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Stephen Demedis - Study Abroad Experience

I had been planning on studying abroad ever since I was a senior in high school.  Early in my sophomore year, I realized that as great as Columbia is, I had to get away from the comfort of USC and the repetition of university life.  I had to get out on my own and experience something unique while I had the chance.  That is why I chose Australia and why I chose to go alone. 
 
The entire trip was pretty exciting. But within a four-day span, I went SCUBA diving on the Great Barrier Reef and skiing in the Southern Alps on the South Island of New Zealand.  Both experiences were unbelievable.  After diving the reef, I never thought that I would ever see anything as remarkable, but upon my arrival to New Zealand, that assumption changed completely.
 
As for school... I was not enrolled in any media classes and I think that the academic system in Australia is inferior to its American counterpart.  I took classes taught by Australians, some for the Australian college student and some for the exchange student.  Much of what I learned came from outside of the classroom, but the most challenging obstacle I faced academically, was adjusting to the Australian writing style.  I think that having to make this adjustment will serve me well as a journalist, as some writing styles are better suited for different occasions.
 
The newspaper writing in Australia was different from American style.  I read a lot of the sport pages, mostly rugby and AFL game recaps.  The style was very informal.  Where most American articles give you a lead packed with just the facts, Australian writers adopted more of a narrative style.  Furthermore, I thought that the presentation of international news was very biased and this had a profound impact on the opinions of the populace.

I can confidently say that the whole experience defined me.  From the moment I stepped off the plane until two weeks after I returned home, I learned an incredible amount about myself and my ability to adjust, adapt, and accept change.  I think that I returned from Australia a much more complete and experienced individual.