Brianna LEHRKE

Student of RMIT University, Australia
Exchange to Tianjin University, China

My name is Brianna Lehrke and I’m currently studying the Bachelor of Photography at RMIT University. In 2013, I was so fortunate to be in Tianjin, China as part of the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Awards.

I have been overseas many times, all to different places and for different reasons, but none of them can compare to my semester on exchange in Tianjin.

Whilst I can only tell you my personal experience from our time abroad, I know that my fellow classmates will agree with me that it was one of the most exciting experiences in our lives.

I travel to learn. To embrace and experience new things and places as well as to push my own personal beliefs and values. I will admit that I did not know too much about China before going, but I was intrigued by China’s rich culture and exciting history. Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity to go and experience it first hand.

Perhaps the main reason this experience was different from my other travels is that for a time I felt more connected to the community rather than just a tourist passing through. I felt as though I was a local, able to experience the differences and similarities of life between the sister cities of Tianjin and Melbourne.

Throughout my 12 weeks I made sure that I cherished each and every minute I spent there, meeting people from all over the world, travelling as often as possible and experiencing the beautiful hospitality that Chinese people provided us, enriching my knowledge and beliefs. Whilst learning the language was challenging, there was a great sense of reward being able to speak to locals in their language, ask for directions, order food and exchange ideas not only with other students, but with taxi drivers, strangers on the street.

Looking back I cannot pick the best part of my trip, as I had so many different and wonderful experiences each one just as incredible as the last. However, my fellow RMIT Ambassadors and I agree that the people we were fortunate enough to meet, the opportunities given to us by our Chinese friends and day to day interactions with our local community were high up on our points to remember list.

The world is getting smaller. Advances in communication technology, modern transportation and the globalisation of trade and industry make it easier, and more necessary, to interact with other countries, other cultures, other markets.

Perhaps most importantly though, it allows us to foster relationships with people – because that’s what this world is about isn’t it? I feel so honoured to be part of a program that fosters cultural understanding between Tianjin and Melbourne. It has given myself, and all of us a greater understanding and appreciation for the differences in our culture, the similarities in our identities, and a gratitude for the opportunities in our lives.

Finally, I would like to thank RMIT, Cheung Kong Group, and the Australian Government for allowing people like myself a chance to go on this amazing once in a lifetime experience and my parents who have always encouraged my overseas adventures.

Thank you. Xie xie.

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