When I signed up for a three-week January course in Australia on Ecotourism, I expected to learn about sustainability, wildlife, and Aboriginal culture. What I did not expect was how much the place itself would shape every part of my learning. Elon University’s Winter Term courses include study away options, with faculty-led learning on location around the world. For twenty days, Australia became a living classroom—one that challenged me, pushed me, and ultimately taught me more about learning on location than any article ever could. 

Our days were fully packed with movement like hiking across rough grounds, climbing rocks that tested my fear of heights, snorkeling above coral reefs, exploring major cities, and spending time with Aboriginal communities.  

Communication, Trust, and Learning in Unfamiliar Places 

What surprised me most was how difficult it was to adjust, not just to the time zone or the climate, but to the way communication worked in a completely different context. Learning on location meant learning how to interpret new cues, new rhythms, and new expectations. I found myself thinking more carefully about how I communicated my thoughts and how I interpreted what others said to me. The unfamiliarity made me more aware of my own habits and assumptions. In a way, the discomfort became part of the learning process. It forced me to slow down, pay attention, and adapt.  

Being in Australia changed the way I communicated with classmates, professors, and especially with our guides. The stakes were higher than in a classroom. When you are climbing, snorkeling, or navigating unfamiliar environments, communication becomes an incredibly important safety tool. Misunderstanding something is not just inconvenient, it can be dangerous. 

The lesson my classmates and I learned the hard way was the importance of learning quickly, listening carefully, and trusting the people around us. As mentioned, communication was incredibly important but also such a large obstacle. There was a disconnect between our guides and our professors which meant that it was difficult for us as students to know and trust what was being told to us by both parties. At times, we received conflicting guidance, leaving us uncertain about expectations even as we tried to follow instructions carefully and prioritize safety. The difficulty came with the lack of clear communication but also in the fact that we all understood the importance of following these instructions to stay safe. So not only was there a loss of trust in our guides and professors but there was also a lack of belief in us to be able to follow the necessary steps we were being told to take.  

The communication challenges we experienced did more than create confusion. They shaped how trust developed within the group. In a learning environment where safety depended on following instructions, trust became just as important as communication itself. 

In many classroom settings, relationships between students and professors built on trust can take weeks or even months to build. In my experience, those relationships are sometimes not necessary at all. Students can often work independently, complete assignments on their own, and succeed academically without developing strong relationships with those around them. While trust can definitely make a traditional classroom experience better, not having it will not necessarily prevent learning from taking place. 

Learning abroad felt much different. In unfamiliar environments, trust became essential almost immediately. We relied on the leaders around us not only for academic learning but also for navigation, decision making, and safety. No matter what the environment was, our ability to learn was closely tied to our ability to trust the people around us. When trust was strengthened, I felt more confident and engaged in the learning process. When trust was challenged, it became more difficult to focus on learning because uncertainty and stress often took its place. 

Trust with professors was equally important. Their decisions shaped our safety and our learning, and I had to rely on them in ways I was not used to. The dynamic with our guides was even more complicated. They were strangers we had to depend on immediately, and that created tension at times. The divide between the guides and professors made communication harder, and I often felt more stressed when the guides were present even though they were meant to be helpful supports for us. However, that tension taught me something very valuable about the importance of learning through relationships. You do not just learn from the environment, you learn through the people navigating it with and for you.  

Ironically, some of my most meaningful learning happened when we were sent off on our own. Exploring with classmates felt safer and more open. I could ask questions freely, move at my own pace, and actually absorb what I was seeing. When we moved through Australia on our own, it made interactions feel more real. We were continuing to learn about the culture and rhythm of the place but it was different from exploring with our professors and guides. Those moments reminded me that psychological safety is a huge part of learning, especially in unfamiliar places. 

Lessons From Learning on Location 

Reflecting on these challenges, I do not think the solution is simply better communication from one group or another. Learning on location puts students, professors, and guides in unfamiliar situations where everyone plays a role in creating a successful learning environment. Looking back, clearer expectations before departure could have helped students prepare more intentionally for the demands of the course and understand the importance of following instructions in unfamiliar environments. More focus on relationship building during the prep seminars may also have helped establish trust before we arrived in Australia. Once we jumped into our activities, consistent communication between professors, guides, and students was essential. Repeating instructions should not be viewed as an inconvenience but as an important part of keeping everyone safe and informed. Building trust is a shared responsibility, and I learned that the strongest learning environments are created when everyone is committed to clear communication, mutual respect, and a common goal of learning. 

I left Australia with new knowledge about wildlife, ecotourism, and Aboriginal culture, but also with a clearer understanding of myself as a learner. I realized that I absorb information best when I feel grounded, supported, and able to explore independently, and that discomfort can be a powerful teacher. My Winter Term did not just teach me about ecotourism. It taught me what it means to truly learn on location, to let a place challenge and change you in ways a classroom never could. It also showed me that learning is deeply shaped by relationships. Relying on classmates, navigating tensions with guides, and trusting professors all influenced how I understood the places we visited. Australia taught me that meaningful learning happens not only through our connection to a place, but through the relationships that help us make sense of it. 

About the Author  

Amelia Weaver is a 2025–2028 CEL Student Scholar majoring in Sports Management and Media Analytics, with a minor in Business Analytics. She is working with the 2025–2027 Research Seminar on Learning on Location: Place-Based Pedagogies in Higher Education. 

How to Cite This Article   

Weaver, Amelia. 2025. “Learning Through Place and People: A Three-Week Winter Term in Australia.” Center for Engaged Learning (blog). Elon University. July 21, 2026. https://www.centerforengagedlearning.org/learning-through-place-and-people-a-three-week-winter-term-in-australia.