Time flies. It was like yesterday when I embarked on my exchange journey and farewelled to my friends and family at the airport. Now, it has already been a month since I got back home. Looking back on this trip, I would say it was more than expected. Going there alone, then now with all these stories and friendships. I am grateful.

I remember before setting off to Australia, I was determined to go there alone given that there were other exchange buddies going to the same institution at the same time. The reason was not I did not like them, but rather I would love to experience stepping out of my comfort zone. And to do so, I believed nothing was better than going to a foreign country on my own. In hopes of being able to make friends, I believed going solo could encourage me to reach out more, to come across people with different cultures, speaking different languages, and instead of staying in my comfort area, speaking with the most comfortable language, hanging around with the people I had already known- that is the point of this journey isn’t it- to break the comfort zone. Anyway, what else could I lose after all? Being rejected by a stranger that perhaps I would never see again in my life? I recall one of my best friends, who had finished his solo exchange journey before mine, said to me that he believed in the end what mattered for the trip was I completing a journey by myself. “Regardless of whether it is a good trip, it is your trip”. That was also why I was so eager to go there by myself, to have a journey that truly belongs to me.

Fast forward to the welcoming week organized by the host institution, the University of Sydney (USYD), the oldest university in Australia, there I began my journey at this prestige college. It was so nice of USYD to organise and promote various events to welcome incoming students. For instance, the university, together with its student union, arranged a series of orientation activities to allow students to know each other. That was also how I got to meet a lot of study-abroad students from all over the world. Some of them later became really good friends of mine. Not only did we later hang around and go on trips together, but we even keep in touch until now! This was probably the first time I reached out to make foreign friends by myself. Therefore, I have to say I am proud of myself! Apart from socialising, USYD was also taking good care of our studying affairs by assigning each student a study abroad advisor, with the aim of solving our questions throughout the whole exchange. For instance, from the selection of the study units and the timetables before the start of the semester, to how to seek help when the examination approached, they were all willing to answer all kinds of questions, ensuring we were on the right track.

One of the reasons I am obsessed with Australia is no doubt its stunning nature. Being a vast country with itself being a sole continent, Australia is very rich in nature, with unique wildlife and amazing landscapes. Speaking of wildlife in Australia, it is sure everyone would immediately think of kangaroo. When you get away from the city, you can see many of them hopping around in the wild. I recall one time my friends and I even took a selfie with one of them! Apart from the distinctive wildlife, when talking about the magnificent natural view, beaches in Australia should definitely be mentioned. Especially when the weather is nice, the blue sky and the white sand, together with the bluish ocean with zero pollution, just bring the whole scenery to another level. Sometimes, simply lying on the beach listening to the sound of waves and enjoying the moment could make my day.

Another thing I like about Australia is the convenience of access to the natural world. Even in a big city like Sydney, people could easily enjoy mother nature by just getting a few kilometres away from the city centre. With such convenience, it allows people to escape the fast-paced urban life easily. Moreover, as the country has a low population density, it makes people feel less pressured, unlike Hong Kong, which seems suffocating because the place is so small and packed. I think this might be another reason why I love Australia.

I loved to spend the day with my friends exploring the city together. One of the things we did all the time was taking foreshore walks to enjoy the splendid coastal view and beaches. My friends and I also tried surfing during our days in Australia, knowing that Australia is always regarded as one of the top places for doing this sport. However, as we were just freshers in this sport, we joined a surf camp at the beginning of the semester, hoping to grasp some surfing techniques. After that, although I could not do the surfing tricks like those shown on television, I can now stand on the board and go with the waves for a few seconds!

If I am asked what the most memorable trip I had in Australia, I would say it was the night when the camper van broke down in the middle of nowhere during the road trip I had with my friends in Tasmania. It was out of all our expectations when the van experienced engine failure. Eventually, we had to call the road assistant and waited for more than 4 hours for them to rescue us. Although such an experience was undesirable, it was this experience that made the whole trip more unique, and more memorable. I still remember clearly how dramatic that night was!

Once again, I am grateful for all the things I went through and the people I got to meet. Surely, all these memories and stories are going to be lifelong. I would also like to express my gratitude to the donor of my exchange scholarship. Without the generosity of the donor, I doubt whether I could have such an amazing journey. Thank you very much.