Glennie Marie M. SINA-ON

Student of University of the Philippines, Philippines
Exchange to University of South Australia, Australia

It‘s been three years already since I undertook the student exchange scholarship program in Adelaide, South Australia. But I can still remember very vividly almost everything of that life-changing experience.

First, when I was little, I did not expect that I could leave my country for study nor expected that I could go overseas at the age of only 20. But the partnership between the University of the Philippines’ College of Social Work and Community Development and the University of South Australia’s School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy made my first travel into and stay in another country happen. Because of the program sponsored by the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Awards, I experienced my first international flight, first winter, first lamb, first vegemite, first tram ride, first kangaroo, emu, panda, and koala encounter, and first birthday celebration in a foreign country! To think that I celebrated my 21st there!

It was July 6, 2010 when I and my classmate arrived in Adelaide. It was only the two of us who were sent by our home university for the exchange program, for which we are very grateful. We were expected to take and finish two Social Work courses at UniSA, one was the course on Professional Development and another one was Field Education 2 wherein we had to undergo Social Work placement with client-individuals. I experienced being in a multi-cultural class, something I had never imagined before. It was a totally awesomely different experience. I experienced exchanging ideas with my professors and classmates of different nationalities. It’s really cool because we understood each other. Despite our different nationalities, we talked one language – Social Work. I really appreciate my UniSA professors and classmates for that.

My Social Work placement was a big plus too. My unique learnings did not only happen inside the four walls of our classroom at UniSA back then. I even undertook 400 hours at Para Hills West Primary School and practiced Social Work with a few children there. The school staff and the children were very accommodating and appreciative. Through my placement, I got the chance to reflect on, compare and contrast how Australian and Filipino children deal with every day, how Australian and Philippine institutions like families, schools, and the government deal with the issues being faced by children. My study in Australia was indeed an eye-opener. I learned that some things here in the Philippines can actually be done just like how Australia is doing them with their citizens.
          
Also, I would never forget that I was even learning outside UniSA and my placement. I met friends from different countries too – Malaysia, China, Norway, Korea, New Zealand, Italy, and many more. In the house that I was renting, just a few blocks away UniSA Magill, I had Italian and Australian friends. My Italian housemate would cook pasta and would open a wine for us and our conversation about culture, politics, nature, animals, bargains, and love was almost endless.

I would also spend weekends with different itineraries around South Australia with my friends from my neighbouring countries. We would see the kangaroos, koalas, how Haigh’s chocolates are made, the Glenelg sunset and the beach at Henley. I also met Filipino friends and families there in Adelaide. I would sleep-over at their house, play with the half-Filipino, half-Australian kids, and learn from their experiences of migration and of embracing another citizenship and culture. I also had the opportunity to go to Port Augusta and see the majority of Aboriginal life there.

There are really a lot of things that I could write about my July-to-November-2010-Adelaide experience. A lot of firsts, learnings, realizations, experiences, reflections, and laughter. I think I can cover a whole newsletter for sharing the story of my exchange. All I’m definite with is that I miss Australia already and that whenever people ask me if I want to come back, I answer them with “Of course!”.

I thank the Government of Australia and the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Awards for opening its country to people like me, even subsidizing a foreign student’s tuition fee. I also thank the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Awards for continuously believing that learning has no boundaries. I am forever thankful and proud of being one of the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong awardees. Nothing can beat the experience of studying abroad!

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