Bing Chun LUI, Franco

Student of The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Exchange to Griffith University, Australia

I am Franco, a student coming from the University of Hong Kong to Griffith University for a semester exchange study. By receiving the financial support by Endeavour Scholarship from the Cheung Kong Group and the Australian Government, I am able to explore Australia in a more fruitful and comprehensive way.

Arriving in Australia for about a month, the experiences here are really eye broadening and they totally changed my mind in what a western lifestyle actually is. I am living in a dormitory located in a rural area. Unlike living in Hong Kong, with all the necessities around you, the nearest shopping center is about an hour walk from my home. Even in the Brisbane city, many of the shops are closed at about 5pm to 6pm at night and thus you will need to spend your day better in the daytime. Moreover, eating in restaurant is expensive in Australia due to high labor cost in the food industry, thus you will need to cook your meal everyday. There are also insects and creatures everywhere in Australia. Possums are walking on the roof of my dorm; Spiders and ants are bathing together with me; Flies are accompanying me when I am cooking. All these are Australian styles of living and you will need to get familiar with these cultural shocks in order to 'survive' in Australia.

Brisbane, as the third most populous city in Australia, is a very energetic city in which many sports events such as the Commonwealth Game and the Goodwill Game are held. Also, Brisbane is a very tidy and well-organized city. Free buses and ferries are even available for tourists so that they can hang around the city center for free.

Going to exchange is not merely an eye broadening experience but also a journey of growth and learning to be independent. Living in a new place means you need to build up a totally new knowledge and connections. In Griffith University, I have made many new friends from different countries such as Denmark, France, Taiwan, Japan and of course, Australia. They taught me a lot of surviving skills in the University and also some interesting facts about Australia such as the story of Ned Kelly, and the Aboriginal history of Australia. Aussies also have their special accent and slangs such as mate, G'day, Macca's so that it actually takes time to get used to them.

It is such an unique experience to have the chance to study in Australia that I am quite sure it will be one of the most unforgettable experience in my life. I hereby again want to thank the University of Hong Kong, the Cheung Kong Group and the Australian Government for giving me this precious opportunity for me to live and experience another culture and try to accept and adapt too.

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