I never expected a study trip to be this fun and memorable. Australia is where the study tour was organized, a country that I have never had a chance to explore or visit. I had no idea what to expect from Australia – at first I thought their living condition and environment were just like in Vietnam, but I was wrong. When I finally set foot in Australia, I was shocked by the endless, piercing blue of the sky. “How can this be Australia?” was my initial thought.
Everything only got better from there. I had the chance to stay at the La Trobe University student accommodation in Bundoora. The bus trip from the airport to the campus really gave me a chance to broaden my view of the country there. However, the campus itself is the most memorable thing about the trip. All my life, I’ve been seeing concrete and hearing car noise, but this is the first time I’ve been able to hear “peaceful”. All the noise, they just seemed to no longer exist, no car honk, no engine noise, no tall buildings to block the sun. It’s like you went back to a childhood scene that you never had, or those exploration videos from vloggers. The campus is immersed in nature, so birds and animals are everywhere, mostly birds. Waking up to the melodious chirping is one new experience that I will never forget
Enough about the peaceful scenery, what about the bustling streets of Melbourne? The Melbourne Central Business District (CBD) is where I spent almost half of my time exploring Australia. I had the chance to interact with the people there, and they were so friendly and hospitable. Endless crowds and vehicles rushing by, which really brought back the feeling of my homeland. What struck me as strange was that everything would die down after 6 pm, unlike Vietnam, where things only settle at 1 am.
I was lucky to be able to see St.Kilda Beach with so little time. Although the trip there was a bit of a hassle, it was all worth it. Photographic scenery, delightful weather, and most importantly, the chance to just be myself.
I also had the chance to meet the friendly staff and teachers there. They were so supportive and open, giving every student a chance to speak as well as help them overcome their fear, which in my case is my shyness. Despite my weak English skills, the language barrier was never an obstacle in my days in Australia.
Throughout the trip, the most important thing I learned was not only to overcome my shyness, but also how to communicate effectively and simply. English doesn’t have to be a “fancy” language, it’s just like any other language, with the main purpose of communicating. You don’t need to use too advanced words to communicate daily. What you need is for others to understand you. From what I have learnt from the trip, most employers don’t really care much about your use of “fancy” words. What they care more about is your ability to hold a conversation, whether you can perform well or not. Technical skill can be taught on the spot, but interpersonal maturity is much harder to learn.
Teamwork is also an important thing to consider. “You never get to pair with the one you know” is a statement that I’ve always thought about, and it’s true, although I knew half of the team members who are from my class, but fate always had a different plan for me. I got paired up with “strangers”. I didn’t know them well, but silence wasn’t always an option for me to choose. If I always ended up with the faces I know, then what’s the point of the teamwork session? You have to adapt to the fact that you will have to work with new faces eventually.
