Tell CampusPerks.ca and Tourism Australia what you go Aussie for and you could win 1 of 3 VIP Aussie Adventures!

In this video, fourth-year Queen’s University commerce student Raylene Smith talks about her experience in Australia, how it has impacted her employability and why she thinks going to Austrailia on a Working Holiday Visa is a life-changing, career-building opportunity!

Q. Why did you choose to go to Australia?

A. I chose to go to Australia because it is an incredible country that I’d always wanted to explore. I viewed Australia as a place with adventure, excitement and plenty of beaches: perfect for a young student. I wanted to try surfing, go scuba-diving, road trip along the coast, and have a true hostel experience. I also knew that travelling in Australia would give me the chance to see incredible natural beauty: from the Great Barrier Reef to koala bears to the Australia outback!

Q. Where were you located in Australia, what did you do there, and how long did you stay?

A. I was located in Perth, Western Australia, for a student exchange. I attended the University of Western Australia for one semester of classes from February 2009 to June 2009.

During my stay in Australia, I also spent two weeks travelling the east coast with my family (Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, Adelaide, and Noosa Beach), and ten days road-tripping up the west coast of Australia (Exmouth). In addition, I also had the chance to spend the weekend in the beautiful wine-growing region of Margaret River (three hours south of Perth.)

Q. What did you want to get out of your experience in Australia?

A. While I was in Australia, I was hoping to experience many things, but mostly, I just wanted to have fun. In fact, I wanted to have the best time of my entire life! This might sound untrue, but it would be insincere for me to write anything else. My entire trip I was on the prowl for good-times and adventures. Luckily, in a place like Australia, there is plenty of fun to be had.

Aside from this basic goal, I wanted to meet amazing people, experience the Aussie lifestyle, visit famous landmarks, and see all the wildlife.

Q. How do you think this experience will contribute to your career in the future?

A. By travelling thousands of miles from home, I learned to be independent, self-confident and trusting of my instincts. My Australia trip also allowed me to view the world from outside the social networks of my youth. In turn, this gave me a clear perspective of the opportunities that lay beyond them. Because of this, I’ve been open to a lot more career paths, and I believe that a lot more career paths are now open to me. I believe that studying oversees communicates to employers that I am an independent, self-efficient and hard-working individual.

Tell CampusPerks.ca and Tourism Australia what you go Aussie for and you could win 1 of 3 VIP Aussie Adventures! All it takes to get started is a 60-second video!

Three lucky Canadian post-secondary students or recent grads will each win a three-week VIP Aussie Adventure with an all-access pass to the hottest sites and destinations Down Under.

Make sure you mention TalentEgg in your application—the first five TalentEggers who submit their video and qualify for the contest will win a $50 gift card from Chapters and get the support of the entire TalentEgg community throughout the contest!

Click here for more information about or to enter the VIP Aussie Adventure contest!