Nicole YUEN

Student of Western Sydney University, Australia
Exchange to Nagasaki University, Japan

Towards the end of my trip, a friend asked me what I had gained from my student exchange experience and what I had learned, and I answered with two key points that I feel best summarise my most significant personal highlights.

Firstly, I feel as though I had simply improved massively as a person, and made that transition from a child to an adult. Being away in Japan was my first time living away from home for an extended period of time and I gained so many new skills that are vital for being an independent grownup. You do not really do things like cook for yourself, pay bills, do all the things to support yourself until you are forced into a position to do so and that is what happened for me and through that I went above and beyond what I expected out of myself prior to leaving Australia and it feels good knowing that I am capable of supporting myself.

The second highlight from the experience was a shift from being mostly sheltered within my own context, to having my eyes opened to another part of the world. When I decided to go on a student exchange, the main motivator was to use this opportunity to improve my confidence and communication skills. I am naturally a shy, introverted person and I figured that if I want to make it in the world there is no use in being shy, and that pushing myself out of my comfort zone will do me some good in working on my extroverted side.

During my exchange, however, an opposite effect occurred. Instead of exploring another aspect of my personality (which was the original goal), I felt myself realising who I really am and why it is important to embrace that rather than become someone that I am not. Being exposed to a different society, one that is quite the opposite to the Western society in which I was raised, I realised who I am and fully embraced that person.

I realised that when you are out of your own context, it is a lot easier to find out who you really are when external factors like your friends, your job, where you live etc. are not there to influence your own perception of yourself, and it is just you and your character and personality out in the world.

My original mission could not have failed in a more hilariously ironic but wonderful way, and I am glad it turned out the way it did. So due to my experience and what I took away, I would definitely 10/10 recommend a student exchange experience to everyone and anyone.

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