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Milly COSGROVE

Student of the University of Queensland, Australia
Exchange to Peking University, China

My exchange at Peking University began on September 17th when I had my first Chinese language class. From then until this point in time almost three exact months later I cannot begin to describe how invaluable this experience has been to me. Not only have I developed many personal and professional connections, the personal growth I have achieved while being here is profound. For the first time in my 19 years of life I realised what I am capable of and what few limitations I possess. Not only did I realise what I truly want to do in life but for the first time I can see how to get there.

During my exchange I not only saw Beijing but also travelled to other cities including Inner Mongolia and Xi'an, with further plans to travel to Harbin and Shanghai. The photo here is a picture of me at the Xi'an city wall. I have chosen to include a picture of myself from this trip because this trip was taken only by myself and a classmate. During our trip we caught buses, trains, booked hotel rooms, asked questions all in Mandarin. While this was a fun trip it tested our language skills and the result was better than we expected. The trip ended without a hiccup and encouraged me to do more with what little time I have in China.

During my time at Peking University I also realized how invaluable my own language is. During my exchange I spent a day volunteering in Huailai where I conducted an English lesson focusing on Australia and our traditions and commemorative days, something that I previously would not have had the courage to do before coming to Beijing. It was also something I enjoyed immensely.

Studying at Peking University has not only exponentially improved my Chinese language ability but has also given me insight into future opportunities. I have decided to accelerate my Chinese studies and have already planned to take more classes when I get back to Australia in addition to focusing more of my degree on International Relations and Anthropology so as to develop a better understanding of Asian culture. Furthermore, I am already looking into applying for a Master's Degree in Chinese Language Studies at Yenching Academy where I hope to learn more about this fascinating culture.

I cannot exaggerate how grateful I am to this program for giving me the funds I needed to not only come to Beijing and study in a foreign university, but also allowing me to unlock my potential and incite personal development that would not have been imaginable when studying at the University of Queensland.

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