45 replies to this topic

[Eeyore]

I know everyone is saying Sydney is amazing but from what I've heard about it from my friends that live in Austrailia, they really don't like it too much, apparently it's full of rats and it's serrrriously touristy (made apparent by the fact that everyone here is recommending Sydney ), which would be fine on holiday, but maybe not so much for a year . However the idea of Austrailia sounds brilliant, though I will be very bias toward that idea because that's where I wanted to go if I did a year abroad , but I'd probably personally opt for Brisbane.

Also, DON'T go to America, absolutely everyone I know who has gone to America and come back has mooaned sooo much about the weight they've put on, this isn't just saying all Americans are fat, but just with the quantities of food you get for the amount of money you pay over there...well you can imagine, also, could you cope with not being legally allowed to drink for a year there? . Figured I'd ring the no-USA bell considering probably 70% of the site are going to tell you to go to their own country .

Other then that I don't know, I might actually just throw both Austrailian ones down but the ones Mumei suggested seemed lovely as well .

[sonic]

My honest opinion is Biased. See I was born in the US, and I have lived with a 21 year old drinking age. (thousands of way to get around) so when I spent 2 weeks in Germany it was great. The people were awesome, the clubs were awesome, but from what I hear besides the food, it is similar to alot of parts of europe.

If you have never been to the states then I would jump at a chance to go. I mean its America! Home of the Free and Land of the brave.

Millions of Europeans that have flocked here can't all be wrong?!
HAHA

But Rochester is awesome.
Boston sucks. Tons of irish peeps. plus that Faggot Tom Brady lives there.

New York is great. Its the symbol of America. Cept the Yankees. I hate the Yankees(baseball team)
The best thing about New York is the amount of culture. There is so many different types of people.

[Sida]

I know everyone is saying Sydney is amazing but from what I've heard about it from my friends that live in Austrailia, they really don't like it too much, apparently it's full of rats and it's serrrriously touristy (made apparent by the fact that everyone here is recommending Sydney ), which would be fine on holiday, but maybe not so much for a year . However the idea of Austrailia sounds brilliant, though I will be very bias toward that idea because that's where I wanted to go if I did a year abroad , but I'd probably personally opt for Brisbane.

You should atleast put one aussie one down. They're probably saying they don't like it too much for the same reason I say "why would anyone come to this shit hole" when I see tourists in England Bring me an Austrailian girl back?

[Lemonblood]

Sorry if you're a regular in the Life of Ali due to being one of the privileged few I chatter to on MSN, you've probably already heard this.

I'm about to start my 2nd year of university and filling in rather a lot of paperwork so that I can apply to spend my 3rd year abroad because I'm sick of England and have realised I have very little keeping me here. And it's either I do this or I run away and live on the streets of Canananada. I've been trying to sort it out for a couple of weeks now and am getting nowhere fast so you kidz are going to help make the decision for me.

Basically we have links with various other conservatoires and I need to pick 3 of them to put on my application form for reasons that I don't understand. I've got as far as choosing my 1st choice and after that I'm rather stuck.

So here's the list of places I can go to:

• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Berlin, Germany
• Brussels, Belgium
• Cologne, Germany
• The Hague, Netherlands
• Karlsruhe, Germany
• Malmö, Sweden
• Oslo, Norway
• Paris, France
• Prague, Czech Republic
• Salzburg, Austria
• Stuttgart, Germany
• Utrecht, Netherlands
• Vienna, Austria
• Boston, USA
• New York, USA
• Rochester, USA
• Brisbane, Australia
• Sydney, Australia

So accepting that I'd probably quite happily kill somebody to be allowed to go to Paris Conservatoire, somebody make a case for 2 other options? (And before you say it, bear in mind that I'm not going to Amsterdam for the drugs or Sweden for the girls. ) I've looked at the website of the actual universities about 20 times each and have no apparent preference after Paris. I'm vaguely against the idea of Australia but it's just the journey there affecting that.

Oh, if I go to Europe I only go for 3 months, if I go to the USA or Australia it's a whole year.

Somebody make the choice. Or if you don't want to make my life decisions for me discuss: languages, living abroad or how much university paperwork sucks.

My personal suggestions are Paris, Prague and Sydney. I live here in Sydney and its a great place to live. Trust me. Don't go to Brisbane if you are coming to Australia. I'd give you a detailed list of reasons but I suppose you should just trust me. (And no it has not changed since my last visit 6 months ago ). Vienna is a great place but really that 3rd spot is hard to choose. Amsterdam isn't all its cracked up to be in the way of drugs and such and there isn't alot in the way of sights and such. But definetly Paris. I want to go there and it is definitely one of the few cities I would call amazing. But first and foremost you must come to Sydney. The journey is not bad and its actually an amazing place (just don't stay west or south. I suggest the Northern Beaches (not too far, don't go near Avalon) or Mosman. Maybe even Manly. Anyway I go on..

Stick with Parii. Australia's too close to the equator. I'd be melting everyday.

You can find a guy with a moustache and talk about cheese all day.

Actually Sydney is around 4000 km fromt the equator. It is 12*c right now its been that way for a long time. It gets warmer but often never hotter then 25*c.

Fuck LA, been there enuf times, nothing special. Fuck CAN/USA in general.

Its about Ali. Not you.

I know everyone is saying Sydney is amazing but from what I've heard about it from my friends that live in Austrailia, they really don't like it too much, apparently it's full of rats and it's serrrriously touristy (made apparent by the fact that everyone here is recommending Sydney ), which would be fine on holiday, but maybe not so much for a year . However the idea of Austrailia sounds brilliant, though I will be very bias toward that idea because that's where I wanted to go if I did a year abroad , but I'd probably personally opt for Brisbane.

Also, DON'T go to America, absolutely everyone I know who has gone to America and come back has mooaned sooo much about the weight they've put on, this isn't just saying all Americans are fat, but just with the quantities of food you get for the amount of money you pay over there...well you can imagine, also, could you cope with not being legally allowed to drink for a year there? . Figured I'd ring the no-USA bell considering probably 70% of the site are going to tell you to go to their own country .

Other then that I don't know, I might actually just throw both Austrailian ones down but the ones Mumei suggested seemed lovely as well .

I live in Sydney and it is not full of rats, I have no idea where you heard that from . Sydney is not as touristy as many think. Allthough it is often a popular destination in the summer it is way less popular then circulated. My uncle is a lecturer or something on tourism and everytime he visits from Brisbane he tells me about misconceptions in the industry. Anyway. Contrary, I beleive it would be less fine on holiday and fine over a years stay. It is actually a great place to live but I cannot reccomend it over Paris.

On Prague I know a woman from Prague who has worked as a translator for some kind of movie business there and is in love with the city. I'm not sure shes visited the underground or anything like that but theres a reccomendation from her

Also Vienna is nice.

[Waser Lave]

I loved Prague when I was there a couple of years ago, I think Mumei pretty much described everything about it. But a year in Australia seems like a hell of an opportunity to pass up. I wouldn't choose America though, you need like £20k in the bank before they let you in or something (I don't remember the details ).

[sonic]

I loved Prague when I was there a couple of years ago, I think Mumei pretty much described everything about it. But a year in Australia seems like a hell of an opportunity to pass up. I wouldn't choose America though, you need like £20k in the bank before they let you in or something (I don't remember the details ).

Lol!

[Waser Lave]

Lol!

Seriously, when my friend spent a year in Illinois a couple of years ago they had to have a certain amount in the bank to get a visa.

Part of the eligibility says:

Be able to prove they have sufficient funds to pay for their tuition and maintenance for the duration of the program, although in certain the student may be granted permission to work if the employment meets certain criteria;

[Waser Lave]

That's me out then, at this moment in time I have exactly £35 to my name.

Only have to pay for my maintenance though, my tuition still goes to RCM and is paid by the SLC.

Apparently you can include parents money too if that helps.

(America smells anyway)

[redlion]

Seriously, consider DC. We're pretty chill, and we don't smell like those fucking Georgians and Baltimorians. Gross.

Other than DC (I would actually be against most other american cities) I would say Prague would be a nice choice. Alternatively, you could go Canadian.

[Mumei]

Oh well that gives me a grand total...oh..no...still £35. Excellent. But if I'm careful with money this year I can quite easily save up an awful lot.

I think I have to choose between:

• Prague - cheaper, gorgeous, can learn Czech but no real language barrier for teaching as can be taught in French.
• Vienna - cheaper than London, beaaaauuuutiful, incredibly safe city, most staff are members of Vienna Philarmonic, would need to improve my German though.
• Salzburg - ditto German aspect, Mozart's birthplace, brilliant beer gardens if I remember correctly, can pretend I'm in the Sound of Music without the nazi aspect.
• Sydney - Whole year, definite chance of a lifetime, no language barriers but does mean my language addiction suffers, come home with a tan
• Boston - Whole year but have some family in Massachusetts so not totally alone, ditto language aspect

what a choice, if you can only do 3 months at european ones, can do you 3 or 4 of them

Vienna sounds like the most challanging (maybe that's the best option), but if it was me, i would do Oz, and take a few months next summer holiday to visit all the european places.

[Frizzle]

Get a job, well that's what I do. I just feel like getting out of being a useless student, blah. But if I was you, try America for a year, see what it's like.

[Rolf Lolren]

Get a car and go to germany, autobahns ftw.

New york is a nice place to go, and so is australia, i would prefer to go somewhere where english is spoken, to live, and somewhere like paris on holiday. but thats only me,

[Waser Lave]

Then maybe they should have watched what the hell they ate?
not our fault they put on weight

She was talking about America, not Mexico.

[Sida]

well i happen to live in america?

Hiding behind a proxy won't fool us...

[Vegas]

You should just make a poll and whichever one wins no matter what you have to go. if your a free in the wind kinda girl.

[Lemonblood]

[*]Sydney - Whole year, definite chance of a lifetime, no language barriers but does mean my language addiction suffers, come home with a tan[/list]

You can learn bogan.

Seriously, Eeyore is right. Aus is a good place to visit, not to live. Once the sightseeing it out of the way you'll just find it a bit backwards (much like NZ, I'll be honest). I've heard people say Auz and NZ main cities are kinda like what London was 7-10 years ago

The beauty to the 3 months vs 1 year, is that if you stop having fun, you don't have long before going home.

NZ is pretty different to Sydney. Especially Wellington. (not sure if that whether you live there or not )

I don't understand how someone would find it backwards I have many friends who have moved here from Sydney and fit right in (with the help of sport though I suppose, but you have music.) I love living here

[Sida]

Seriously, Eeyore is right. Aus is a good place to visit, not to live. Once the sightseeing it out of the way you'll just find it a bit backwards (much like NZ, I'll be honest). I've heard people say Auz and NZ main cities are kinda like what London was 7-10 years ago

The beauty to the 3 months vs 1 year, is that if you stop having fun, you don't have long before going home.

But the downside is, if you are having fun, you can't stay