Sarah SCHMITT

University of Adelaide, Australia
Exchange to Tsinghua University, China

Think 1.5 billion people, historical sights such as the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City and studying at one of the most prestigious universities in Beijing, Tshinghua University. If you can imagine this then you will begin to understand why I fell in love with China, its people, customs and culture.

In 2011, I was awarded the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Award to study in China on exchange. When I arrived, however, I realized there was just one small problem, I couldn’t speak mandarin. This gave rise to a number of issues, for instance, on my first day when I was booking a room at the University dormitories I thought I had paid for and purchased a single room, but much to my surprise when I was shown to my dormitory it turned out that I was sharing a room with another girl from Japan. It was from that moment on that I realized that I would need to study hard to learn the language, so that I could get around and survive in this beautiful city. Subsequently, I enrolled in the intensive language program and quickly picked up basic mandarin through my hard work and hours spent practicing with my Chinese friends.

Tsinghua University is an amazing university. The grounds are beautiful with their tranquil lakes and magnificent buildings. I was also fortunate enough to be studying at Tshinghua during the 100-year centenary celebrations. As exchange students we were asked if we would like to be apart of the team of dancers that would perform at the event, which was held over three consecutive nights and attended by thousands of people including key members of the Chinese Communist Party. We trained hard over the two months leading up to the celebrations, under the guidance of one of the troop directors from the Olympic Games. It was an incredible experience, on the night of our performances we wore the traditional costumes from our country and our performance was broadcast live on CNN China.

In summary, I had the most amazing time studying at Tsinghua University on exchange; through this experience I grew so much as a person and have made friends that will last a lifetime. I not only learnt the language, but also gained invaluable insight into Chinese customs and culture. I hope to return to China and work there in the near future as Australia and China become closer partners in the region.

My sincere thanks go to the Australian Government and the Cheung Kong Group, who made my dream come to life.

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