Macquarie University

Favourite night spots were areas around the city, mostly Kings Cross and Oxford Street. Sydney is a backpackers hotspot so it is really easy to meet people from around the world. Best cafe has to be Campos in Newtown - best coffee ever! Gloria Jean's Coffees franchise is also good. Do not miss classics like Mardi Gras or New Year's Eve, and try to make it to the Open Air Cinema in January/February.

The university housing was everything I expected about it: it was spacious, clean and with every facility one could reasonably need. It was located on campus, but also next to a shopping centre and to public transport. I shared it with two American boys and a Japanese girl, and the neighbours were from all around the world, making it a trully international environment.

My level of English before going to Australia was fairly good, over the general Spanish level in any case. I did experience some difficulty at the very beginning, mostly because most my encounter with the English language had been purely academic or in short touristy trips at most. But I coped pretty well, I think, and after a couple of months living in English (and Australian English at that) I did improve a lot, mostly because, aside from the classes, I took a job at a cafe which really helped me a lot in overcoming my shyness and finding a way to make myself understood. Even now, two years after coming back from Australia, I have a very good command of English and do miss the language everyday.

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If you do decide to go, which I would highly encourage anyone to do, bear in mind that you might not want to leave when the year ends.