FOO Shi Min, Krystin

Student of National University of Singapore, Singapore
Exchange to Monash University, Australia

The six months I spent in Australia were some of the best months of my life. I learned an incredible amount of knowledge, not just about the subjects I took at Monash University, but also about life, people, and even myself.

I arrived in Melbourne on a cold Saturday morning in July. I was not sure what I was expecting exactly, certainly not the afternoon I spent shivering under one thin sheet I had brought from home.

A lot has changed since then. For example, I now know how heaters work. That probably sounds ridiculous to anyone reading, but in my defence, I come from Singapore where it is pretty much summer all year round except during monsoon seasons. What I would like to stress is, we do not use heaters.

Still, it is such little things – like my laughable inaptitude with heaters – that have stuck with me till the end of my exchange in Australia.

When I look back, I remember the excitement when I boarded on plane to Melbourne. I remember the spontaneous road trips around Victoria, and backpacking adventures along Queensland's coast. I remember each rush of adrenaline – jumping off a cliff in Bridgewater Bay, skydiving above the Great Barrier Reef, and paragliding over the small town of Bright.

What's more, I miss those evenings cooking dinner with new-found friends. I think of late night Westworld marathons with five dollar Liqourland wine, of midnight jogs in the middle of spring, of sleepy afternoon naps in city parks.

I recollected the random conversations with complete strangers – all kinds of people from absolutely everywhere – in classes, markets, and streets. Australia's diversity is astounding but the stories of each individual were much more insightful.

Today, I think of that first cold, miserable afternoon and realise how far I have gone. I have grown in ways that I never expected, and learned more than I have ever imagined.

The generosity extended by the CK Group and the Australian Government formed the foundation of my exchange. Together with the support of my home university, my host university, and undoubtedly, my parents, I was given an opportunity unlike any others.

To any future exchangers that may read this, I am excited for the journey you are about to undertake. It may be strange and unfamiliar at first, but always remember that you are in a world of endless possibilities. And to everyone that contributed to my exchange experience (in every way, shape, and form), thank you very much!

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