Moving to Australia for the Spring Semester

Hi everyone, 

I'm Kayla Fraser, and I'm heading into my senior year at HPU. Recently, I wrapped up an incredible semester abroad in Gold Coast, Australia at Griffith University. From Navigating visas to finding perfect housing and exploring the country, I learned a lot that I want to share to make your study abroad journey smoother. 

Student Visa : Getting your student visa sorted is crucial. You can access the application through the HPU study abroad website once you select your program. I started mine in early November and took about a week to fill out thoroughly. It is roughly 30 pages but if you wanted to complete it in a day you could, it automatically saves your progress so you don't rush. Remember, accuracy matters, double-check everything before submitting to avoid delays. I ended up getting mine approved right away however, I know it's different for everyone so give yourself time to complete it. 

Housing : For housing, Griffith University offers on-campus options at Griffith Village, but it's competitive and mainly for freshmen. Instead, I found SIA Housing (Semester in Australia) in Surfers Paradise, just a 30-minute tram ride from campus. Surfers Century apartments, where I stayed, are a block from the beach and fully furnished which is perfect for students only studying for a semester. It's a great option for meeting other international students and enjoying the beach lifestyle. SIA also offers organized trips before school starts in Sydney and Cairns which is a great way to meet people in your housing program. I will share about this experience in my next blog!

Living in Surfers Paradise was a highlight for me; close to both campus and the vibrant nightlife. Whether you choose Griffith Village or SIA Housing, both offer unique experiences; it depends on what you prioritize during your stay. 

Packing : Learn from my mistake and don't overpack! Stick to the essentials like adapters for Australian outlets (easily found on Amazon or a local stores), a towel, and versatile clothing suitable for changing seasons. Sunscreen is a must, as the UV is intense. Pack light with sandals, runners, a couple comfy shoes, and outfits. 

Traveling : I flew Hawaiian Airlines from Hawaii, which was straightforward and convenient. Only takes about 10 hours and they provide food as well as screen entertainment. Upon landing in Sydney, a quick passport check and photo were all that was needed. It's worth preparing for the long flight with entertainment and essentials like chargers and your passport. 

Leisure Activites in Seoul

 안녕하세요, 

This blog post will be about leisure activities you can do in Seoul, South Korea. During your exchange semester you will hopefully have some free time to explore the city and all it has to offer. Because, if there's something the Koreans know how to do it is how to enjoy their free time out and about in the city.

There are so many things to do so I will list some of my favourite activities I have done! First off cafe hopping is very popular and you will find an astonishing abundance of cafes, many of them with different themes like, animal cafes, ceramics cafes, 2D cafes and painting cafes etc. I have a favourite cafe close to the campus called fully, where I'd do most of my studying!

Eating out at restaurants with your friends is a very big part of Korean culture and you will find that it's pretty cheap and very much a group activity as some places don't even serve one portion (you have to order for minimum 2 people). Hence, going out with my friends to try different restaurants is one of my favourite things about living in Korea. My favourite foods are dakgalbi (닭갈비) which is spicy stir-fried chicken, samgyeopsal (삼겹살) which is Korean pork bbq and mul-naengmyeon (물냉면) which is cold noodles. 

The picture above is from the Lotte World which is an amusement park located in central Seoul where it is super popular to rent a high school uniform and walk around in inside the park. There's a lot of rollercoaster, restaurants, boba cafes and other amusement park foods inside and in a very Korean fashion there are maaaaany photo spots, some where you even have to line up and wait to get a picture!

Lastly, one of my favourite places to visit is Seongsu, which is only one metro spot away from Konkuk, and only around a 15-20 minute walk. Seongsu is often referred to as the Brooklyn of Seoul as it is very trendy and you will find that everyone walking around there are very fashionable. There are many trendy pop-up stores and flagship stores, like fwee, standoil and DIOR located in Seongsu and they change frequently so every time you go you will find new ones! 

There are many more things to do in Seoul like karaoke, go to baseball games, visit museums, visit palaces, dressing in Hanbok, going to traditional food markets, visit Korean spas, go shopping in Hongdae or Hyundai mall, go up in Lotte and Namsan towers and much more. Hence, it would take forever to write about everything but rest assured that if you decide to go to Seoul for your exchange semester you will never be bored or out of things to do. These 4 months have been some of the best times in my life and I highly recommend studying abroad in South Korea!

안녕히 가세요,

Ellen