<p>I am going to study abroad and these are the countries i am considering.
Please let me know what you think?</p>
<p>Pros and cons please if you can
SPAIN
SINGAPORE
AUSTRALIA</p>
<p>Which cities in Spain and Australia?</p>
<p>Singapore and Australia is a good choice.</p>
<p>AUSTRALIA!!</p>
<p>Similar language plus kangaroos plus awesomeness plus IT’S FREAKING AUSTRALIA equals UTTERLY AMAZING!!</p>
<p>And then Singapore. Singapore is super cultural and everything. But the language thing might be a problem.</p>
<p>Why would there be a language problem in Singapore but not Australia?</p>
<p>I’m pretty certain Singapore and Australia have the same main language?</p>
<p>Of course the OP hasn’t really given us much info about himself or him plans…</p>
<p>I have studied abroad in Sydney Australia and loved it. I have backpacked through Singapore it was cool but then again I did not study abroad in Singapore. Both countries speak english even though Singapore does speak a dialect of Singlish it is somewhat hard to understand but still english. </p>
<p>I have never been to Spain but I hear it is great.</p>
<p>Hello!</p>
<p>I’m Singaporean and will be very happy to share my thoughts about my home with you!</p>
<p>Since I don’t know what you’re looking for in a study abroad programme, allow me to indulge.</p>
<p>I think what’s so great about Singapore is all that culture jam packed into a small, fast-paced, rapidly developing island. Seriously! And if you’re into food, you’d find authentic Indian, Malay, Chinese, Peranakan etc and even European and Western cuisine everywhere! I assume you would be spending a semester abroad at least? You are bound to experience a ethnic festival sometime… We just had Deepavali this week, the Indian Festival of Lights and the Chinese Lantern festival last month!</p>
<p>Plus, Singapore has an amazing city skyline. But if you’re into more scenic, natural views then Singapore might not offer much - in my opinion - although we are known to be very green. And clean. I mean there are areas and reserves that offer quite a few good views but they’re mostly of reservoirs and rain forests.</p>
<p>As with most Asian societies, Singapore tends to be a little reclusive and shy. But there definitely are people who are quick and more than happy to meet welcome visitors! You MIGHT need to put in a little more effort to meet and befriend people, but I think it shouldn’t be a huge issue since you’d be in a university anyway. I don’t think language will be a big problem really as most of us are able to speak proper english, but you’d definitely come across immigrants and people with a weaker command of English. I expect Singlish will be hard to understand to the ears of a foreigner, it’s pretty much like an Singaporean accent, some stronger than others…</p>
<p>I don’t know how much exploring the area would mean to you but in Singapore it’s pretty much it. Like it isn’t like Spain where you can explore Europe easily, or Australia where you can travel around the continent. There are a few islands, the more exciting ones being Sentosa and Pulau Ubin, but to get around the neighboring cities you’d definitely need your passport. Nevertheless, I think the city has quite a lot to offer.</p>
<p>As far as the studying bit goes, it can get quite competitive. I don’t really know how it’s like in the university, I’m just saying in general. I expect that the classes should be of standard.</p>
<p>Oh and um, the cost of living might be quite high. Especially if you plan to party and drink. Even visiting museums and attractions can be costly.</p>
<p>I can’t say much about the other two countries but I think Australia is pretty cool. I was vacationing in Gold Coast and Brisbane last year and absolutely enjoyed it!</p>
<p>Hi, I think that you can’t go wrong with study abroad. I am an American in Australia, and it’s great here. I’m in Brisbane, which has Griffith University and the University of Queensland. The people are friendly, the weather is good, the beaches are amazing. It is enough like America to be comfortable, and different enough to be interesting. If you want to study in Australia and would like some help you can email me at <a href=“mailto:leonwhyte@studylane.com.au”>leonwhyte@studylane.com.au</a> and I’d be happy to tell you more about Australian schools, how to get your student visa, and what it’s like to live here. Good luck.</p>
<p>After some thought about asia or africa, most people always study abroad in australia or western europe, so why break with tradition?</p>
<p>I stayed with a family for two weeks in Spain last summer. I only stayed in Madrid and the trip wasn’t incredibly lengthy, but my experience was great! Just to offer you some of my experiences, the family and everyone that I encountered was very friendly. People tell you stories about safety/pick-pocketing etc., but I found that this wasn’t anything to worry about. I was never afraid taking the subway, walking around at night, or anything like that. The culture was a bit of a shock because of how different their day-to-day schedule is from American life, but the food, attractions, people, and everything was excellent! It seemed very laid-back to me, it was a change from American culture for sure. Most of the attractions are centered around Spanish history, art, and the like. If you aren’t into that sort of thing, then I’m not sure that you would really enjoy the trip. There are also beautiful mountains around Madrid and it’s VERY hot there, so there are some nature sights to be seen just a short drive out of the city.</p>
<p>I must warn you, however, that if you don’t have a command of Spanish then that will definitely put a damper on your stay there. The majority of people are very accepting, but there are a few people that get frustrated with tourists and that will make some rude remarks or look at you funny. </p>
<p>Make of this what you will, but personally I loved Madrid! 
I can’t really comment on Singapore/Australia though.</p>
<p>Sounds like a nice vacation.</p>
<p>Amused that this thread just got bumped - I’m a Singaporean spending a semester in Spain.</p>
<p>If anyone is still looking for opinions - you won’t have problems linguistically in Singapore, although the local brand of English can be hard to follow. Mandarin helps a little but is not necessary. </p>
<p>I’ve friends who don’t have a good command of Spanish who do well here in Madrid, but personally I can’t imagine getting by without good Spanish here (especially if you’re going to be at a Spanish university as opposed to an American program in Spain - navigating the bureaucracy alone will put you off).</p>
<p>Cminor brought up a good point about studying - if you’re going to be studying at one of the big three/four local universities (NUS, NTU, SMU, UniSIM), be prepared to work very, very, hard, much more than you’ll be used to in the US. I can’t comment on studying at a Spanish university, but the academics where I am right now are only as challenging as you want them to be.</p>
<p>I’ve been privileged when it comes to food - Madrid is gastronomically the worst city I’ve lived in, which really tells you about the quality of the food in Singapore (and NYC, but that’s another thing altogether). </p>
<p>In terms of safety, I can’t think of another city Singapore’s size that is equally safe. Nothing’s happened to me in Madrid so far, but I definitely stay on my guard much more than I would in Singapore. Last weekend someone tried to pickpocket my friend under my nose and I didn’t notice - these pickpockets are good.</p>
<p>Also, your study abroad experience in Spain will differ greatly depending on the city. All of the Spanish cities are really different.</p>
<p>Singapore is a good base to explore Southeast Asia from, but I could foresee visas being a nightmare - whereas if you get a Spanish visa, that lets you explore the entire Schengen area.</p>
<p>Even with the rising cost of living in Singapore, Madrid is still more expensive.</p>
<p>What are you looking for? If you’re looking for an incredible immersion experience, go to Spain. You’ll be in a whole new language. People in Singapore go to malls because it’s so hot to stay outside. Australia is going to feel most like America out of all of them.</p>
<p>There’s definitely much more to do in Singapore besides going to malls.</p>
<p>I studied abroad in Australia this past summer, and it was the best experience of my college career so far. You are on the other side of the world (literally), but at the same time everyone speaks English so it isn’t too much of a culture shock. Australia is still very different from the U.S., but you don’t need to be fluent in a foreign language to go there (although sometimes, with the accents and slang words, it feels like people are speaking a foreign language). If you do go to Australia, I highly recommend spending time in Northern Queensland. It is absolutely gorgeous, no matter what time of year it is. If you end up choosing Australia and need more advice about it just let me know!</p>