Before moving to Australia I knew that I would have to diligently prepare for my arrival so that the transition would be as smooth as possible. Although I will be discussing my experience in regards to Australia, I believe that what I have to say can be applied to many other countries around the world--and maybe for your next trip abroad!
Once I was admitted to Marshall's International Exchange Program, I started to make a list of items that I needed to complete before my arrival. The core items on this list included: visa, flight, housing, phone plan, credit/debit card, classes, and packing.
VISA
The first step to traveling to Australia was ensuring that I had a valid Australian visa. The online application process for requesting a visa was simple and I received my visa via email within minutes of submitting my application. I did not need to send in my passport or visit a consulate, but I knew many of my friends needed to go through this process to obtain their visas in other countries.
FLIGHT
After securing my visa and examining the University of Melbourne academic calendar, I booked my flight. Considering that I was coming from Los Angeles, the 15 hour flight and time change would mean that I would arrive two days later, so I planned to land 4 days before Orientation, just enough time to get acclimated. For long haul flights like this one, I also recommend taking later flights so that you can sleep on the plane for most of the duration.
HOUSING
Now that I knew my arrival date, I began researching possible apartments for me to live in. There were many options in Melbourne, so I wrote a list of what I wanted in my housing so that I could focus my research. I valued my own space, a gym, laundry facilities, proximity to school and entertainment (zoo, museums, shopping, etc.), and a fair price that included utilities. These values may be different from yours, but they helped me decide on the right apartment.
PHONE PLAN
At first I thought that an international travel plan from my carrier at home would be perfect for my stay in Australia. However, I discovered that I was paying more for data, text, and calls compared to local carriers in Australia. Therefore, to minimize costs, I chose to switch to Optus Australia as my local provider because they offered a better price and discounts to students. Although wifi is abundant in the heart of Melbourne, data is required to navigate farther parts of the city, so I recommend purchasing an e-sim card from a local carrier.
CREDIT/DEBIT CARD
This step was very important considering I was traveling to a foreign country with foreign currency. I did not realize that there are many foreign transaction fees associated with travel, so I made sure that my cards would not carry such fees. I would to talk to your bank to see what international cards they offer, or you can research local cards. I found that many banks in Melbourne, such as HSBC, offered specific student plans with minimal to no international fees. Also, it is important to carry cash because many places, including local markets and stores, accept few or no cards.
CLASSES
Enrollment in classes is done completely online and students can begin scheduling their classes before they arrive, or someone from the University of Melbourne can assist them during Orientation. The staff at the enrollment office is very helpful and will answer any questions that a student may have. It is also beneficial to email the staff about certain courses that require administrative approval because they have prerequisites. In this case, it is best to send them your school transcript, which classes you want approved, and a link to the USC student handbook (in case they want to view the course description and determine if the class satisfies the prerequisite).
PACKING
Finally, after checking off the previous items it came time to pack. Since Australia is known to have all four seasons in the same day, I packed for all sorts of weather, but I prioritized fall/winter clothes because those are the seasons that I will be there for. To help me pack and ensure that I brought most everything I needed, I Googled "travel packing checklist" to help guide me. Even though I wanted to bring my entire room with me, I knew that I need to keep things simple and only take what I absolutely needed; I could get the rest in Melbourne.
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I hope this was helpful for anyone who is thinking about traveling abroad or is currently traveling. There is a lot of planning and preparing that goes into international travel, especially if you have never been there before.