Introductions

The initial idea behind Soy Sauce was to bring together stories from Chinese students living in Melbourne. The next couple of entries introduce two such students. I have been lucky enough to teach both of them in the past and I asked them to be the first profiles on Soy Sauce because I had always found them to be very interested and insightful regarding the transition period all of us face when moving to another country.

Special thanks to Crystal who very kindly translated all of my original questions into Chinese and who has been very encouraging of this project from day one. Thanks also to Xiu who has sent me heaps of extremely engaging and honest material which I aim to upload over the next couple of days.

Even with just a couple of profiles ready to share, I can already see how Soy Sauce has the potential to be a positive force for change in the lives of international students in Melbourne. Through reflecting on the problems faced by these young people as they try their best to adjust to life away from home, we must look for new ways in which to make this experience not just meet their expectations, but exceed them. In the same way, by bringing together examples of positive housing, life and educational experiences, Soy Sauce hopes to act as a resource for those looking for some suggestions on how to make their new home a little bit more enjoyable.