Margarita was awarded a Beca Bicentenario Scholarship from the Chilean government to study in Australia. She is studying towards a PhD and her thesis focuses on popular education in Chile. Margarita has found that she has arrived at UTS during an exciting time within the education field – when a multitude of ideas are being examined by academics.

"One of my favourite things about my course is my supervisor, she’s a great professor – she has a lot of experience in her field and she’s a wonderful person. She’s very easy to work with and has been great at guiding me through this whole process. We also have a lot of support and facilities available to us – such as seminars on writing. We’ve had weekly seminars with other students to discuss our ideas and share what we’re working on. 

When I go back to Chile I would like to work in curriculum design or policy because in Chile we have had a lot of problems with our educational system and people have been protesting about it. I’ve realised how important it is to immerse myself in the ideas that are being created here at UTS–it is really an exciting time to be working in the education field and to be surrounded by like-minded people. I have to grab onto these ideas whilst they are being created and find a way to take them back home and develop them in Chile.

I would advise other international students – especially if they are on a scholarship like me; that they should make sure they enjoy this opportunity to read and write, think and reflect – because there aren’t many times in life when you can concentrate on these things and not worry about anything else.

I love Sydney, I think it’s a great city. I really enjoy my time here and I think it’s provided me and my partner with a different lifestyle. In Chile he was a workaholic but here he’s a lot more relaxed – we can enjoy family time. When we see Australians playing sports and going to the park, going to cafes – it motivates us to do the same thing. I also found very good friends here so we’re really happy.

Chile is a quiet country but lately people are realising that they have a role to play in society and they have the right to make decisions about the way they live. So it’s exciting now and I would like to be there to participate in that movement. I feel I have an obligation to my country because I am provided with a scholarship to be here. All the knowledge that I have gained at UTS, I have to take back to Chile to put it into action because it will mean so much there."