Wenting Wu

Zhejiang University, China
Exchange to University of Western Australia, Australia

How time flies! I’ve already been here three months and I haven’t noticed because I am having such a wonderful stay here in Western Australia that I have forgotten the time.

I still remember the first time I arrived in Perth. When I walked out of the airport, some big tropical trees came into my sight, which made me feel like I was in Hawaii. I arrived here on February 13th, summer time in Perth, while it was winter time at home, so I needed to adapt to the temperature. That’s an interesting part: I prepared two sets of clothes and changed on the plane. I was always joking that I would have two summers this year. When I return home, it will be summer again. That’s a pretty cool experience.

Perth is the capital of Western Australia. It is also one of the most isolated metropolitan areas on Earth, that’s why some people call it the loneliest city in the world. However, this unique geographic location also makes it a quiet and peaceful city, a great place for people to live.

During my time in Perth, so many things have impressed me and I will just highlight a few. First of all the sunshine. Perth always has plenty of sunshine, anywhere, anytime. Before I came here, I had no idea about that, so I asked a stupid question about the home stay: did my room face south or north? My host mother said: “no worries, Perth is rich in sunshine.” In Hangzhou, most of the time it is cloudy and the sky is grey, but here the sky is very clean and blue, just like a painting, I loved it at first sight. Every time when I was blue, the beautiful weather always cheered me up. But it also has a bad side, that is, sometimes the sunshine is too strong. Once I walked from school back home at noon, and although I used sunsaver, I still got sunburned and went totally black around the neck. Now I’m praying I can turn white again, hehe!

The second is transportation and the roads. Having lived in Hangzhou with busy roads, and crowded buses, when I first arrived here, it was so amazing to me that the roads are big, wide, and ordered. Pedestrians, cyclists, drivers each have their own road, with no interference with each other. Perth is a great place for cyclists; you can almost use a bike to every corner of this city and also enjoy the beautiful scenery.

The transportation here is very convenient. The Perth Central Area Transit System (Perth CAT) is a set of three bus routes in the centre of Perth. Unlike all other Transperth services, all CAT routes are zero-fare. There are also other buses across the city that can get you to everywhere you want. Apart from buses, there are also trains, just like the subway, the only difference is that it’s above the ground. Every time I get on a bus, the driver always smiles at me, making me feel warm and a beautiful day starts. So now I also say: “morning and thank you” to the driver. In China, maybe the life pressure is too heavy and society’s rhythm is so fast that people are tired of smiling. I don’t think it’s a good aspect, especially when I felt the smile’s power here, people should never forget to show warmth and happiness to other people, it always means a lot.

The third is lifestyle. People here are concerned about how to relax and how to enjoy their life. They don’t work for work, but for life. The society’s atmosphere is peaceful and quiet. The lifestyle of most people here is kind of laidback, they like outdoor activities, jogging, walking, bicycling, surfing, swimming and so on. They are seeking ways to make them more happy and healthy. I think they are a great example to demonstrate this: the shops here close at 5-6pm most of time, except on Fridays when they stay open till 9pm, while at home, the shops are often open till 10-11pm and some are 24hrs. I was so bored at the beginning, because I had nowhere to go at night apart from staying at home, but now I feel good, you can read, chat with your family, these are some ways to relax which I didn’t know before. Enjoy the sunshine, enjoy life!

The last and important part I’d like to talk about is my study here. The University of Western Australia, which was founded in 1911, is renowned as one of Australia’s leading research institutions. The campus is close to Swan River Bay, with great sights, lots of plants, and the University’s monumental neo-classical architecture, most of which is carved from white limestone. It is a notable tourist destination in the city. It affords a quiet and amazing study atmosphere where you can sit on the grass, reading with beautiful sunshine.

The system here is also different from my home university; each unit here has lectures and tutorials. Lectures are always in a lecture hall, the professor teaches some principles, the basic foundation and gives you the outline of the unit. The specific study is in the tutorial, the tutor gives you detailed explanation and answers questions. You will have a thorough understanding of the course after that.

This exchange experience is full of fun and excitement. It also gives me some new ideas and widens my perspective. Honestly, I can say I have changed a lot. It’s so great that I can meet people from all over the world. Some of them have already gone back to their home, but we still keep in contact. The key to your success is to maximise your friends and minimise your enemies. That’s true; the friends I made here I will treasure forever. I can now imagine when I leave, probably I will cry for missing the unforgettable experience and my precious friends. Perth is a great place, with sunshine, beaches and friendly people, which will give you a memorable experience.

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