Exchange report - Student at KI
Home university: The University of New South Wales
Study programme: Biomedicine
Exchange programme: INK
Semester: Spring semester 2015/2016

Pre-departure

Choosing Sydney as a city to study in for the sixth semester was something I thought about from the very beginning of the Biomedicine programme. I've visited the city before and I knew that someday I wanted to live there! UNSW had a lot of research and many supervisors to choose from which also made my choice easy. Unfortunately, they were constructing a new webpage for the application process when I was going, so I had to wait almost one month just in order to apply. And you need the letter of acceptance in order to get a visa, so I suggest that everyone starts doing the administrative parts as soon as they know they're nominated.

Arrival and registration

I booked my flight to Sydney 4 days (!) before it left since I waited for my letter of acceptance for so long. I left in the beginning of February and I went to the hospital two days after my arrival to Sydney. It was pretty full on from the beginning. There were no introduction courses but an "introductory meeting" which they arranged every Monday. The purpose of this meeting was to welcome us to Sydney and give us practical information. There was only me and one other student there which happened to become one of my best friends later on! They also have an introduction week for all new students which I can recommend everyone to participate in. Other than that, there are activities throughout the semester but sometimes it was difficult receiving the information! However it's probably a lot easier if you're doing your thesis on campus which I didn't.  

Economy

Sydney is a very expensive city to live in so be prepared to spend more than you planned. There are so many activities and delicious food everywhere so you don't really want to hold back. I had to enter on a tourist visa which I later changed to a bridging student visa which was $550, I'm not sure if it's that expensive if you get the correct visa from the beginning. 

Acommendation

I probably started looking for accommodation two months before my arrival in Sydney. But actually that's not really how it works over there. It feels like all Sydneysiders are always looking for a new place to live and finding a flat just one or two weeks in advance is normal. I found my room two days after my arrival and I moved in two days after that!
I was lucky to have my sister living in Sydney so I stayed with her the first days. If you arrive one week before you start in your lab, then it would probably be a good idea to stay in a hostel. The 24/7 parties going on there could be both good and bad. Good if you want to meet new people but bad if you value your beauty sleep. 
I ended up staying in Bondi and I paid $350 a week (madness!). The room was fresh which is pretty rare in the Eastern Suburbs. I had many restaurants just next to me and I loved living in that area. One advice from me would be to live close to train stations since commuting in Sydney is quite frustrating. I used to walk to Bondi Junction and take the bus from there since it would be just a fast as sitting on the crowded bus. I lived with one guy who was working nights at a hospital so most of the time it felt like I had the entire place to myself. If I was going to do it again I would probably try to find a room to share with people in my age. There's just difficult to find a place with students, since there's so many people living in Sydney just for the lifestyle and has a lot of parties going on.  So think about what kind of people you'd like as your roommates!
I suggest checking out flatmates.com.au which seemed reliable when I was searching for a place. Gumtree is very suspicious and I would not recommend finding something there, even though some ads probably are legit. I think the Facebook group "Svenskar i Sydney - boende" is a really good place to find accommodation on.

I know UNSW offer on-campus accommodation which is just as expensive as any other place but apparently food is included. There are mainly international students who just left their home that stays in that type of accommodation.

Studies in general

I did my thesis project at the clinical pharmacology department at St Vincents Hospital. It was located in Darlinghurst which is very central. It was more of an office environment since I did a retrospective project. I can recommend that to everyone actually because it means you don't have to plan your days as much as if you had to do lab work. It can be quite frustrating staying inside when you see the sun shining outside the window, but I learned that the sun is always shining over there. In January and February you have time to go to the beach to swim or surf after work!
My supervisor was a very busy but also a very nice man. Most of the time I needed to schedule meetings with him a few days in advance but I always got the help I wanted. And he never asked for too much from me which I thought was nice. There were a few other students there which did honours projects, which is a year-long project that you do after your Bachelor's degree and required before you start your PhD. 

I also had the opportunity to do a poster presentation at the yearly Australian Society for Infectious Diseases meeting in Tasmania! It was a good experience and I also got the chance to explore the island since I stayed a few days extra.

Courses during the exchange period

Courses corresponding to semester 1 at KI
N/A

Language and Culture

The only cultural clashes I can think about is that everyone is so friendly and wants to talk to you on the streets or in a store which many Swedes aren't used to. Since the biomedicine programme is already in English there was no difference to start there. 

Leisure time and social activities

UNSW is huge and has many sports clubs which you can join. Their on campus gym is apparently pretty good and they also have a UNSW Barbell Club for those interested in that. I went to the Fitness First gym in Bondi Junction which is a very fresh and "fancy" gym that cost me $60 for every 14 days. There's many cheaper gyms in the CBD that is probably offers almost the same things, but I wanted something close to my home.
During Introduction week they'll present all the activities. The campus pubs Whitehouse and Roundhouse are great places for meeting people. You'll probably also bump into your supervisor and the rest of your research group there sharing a beer jug. Those bars are not cheaper than the ones in CBD! Sydney has many good bars that has $5 drinks. When it comes to clubs there aren't that many options. The Ivy is an iconic place where entrance is free before 10pm. Take the elevator up the the rooftop bar! 
Sydney has great restaurants in every corner! There's a big Asian population so plenty of good Asian food to try. Visit the Fish market for the freshest sashimi you'll ever have in your entire life.
It's very easy to meet new people in Sydney! You'll meet people in the lab, at the gym, when youre doing the Bondi to Coogee walk and at campus clubs that you'll hang out with. I also spent time with three girls from KI doing exchange in medicine which I met at the KI gathering just before Christmas. 

Try to save some money in advance so that you have time to travel a bit in Australia! I visited Whitsundays during a long weekend which was just fabulous.
 

Summary

It was very difficult for me to leave Sweden because I knew my boyfriend wouldn't be able to come visit me. An entire semester without each other was not something I looked forward to. But I ended up getting so many new friends and I kept myself so busy that I think it was worth it. It was a great experience and I now have friends for life!
I spoke good English before I went on my exchange butI wasn't used to speaking English. I have a more professional English now but unfortunately not the Aussie accent. Just going on an exchange to experience a different environment is developing for everyone so I definitely think it will affect my future professional role.