FONG Oi Kwan, Louise

University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Exchange to University of Western Australia, Australia

The first thing that came to my mind when I set foot in Australia was the word “freedom”. With freedom comes options, as well as the fear of making decisions. In life, there are always many choices, but we will never know the outcomes of our decisions until we have made them. However, I was sure that I had made a correct decision – to participate in this exchange programme.

Perth is relatively smaller than the other major cities in the east coast of Australia and has fewer skyscrapers. However, Perth has its own culture and characteristics. It is Western Australia’s major city and you can always find what you need here.

The University of Western Australia was my host university. When I first arrived on campus, I was amazed by its size and architecture. It was about three times the size of my home university and there were lots of plants and wild animals. The buildings blended perfectly with nature, so that you couldn’t even notice the wild peacocks walking across campus.

When I stayed in Perth, I lived in a flat and had the opportunity to meet many different people. Some of them were students like me, while others were backpackers from other corners of the world. They came from all walks of life and had their own stories. These stories were like little presents. They taught me valuable lessons in life which I couldn’t learn in classrooms.

Since I was a secondary school student, my dream had always been to participate in an exchange program. My exchange experience was fruitful and unforgettable. Time went by quickly and it felt like the experience was over within a minute. But that minute has been the best minute that I’ve ever had in my life. I have managed to try things that I should do at least once in my life. I swam with dolphins, I tried snorkeling, I saw lots of wild animals such as kangaroos, koalas, wombats and camels, things that I could only see on the Discovery Channel when I was a little girl.

During the trip, the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Award provided me with great financial support. Special acknowledgement has to be made to the Award for its support, allowing me to visit other parts of Australia. My travel experience enriched and broadened my horizons. I am grateful for the support that the award has provided.

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