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Illinois Abroad Student Stories Blog
Australia/NewZealand

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  • Creative Thesis Inspiration Found While Abroad

    “I spent my semester abroad in Perth, which is on the southwest coast of Australia. I grew up in Los Angeles on the southwest coast of the United States and spent a lot of time as a child around water. Being in that environment was quite inspirational to me. I had vague ideas about wanting to create a piece revolving around bodies of water and their parallels to the human body, but my concrete ideas formed and came to life during my time in Perth. I directed a video that serves as the first of three parts that make up my senior thesis in collaboration with composers and videographers who also attended the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts. We visited several national parks around Western Australia to film the video, so that was a great way to explore areas outside of Perth. I grew more confident in myself as an artist when creating this piece. It embodies a part of who I’ve always been, and a part of myself that I grew into throughout this experience.” -- Symone Sanz, senior in dance

  • Australia: Studying Abroad Oceans Away

    Studying abroad with people you are familiar with can make experiencing another country less intimidating. But Tom Hartney, a senior majoring in English and minoring in Business, felt that studying abroad in a country that had no familiar faces would be more beneficial to his experience.

  • Q&A with Violetta MontaƱez

    From storied.illinois.edu

    Violetta found her passion on a study abroad trip to Australia. Now she plans to take that inspiration back to her beloved Chicago neighborhood of Pilsen, connecting residents with the healthcare services they need.

  • Study Abroad Programs A to Z

    The University of Illinois offers literally hundreds of study abroad programs suited for every student interested in studying abroad. Having all of these options can be exciting, but it can be overwhelming to decide on a program.

  • Internships Abroad: Emma in New Zealand

    One of the best ways to learn is through hands on experiences. Learn about Emma Woods’ study abroad experience in New Zealand and how she got the chance to learn through exploration and hands on professional experience.