Florence Zhang

Shandong University, Mainland China
Exchange to The University of Queensland, Australia

Without any hesitation, I went to study as an exchange student at the University of Queensland, TC Beirne School of Law in the academic year of 2008. I made several friends from that university when I was at Shandong University and I was told by all of them that the University of Queensland was a great university located in a beautiful place. Therefore, I applied for the programme immediately after the notice was posted on the website. Luckily I was chosen to go and I was also awarded the Cheung Kong grant, which assisted me to have a wonderful year in Australia.

I still remember the day I arrived at Brisbane International Airport. It was an extremely hot day and I was still wearing a woollen sweater. With nearly 40 kilogrammes of luggage and heavy clothes, I could hardly move. However, I was surrounded by friendly Queenslanders once I set my feet down. A man of approximately my father’s age helped me to move my luggage and chatted with me about the University of Queensland. “It is a great university! My daughter graduated from there a few years ago and she is an excellent dentist now.”

I lived in Grace College during my stay in Brisbane. It was one of the residential colleges on St Lucia Campus and is equipped with very good facilities and is run by the kindest people I have ever met. Dr Sue, our principal, played a very important role in my adjustment to the study and life in Brisbane.

The best thing about living in a college is that you never feel lonely and you have great opportunities to touch local culture by chatting with native friends and joining in local activities. Good English could not make life in an English- speaking county as easy as I thought before I went to Australia. I often came across this kind of situation when I knew each word of what my Australian friends were saying but got lost during the conversation. Fortunately, all the girls were very patient and they designed an education programme for me including watching cartoons and children’s programmes they used to watch when they were young. I was quite pleased to enjoy this special education and my ability to carry out a daily conversation in English was largely improved.

I am a fanatic of law and logic, and all the subjects I chose at University of Queensland were at an advanced level. Honestly, I felt this was a horrible choice during the first several weeks. The reading load for each course was huge even for local students let alone for a Chinese student like me who could not even tell “plaintiff” and “defendant” apart. At this very crucial time, my principal and my Australian sister who was also a law student helped me out. There were also very good student service facilities on campus which can help students with their study. What was more, the kind words from my lecturers and tutors immensely encouraged me. “Just stick to it”, I was told by one of my professors. I followed his advice and I made it.

Study became easier and easier and I got spare time to travel and to participate in various social activities. I appreciated the enthusiasm of Australians at the Easter Fest. I was deeply attracted by the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef while swimming in the ocean near Cairns. I am still proud of my adventure in the Blue Mountains and I will never forget my promise with Darling Harbour and the Opera House that I will come back and visit them again in the near future.

My life in Australia enriched me with passion and enthusiasm. Now I am acting as a voluntary “ambassador” of Australia and I never tire of sharing my stories of Australia with my friends in China.

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