Reflections on Perth, Australia

Yan Yinnong, 1st year student at the Department of Environmental Management and Sustainability, Faculty of Environmental Studies

I wanted to make effective use of my summer vacation, so I participated in a pilot program held by my university with the aim of improving my English. I had the best time in Perth, Australia for about six weeks.

Perth is a city on the west coast of Australia, blessed with a beautiful natural environment.Beautiful beaches, clean rivers, and vast parks are some of the city’s attractions. Kings Park, in particular, is known as a place where you can enjoy stunning views from the city, picnics, and walks in nature.Not only does this town have a great environment, but there is also an emphasis on education. There are a number of internationally acclaimed universities, and many international students study here.特に、エディス・カウン大学 (Edith Cowan University、以下ECUと略称) は教育の分野で高い評判を持っています。I had a wonderful six weeks with my AE5 classmates. In this report, I would like to share my experiences from the last six weeks.

On the night of August 4, I departed from Haneda Airport and flew for more than ten hours with a layover at Changi International Airport in Singapore. I arrived in the afternoon of August 5 and headed straight to my host family’s residence.They were a family of three: a Mauritian couple and their daughter.They were all very kind.They moved to Australia for business. The host mother was worried that I would be hungry after the flight, so she quickly prepared dinner.The soup with Vegemite tasted a little unusual, but it was not an unpleasant flavor, making it a memorable dish.The next day, my host mother and drove me to the city and showed me how to shop at the shopping center and how to get to the university by bus. As I had expected, everything was twice as expensive as in Japan, especially water, which surprisingly cost 500 yen a bottle. I had a productive Sunday and school started immediately the next day.

Learning at the university was great.During the first week of classes, we discussed Australian life, environment and culture with five members of the MEXT group.Through communication, my expectations for life in Perth increased, and my English conversation skills became more and more fluent.The teachers were very friendly and humorous, and we had discussions like friends, talking about Australian scenery, food and social phenomena, which was somewhat different from my experience with teachers in Japan.

In the second week, I joined other doctoral students from abroad and took classes with them.Over the next three weeks, I started studying “advanced” English.As the topics became more and more difficult, I learned how to write essays and summaries starting with the structure, first practicing with paragraphs, then writing papers and finally longer essays based on audio we listened to.

I often went around the university campuses in my spare time after class. ECU University has three campuses, but I only went to the Joondalup and Mount Lawley Campuses, both of which have excellent facilities. I visited libraries, dance rooms, laboratories, research centers, and all kinds of other places that students are allowed to access. The university offers other services to support international students in various aspects of university life, including academic advising, counseling, career services, and cross-cultural communication support, although I personally did not use these services. There are various student groups, clubs, and associations at the university, and they are all very active, making them good opportunities to find friends with the same interests. I enjoyed playing table tennis and table soccer in the activity room of the student dormitory.At that time, second-year seniors from my university, Tokyo City University, happened to be preparing for the Setagaya Festival next door, and I was able to talk to them and become friends with them. I think joining these groups is a great way to make friends, participate in extracurricular activities, and enhance your college life.

In our free time on weekends during these six weeks, the five MEXT members, myself included, went to many places for fun.These included Kings Park, Busselton, a winery, and Bunbury.The most memorable was Rottnest Island.Rottnest Island is accessible by ferry from Perth, with beautiful sandy beaches and clear emerald waters. One thing the island is known for is a small animal known as quokka. These animals are full of character and provide a therapeutic experience for visitors. The island is home to a historic prison that once housed Aboriginal prisoners. The prison, known as Rottnest Island Prison, was the site of the detention of Aboriginal men in the 19th century and is an important element of their history and Australian colonial history.The prison is now a symbol of Aboriginal culture and history and the clash and impact of colonialism. It is also a place that sparks emotion in members of Aboriginal communities. I heard from the guide that some people prefer not to visit Rottnest because the background brings discomfort. I learned a lot there.

I would also like to discuss the beautiful natural environment, culture, learning experiences, and interpersonal interactions offered by Perth.

The first appeal of Perth is its natural environment.Australia is a natural treasure trove, and Perth is no exception.Beautiful beaches, including Safety Bay Beach and Cutlam Blue Beach, are known for their crystal clear waters. Beautiful rivers and vast parks also exist throughout the country.The Swan River runs through the City of Perth and is a popular destination for outdoor activities such as canoeing, kayaking, picnicking, and barbecuing.Kings Park offers stunning views from the city and is known as a place for picnics and nature walks.

The second appeal of Perth is that you can interact with a lot of people.It was a fulfilling experience to meet new friends in my classes at the university and throughout my study-abroad life.ECU University assigned Chris as our Buddy to help us with any problems during our stay.Of course, he gave me advice about my studies and brought me many delicious restaurants in my free time.As I mentioned at the beginning, all the members of my host family were kind. They took me to play mini golf, go whale watching, and to experience an open day (opera performance) at their daughter’s school, which enriched my stay.Their enthusiasm inspired me to study French so that I can go to Mauritius next year and meet them.

In conclusion, my stay in Perth was a productive six weeks, an opportunity to meet new friends, learn valuable things, and enjoy great experiences. I was exposed to Australia’s natural beauty and culture. I studied at the university, spent time with friends, and made many new discoveries. These experiences have been unforgettable in my life and have provided me with the opportunity to broaden my international horizons and make new connections with friends. I am excited and grateful for how much these experiences will impact my development and career in the future.

I am determined to continue moving toward new experiences, exploring the world, and learning foreign languages. I am grateful that I was able to participate in this program and hope that I will have the opportunity to learn and interact with new people again in the future.