1. Important Information
It won't be long now before your studies for the semester will be finished. Most of you will be heading home, or moving on elsewhere to complete internships.

Below are a couple of things that you should do before you leave:

PERSONAL AMENDMENT FORMS
It is extremely important that you submit a "Personal Amendment Form" to Student Services stating an address where you would like your future VU correspondence sent.

Download a Personal Amendment Form

INTERNATIONAL COURSE GUIDES
Our International Course Guides are now available. Some of the photos taken from the recent photo shoot have been used in these publications. You may like to collect a copy of each publication, ELI (English Language Institute), Undergraduate, and Postgraduate and take them home as souvenirs. The Study Abroad Guide is also now available. These publications are available from the International Office at Footscray Park, Building M, and Victoria University International, Level 3, Flinders Lane.

View the International Course Guides

VISA INFORMATION
This is very important information for students who may be planning to leave Australia to visit a nearby country and then return to Australia to catch a flight home. Before you leave Australia make sure that you have changed your visa from a student visa to a tourist visa. If you don't do this you may find that you will not be allowed to re-enter Australia.

For more information on Australian Visas

2. Pre-Departure Information Night
We are holding a pre-departure session for all outgoing exchange VU students next Wednesday 26 October, 2005. This session will be held at the Flinders Lane Campus, 301 Flinders Lane, Room B05 (basement lecture theatre) at 6.00pm.

This is a very important session for all outgoing semester 1, 2006 VU students. We expect you to attend! Please contact sharon.boyd@vu.edu.au regarding your attendance.

You are also all invited to attend the "Farewell Function" for our current exchange and Study Abroad students who will be going home at the end of the semester. This is a great opportunity to meet students from all over the world and help you prepare for you international experience (see information below).

3. Farewell Karaoke Function

Last semester our "Karaoke Night" was a huge success. Everyone had a fantastic night, and nearly everyone who attended sang a song! (for more info on this night last semester view Newsletter #12). Because everyone had such great fun at the last farewell event we have planned to hold this semester's function in the same venue and with the same theme "karaoke" (ask Alessandro how much fun it was!!)

We realise that many of you will be attending the ISA Farewell Function and that should be a fun night also. This night is our opportunity to say goodbye to you .There's no excuse for you not to attend as there is some time between both events!

Our outgoing students will also attend this evening so it is a great chance to catch up with a VU student or students who will be attending your home university during semester 1, 2006.

Students will buy their own drinks, however food will be provided. This will be served at 8.00pm sharp!


Food sample from last semester's function

RSVP to : sharon.boyd@vu.edu.au

4. Testimonial Day
On Wednesday 26 October (same day as the Farewell Function) we would like students to call into the International Office at Footscray Park and provide testimonials. We will take a photo of you, and ask you to provide us with information about your time at Victoria University and in Melbourne.

We are also asking VU exchange students who went out to one of our partner universities during semester 1, 2005 to take part in this promotional activity. One of the Victoria Abroad team members will be at the International Office, Building M, Footscray Park from 9.00am to 2.00pm. Please help us promote VU and overseas exchange destinations by taking 5 or 10 minutes out of your day to be a part of this.

An example of what we will be asking for:

"Melbourne is an astonishing city. There are many activities to choose from including sporting and social events. There are also many other things to do in the city including shopping (the best in Australia!) and high quality dining out. Victoria University is a very multicultural university. The University has great facilities that focus on students' needs. Melbournians are very friendly. The staff at VU are great and with their support I found it very easy to settle into Melbourne.... much easier than I thought it would be. Now, after almost one year of living in Melbourne and studying at VU, I feel like I've been completely adopted by Melbourne and Victoria University. This experience was totally worth it, fulfilling and exceeding all my expectations."

Alessandro Bruno Bossio
(University of Udine, Italy - Exchange student semester 1 & 2, 2005)

5. Recent Exchange Promotions
This week the Victoria Abroad team has undertaken an intensive promotional campaign for VU's exchange programs. Sharon visited Melton, Weribbee, and Sunbury campus, while Wendy and Margaret visited Footscray Park and St Albans. Collectively, we were invited to talk to students in more than 30 various lectures.

It was great to see many of you in your lecture environment, and we appreciate the assistance you provide us in promoting VU Exchange.

We would also like to thank VU academic staff, as well as the general VU community, for the wonderful support provided to us during these recent promotions.

You may see the following flyer posted at various VU campuses to promote exchange. We would like to thank David Ellison, returned VU exchange student from SUNY - Cortland USA, for allowing us to use him as "our poster boy".

6. What's Happening in Melbourne?
It's Spring time in Melbourne, and we are famous for our Spring Racing Carnival (this includes the internationally renowned Melbourne Cup). It's time to dress up, and grab a bottle of champagne and head off to the races.

Below is a list of events happening in Melbourne for the Spring Racing Carnival:

Melbourne Cup Carnival Live Site at Federation Square
24/10/2005 - 05/11/2005
Free events at Federation Square for two weeks during the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Activities include live concerts from Jon Stevens and ‘Wild', 'Breakfast With the Stars' (free breakfast provided), races on the big screen, free screening of the Phar Lap movie, autograph sessions with the stars of the turf, 'hat swap' sessions, spray tan booth, panels of racing experts, fashion parades, TAB outlet, pedicurist and beautician, interactive and kids activities, florist stalls, roving entertainers, free BBQs, prizes and giveaways.

Emirates Melbourne Cup Parade & Press Conference
31/10/2005 Swanston Street, Bourke Street to Federation Square
Features jockeys and trainers taking part in the Emirates Melbourne Cup, past champion racehorses, MYER Fashions on the Field at Flemington Float, entertainers, band, TV personalities and, later, an autograph session and fun games for all. After the Emirates Melbourne Cup Parade, key race jockeys and trainers will be interviewed by the media on stage at Federation Square. This is where you will get all the latest information on the Cup.

Melbourne Cup Day
01/11/2005
Believe it or not!!!......Melbourne has a public holiday to celebrate the running of a horse race "The Melbourne Cup" .On the first Tuesday in November each year, Australia's most famous horse race, the Emirates Melbourne Cup literally stops the nation. This spectacular event is the centrepiece of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. The 10-race program begins at 10.30am and the race which brings everything and everyone together at the track (and in every corner of the nation) to a stop begins at 3.10pm. Nearly everyone in Australia has a "flutter" (Aussie slang - bets) on this race. The race is held at the Flemington Race Course which is behind the Footscray Park campus. You will notice that the marquees are already erected for the big day!

Oaks Day
03/11/2005
Popularly known as "Ladies Day", Crown Oaks Day is an extraordinary phenomenon. Flemington Race Course becomes a virtual catwalk, as the women of Melbourne and beyond grab their hats, shoes, dresses and handbags for their moment in the sun. The growth of the Crown Oaks Day attendance is staggering – from an average 50,000 ten years ago to more than 100,000 in recent years and that despite it being a work day. The 2004 attendance was a record 110,677.

Stakes Day
05/11/2005
The Melbourne Cup Carnival concludes with Emirates Stakes Day The race meeting has a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, and is recognised as the Carnival's true "Family Day."

Dress up and join in the fun!!

9.The Newsletter Competition
Congratulations to Silke (German Sport University) and Alex (VU exchange student currently at University of Nebraska) who were the first to submit a correct answer to the last newsletter competition. Silke your prize will be a free drink at the Farewell Function, and Alex come and see us when you return from Nebraska and we will give you something special.

The question was: What will you find in the centre of Paris, which can't be found in London or Milan? The answer: The letter 'r'

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THINKING TIME !
If you are the first person to reply to this question (with the correct answer) you will win a special prize. The winners name will be published in the next newsletter.

Question: Who played for both England and France on the same afternoon at Wembley Stadium?

Email your answer to sharon.boyd@vu.edu.au