Peter Busch, Global Business Institute: Sydney Spring 2024
My daily life in Australia is best described as a combination of my lifestyle at Pitt and a lifestyle of adventure. My typical day consists of 3 to 4 hours of class followed by a self-excursion to a place I’ve never been to in Sydney. My goal while abroad is to leave with no regrets. I want to see and experience everything I possibly can while in Australia.
Shopping while abroad hasn’t been very different to what I do back home. Other students have found enjoyment in buying clothes and souvenirs, but after picking up 2 or 3 things I haven’t really found the need to buy more material goods. Most of my spending comes from food and beverage purchases. One thing I wish I had done earlier in the program was set spending limits for each week while abroad. It’s very easy to get off the plane in a new country and burn through money quickly in the first few weeks. While it may initially feel like a vacation, a semester abroad is a long time to budget for, and without any additional income or small jobs to work it can be difficult to stretch the money you have. After about 3 weeks on the program, I created an Excel sheet to track my weekly spending and keep in line with a budget. Ultimately, the Excel sheet kept my spending disciplined and helped me to survive the semester without going broke.
There are plenty of opportunities to save money while abroad as well. It’s important to be thrifty and resourceful to make the most of your time (and money) during your program. I found that buying groceries and eating in was the biggest money-saver for me. Early in the program I would eat out for almost every meal and while dining is quite affordable in Sydney, the costs do add up over time. Cooking with my roommates ended up being fun, however, and it most importantly helped me maintain my budget. Another simple way to save money is to utilize public transportation. Pitt’s Sydney programs include free access to public transportation which saves you hundreds of dollars in costs. Sydney’s public transportation is some of the best in the world, as it includes access to transportation anywhere in the state of New South Whales. The trains are quick and reliable as well, so they work well if you need to commute to an internship or to class. Finally, I found that scheduling travel well in advance worked well for saving on costs. I booked my airfare for Spring Break and Easter at the beginning of the program, saving me a few hundred dollars in costs down the line. If you plan to travel while abroad, my advice is to book early!
[Pictured above is “Pitt St” from Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall]
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