CHUNG Jui-Chia

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

Coming to Australia for exchange was actually a sudden decision but it turned out to be the best decision I have ever made. As a Biological Science student, I chose Australia for its unique wildlife and beaches, but this amazing place offered so much more than I had expected. I have never been to non-Asian countries before, so when I first came to Brisbane, I encountered some culture shocks — in a good way. I was surprised to see people walking barefoot everywhere. I was surprised when strangers greeted me or offered help even before I asked. Slowly, I began to get used to saying 'thank you' to the driver when getting off the bus. I began to like the nice little chats with cashiers and shop assistants.

The University of Queensland ("UQ") provides some of the most interesting courses. Despite being warned about the heavy workload, I took one more course than was required simply because I could not decide which one to drop. The two courses on Australia's terrestrial environment and marine environment were especially enjoyable because of all the field trips. The ten-day trip to Fraser Island and the Great Barrier Reef was the highlight of my exchange experience. No words, no words can describe how much I was awed by the starry sky above me and the sea creatures that surrounded me. One has to lie down on the sand dune, snorkel under the stars, and sit on the beach right before sunrise by oneself in order to truly appreciate the wonders of nature. Again, no words can accurately convey that peaceful and blissful feeling. At the same time, it is heartbreaking when thinking about the light pollution, coral bleaching, climate change and all the other environmental problems that we are creating. Having the chance to see a coral bleaching event with my own eyes has further raised my awareness of the global environmental issues. I hope in future I can make some contribution in solving these problems with what I have learnt and encourage people around me to address these issues as well.

I could go on and on talking about all the UQ Wasabi Japanese Society's weekly outings to fantastic restaurants with amazing friends from different universities or about the World Science festival, the Ice Cream Festival, street market food and so on. However, I would simply encourage other students to seize any opportunity they can find to go abroad and experience everything themselves. The Endeavour Cheung Kong Student Exchange Programme has given me that opportunity. I am so blessed to be able to come to Australia and I am grateful to the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Awards for making this once in a life time experience possible.

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