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Orientation 2010
Last Updated on Friday, 19 March 2010 03:28 Written by Fiona Pearson Wednesday, 17 March 2010 00:51
‘I will always remember my orientation at The Sydney Sports Academy because that is where I met some of my best friends here in Australia.’
Nickesha Taylor, Semester 1, 2010, James Cook University.
February 2010 we saw another successful IFSA-Butler orientation at the beautiful Sydney Academy in the Northern Beaches. The weather was sublime and the students had a fantastic time, adjusting to their new home (for the next six months), and recovering from the inevitable jetlag that comes with long flights.
Orientation Program
Day 1 was really an opportunity for students to recuperate and explore the orientation site, which is laid out to accommodate large groups and has numerous facilities to accommodate activities. On arrival students had a traditional Aussie BBQ lunch, followed by announcements, a welcoming address by Kate Hamilton, the Director of Australian Programs, a cellphone session where they were issued their phones and then some free time to make use of the facilities, go for a bushwalk, play basketball or relax with games and Australian movies. After dinner students learnt about Bush and Beach Safety and Aussie Culture.
On Day 2 they went to Taronga Zoo with a packed lunch in tow. Taronga Zoo is located right on Sydney Harbor, with magnificent views of the Opera House and Harbor Bridge. Students were divided into groups of 12 and had an experienced guide introduce them to Australian wildlife-some students were even lucky enough to pet a kangaroo! Most students also had the pleasure of seeing Australia’s first baby elephant, Luk Chai, in his daily bath time!
At 1pm students met at the bottom of the zoo to catch a cruise across the harbor with Captain Cook Cruises, ahoy! The cruise took them past all the major Sydney sites, plus some famous celebrity houses such as Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman. Students were given afternoon tea and a commentary by one of the cruise staff members.
In the evening, back at Narrabeen, students had a bush dance with Inland Navigators Bush Band, which was a great opportunity to enjoy learning bush songs and dances.
Day 3 the group alternated between surfing lessons with Manly Surf School, and University Information sessions with their Student Services Coordinator. Manly Surf School has recently been voted by Surfing Australia as the Number 1 Surf School in NSW, and the students had excellent weather to accompany their lesson.
In the evening, Indigenous dancers called Descendance, consisting of 4 performers, played the digeridoo, told stories, performed dances and allowed some of the students to participate.
Free time was given each day usually between 4-6pm. The students were grateful for this and it added to the relaxed nature of the orientations. We hope the students enjoyed their orientation and we wish them an enriching stay in Australia.
International Women's Day Breakfast 2010
Last Updated on Thursday, 11 March 2010 05:46 Written by Fiona Pearson Wednesday, 10 March 2010 23:15
On the 5th March 2010, for the second year running, IFSA-Butler Australia continued its community engagement programme and was a corporate sponsor of the International Women’s Day Breakfast (IWDB), organized by United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and hosted by Geraldine Doogue, a renowned journalist for the Australian Broadcasting Association (ABC).
The Times Abroad Vol 28.1 Orientation Edition
Last Updated on Friday, 19 March 2010 03:30 Written by Andrew Lai Monday, 15 February 2010 00:43
The Times Abroad is published three times a semester, six times a year, and has been running for the past 14 years. This Orientation Edition, and the first for 2010, has a seemingly eclectic collection of articles. However there is a significant theme running throughout the entire magazine.
The Times Abroad Vol 27.3 Farewell Edition
Last Updated on Friday, 19 March 2010 03:33 Written by Andrew Lai Wednesday, 28 October 2009 03:26
I would like to welcome you to the inaugural edition of The Times Abroad and to take this opportunity to express thanks and appreciation to contributing students and to our editor Andrew Lai for his dedication and hard work putting it together.
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