Chynna Sophia SANTOS

Student of Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines
Exchange to Australian Catholic University, Australia

From the moment I arrived, I fell in love with Melbourne and everything about it — its streets, its people, its atmosphere, its coffee. From the hustle and bustle of the CBD to the quaint and quiet of the suburbs, there was always something different around every turn. I knew at once that the city would hold a special place in my heart, and it still does two years later.

There was — and still is — so much of the city to explore and experience that every day felt new. There were always new coffee shops to discover, new street art to see, new events to attend, new people to meet. Every single day was an adventure, no matter how mundane the agenda.

Outside Melbourne, Victoria had beaches, waterfalls, springs, and mountains waiting to be discovered. The Endeavour Cheung Kong Student Exchange Programme Scholarship allowed me to explore the state more, and my exchange experience was enriched because of this opportunity.

What broke my heart was when it dawned on me that I had established a routine. I walked the same streets home, I had a usual order at the university's coffee shop, I had a spot in the State Library, I knew where I would be and whom I would be with on Tuesday night. What broke my heart was establishing a life and a sense of normalcy in a place I knew to be temporary, but I will forever be grateful for the time I spent as an exchange student in Melbourne.

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