Melbourne is just fantastic. It's a garden city. The people here are so kind and considerate. If you are in trouble, they are always glad to help you out. Melbourne is surrounded by a wonderful natural environment. It might sound trivial to most people, but I found that a visually pleasing natural environment improves my everyday mood.

When I first arrived in Melbourne, I was surprised by the trams here. The trams remind me of old Shanghai, where there are trams and people riding horses, where traditional and modern elements in society are combined.

Last year I lived in a homestay (sharing a house with a local family) and this year I'm sharing house with my friends. I can't say which one I like the best. Homestay is a good choice if it's your first time to abroad. It's a shortcut to getting to know about a completely different culture. Sharing house with friends is probably more fun and relaxed.

I will take home fond memories of my whole experience in Melbourne. I can share stories with my parents and friends. The government pays a lot of attention to us international students. The facilities are fantastic and the multi-cultural environment helps us to settle in more easily and have more fun here!

Studying in Australia is different to my home country. Chinese education lacks creativity and follows the text book too strictly. I longed for an education system which allowed the students to do research work by themselves and give their own opinion. That's exactly what the Australian education system gives me.

I would advise other international students to try living with an Australian family in their first year. Enjoy Melbourne‘s wonderful environment and participate in all kinds of activities (for example, visit the Royal Melbourne Show). The activities are all terrific and worth trying. Try to be honest and feel free to express what you think and what you feel, instead of hiding your thoughts. For students who come from non-English speaking countries, try to practice your English as frequently as possible. The multicultural environment will make you forget what you need to practice and it will allow to speak your native language all the time. Melbourne is very suitable for international students. So please do not hesitate to come here.

The teaching staff at my university are friendly and helpful. If you have any academic questions, do not hesitate to ask them. Our campus is full of labs. They are very good for study and experiments. The facilities are advanced and we are always able to access the latest models. I am enjoying my course. After I graduate, I want to be a pharmacist. Hopefully I can run my own pharmacy.