YANG Xiaochun, Susan

Student of Tianjin University, China
Exchange to University of South Australia, Australia

I’ve got a great chance to study in University of South Australia (UNISA) as an exchange student from Tianjin University, China, in 2014. This opportunity made my dream come true because I’ve been eager to go abroad and Australia is the country that I wanted to go the most.

Before I went on my trip, everyone worried about me and thought it would be hard to take the plane on my own and communicate with others with my poor English. However, for me, excitement exceeded fear. I went on my trip to the other side of the world and arrived in Adelaide, a quiet and delicate city.

I chose to live in homestay and thought this to be the best way to get to know the local culture. My host, Maria, is a very kind lady who always listened to us speaking poor English. She was full of patience and cooked different kinds of food, like chicken soup, Mexican beef, pasta, etc. On one weekend, she drove me to the Adelaide Hills, a gorgeous place which has beautiful natural scenery. We took sandwiches with us and had a picnic in a small garden.

Regarding my study, I found studying in UNISA fascinating. Most courses have both a lecture and tutorial class and this educational pattern is totally different from that in my hometown. I thought tutorial class provided us the chance to understand the theory which I learned in lecture. When discussing with classmates, I always found myself inspired by their unique ideas.

After my final exam in December 2014, I went on a trip to Sydney and listened to a concert at the Sydney Opera House. Compared to Adelaide, Sydney is a crowded city like Beijing, but is also the place where diversified cultures gather together. For example, it is easy to come across street artists and stop for a while to watch their performance.

Although I have returned to China, I still, from time to time, recall my experience in Adelaide and UNISA. I’m sure this will be a lasting memory in my life and I will go back to Adelaide someday in the future.

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