Edward Kus

Australian National University, Australia
Exchange to Tsinghua University, China

My exchange to Tsinghua University has been truly life-defining. My time in Beijing had many different and important dimensions, which all helped to make the exchange so fulfilling.

Firstly, and most importantly, was the academic dimension to my exchange experience. By giving me the opportunity to study Chinese literature to a very high standard at Tsinghua University, one of the leading tertiary institutions in China, the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Awards scholarship has helped immeasurably to crystallise what I anticipate will be an enduring love of China. This included readings in classical literature, which helped to solidify my understanding of dynastic Chinese society and its cultural and political nuances, to some modern novellas and poetry that helped emphasise just how important literature and its intimate relationship to Chinese culture is today. My experiences in academia at Tsinghua University have helped steer me on the path that I hope will eventually lead to an honours degree in Chinese Literature at The Australian National University.

Secondly, I also contributed a lot of my time while I was in Beijing to the Australia-China Youth Association (www.acya.org.au.) I helped to set up the Beijing Chapter of the organisation, as well as contributing as a project manager for the inaugural Australia-China Youth Dialogue (www.acyd.org.au.) Both were extremely rewarding experiences, which the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Awards scholarship helped me to undertake by giving me the freedom to study at one of China’s leading universities. I also had the chance to participate in the Beijing Forum 2010 as a representative of the ANU, and had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a CCTV Dialogue about nationalism with some peers from China, the United States, Germany, Korea and South Africa.

Finally, I also had the chance to meet some new Chinese friends. The experiences I had with them were great, and I hope they will be lifelong acquaintances. 2010 was an interesting year to be in China, with the Shanghai World Expo and other interesting news items prompting me to write a short paper about China and its re-emergence onto the world stage. The paper was taken up by the East Asia Forum and can be read on their website. I also had the chance to travel extensively during the summer holidays. Travelling is a very worthwhile part of any exchange, as it can help to bring you closer to the ‘real’ culture of a place.

The exchange has really enriched my life. It has given me a new and richer understanding of China - its history, culture, politics, development, minority communities, pop culture, legal system and business system. It is impossible to capture how amazing the exchange experience was in one piece of paper, but hopefully my inability to find precisely the right words is testament enough to how wonderful the exchange experience was. Many thanks to the Australian Government and the Cheung Kong Group!

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