Learning That Cannot Be Googled: An Australian Student’s Experiences in India

For Melbourne-based Deakin University student Indiana Marriott, studying in India offered something a lecture theatre could not: the chance to learn about wilderness medicine, healthcare and culture by experiencing them first-hand.

When Indiana Marriott began looking at international study opportunities through Deakin University, she was not searching for another subject to simply add to her degree.

She wanted an experience that would take her somewhere unfamiliar.

“I really wanted to study abroad. While looking through the exchange opportunities, I realised I’d never been to India before, so it immediately stood out.”

An Exercise and Sport Science student from Melbourne, Indiana was drawn to the Wilderness Medicine program at Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) in Karnataka.

What caught her attention was not only the subject itself, but the opportunity to study it in an environment vastly different from Australia.

“The Wilderness Medicine subject sounded fascinating, especially learning about snakes and other species of tropical environments, something I wouldn’t normally experience in Australia.”

Learning where the subject comes to life

Manipal sits on India’s south-western coast, with the Western Ghats to its east and the Arabian Sea to its west. MAHE’s Wilderness Medicine course draws on that geography, covering areas including envenomation, animal attacks, expedition medicine, conservation medicine and emergency response.

For Indiana, it quickly became one of the defining experiences of her time in India.

“Probably the Wilderness Medicine programme. It’s been the most unique part of the experience. Learning in the actual environments and working with faculty was fantastic.”

The opportunity to encounter unfamiliar environments was particularly important.

“Australia has snakes too, but they’re generally found in very different environments. India’s tropical landscapes and biodiversity are completely different from where I live.”

While much of the theory could potentially be studied at home, Indiana says experiencing the subject in the field changed the way she understood it.

“I could probably learn some of the theory back home, but I wouldn’t get the opportunity to experience it firsthand in the field the way I did here.”

From wilderness medicine to the hospital

The experience was not limited to learning about India’s natural environment. Indiana also spent time in healthcare settings as part of the program.

“What stood out was how interactive the learning was.”

“Our Wilderness Medicine classes were conducted in the hospital, where we spent time in the emergency department speaking with patients and observing clinical practice.”

MAHE’s Wilderness Medicine course is delivered through its Centre for Wilderness Medicine and Department of Emergency Medicine, with its published curriculum combining medical learning with practical and field-based experiences.

For Indiana, who is considering postgraduate pathways including physiotherapy, occupational therapy or exercise physiology, the experience provided a perspective that would have been difficult to reproduce solely through lectures in Australia.

Experiencing India beyond the classroom

Academic learning, however, was only part of the journey.

Indiana says the structure of her time at Manipal gave international students the opportunity to experience Indian culture alongside their studies.

“We had academic classes in the mornings and cultural activities in the afternoons, so it was a great balance between learning the subject and experiencing India.”

That approach is also reflected in MAHE’s international summer-school model, which combines academic study with cultural immersion.

For Indiana, it was her first visit to India.

“Everything felt very different, but I really appreciated how strongly traditions are maintained here.”

One of the details that particularly caught her attention was seeing traditional clothing remain part of everyday life.

“Seeing traditional clothing like saris was wonderful.”

Indian food was another adjustment.

“It was definitely much spicier than what I’m used to at home, but I adapted pretty quickly and really enjoyed it.”

The people behind the experience

Beyond the classes, hospital visits and cultural activities, Indiana says the people she met played an important role in making India feel welcoming.

“The student buddies were incredibly helpful. They introduced us to local places and made us feel welcome.”

Her time at Manipal also connected her with students from several other countries.

“There were nine international students altogether. We had students from Canada, Poland, Japan and Austria. It was a very diverse group.”

The experience therefore became more than an opportunity to learn about India. It also brought together students with different backgrounds who were experiencing the country alongside one another.

There is an established connection behind exchanges of this kind. Deakin University lists MAHE among its exchange partners in India, while the universities’ broader relationship has included student exchanges, research collaborations and academic partnerships.

Would she return?

For Indiana, the answer is straightforward.

“Definitely. I’d absolutely come back.”

And for other students considering an opportunity to study in India, her advice is equally uncomplicated.

“If someone asked me whether they should do a programme like this, I’d tell them to go for it. It was a fantastic experience. Everyone was welcoming and helpful, and I had a really positive experience overall.”

Her experience also illustrates something that can be easy to overlook in an age of online learning.

Information about tropical ecosystems, emergency medicine or another country’s culture can be accessed from almost anywhere.

Standing in that environment, working alongside local faculty, meeting people and experiencing daily life there is different.

For Indiana Marriott, India provided precisely that opportunity.