I’ve been back in Nottingham for over a week and it still seems a bit surreal. I can’t believe I’ve just spent an entire year in Australia- it all went by so quickly.
Having spent all my money in the first semester; I got a vacation research job at uni during summer which was quite interesting. It involved modelling the growth of invasive sea weed using Matlab. I was even sent to the UQ research station at Stradbroke Island. The beach at Straddie is one of the best I’ve ever been to and the marine life was just amazing. I got my open water diving license at the end of summer. All the diving was done in Moreton Bay which was very impressive – we saw giant turtles, loads of corals and coral fish and even a wobbegong shark!
The start of the new semester was hectic and fun. I joined the UQ canoe club which I would strongly recommend to anyone interested in kayaking. The joining fee is $40 and they do weekly paddles on the Brisbane River down to the West End markets on Saturdays. They also do free weekend trips to Moreton Bay, Wivenhoe Dam and even up to Noosa. Everyone in the club was extremely friendly and many of the members weren’t students which meant I got to meet more people from Brisbane with similar interests. It was great!
I went to Tasmania for Easter break which was by far and away my favourite place in Australia. Wineglass Bay has been voted one of the top ten beaches in the world and for good reason – it was stunning. Although it was slightly cold, we were lucky with the weather and got to do the cradle mountain trek on a really nice day. Other highlights of Tassie were seeing baby penguins on the beach in Bicheno, Boags beer, Tassie devils and wombats in the wild.
I found the modules in the second semester more interesting and I felt I could manage the workload much better. The Individual Inquiry module was the important one – it is similar to the R&D module at Nottingham. There were more projects on offer compared to Nottingham and it’s only compulsory for the environmental engineers, which means you’re very likely to get your first choice. I was working on an environmental eng project – eutrophication in New Zealand lakes- which was fascinating. Thesis writing was exhausting (START WRITING IT UP BY MID-SEMESTER BREAK!) but was also very rewarding. One of my optional modules was Energy Systems in Sustainable Development which I strongly recommend. We had guest lecturers from industry and the lectures covered some of the latest technologies. We were put into groups and had to pitch a certain technology as a consultancy firm. Our group was pitching IGCC which I found very relevant given Queensland’s position under the new carbon tax scheme introduced in Australia. We had to design and optimise our plant using Aspen (good practice for the 4th year design project) as well as provide a thorough economic and social analysis of the design. It was very professional and interesting. The last few weeks of term were a bit stressful with back to back deadlines. However, exams were only worth 20 – 40% and I found them relatively easy.
I went to New Zealand for a bit after exams. Although the South Island is the place to go in winter; being a bit of a geology buff, I decided to go to the North Island. I also wanted to see the lakes I’d studied for my thesis. NZ was just gorgeous. The Glow Work caves at Waitomo, Rotorua and the Emperor Penguins at the Kelly Tartlon Antarctic Adventure in Auckland were probably my favourites.
Overall, I enjoyed my second semester much more than the first. I felt my modules were more interesting and the workload was less which gave me more free time. I also got to know people on the course much better as well as meet more Australians in general. Everyone was really friendly and fun and I’d really settled in by the end. Leaving Brisbane seemed a bit abrupt and I don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet. The entire year seems to have gone by really quickly and I’m hoping to go back soon.
Accommodation –wise, I would recommend Union College (from what I’ve been told) if you’re looking for on-campus accommodation. You’re sure to meet lots of other Australian students and get into the whole uni atmosphere. Altitude Apartments is probably a good choice if you want something off-campus. It has an amazing pool, really good views and you’ll meet other exchange and international students there.
I know I’ve said it before, but if you’re thinking of exchange; go for it. It may seem a bit daunting at first (I found getting used to the workload the most challenging bit) but you’re bound to have an amazing time; meet some great people and just have a really fun year in general. You’re also sure to get some incredible pictures!