Nursing Studies in a Perfect Environment

Plans to move away from family and friends in pursuit of further education in Australia met an unexpected change of direction for 25-year-old Ananday (Andy) Khandelwal from India.

After missing an admissions deadline in Perth for a Bachelor of Nursing, Andy discovered the Gold Coast, a city that has provided him with an exceptional education and lifestyle experience with many employment and career opportunities. 

Born in the small agricultural town of Jalna in Maharashtra, Andy’s family moved a lot due to his father's career, eventually settling in Pune, the major educational hub about 3.5 hours southeast of Mumbai, where he lived a culturally rich life while completing most of his education, including bachelor degrees in physics and biology.

 "Pune is a very peaceful city and because of its excellence in education, students from many parts of India travel to study there. It's also well-known for engineering and its well-established British Aero-Engineering colleges. The National Defence Academy is there too and plays a big role in the city's atmosphere. It's very disciplined, calm and collected," Andy explained.

After completing his second degree during the pandemic, Andy began working in a dental clinic. He had enough qualifications to work as a dental assistant helping with surgeries and treatments, making patient appointments and sterilising equipment.

Studying abroad

With the uncertainties created by COVID-19, Andy noticed the considerable lack of nursing staff in India versus the high volume of older and overworked doctors. It was this realisation that inspired Andy to study abroad, with a vision to open an aged care facility once returning to India.

"When my initial plans to study in Perth fell through, I was left to consider the cities on Australia’s eastern coast like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. I knew I wanted to be near a big city but not necessarily in one. Metropolitan cities have their drawbacks. They are crowded and can get too hot due to concrete buildings and asphalt. In considering my options I felt that the Melbourne atmosphere and weather was too unpredictable while Sydney had too many Covid cases," Andy shared.

The right choice

With Brisbane his remaining option, Andy spent a lot of time researching the  area of South East Queensland and that’s where he came across the Gold Coast as a potential study destination. Before this, he was unaware of its many study options, colleges and universities.

"Brisbane would have been too homogenous for me and I sensed that I would have probably only associated with Indian students. I would not have developed my English and not have found the opportunities I have here on the Gold Coast, which seems to be a far more culturally diverse city" explained Andy.

The Gold Coast is one of Australia's most beautiful and culturally diverse cities.

Andy's decision to enrol in a Diploma of Nursing with TAFE Queensland on the Gold Coast was based on two factors: he is an outdoors enthusiast wanting a relaxed lifestyle with multiple options for activities, and the wonderful sub-tropical climate of the Gold Coast catered precisely to Andy's needs being similar to that of Pune.

"I had no expectations of the Gold Coast, just the factual information, like how warm it would be, how much it would rain and so on. That was my idea, but it's been so much better than that since arriving here.”

So much to offer

 "The Gold Coast has so much to offer. It's so beautiful. There are parks everywhere and so many hiking spots. I regularly do four to five-kilometre hikes. I’ve been to archery clubs and have made many friends. I go bowling regularly too and am part of a league now," Andy enthused.

Aside from the beautiful lifestyle and impressive surrounds of the Gold Coast, Andy was also surprised to learn about the city’s top-ranking universities and has already applied for a Bachelor's degree in Nursing at both Bond and Griffith Universities for next year's student intake.

Andy has embraced the easy going lifestyle of the Gold Coast

Andy is also grateful for the job opportunities he’s had since arriving on the Gold Coast. He began working almost immediately at a local Subway food outlet, which he found was an excellent way to practice his English. After completing the first six months of his nursing studies, he felt confident to apply for a health carer’s position within the disability sector and has been happily working there now for over a year with permanent clients.

 “Take your chances. Don’t stay stuck in your own safety bubble. Have a nice network of friends, but also, approach people, talk to them and try to improve your English. Don’t stay within your cultural limitations, if not you may experience loneliness and feel more home-sick. People on the Gold Coast are very friendly and welcoming,” Andy advised.

Andy has gone from strength to strength on the Gold Coast and believes this is due to stepping out of his comfort zone in all areas of life. His best advice is for other international students to make the most of their opportunities by following a similar path while enjoying one of Australia’s most beautiful cities.