LAU Chi On, Marco

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

I am Marco Lau from The University of Hong Kong. Going on an exchange programme has long been my aspiration since I entered university. It was therefore wonderful for me to receive the scholarship from the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Awards. With this funding, I was able to study in Australia and explore the country and its culture.

I attended the exchange programme offered by The University of Queensland ("UQ") for one semester. During the semester, I met a lot of people from all over Australia. As I had never been to Australia before, living there for six months was no easy task for me. However, everyone was very kind and friendly. They were willing to answer my questions concerning daily life and culture. At the university, I felt good about its physical as well as learning environment. Students all worked hard to strive for academic excellence. Besides academic work, they also engaged in many extracurricular activities, such as college competitions, voluntary work and so on.

As an exchange student, I could not commit myself to long-term projects and activities. However, I tried to get out of my comfort zone by participating in a fencing course organised by UQ. Fencing was entirely new to me. Since my first language was not English, it was quite hard to learn a new sport in that language. Sometimes I could not fully understand the instructions given by the coach. However, the coach and fellow participants were all eager to help me. The course also enabled me to make many new friends.

Studying in a foreign country enhances your experience as a university student. I am sure Australia is one of the best places to visit. People and culture in Australia are amazing. I hope other students can also benefit from this scholarship. With the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Awards, financial constraints will no longer hinder young people's chances to study abroad.

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