Lin Weiyang

Wuhan University, Mainland China
Exchange to Griffith University, Australia

I received the scholarship in January 2008, which enabled me to have the chance to study law in Queensland and I really appreciated all the opportunities and great memories my exchange university – Griffith University – provided me with. I was deeply touched by all the friendly Brisbane citizens I met and also extremely impressed by the long history and splendid nature of Australia, where I studied the interesting legal system, where I experienced the true meaning of multi-culturalism, and where I made some true friends.

I cherished the study opportunity where I was, for the first time in my life, described as “the extremely hardworking Chinese girl”. When I heard I was the first law school international exchange student from China, I was filled with both honour and pressure. Studying Law in English was challenging for me. Though I got IELT 7.0 before my journey started, the legal jargon was still miserable. Luckily I had some really helpful and intelligent teachers, and the scholarship saved me a lot of hours from part-time jobs, allowing me time to devote myself to my Australian higher education. Most of the time I studied in the library with assistance from other law school students and I did well in most of my courses. I also volunteered to take part in the international affairs of Griffith University, where I shared my Chinese education experience with Australian students. Step by step, Australian higher education opened its heart to me. Now I am trying my best to share my experiences of Queensland to my fellow classmates and my teachers. I was happy to be informed that 2 of my schoolmates are going to Queensland for this exchange programme in the following years.

There are a lot of people to whom I want to express my appreciation, which is impossible to finish in a single page. I want to mention the International Office of Griffith University and my first year adviser—Professor Sandra Berns. All the student services people at Griffith were helpful. The International Office helped me a lot with my enrollment and application. Even if my English was not fluent at that moment, they were always patient. I sent Professor Sandra Berns an email in the first few days after I arrived in Australia and she replied immediately. She gave me much assistance and life suggestions and I was moved by the care from all the law school staff. They were a symbol of the advanced higher education system in Australia, which is beyond the black introduction in the newspaper or on the internet. It became something real in my daily life. We are still in touch now and they provide much precious advice for my future studies.

Besides academic development, the culture and history to my heart is like honey to water. Australia is always associated with multi-cultural and natural resources, but it was not until I backpacked around Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne that I understood the magic words. All kinds of people are playing their unique role in this federal country. Regardless of their age, they respect nature and the animals and enjoy their life at a slow pace. I felt extremely happy to sing a song beside a koala bear and a kangaroo, and to share the fresh air with them. Sometimes people made me laugh by asking questions like whether Chinese shared the same wages, but most times we shared different life experiences and marveled at how wonderful different cultures were!

We can’t stop the pace of globalization, but we can communicate better, be more tolerant and smile more genuinely. The multi-cultural nation does provide us a perfect example for what we can do!

Advanced higher education, multi-culturalism and friendship are the keywords shining like sunshine in my second hometown – Queensland.

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