and many domestic students worried about relatives and friends from the affected areas.”

Schwarber had plans to travel to Tokyo on March 12^th, just a day after the 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck northern Japan. Given the circumstances, Schwarber canceled her Tokyo trip, but she continued on with her studies at APU.

Japan University Realities

Other universities in Japan were not as lucky or as safe to travel to as APU immediately after the earthquake and tsunami. Tohoku University, which is located in Sendai City, sits in the heart of the area most affected by the earthquake and tsunami. The campus suffered some damage, but suffered no human losses on the Tohoku campus. Many university staff and students at Tohoku chose to stay and help those in need instead of fleeing the scene. Tohoku University President, Akihisa Inoue showed his approval of the university staff and student efforts by stating, “This disaster did not stop our university’s activities for society; immediately following the earthquake, the Tohoku University Hospital operated tirelessly to provide medical care and examinations in the affected areas, the Graduate School of Dentistry assisted in identification of individuals, and the Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center dedicated itself to monitoring radiation levels. I have also heard that our students have been active in volunteering, wanting to help those affected by the disaster in any way they can.”

Now, more than six months after the earthquake, Tohoku University has been long up and running.

As of early May all national universities in Japan started their spring 2011 semesters. Only four of the national universities required a delay in the start date, while eighty-two of the national universities proceeded their spring semesters without delay; according to Tomoyuki Nogami, senior managing director of the Japan Association of National Universities.

View from a boat during a tour in Japan.

While the recent natural disasters in Japan did keep many students from studying abroad there, others such as Nicole Carlson and Adria Schwarber were among those who forged on.

Carlson, who has since completed her study abroad program, was content with her decision. “I am glad that I still chose to come,” she said, “and hope that the students who wanted to come, but were not able to, can study here sometime in the future.”

Kelli Modica is a former manager for AsiaLearn, a provider of semester/year and summer study abroad programs in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand.

Q&A With Lauren Presutti: “Study abroad, regardless of any limitations or physical challenges”

admin — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 20:01:33 +0000

For Lauren Presutti, a sociology major at Central Michigan University (CMU), the personal discovery that came from studying abroad in Australia this summer was well worth the many months of planning, questioning and hard work.

Presutti meets one of the locals in Australia.

Presutti, from Milford, Mich., has Muscular Dystrophy and uses a wheelchair to get around, which made her decision to participate in the five-week “Wanju Boodjah: Aboriginal Studies” in Perth, Australia, a daring one. She embraced the opportunity, however, with enthusiasm and overcame challenges as they presented themselves each day. In completing the June-July program, she became the first person from her university to travel abroad from a power wheelchair.

“After my experience, I would highly encourage any student to study abroad, regardless of any limitations or physical challenges,” she says. “I learned and gained more from this opportunity than anything else I have done before.”

And it was an experience that left her wanting more.

“It’s difficult to express in words how rewarding this experience was for me and how thankful I am for having the opportunity to study abroad,” she says. “I am definitely planning to travel abroad again, and I hope that others, whether there are physical challenges to consider or not, also find the opportunity to travel and experience new adventures.”

The moment she landed in Australia was pivotal for Lauren Presutti.

Presutti took a few moments from the busy start of her second year of college to answer a few questions about her Australian experience.

Q: What did you hope to get out of your time in Australia and the Wanju Boodjah course?

My main goal in studying abroad was to step out of my comfort zone and experience things that I never imagined doing before. Along with learning and gaining new insight from the course, I wanted to find adventure in Australia and gain confidence in my ability to travel.

Q: What was the biggest challenge you overcame while in Australia?

I wouldn’t say that I had one biggest challenge in Australia, but instead I had many smaller challenges that I overcame each day. I took each part of this experience one step at a time and faced many unexpected challenges, but remaining extremely flexible in the process allowed me to overcome these and enjoy my time abroad.

Presutti takes in Australia by camel.

Q: What was the biggest “moment” for you while you were there and why?

One of the most important moments for me while I was in Australia was when I landed in Perth and fully realized that I made it to the opposite side of the world. I got off the last plane and was given my power wheelchair back, which fortunately was still working perfectly, and I was more than ready to experience life in Australia. Leaving the airport in Perth and entering the city was a sudden realization that I had succeeded.

The initial excitement alone was enough to make it the best experience of my life – and things only got better from that point on.

A day at the beach.

Q: Looking back from pre-departure to return home, what one or two planning tips or special arrangements were the most helpful in making your time abroad a success?

Traveling with two assistants that I felt absolutely comfortable with was the most important aspect of my planning and was most helpful in making my time abroad a success. Aside from simply finding two people who were available to assist me throughout this experience, it was crucial for me to find the right two people who I felt most comfortable with and who I could completely trust. For all students with disabilities who may need to travel with assistants, I would strongly encourage you to begin this planning early on and ensure that you are comfortable and confident with your assistant(s). I had extremely positive experiences with the two people that assisted me on this trip, and I know that it wouldn’t have gone as smoothly if I didn’t take this planning into careful consideration.

Q: In what ways has studying abroad changed you?

Studying abroad has definitely inspired me to travel again. If I can successfully plan to travel halfway around the world, then I believe that I can travel almost anywhere. While there are certainly numerous factors and situations to consider with traveling in a wheelchair, this experience has taught me that the world is full of adventure and opportunity and that I am capable of achieving that.

Presutti at the ocean's edge in Australia.

Q: What are one or two pieces of advice about studying abroad in Australia that you’d give other students with Muscular Dystrophy and/or mobility challenges?

I would tell any student with physical challenges that it is definitely possible to study abroad if that is something he or she is interested in doing. Traveling with special arrangements requires a great deal of planning and I can certainly understand that it may seem overwhelming, but it is possible and extremely worthwhile.

More specifically, one of the most important things to remember while traveling with physical challenges is that not everything will go as planned. I spent months researching and planning for my experience, but I still had the expectation of hitting roadblocks along my journey. There is nothing that you can do to fully ensure that everything will go as planned, but if you maintain the right attitude, stay positive, and remain flexible, you will be able to overcome any obstacles and be successful throughout your experience.

One Student’s Bold Move To Study Abroad Despite Physical Challenges

One Student’s Bold Move To Study Abroad Despite Physical Challenges

Stacey — Thu, 26 May 2011 13:00:56 +0000

Central Michigan Freshman Lauren Presutti Shares Perspective On Intricate Planning and Many Decisions Involved In Studying Abroad

Even though Lauren Presutti’s power wheelchair broke down four times during the past year, those stalled wheels haven’t stopped the freshman sociology major at Central Michigan University (CMU) from pushing past logistical challenges so she can experience life this summer in Australia.

Lauren Presutti

Presutti, a 19-year-old from Milford, Mich., has physical challenges that mean she must navigate life from her wheelchair. With her strong ambition and high expectations for herself, these physical limitations and daily challenges have only pushed her to aim higher and excel further. Presutti graduated as the valedictorian of her high school class with a 4.0 GPA and also was largely involved in a number of school and community programs, serving as the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper and leading by example throughout her years of school. After graduation in 2010, Presutti accepted a full-ride academic scholarship, the Centralis Scholar Award, to attend CMU and be a part of the Honors Program. Since moving two hours away from home to live independently on campus, Presutti has been active in leadership programs and volunteering on a regular basis, while maintaining her goals for high academic standards as well. Presutti’s success furthered when she made the decision in early October to pursue an international program in Australia.

In a recent column, Presutti described her decision-making process in choosing to studying abroad, which she will do this June and July through AustraLearn as a participant in the “Wanju Boodjah: Aboriginal Studies” program in Western Australia. Here is the experience in Presutti’s own words:

As a student with a physical disability, I decided that I would study abroad in Australia this summer about two months into my freshman year of college. While many people questioned my ability to travel halfway around the world from my power wheelchair, I continued to pursue this opportunity, becoming the first person at my university to travel abroad using a wheelchair. I hope to share my story with others and prove that everyone is capable of achieving their goals and ambitions, regardless of any limitations you may have.

Within a few days after stepping into the study abroad office on campus this past October, I basically had revolved my life around researching and planning for all of the accommodations that I would need to experience life in Western Australia.

While most students are concerned about the language, food and other cultural differences when studying abroad, those were the least of my worries. My main priority is to guarantee myself mobility around the area once I arrive and ensure that everything, including the flight, transportation, housing and program excursions, will all be planned carefully for me.

I was accepted into a program called “Wanju Boodjah: Aboriginal Studies,” which will take me to the coast of Western Australia where I will be located in the city of Perth, living in an apartment in Murdoch Village, and attending classes at Murdoch University. During this short-term summer program, through June and July, I will have the opportunity to immerse myself culturally in things like natural phenomena including “the dolphins of Monkey Mia, the 350-million-year old Bungle Bungle Range, and the towering karri forests of the Southwest,” according to the program’s outline.

It has since been a very involved process to finalize my plans and ensure that this opportunity will be accessible, affordable, and rewarding for me. To prepare, I have done extensive research to arrange the accommodations that are needed for me. As with all new adventures, it has been interesting to work through this process with my advisors and coordinators of my program, and it has been a new learning experience for everyone. I’ve been impressed with their support and ability to make arrangements for me, such as reserving an accessible apartment and giving me essential information that allows me to plan accordingly.

Because of the physical challenges in my life, I would have to arrange for physical assistance through every step of this journey. Two people would be needed to transfer me in and out of my chair in the safest, easiest way throughout the flights, excursions, and other adventures this trip entails. In addition to that, I certainly did not want to arrive somewhere and learn that my room is up a few flights of stairs, that there are no elevators to places that I am required to be, or that there is no wheelchair accessible transportation.

Through my involvement with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, I am lucky to know two people who expressed interest in acting as personal attendants to me this summer and volunteering their time to travel with me. With their prior experience assisting me and their willingness to be flexible with all of the unexpected challenges that we may encounter on this trip, I feel very fortunate and comfortable with both of them.

There are other aspects of this trip that will require us to be flexible.

For example, I will be living on the coast of Western Australia in Perth, but my program will take students on several excursions as well. These excursions, some being overnight trips, will require students to travel on buses that are not wheelchair accessible. Rather than missing out on these adventures or arranging for my own alternative transportation, my two wonderful attendants that will be traveling with me have generously suggested carrying me onto this regular bus with the other students so that I can have this experience too. We will be taking a small, manual wheelchair that is foldable and easily transferable to carry onto the bus as well, meaning that I will need to be pushed in this chair during these excursions. It’s not ideal, but I’m willing to be flexible.

The 30-plus hour flight to Australia will also present challenges that will require me to be flexible. I will be transferred on and off planes through three different flights to travel from the U.S. to Australia and these long hours will be physically difficult for me to endure in a standard plane seat. In addition, I am concerned about the transferring and storing of my power wheelchair during these flights, as wheelchairs are often damaged on airlines and it will be crucial to my independence to have my chair fully working when we land in Australia.

Aside from overcoming the physical challenges that I will have on this trip, a large portion of my time preparing for this experience was organizing the funding for it. My costs greatly exceed that of any other student, given the accommodations that I need and the fact that I will be traveling with two additional people, so I feel very fortunate that I have been able to receive scholarships from my university and other sources to ensure that this will be possible for me. I want the people who have awarded me scholarships or grants, especially Susie Rood, who is the director of Disability Services at CMU, and my Honors Program director Phame Camarena, to know how grateful I am for their support and help in this opportunity.

Despite the challenges and hours of planning, along with people that have suggested that I settle for something easier, I’ve been amazed by the progress that I have made on my summer plans to live in Australia, and I’m proud of how far I have come. I am thankful for all of the support that I have received and I hope to gain as much as possible from my time in Australia.

I understand that there will be many physical challenges for me throughout this experience, but I also understand that this could be the best, most rewarding experience that I will ever have the opportunity to have.

Regardless of what happens during this adventure – it’s an experience, and one that I wouldn’t miss for the world.

My Australian adventure begins June 9th.

Serving up health, safety advice even if study abroad students aren’t hungry for it

Denver Post Features AustraLearn Alumna Molly Bloom

Stacey — Wed, 04 May 2011 19:39:18 +0000

Molly Bloom, who studied abroad in 2009 in New Zealand via AustraLearn, is part of a national championship wheelchair basketball team featured yesterday by the Denver Post sports section.

Bloom, who lost her left leg five years ago in a vehicle accident, was featured last year by the GlobaLinks NewsWire. Bloom, a recent graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Denver resident, overcame many challenges to study abroad and inspired others with the successes and adventure of her journey.

To read the entire May 3, 2011, Denver Post article by Claire Martin, visit here.

No related posts.

Drum Roll Please: Alumni Photo Contest Grand Prize Winner Is …

Stacey — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 23:21:25 +0000

Tamara Selleck of the University of Michigan/University of Otago!

Grand Prize Winning Photo: Taken by Tamara Selleck of the University of Michigan, who studied abroad for the February 2010 semester at the University of Otago in New Zealand.

Tamara Selleck is the Grand Prize Winner of the 2011 GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Alumni Photo Contest, which attracted more than 7,000 votes for 400 entrant photographs and videos on the GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Alumni Facebook page.

Selleck, a University of Michigan student, studied abroad for the February 2010 semester at the University of Otago in New Zealand. Her photo of a little girl embracing a baby sheep garnered 223 votes as of 4 p.m. on March 8.

How it came to be:

“The photo was taken on the North Island in June after classes ended,” Selleck says. “One of my roommates and I drove all around the North Island for one last adventure before returning home to the States. We stopped at a dairy to get gas and some snacks after visiting Cape Reinga, where the seas collide at the tip of the North Island.

“The little Maori girl’s family owned the dairy, I believe, and she was running around playing with her little lamb,” Selleck says. “I thought she was absolutely adorable and asked her what the lamb’s name was. She replied, ‘Lamby.’ My heart instantly melted, and I asked if I could take a picture with her and her lamb and she happily agreed.”

As the Grand Prize Winner, Selleck will receive a Flip Cam. The four other finalists will receive a prize package with a Lonely Planet Blue Book and other goodies.

“Overall, my study abroad experience at the University of Otago was phenomenal,” Selleck added. “I am going through some serious New Zealand nostalgia right now as it was about a year ago that I was there. I’d have to say the best part of the experience was traveling with awesome new friends and adventuring through the magnificent landscapes that New Zealand has to offer; and of course attempting to capture all the glory on camera.”

The photo by Selleck was a “Best Of” finalists for the “local culture” category. Here are links to the other four “Best Of” finalists:

Travel – Ariel Morelock.

Local Landmarks – Jeanée Vilja.

New Friends – Lindsay Tiers.

Getting Involved – Riley Hamilton.

Get Out Your Vote! 2011 Alumni Photo/Video Contest Now Underway

Stacey — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 14:21:10 +0000

The 2011 Alumni Photo and Video Contest is on!

This year, there are more than 400 photos and videos from AustraLearn, AsiaLearn, EuroLearn and EuroScholars participants. Voting is now underway through Feb. 28, said Melissa Cech, contest organizer and senior coordinator, outreach and student services, for GlobaLinks Learning Abroad.

“These are some of the best entries we’ve ever had,” she said.

The entries are organized into albums on Facebook, where viewers can “Like” their favorite photos and videos. Albums start with “2011 Alumni Photo Contest.” Each album represents one of the categories in which alumni submitted photos.

Voters can “Like” as many photos as they want by using their personal Facebook accounts and going to www.facebook.com/GLAalumni.

Even voters who don’t have a Facebook account can still have their votes counted. Just click on the below links to see the albums and photos:

Local Culture entries

Local Landmarks

Travel

Getting Involved Abroad

New Friends

Then, send an email to mcech@australearn.org with the caption under it and a short description of the photo to make sure your vote goes to the right photo.

On Feb. 28th, votes will be tallied and the photo from each category/album with the most votes wins “Best of Category.” Those photos will then be reposted, and the one with the most votes will be announced as the winner!

International Education Career Inspired by Australian Study Abroad 10 Years Ago

Stacey — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 23:23:30 +0000

AustraLearn Alumni Reflection: Lewis Cardenas

By Stacey Hartmann

GlobaLinks NewsWire Editor

Lewis Cardenas exploring Australia's sites 10 years ago while studying abroad through the AustraLearn program.

In making just one important choice ten years ago, Lewis Cardenas, then an undergraduate at Albion College in Michigan, uncovered the focus of his graduate research, laid out a road map to his career, constructed the beginnings of long-enduring friendships and explored cultural gems that still beckon from the other side of the world.

That one choice? To study abroad in Australia.

“I’ve always wanted to go to Australia ever since I was a little kid,” Cardenas, now 29, says. Reasons included “the stereotypical reasons, unique animals, the unique accents, the usual things you see from going to the library and reading books. I also had a good friend growing up who had family in Australia.”

Cardenas previously had traveled for shorter periods to Colombia, where he has family roots, and Africa and France during his first semester in college. “But this was the first time ever that I would be far away from home,” and as the son of a single mom who worried over her son, going away for six to seven months was no small decision.

But Cardenas, the first international studies graduate at his college, was intent on it. Through his campus study abroad office, he began working with AustraLearn, a study abroad program provider then 10 years old, to fill out an application and select a school.

“Most students would go to Cairns, Sydney, or Melbourne,” he says, “but I wanted something different. I also wanted to focus on Aboriginal and Australian history for the International Studies portion of my major.”

He chose the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, where he would study for a semester in 2000. When it came time to select housing, he chose to live in housing with Australian students rather than with other international students who, like himself, were studying abroad from the United States and other countries.

“I wanted to live with the Aussies,” he says. “I think I definitely made the smart choice.”

Lewis Cardenas with friends during his time at the University of Newcastle.

Once he arrived on campus, he moved into Evatt House – B 1st floor specifically – where everyone shared one television and sometimes their cooking skills. He quickly formed friendships with local students who exposed him to authentic aspects of Australian life and sometimes accompanied him on his many travels throughout the country.

“I really did travel a lot while I was down there,” he says. “The only territory I didn’t set foot in was Western Australia. So I didn’t get a chance to visit Perth, but I did make it all the way to Tasmania.”

Sometimes, Cardenas accompanied Aussie friends to their homes so he could meet their families and see how they lived, ate, worked and played.

“One of the neat things with AustraLearn is they really do want you to integrate yourself,” Cardenas says. “They encourage you to join clubs at the universities. I ended up volunteering for the Australian Red Cross while I was down there, and I participated in Ultimate Frisbee. Everybody in my hallway, we just became a family. We still refer to ourselves as the ‘B 1st Family.’”

Up until selecting the University of Newcastle, Cardenas felt some pressure from his academic advisers to study abroad in France or a French-speaking country because he was getting a minor in Francophone Studies.

He discovered, however, an important French connection in his Australian studies that brought everything together.

“The University of Newcastle had a French-Australian history course,” he says. “That course was phenomenal. I learned that the British beat the French in colonizing Australia by only two days. There are still pockets of French-speaking communities in Adelaide and other parts of Australia.”

He also learned during his Australian History course about the budding independent nation of East Timor, which captured his interest in numerous ways, including “the idea of decolonization, patriotism, self identity, and the good, bad and ugly of becoming one of the youngest nations on earth,” he says.

Friends from Australia visited Lewis Cardenas in the United States five years ago and spoke to students about Australian culture.

After returning to the United States, Cardenas went on to do his undergraduate thesis on Australian and Indonesian foreign relations with East Timor. After graduation, he enrolled in graduate school at DePaul University, where he earned a master’s degree in international public service and did research on the Timor gap issue.

“I would never have heard of East Timor if I had never gone to Australia,” he says, “other than maybe in the news here and there.”

Now, even 10 years later, the threads of Cardenas’ time studying abroad in Australia remain woven into his life.

After first working for a health department in Illinois, he then took a position as an administrator at a private school, which evolved into a position teaching global studies. From there, he went to work for the State Board of Education assisting people switching careers and becoming teachers in the field of bilingual education.

He then found out about an opening in international recruitment at his alma mater and jumped at the opportunity. He now is associate director for international student recruitment and admissions counselor for domestic students living abroad, a position that allows him to assist students in realizing their own dreams of studying abroad.

“Now I think I have my dream job,” he says. “I get to work with students and with families. I get to travel three months out of the year. I’m visiting places I never thought I’d get to visit.”

He also remains in close contact via Facebook with the “B 1st family” from his University of Newcastle days.

Lewis Cardenas during a mini reunion earlier this year with friend Mick Evans from Australia.

“Recently, I had the opportunity to meet up with one of my mates this spring in Bali and Cambodia,” Cardenas says, speaking of Mick (Michael) Evans, one of his best Australian friends. “We celebrated a mini 10-year reunion in both countries.”

Five years previously, Evans had visited Cardenas in the United States and had spoken to Cardenas’ global studies class, as well as to an English class, where Evans taught the students some Aussie slang.

By November, Cardenas will have visited 49 countries or territories.

“Waiting at airports or just trying to acclimate,” he says, “for me, it is second nature now.”

And naturally, he sees his travels coming full circle.

“I’m hoping I get back to Oz soon,” he says.

AustraLearn Participant Wins ‘Study In Australia 2010 Video Contest’

Stacey — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 20:27:56 +0000

U of Alaska Student’s ‘My Unexpected Australian Adventure’ Video Earns Her Two Roundtrip Tickets

Nicole Bickford-St.Pierre, a University of Alaska-Anchorage natural sciences major studying abroad via AustraLearn at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia, is planning to bring her mom and sister to Australia to after winning two round-trip tickets in the “Study In Australia 2010 Video Contest” sponsored by Qantas and STA Travel.

Making the most of the 2010 contest’s theme, “Study In Australia: An Unexpected Adventure,” Bickford-St.Pierre produced a three-minute video that garnered her first place by showing personal experiences that took her beyond the Australian stereotypes of beaches and kangaroos.

“This is my unexpected Australian adventure,” Bickford-St.Pierre says as her video unfolds.

A video recap:

“Being in Australia has been the adventure of a lifetime,” she says, “but aside from unique wildlife, beautiful scenery and a relaxed and diverse culture, I didn’t have a clue what to expect.”

“Of course things went much diferently than I’d imagined,” she says, “and before I knew it, I was part of one big happy family surrounded by some of the most incredible friends I’ve ever had. They were so genuine and friendly. My first night here, they took me out to dinner in the heart of Perth, and I got the first glimpse of the city that I’d soon come to love.”

“We swapped memories and stories about our home towns,” she says, “and I got to try on a completely different culture.”

“Possibly the greatest part about Oz has been my discovery of the unexpected,” she says. A few of these include:

Discovering every lecture includes a tutorial, “and that gave me the opportunity to ask for help when I really needed. All the tutors were incredibly helpful and thorough.”
Meeting so many people from such a variety of cultural backgrounds.
Developing a slight addiction to the local grub – vegemite included.

“Coming to Oz was a huge leap out of my comfort zone. I went scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, explored Perth city and roadtripped down south to explore the beaches.”

But what was the most unexpected thing about Bickford-St.Pierre’s experience in Australia?

“I’ve decided to extend my one-semester program to a year,” she says as her video concludes.

Congrats, Nicole, on your win!

Meet AustraLearn Koala Tim Tam’s Keeper

Stacey — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 16:39:54 +0000

Tiffany Hungerford Explains What’s All In a Day for Tim Tam: Sleeping, Eating and Training for Photos

Tim Tam's Keeper, Tiffany Hungerford, describes what it's like working with the AustraLearn koala.

Tim Tam, the koala adopted by the AustraLearn study abroad program, is having an exciting first year as she grows, eats, sleeps and trains.

Recently, AustraLearn Operations Manager, Russell Hosp, interviewed Tim Tam’s keeper, Tiffany Hungerford, at Rainforestation Nature Park in Cairns, Australia.

Here’s what Hungerford had to say.

Q:What inspired you to work with Koalas?

A: They all have really different personalities. Tim Tam is so relaxed and playful. A lot of the time, we’ll come in and she’ll be playing around with Pavlova (the Koala Tim Tam shares the habitat with).

Q: What exactly does a Koala handler do?

A: We’re responsible for doing the koala photos and feeding the animals. When it’s not busy, we look after the wildlife park. For example, today’s not busy, so we’re painting.

Q: What background is needed?

A: I did a trainee-ship that Rainforestation had advertised. I started about three years ago, and I really enjoy it. Before that, I worked at Hartley’s Crocodile Farm.

Q: What has been your biggest accomplishment?

A: Since I’ve been here, we’ve managed to breed seven koalas, which is pretty exciting.

Q: Can you describe a normal day for Tim Tam?

Tim Tam grows bigger by the day.

A: She sleeps between 18 and 20 hours a day, and when she’s not sleeping, she’s either eating or training to do koala photos for our visitors. Also, she loves to play with Pavlova. It’s really cute how playful the koalas are when they’re smaller, and they all have such personalities.

Q: How is Tim Tam getting used to taking Koala Photos?

A: She’s getting on really well, mostly because she’s got such a good personality. You can tell when she’s getting tired because she won’t cling on to the person in the photo—she’ll kind of push away. She works two-at-a-time with Pavlova, and we try to work them only 30 minutes at a time, though mostly Tim Tam will do 15 minutes, and then switch with Pavlova.

Q: Are there plans to have Tim Tam start breeding soon?

A: Not just yet. Koalas are generally ready to start breeding after about two years. Tim Tam is almost a year and a half, and we generally like our girls to be a bit older and a bit bigger, because both our boys are quite big.