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Exchange for UTAS students

Student Profiles- University of South Florida

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Exchange for UTAS Students
Angie Magill

Bachelor of Engineering

International Student Exchange
University of South Florida

"Going on exchange to Florida for two semesters was definitely one of the best experiences of my life. I made so many new friends and spent a fun year living the life of an American ‘college’ student on a huge and busy campus. I got credit for engineering classes and was able to take a few classes that aren’t offered at utas.

One of the reasons I chose to go to the US was because I was curious to find out what America was really like. I think going on exchange is much more interesting than travelling as a tourist because you are totally immersed in the culture, rather than just seeing the sights. My preconceptions about Americans and life in America were totally wrong. Every one was so excited to talk to an Australian and to ask me the same questions over and over again (‘do you really eat kangaroo?’) , but it went so far beyond that. Students I met were excited to show me around, drive me to the ‘grocery store’ whenever I needed and invite me to their family homes for meals and holidays. Everyone was genuinely friendly and welcoming. I experienced the cliches of campus life – football games, fraternities, Starbucks, dormrooms and Halloween parties, but was also involved in the annual USF ‘Stampede of Service’, where thousands of students volunteer their time on various projects in the Tampa area. I went to Nashville on a Spring Break service trip and experienced a totally different side of American life helping out with homeless people and inner city kids.Football game at Univesity of South Florida

Other highlights included travelling during winter break with another exchange student from Denmark – we went to Disneyworld, Washington DC and spent New Year’s Eve within sight of Time Square in New York. It was freezing cold, but the atmosphere was unforgettable. The US is an incredibly multicultural place. One good friend from class is originally from Costa Rica and invited me to travel there for a week, which was an opportunity too good to miss! I did spanish during my exchange, so I was even able to stumble through a few sentences while I was there.

I would definitely recommend doing an exchange – for a year if you can. I don’t think it matters where, it’ll be an amazing, challenging, eye-opening and exciting adventure and you’ll make friends for life!"