徐相玥 (工商管理學士學位課程 -市場學專業)
Xu Xiangyue (Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing)

 

This was an unforgettable and impressive journey. During this short period, friendship, knowledge, and cultural experience were the most valuable things I had ever received.

To be honest, I had a wonderful week in Melbourne. I had a hospitable host family with a lovely cat. Additionally, I liked the architecture, which combines old and new style, and diversified culture in Melbourne. Besides, I get along with all Japanese students and students from Shanghai. Therefore, I really enjoyed my time in Melbourne.

The highlights I choose are Hungarian’s dancing night and skiing, because I have never tried both of them before, thus, it was challenging and exciting for me to participate these activities. Most importantly, I made friends with various people and learned a lot from them. Through this period, I gradually realized how diversified culture in Melbourne is.

From my perspective, the most challenging thing was the language. Sometimes, I couldn't  understand the true meaning behind a joke or a story my host parents just talked about.

Thus, it disappointed me and I know my host family did their best to speak slowly to me, but actually it was still hard for me to integrate into their life.

In my opinion, the most significant thing I have learnt is the essential qualifications the employers want to see. We went to the CPA Company and had a conversation with some experienced employers, and I learned some tips from their suggestions. For example, they said experience is more significant than a diploma, in addition, they also mentioned about the importance to learn from others.

Furthermore, I discovered many delicious foods in Melbourne. Lasagne is the most memorable dish for me as a result of its special taste and ingredients. It is my first time to have this kind of dish, and it was the most fantastic food I have ever tried. Lasagne originated in Italy, and became a traditional dish. Besides, it is a pleasant experience to eat some special food in a foreign country. 

As for Australian culture, I know that Aussies like to shorten their words. For example, they use ‘ta’ for ‘thank you’, and ‘flat out’ for ‘very busy’. In addition, they usually wear shoes at home. Obviously, everyone has one team to barrack for, and they do have family time at night, usually they prefer to watch a drama together.

As for sights, I went to Great Ocean road and Brighten beach. Frankly, Great ocean road is worth a shot. We admired the stunning coastline on the Great Ocean Walk and enjoyed fine dining, local winemakers and fresh produce along the way.Speaking of Brighten beach, I think it is an amazing place to fresh your heart and truly find peace. There are many colorful small houses, each one has beautiful decoration. For me, it was definitely excellent.

As for company visiting, I went to CPA Australia and Ford. In CPA, we had a deep conversation with the manager and other people about the employment and CPA Australia network. After this activity, I reckon that it is better to put the theory into practice. Therefore, I will look for more internship to improve my skills and increase my experience as well. In Ford, a manager talked with us about the current situation of Ford and workplace culture. The purpose of this visit, I think, was to let us know the operation and to learn something from it. During that period, I saw how many pieces of parts can be assembled into a car, and it was exactly what I wanted to see.

What I admire most is that Ford has a great workplace culture, and most employees think they have a great time in Ford. Besides, there is no discrimination and harassment in Ford, which is really good.

Words fail me, and I have only one thing in my mind: going back again. All in all, it was an excellent experience to embrace various cultures and to truly learn something for my future development.