1. VU Transcripts Update
Exchange and Study Abroad students who are heading home will have their VU transcript posted to their home university. Students who are staying with us for another semester can collect their transcript from 18/7/05. Please remember you only have a month to collect your free transcript!!

Please make sure that you forward a Personal Amendment Form to a Student Enrolment Office stating your overseas address.

2. Pre-Departure Sessions
The pre-departure session for VU students going to partner institutes on exchange during semester 2, 2005 was held prior to our Karaoke Function.

Professor the Hon. Stephen Martin Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) commenced the pre-departure session by congratulating all students on undertaking such a great adventure and opportunity. He wished them all the best in regards to their overseas experience and their intended studies.

The Education Abroad Unit is pleases to announce that a record number of students are participating in exchange at our partner intuitions this coming semester. We are extremely proud of all the Victoria University students participating in our exchange program. They will be attending a wide variety of exchange partner universities and some of them could be coming your way! We're sure they are going to be great ambassadors for Victoria University, Melbourne and Australia.

3. Other News
Did anyone go and see Australia vs Italy at Telstradome on Saturday 25 June?
Margaret and Sharon did from the Education Abroad Unit!!

The atmosphere was great! There was a sea of green and gold (unfortunately we didn't see many Italian supporters at the game). It was a clear victory (in other words the they were thrashed) for the Wallabies.

If any of you are around this Saturday and are looking for something to do. We have a couple of spare tickets for the AFL game at the Telstradome this Saturday night 2 July - Essendon (Bombers) vs North Melbourne (Kangaroos). The ticket will cost you $39.30 (they are great seats! - tickets are hard to get for this game as it is a special Family Night round). You will be going along with the Education Abroad team and students from the USA who are currently studying with us on a short Australian Cultural Studies Program.

Also... if you would like to explore Sovereign Hill and pan for gold...a day has been planned to do just that (and more!!) on 22/7/05 (week before orientation).

For more information on the "Football Night" or "Sovereign HIll" please email: sharon.boyd@vu.edu.au or call: 9919 1319.

4. Farewell and Good luck!
The Education Abroad Unit at Victoria University would like to thank all our semester 1, 2005 students who are heading home for their wonderful contribution to Victoria University. We have thoroughly enjoyed your time with us and we are sure that you feel the same! We appreciate the wonderful feedback and your fantastic participation in our special events: the Welcome Reception, the VU Exchange Fair, and our Farewell function. We are sure that you are going to take away with you many wonderful memories of Victoria University, Melbourne and Australia, that will last you a lifetime. We know that when you get back home to your own university that you will be wonderful advocates for VU and Melbourne. Please consider expressing your feelings about VU and Melbourne in a couple of paragraphs and forwarding this on to us. We wish you all the very best in the future! Good luck and farewell!

5. VU Outgoing Exchange Students Semester 2, 2005
We have a great group of VU students going on exchange to our partner institutes for semester 2, 2005. We are sure that you all will have many wonderful adventures during your time abroad. We have enjoyed helping you on your way....and we look forward to you sharing your photos and experiences upon your return.
Have fun, represent VU, Melbourne and Australia well, and most of all take care!

6. Welcome to Incoming Semester 2, 2005 Students
We are looking forwards to meeting all our new exchange and Study Abroad students in semester 2, 2005. Your Education Abroad Orientation Session and Welcome Reception will be held on 28/7/05. We look forward to meeting you on an individual basis when you arrive in Melbourne. Please ensure that you call into our office at the City Flinders Lane Campus, Level 3, shortly after you arrive so that we obtain necessary paperwork (make sure you bring your passport with you), and answer any questions you may have.

We look forward to meeting you in person very soon!

7. Karaoke Night - Report
What a great night! Those of you who couldn't make the Farewell Function (Karaoke Night) missed out on a fabulous evening. Below is a full report of the evening:

The students started arriving and seated themselves at tables or lounged on comfy sofas. The scrumptious food on offer was plentiful and very much appreciated. A few strangers entered the venue, probably excited to see the Greenroom opened on a Tuesday night, however they were asked to leave.....this night was just for exchange and Study Abroad students, and staff of Education Abroad.

The atmosphere was relaxed and everyone was catching up, talking about what they have been doing, and meeting people they didn't know before this evening.

Before long it was time......time to start the Karaoke machine....but who would begin, who would be the first to stand up in front of this friendly crowd and display their hidden talents? The room was full of anticipation and expection...the man of the moment was Carlos!

Once the ice was broken there was never a shortage of willing participants. The music kept playing all night! The DJ was great and very interactive with the group (his jokes were a little bit sick!, however he did have his audience involved). The stand out performances of the night were: Wendy (our Wendy from the Education Abroad Unit) with a fantastic rendition of "Amazing Grace", Professor Geoffrey George from the Faculty of Business and Law with a very smooth rendition of "Volare", Maggie from East Carolina, USA (alias Rock Chick) sang a wild Janis Joplin song, Christian from the German Sports University and Alessandro from the University of Udine in Italy, and their performance with dance steps and funky moves (been watching too many boy band videos), Chris (who is going to the University of South Pacific) and my rendition of Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer" (Wendy and Maggie had sore necks the next day from head banging during this song), Shannon and Adrian (who are going to the University of Windsor, Canada) for their energetic duets, Isabelle and Jana (from Giessen Friedberg University, Germany), Brenda (University of Guadalajara, Mexico), and Sergio (UDLA - Puebla, Mexico) for their great combined group event - their voices blended beautifully, and last but not least...... again Alessandro for his original ode dedicated to the Education Abroad Unit (Thanks Alessandro - we think!!). We've only touched on some of the performances......Everyone was really great.......thanks for your participation!!

Carlos and Alessandro were the winners of the Karaoke contest. Carlos received a CD by the Aussie band "Midnight Oil" (the group is no longer together, and can you believe it...... Peter Garrett the lead singer is now a politician with the Labor Party!). Alessandro received a CD on an Aussie talkback radio show (we'll be highly surprised if Alessandro doesn't go home to Italy at the end of his year with us with an Aussie accent!).

It was great to see the Education Abroad Unit involved with the students and to show them that we are not only talented in preparing applications, answering enquires, and solving problems....that our talents run deep! Wendy and Sharon's singing ability and Margaret's great dance moves!

A special thanks to Chris (the other Chris going to the University of the South Pacific) for his help in organising this event. We're only sorry that you couldn't be more involved in the evening.....however we're not taking away the fantastic job you did behind the bar (you'd have to be one of the best bartenders I've come across!!!) - thanks again!

Thanks to the Greenroom and their staff who helped make the evening a success, our DJ for the evening (10 out of 10), and Wiremu the chef who prepared and served fantastic nibbles and finger food (everybody raved about the food!).

Till next time.......RELAX! (A little in joke (heh, heh) for the benefit of those who were there on the evening!!).

......Isabelle, Jana & Sergio with a huge plate of scrumptious food! .........................Justine and Carols (cute couple!!)

.................................Sorry about the quality of the photos (but I think you'll see what a fun night it was!!)