study abroad experience - Australia

After Arriving I spent my first week in the YHA hostel right next to the university and
the Gold Coast Airport. Unfortunately, the Campus itself doesn't provide dorms for
the student. But after short researches and a little luck, a week later I found a room in
a shared apartment right next to my uni and even closer to the beach. Prices for a
small room are $AU 200 – 250 weekly, thus they are somewhat more expensive than
my previous room in Zwickau.
How to study in Australia?
To study in Australia was one of the best decisions I have ever made. In the first
week, the o-week, there were various introductory events along the campus for all
students. In which people explained to us nearly every important fact. I have heard
the sentence "Ask questions if you have any!" quite a few times, in fact, I got help on
every stupid question.
"Don't fall behind." That's likewise the next sentence which manifests in my mind like
a prayer. And after a few weeks, I realized why. The study system in Australia is quite
different from the German one. The 14week courses take place mostly in online
lectures (depending on the module) and people only meet once a week for a kind of
tutorial to check if we did our readings for homework. So you need a high degree of
self-discipline to not be too distracted by the sunshine and beaches – so pretty much
the opposite of me.
Unfortunately, the teaching material is quite expensive in Australia. Necessarily
needed books are available from $AU 100-200. Throughout the semester there are 3