Exchange & Education Abroad Newsletter

Issue #5 -- 21 October, 2004

Content of Issue 1

  1. What's on in Melbourne
  2. Meet Your VU Education Abroad Team
  3. Margaret's Report on Overseas Visit
  4. Competition
  5. Cocktail Party

1. What's on in Melbourne
Octoberfest is being celebrated this weekend 23 & 24 October at Federation Square. Expect live music and lots of German beer. Prost!

Federation square will come alive with Melbourne's biggest Cup Eve Party on Monday 1st November. The entertainment is free, and begins from 6.00pm.

Experience the excitement of the Melbourne Cup - Australia's greatest horse race, the fashions, the champagne breakfasts. The Cup is always held on the first Tuesday in November at Flemington Racecourse (You can see Flemington Racecourse from the balcony Building M - Footscray Park Campus). The Melbourne Cup is one of the biggest days in many people's social calendar - so why not go and see what it's all about!!

For those of you who are still going to be in Melbourne around Christmas time, you may like to go and visit "Santa's Kingdom". When you visit you will:

* see elves making Christmas toys
* meet Mrs Claus
* watch an ice skating show and
* ride down a giant snow slide with real snow.

Santa's Kingdom opens on the 25 December at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre.

2. Meet Your VU Education Abroad Team
NAME: Margaret Jackson
TITLE: Senior International Officer - Education Abroad

What do you enjoy most about your job?
I guess it's the variety, the fact that no two days are the same. I meet students and colleagues from around the world here in Melbourne, but I also travel to visit our partners in many different parts of the world.

Why do you like living in Melbourne?
I love living in Melbourne, although that wasn't always the case. Melbourne has changed enormously over the last 10 years or so, and has become far more cosmopolitan. I love the cafes in the lanes, little specialty shops, and the restaurants. To me it is the most European capital city in Australia. I'm also a bit of an architectural nut, and love discovering old buildings in amongst the skyscrapers. Check out the Majorca Building in Flinders Lane just near Degraves Street.

What's your most favourite thing to do in Melbourne?
I like relaxing with friends over a cup of cofee or a glass of wine in one of Melbourne's many cafes. If I want to spend time outside Melbourne I head to the Yarra Valley (there's some wonderful wineries there) or along the coast. My favourite destination is Wilson's Promentory. The scenery is specacular and there's an infinite variety of walks you can do from a few hours to a few days.

What's your favourite food?
That's a hard one to answer. There's so much to choose from. Melbourne is considered the food capital of Australia. My sentimental favourite is Italian, because I lived in Italy for six years, but Thai comes in a close second.

What's your favourite movie?
My all time favourite is Cinema Paradiso. It just has a beautiful storyline.

Margaret and Melbourne!
3. Margaret's Report on Overseas Visit
 Margaret recently visited Sweden and Germany in September. She was able to visit three of Victoria University's exchange partners---Jonkoping in Sweden, Bremen University of Applied Sciences (Bremen), and the German Sport University in Cologne. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet staff from the International Offices, academic staff, students, and to view facilities and student accommodation. Being there and experiencing the unique nature of each of these universities makes the task of the Victoria University's Education Abroad unit that much easier, in counselling students considering going on exchange overseas.

4. Competition
The answer to the last competition was "Optometrist " . The first student to provide the correct answer was Kyle Smith. Congratulations - your prize is waiting for you to collect from the International Office at Footscray Park campus.

This Fortnight's Competition
Be the first person to email me with the correct answer and you will win a special prize:

QUESTION: Forward I am heavy, backwards I am not. What am I?
ANSWER: email to sharon.boyd@vu.edu.au

5. Cocktail Party
KEEP THIS DATE FREE!! November 11, 2005 from 7.30 onwards.

You are all invited to come to catch up with fellow exchange and study abroad students and say farewell to Victoria University. We'd also like to invite Victoria University students who will be going on exchange overseas in semester 1, 2005---hopefully you can make contact with students from your overseas host university. The invitation is also extended to Victoria University staff who are invloved in the Study Abroad and Student Exchange programs---hope you can make it!

The Education Abroad team look forward to having the chance to catch up with you all once again, and to wish you all the best for your future endeavours.

Venue: Hidden Bar (313A Flinders Lane - Next to VU Flinders Lane campus)
Music: 5 DJs playing Soul, Funk, zdub, hip hop until late.

On arrival your first cocktail (the "VU Ripper") will be compliments of the Education Abroad Unit - Please reply to Sharon by phone 9919 1319 or email sharon.boyd@vu.edu.au no later than Friday 5 November (Note: this event is by invitation only). Sharon will make arrangements for you to get your free drink voucher.

Girls - It's time to put on the party gear! Guys - Practice your dance moves!

Copyright 2004 E&SB Newsletter
Sharon Boyd - Advisor Education Abroad
Tel: 9919 1319