What our students say

I am studying a Bachelor of Arts doing a double major in Writing and Communication & Cultural Studies. My main focus at Pratt Institute is Writing, although I am doing an array of exciting subjects including Philosophy & Contemporary Cultural Theory, Freud & Beyond: Psychoanalysis, Writers Studio and Photography. My writers Studio teacher is fabulous, he has really made my welcoming experience a much more comforting experience.

I am living on Campus right around the corner from the College with a roommate called Sydney, who is lovely.

The workload has really taken me by surprise and has forced me to really pull my head in, which is great because my focus levels are increasing.

Everyone has been very helpful and I have been contributing to community events at Pratt and will hopefully be travelling to Washington DC during mid-term break for an alternative Spring Break, which is a week of community service and volunteering for the homeless community in Washington.

I have thoroughly enjoyed engrossing myself into the American culture and learning about the differences between our cultures. Brooklyn is an incredible place to just, be. The diversity and vastness encourages me to re-evaluate my small-town attitude and educate myself on people and their differences.

With America’s current political situation, you can definitely feel the tension and frustration that it creates, especially amongst a liberal arts college in the heart of New York’s cultural mixing pot, Brooklyn, and it has been very stimulating and eye opening to hear young people’s passionate responses about their cultural, political opinions.

On the 20^th January I attended the New York Women’s march in Manhattan. This was mind-blowing, it was freezing cold and there were thousands of people marching the streets of New York in protest for harnessing the political power of diverse women and their communities in creating transformational social change. There were people from all different social and cultural backgrounds in support of Women’s rights and equality across the globe. It was heart-warming.

This experience has already been so stimulating and educational, I have another three months at school to go and I can’t wait to update you all with my end experiences.

No doubt, this has definitely been one of the best decisions I have ever made and I can’t wait to see what else happens.

Experience Abroad

Laura is currently participating in a semester exchange at the University of Hertfordshire (UH). During her first week at UH, she contacted our exchange team to express her desire for yet another semester exchange at a different European institution. Below are Laura’s photos during her orientation week at UH, showcasing her engagement in a sports club for International students. Laura has already established her international friendships and connections and is building on her study abroad adventure.

Future plans

Our team encouraged Laura to explore the possibilities offered by the Erasmus+ scholarship to study at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy.  Laura’s application was successful, and she has received a generous scholarship of 850 Euros per month for the duration of the exchange period. Laura is looking forward to her second exchange program in September 2024.

Kansai Gaidai University in Hirakata, Osaka, Japan, is located very conveniently. Easy day trips to Osaka and Kyoto, Japan’s old capital and traditional cultural epicentre, make it easy to experience their temples and castles. Weekend trips to Hiroshima and Wakayama are also possible. There is quite a bit of Western influence, so if you are cautious about Japanese cuisine, you can definitely find something you would like to eat. Just be mindful that there is no eating-on-the-go in Japan! However, I highly recommend eating as much Japanese food as possible. Healthy, delicious and a total tastebud experience! I personally have fallen in love with Okonomiyaki and shashimi sushi!

If you are concerned about the language barrier, don’t let that stop you! The people of Osaka are very eager to help and most speak at least a little English. The best conversations I’ve had here are the ones that were conducted in broken half Japanese-English! The Japanese classes at the university are also top-notch and there is also a Japanese Language speaking partner program available if you choose. I personally didn’t sign-up, preferring instead to practice my Japanese with the friends I made in the cafeteria or student lounge. The Japanese students are just as eager to meet you as you are to meet them!

If your degree allows you, I suggest taking the more culturally bent classes offered at Kansai Gaidai. Such things as Shinto, History of the Japanese Warrior and Yokai are just a few of them, and their alternate cultural narratives really enriches your understanding of the different ways people construct their lives. For my Arts degree, it really fired up my imagination for creative expression.

You will experience being the ‘other.’ You will be stared at and observed, but don’t let this put you off. For me, being the fish-out-of-water was the best experience in the world. It gave me a deeper understanding of people we ‘other’ in our own country. It also made me realise how simple things like, finding food you know how to cook at the grocery store can actually be extremely difficult.

I didn’t participate in homestay because of my minimal Japanese, but don’t think that by living in a Seminar House you will miss out! One of the things I’ve loved most about my study abroad is the people I’ve gotten to live with. From all over the world, learning about each other’s homes and cultures, was really amazing. I can’t count how many times I argued with the Americans over jam/jelly labels!

All in all, study abroad, no matter where you go, will be an unforgettable experience!

At the time Alana was a 3rd year Occupational Therapy student at SCU, Gold Coast.

My name is Allana Pengilley and I am currently a 4^th year Occupational Therapy Student at SCU, Gold Coast. At the conclusion of 2016 I ventured on my first overseas trip with a group of my fellow 3^rd Year OT peers and Speech Pathology students to Hanoi, Vietnam, as part of the New Colombo plan scholarship. We went for a three-week placement to work with 120 children with varying disabilities due to the Agent Orange Chemical release during the war and around 50 Veterans of the Vietnam War living at ‘The Friendship Village.’

It’s safe to say I grew in so many ways from my experiences in Vietnam and I definitely came home with a whole new perspective on life and the way I now view my future profession. I was able to immerse myself in their culture, way of life, explore the wonders of Vietnam and had opportunities every day to apply concepts learnt during my degree in real life, everyday situations.

I had one particular interaction with a young woman named Nu which has significantly influenced my life and changed it so positively for the better. Nu has Autism and is non-verbal, but this definitely does not define her. Nu taught me in three short weeks that growth is possible in any situation, that you don’t need language to communicate, that any challenge you face can be overcome with perseverance and hard work and that love will guide you in whatever direction you are meant to be going. Trust your journey.

As a part of our placement we each had a project based on promoting health and wellbeing for the people living at The Friendship Village. The group I am part of has had the opportunity to design and is in the process of initiating building plans to create an outdoor rehab/playground space that meets the demanding sensory and physical needs of each child living at the village.

If you have the opportunity to go on a placement for your degree or study abroad, TAKE IT, it’s the best decision I made and I’m very grateful for the chance I had to be a part of this trip. It will be an experience I will carry with me for the rest of my career and life.