Fun fact

There are actually a few things to tell. I love changes and challenges. It was my decision to come this far from home to high school in NSW and I congratulate myself for making this important decision. When I first arrived, settling into a new environment was challenging, but with time and a willingness to learn I quickly became more comfortable. I enjoy many aspects of everyday life here, as trying things I’ve never done before and meeting new people is very exciting for me.

I love travelling, which provides further opportunities for new experiences for me. I love to stay positive and active. I find going to the gym great for releasing stress and refreshing myself. I am also a big foodie and love trying the wide range of food here in NSW.

What has been your favourite experience in NSW?

Being a high school student in NSW has been the one of the best parts of my life so far. I love going to school, learning in class and having fun with friends. All of the teachers and staff at my school are friendly and the students are lovely too. Everyone is easy to talk to and always offer help when I am in need. Apart from learning inside of classroom, I also enjoy participating in other school events such as the annual swimming carnivals and the year group camps. While on the Year 12 camp earlier this year we climbed to the top of Mt Kosciusko!

It has also been great living with a local family, as part of my school’s home stay program. My home stay family are Greek, and often cook me Greek and Italian food, as well as western food. I feel very lucky to experience such a large variety of cuisines without having to travel to other countries.

Where is your home country?

China

What do you study?

International Baccalaureate - Year 12

Where do you study?

St Paul's Grammar School

What languages do you speak?

Chinese, English

What advice do you have for other international students?

My advice would be to make sure that you seize every possible opportunity to develop your learning abilities, skills and other competencies. Be proactive and confident. Try to be part of the community, to make friends and to get involved in as many different activities and events that you can. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes as making mistakes is part of the learning process. I have found that it is more beneficial to learn from mistakes rather than focusing on preventing them entirely.

In general, it’s important for us, as international students, to join the local community, learn to accept and appreciate people with different cultural backgrounds and to enjoy a new lifestyle whist finding a sense of belonging.

What opportunities has studying in NSW given to you?

Studying in NSW has opened the gates of the world to me. I feel connected to the world when learning about global events in school and getting to know people of different nationalities. As NSW offers a safe and welcoming study environment, I have established a sense of well-being as a high school student and have truly immersed myself in this multicultural state. I have developed self-learning abilities, communication and interpersonal skills, and have established a global perspective by being open-minded.

I have excelled in my learning environment and was proud to be awarded a gold certificate twice during my Year 11 studies at St Paul’s Grammar School. This is the highest honour bestowed upon students at the school. I also received a special award for being the most improved international student in 2018 and have recently received an academic award for excellence in my science subject 'Environmental Systems and Societies'.