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Yuki KIMURA
Student of Okayama University, Japan
Exchange to the University of Adelaide, Australia
Reflection of my exchange experience in a new culture
Studying as an international student in South Australia was full of precious experiences. I spent 11 months in South Australia and studied for two semesters in the University of Adelaide which is one of the "Group of Eight" largest Australian universities. I am sure this experience will enrich both my career and life even after I return to Japan.
To begin with, I was so surprised by high-quality academic culture in Australian university. In the first semester, I concentrated on developing important academic skills, such as writing, effective reading methods, appropriate referencing and academic ethics. These skills are not only helpful to thrive in Australian university, but also conducive to my research activity in my home university.
Support and interacting activities for international students were also satisfying. For instance, Language and Culture Exchange Program in the university provided me with the opportunity to experience new cultures and meet new people through monthly cultural nights. I became familiar with Philippine classmates after I participated in the Philippine night. In terms of academic support, I often used the university's writing centre. The staff of the centre taught me how to make my writing professional in academic reports and it was very helpful for a non-native English speaker.
In addition, studying in South Australia broadened my outlook. My major at my home university is environmental science and I took some courses to learn Australian ecosystems and environmental management. It impressed me how seriously Australia is engaged in future climate change. Although Japan took some actions to deal with it, in my personal opinion, Australian people have more strong interest and enthusiasm for natural resource management probably because of the importance of water and land resource. Interaction and discussion with those people through courses and volunteer activities developed my idea for my specialty.
Overall, studying in South Australia has been a wonderfully productive time for my academic life. Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Awards for its great support.
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