Health

Melbourne has a reputation as a safe city to live in.  In 2000, it was recognised by the World Health Organisation as a Safe Community, one of only three capital cities worldwide to achieve such an honour.

We have provided some basic information about health and safety in Melbourne. For more information, see the City of Melbourne website or speak to your on-campus Health Service. The services include first aid, medical consultations, health counselling, health promotion and health information. These services are provided at no cost in a strictly confidential manner.

Vaccinations

You don’t need special vaccinations before coming to Melbourne, unless you have recently been in a yellow fever area such as South America or South Africa within the last six days.

Drinking Water

You can safely drink Melbourne tap water – it is one of the purest supplies in the world.

Skin Cancer

Australia has the world’s highest death rate due to skin cancer, caused by exposure to the country’s intense sunlight. Limit your exposure to the sun and protect your skin with broad-spectrum skin creams (SPF 30+). Most sunscreens also contain a moisturiser to protect your skin from dry weather.

Prescriptions

Australian pharmacies or chemists can only fill prescriptions prescribed by Australian doctors, so ensure you carry enough of your current medication for your trip, or visit a doctor in Melbourne to write you a new prescription. You will generally find a 24 hour medical clinic and chemist in or near to your suburb.

Feeling Unsafe

If at any stage you feel unsafe or in any danger it is best to speak to someone at Swinburne International or go directly to the police. Their number in a case of an emergency is 000.

Culture Shock

Living and studying overseas is often accompanied by at least some degree of culture shock. Knowing about culture shock and knowing some of the tactics to deal with it are very helpful. The time it takes to deal with culture shock and the issues experienced varies for each individual.

Below are a few phases which have been identified in relation to culture shock.

Fascination
This usually occurs when you arrive in a new country and everything is new and exciting. There are usually few problems in this phase.

Friendship
Once the stage of fascination has passed, there is a need to find a new social support system to replace the one you have left behind. Often during this time it is easiest to find people who speak your native language. This is okay but it is best to find a variety of friends who speak different languages and have different backgrounds.

Frustration
Once you have become familiar with your new country, you might find yourself becoming frustrated with problems or difficulties you may be experiencing. These may include the physical environment, university demands or issues with new friends and will often lead to feeling homesick. This stage will most likely pass, however, it is best to speak to someone if you are feeling overwhelmed.

Fulfilment
When the frustration phase passes, you will enjoy a period of feeling fulfilled and a sense of achievement. This is because your cultural comfort level has increased and you have accepted your new surroundings. From this period and onwards you will feel more comfortable and will not feel so isolated and alone.

Eventually you may even feel equally at home in your new environment as you did in the one from which you came.

Reverse Culture Shock
This is often the stage most people do not expect but find very difficult. Many people prepare themselves when they go overseas for the changes they are about to face, however, they are not prepared for the way things will be when they return home. Regardless of how long you may have been away, situations, people and places will have changed.

The biggest change will most likely be in you. While you were away you experienced many things and your attitudes and opinions may have changed. Friends and family at home have continued to live their lives while you were away, and they may also have changed. There is nothing which can be done to change this fact - just anticipate that it may take some time to integrate back into your life at home. Being prepared for it might save you much heartache and potentially difficult confrontations over changed relationships.

Swinburne's eCounselling service can provide more information about Culture Shock.