Lana's Domestic Exchange- Griffith to MQ

[Admin]

Hey everyone!!

My name is Lana Shaw, and I'm doing a domestic exchange at Macquarie University from Griffith University on the Gold Coast through the Xplor exchange program. I'm now just over half way in my semester, and I have had the BEST time. I've grown up a bit, defined the direction I'd like my career to head down and learnt that university life is what you make of it!

Studying at Macquarie University as an 'exchange' student has allowed me to take on an internship as part of my studies. My internship is at the Nature Conservation Council of NSW, and there, I work with the climate change team, assisting with projects that are aimed in raising general community awareness about climate change. From this part of my time here, I have met many different like-minded but wiser people, gained industry specific skills that I didn't have before, had lots of practice for what will be like when I get a 'real' job and also gained credit for it all!!

Another benefit that I have found from doing my internship in conjunction with the unit combination that I am doing at Macquarie University, is that I've found a direction for where I'd like to head with my career. Before coming on exchange, I thought that I wanted to be a science and maths high school teacher. However, I've decided that I want to broaden that to educating the wider community on how they can live more sustainably both at individual and greater levels, and in doing so, helping the environment.

Coming on this domestic exchange, and being given the $3500 grant has allowed me to see what it is like to live on campus in a college environment. Living out of home whilst being at university has always been something that I have wanted to experience, and everything that I have gotten out of living at RMC, one of the residential colleges at Macquarie University, has just been so much more than I expected... and I've still got 7 weeks plus left!!

These are just a few of the things that have made my domestic exchange extra special to me. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.. I'm more than happy to answer them and help out in any way I can

On that note, perhaps I should do a bit of advertising for my home university (Griffith University) as it is one of the Australian universities that included in the domestic exchange program. Griffith has 2 campus' with science/environmental subjects - Gold Coast campus and Nathan campus (in Brisbane). I'm from the Gold Coast campus the Gold Coast is a great place to live... I've only realised how much I miss it from my exchange here. Everywhere is close to the beach and the 'wilderness' with the national parks and reserves of the Gold Coast Hinterland.

Griffith University Gold Coast Campus has a large variety of units available, with many focussed on flora and fauna, environmental chemistry and environmental law and management. In 2010, there is a new degree in environmental design starting, so there will be some interesting units in that to maybe check out!!!

But yeah, any questions, let me know!
Bye for now,

Lana Shaw