Student Profiles
Cody Whitesell, left, and his friends under a bridge in Sydney.
The people you meet and the friendships you form while overseas will be unlike any you have again.”
Cody Whitesell
Cody’s major: Economics, Sociology minor
Term abroad: Fall 2008
Reason you chose this program: I chose UOW because it offered one of the most diverse range of economic courses that I would not have been able to take at my home university. Its location was central for the places I wanted to travel.
Favorite classes: Dr. Chowdhury’s international trade and monetary policy
Describe the housing situation: Living at the Keiraview accommodation was beyond amazing. It is the smallest of the housing options offered through UOW, but gaining a sense of community and making friends was not an issue. Having a single room with a personal bathroom was a huge plus, but it became somewhat of a tradition to gather in our communal kitchen to cook dinner and eat together, watch neighbors, discuss our day at university, and plan our evening.
Complete this sentence: If I could do it over, I would... I would have traveled more and not been in a rush to get home.
Best memory: What stays with me most are the friends that I made.
Biggest surprise: My biggest surprise happened one day at the university. I was working on a presentation for one of my classes. I approached my professor’s office during his office hours, and he welcomed me in. There was another man sitting at his desk, and initially, he only introduced the man as his good friend. We went about reviewing my presentation, and after we had looked everything over, the man began asking me about the difference in curriculum between the universities in America and those in Australia. I answered, thinking he was another professor, but as I prepared to leave, the man shook my hand and introduced himself as the Australian Deputy Defense Minister!
Greatest challenge: I felt very privileged to get to have this experience and wanted to be able to share it with my family, but because I couldn’t, I felt guilty.
Advice to future study abroad participants: Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. The people you meet and the friendships you form while overseas will be unlike any you will have again.
