From India to Joondalup: making connections in all the right places
I chose to do my exchange semester in Perth as it has a partner university in my homeland. This presented me with a unique opportunity to establish a link between my university in India and a university in Australia for the very first time.
Apart from things like state-of-art facilities, an affordable education and internationally acclaimed faculty, the thing that I love the most about Edith Cowan University (ECU) Joondalup is how every staff member works tirelessly for student support. The university organises mixers and events to help students settle in and make them familiar with life in Australia, especially Western Australia. Every faculty member is easily approachable and willing to go the extra mile to make sure their students actually understand everything they teach, and to explain as many times as a student needs.
The institutions in Perth are all ranked high globally, and have great faculties and infrastructure. I also love the fact that education in Perth is not just about achieving the highest grades, but adequate focus is also given on the mental well-being of the student too.
Living in Perth has numerous benefits, including:
- There being a gold-mine of job and internship opportunities compared to the eastern states. Right after I finish my studies, I plan to do an internship with experts in my industry.
- Friendly and approachable residents who look out for new students in the city, especially international students to keep them at utmost comfort.
- Being one of the most liveable and safest cities in the world. Being a girl from a country where it's very dangerous for a woman to be out of her house alone, after dark, I love the fact that this is one of the safest cities for women to live in and travel around.
- Being an international student, I never felt as an outsider, but have always felt like I belong here. Perth has a way of making you feel that way.
The thing that I love the most about Perth is how I discover new things about the city, every time I think it can’t surprise me further.
"Perth, along with the whole state of Western Australia, is so underrated compared to bigger cities that it’s easy to overlook how absolutely gorgeous it is."
I have many favourite places in Perth… the beaches where I spent every free summer afternoon, watch the winter sunsets and enjoy some breakfast by water; Fremantle for its vibe; the CBD for the city bustle; Northbridge for different cuisines and to spend a fun Friday or Saturday evening; the city library for some quiet time with a view; and Elizabeth Quay for various events. Evenings in Perth are mesmerising when you can enjoy the sunset, see the stars come up and watch the city light up.
Perth is also a great place to live and learn, because of how beautifully it integrates culture with state-of-art. It’s the perfect blend of modern with historical preservation, and provides you with both the city bustle as well as the feeling of countryside quietness.
My stay here in Perth has brought me more in touch with myself than I have ever been before. I pushed myself to limits that I didn’t even know existed within me, participated and won competitions with skills I had no idea I possessed, watched beautiful sunsets over Perth’s gorgeous beaches, have made friends to last a lifetime, and have made memories travelling all around Perth with them. StudyPerth provided me with an opportunity to take a historical tour of the city because of a competition I won, and that taught me so much about the city which I would’ve otherwise been oblivious to.
This city that you will come to call home has so much to offer - all you have to do is take a step forward, instead of holing up and burying yourself in studies. The world-class education also gives you enough room to breathe and explore new parts of the city. Use extended weekends to travel. Traveling with friends and meeting new people will be the memories you would be returning with.
Read more about great student experiences from Perth and Western Australia on the StudyPerth blog
story credit: StudyPerth
