On an island in the sun...

Introducing Pei Pei whom I met whilst teaching a fantastic group of students at the Monash University English Language Centre a year or so ago. It was great reading that she had some great experiences doing vacation work on Boyne Island in Queensland, a remote island that most Queenslanders would never have even heard about, let alone visited.


I’m Pei Pei from China. Right now, I am doing third level of Materials Engineering at Monash University. Before I came to Australia, I finished the first two years of university education at my local university.

I believe that the three main reasons why students leave China to study abroad include a better quality of education, a chance to improve their language skills in an English speaking environment and the possibility of future immigration. As for those students who don’t come overseas, budget and language limitations are two of the main factors. Also, many students would find it very difficult to live without having their friends and family around.

I chose to come to Australia because I was offered a place in a program that allowed me to finish my bachelor degree at Monash University. Actually, it might not have been my first choice if there weren’t so many terrorist-attacks in the United States. :)

It’s hard to tell whether other students from China are satisfied with their educational experience or not. Personally, I’m content with what I’ve gained from my experience. For instance, there is help offered by various levels of organizations and individuals out there. There are all kinds of tutorials and programs helping international students with their studies, communications, and health.

Regarding work, I haven’t had a part-time job since being in Melbourne. Usually coping with lectures and exams is already enough to keep us occupied during our free time. As a result, not many of my friends have taken part time jobs because we think of them as being dangerous. This is because if we fail one subject we have to pay 3,000 dollars to repeat the course, compared to the paltry amount of money earned by doing laboring work it just really isn’t worth the risk.

Although I’ve never taken any part time in Melbourne, this summer I did do some vacation work at Boyne Smelters Limited in Queensland. I’m really lucky that I got this opportunity, because it’s extremely hard, almost impossible, for international students to get vacation work due to the difference in our educational background and language level when compared with local students.

It has been a great experience for me! I have gained industrial experience and contacts, as well as living with locals and hanging out with them. To be honest, if not for these three month, I may never have chance to mingle with local students and experience Australian culture. Now that I have friends who have grown up in Melbourne, even when I go back, life will be different.

Everywhere you go, you always take the weather

I was Neil's English teacher when he first arrived in Australia to complete a bridging course before entering his Masters at Monash University. Amongst other things, I remember his love of astronomy and the fact that as a boy, he made his own telescopes in order to gaze at the stars. I hadn't ever met anyone who had done that before and it struck me as fascinating.

My name is Neil and I come from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of northwest China and I have been in Australia for about ten months. I live with my uncle’s family at the moment in Hallam. Before I came to Australia, I studied at Chengdu University of Technology of Sichuan Province and majored in Geology. After my graduation, I worked in the E-commerce department of a children’s clothing company.

I think the top three reasons why students leave China to study include the fact that some developed countries still have a higher level of tertiary education than China does. Secondly, the diploma or certificate from a developed country may make it easy to find a better job in China. Thirdly, many students go abroad to study for the sake of emigration.

As for why students don't make it overseas, well firstly living costs and tuition fees are very expensive and not every family or individual can afford it. Secondly, their English level mightn't meet the requirements of the overseas college or the immigration department. Finally, their previous academic performance might not be enough to meet the demands of the overseas tertiary institution.

I chose to study in Australia for several reasons, including the fact that I have many relatives living in Melbourne. I also love the climate, weather and environment in Australia. Also, it was easier for me to apply for a course in an Australian university than in an American or a British one.

I think most Chinese overseas students are generally satisfied with their educational experience in Melbourne. The biggest complaint I think is that the number of Chinese and Indian students is just too big.

The importance of being harmonious

This post introduces Jack, a student who I first met whilst working at RMIT English Worldwide. Jack was always really funny and interesting in class so I was keen to ask him to contribute to Soy Sauce. In this first excerpt, he talks about some of the reasons why Chinese students come to Australia and goes on to give some really interesting anecdotes about the problems many students face when trying to find suitable accommodation in Melbourne.


My name is Jack and I come from China. I have lived in Melbourne for four months. I finished my Bachelor degree in China with a major in applied mathematics.

I think the main reasons Chinese students go abroad for further study include widening their own horizons, improving their English skills and also exploring the possibilities of future immigration. As for those students who choose not to go abroad, they probably cannot afford the financial burden and their parents have rejected the idea, or they simply want to start their careers early. Personally speaking, I came to Australia to improve my English and I’m also interested in migrating here one day, even though I’d prefer to live in Canada.

On the whole I have been satisfied with my life in Melbourne although I’m always annoyed that there are so many Chinese here, which limits my chances to speak English.

I think one of the biggest problems facing Chinese students when they come to Melbourne is housing. When we arrive in Australia, usually our English speaking and listening skills are not sufficient to interact with local agents. We have to say ‘pardon’ so many times that they become impatient and bored, leaving with the impression that Chinese have poor communication skills. As a result local agents seem like they really don’t want to do business with Chinese students, which really limits our options when it comes to renting a house.

However, we still need to live somewhere so we are usually forced to seek help through more established Chinese immigrants operating within the rental market. Because the properties controlled by Chinese in Melbourne represent only a small section of the overall market, we are forced to compete with all of the other Chinese students here who face the same problem. As a result of this fierce competition the prices go up and up. In the end, Chinese students usually end up living in places where the rent seems irrationally high!

To add to this problem is the difference in the exchange rate between China and Australia. Let me give a specific example, the money used to pay a month’s rent in Australia on a single room is equivalent to what it would cost to rent an entire apartment for a whole month in some mid-scale Chinese cities.

Because of this, most of my friends here live in share houses with other international students. This experience is not without its problems and some of my friends have been forced to move house. A couple of my friends have even moved house several times in one month! Honestly though, I would probably do the same thing as I believe in the importance of harmony when one is living abroad alone. I would rather avoid conflict even if it meant losing a little bit of money. I guess that is because I am a pretty easy-going guy with not much in the way of aggression.

Building a platform for the future

Soy Sauce talks with Wei Jia about her take on life and study in Melbourne. Wei Jia has lived here for over two years now and I have had the pleasure of meeting with her on several occasions as she was a classmate of my girlfriends at Melbourne University.

My name is Wei Jia and I come from Guangzhou. I arrived in Australia in late 2006. At the time I had just graduated from University and hadn’t any work experience. As for why I chose to come to Melbourne, to be honest it wasn’t my first choice. I was more inclined to work for a couple of years in China and then go to America but my family were more familiar with things here which made it easier I guess.

Students from China leave home to pursue advanced studies for lots of reasons but I think the three most important ones include the desire to study more things which gives them greater opportunities for the future. Immigration is also a popular reason along with dodging the pressures of sitting either the national university entrance examination or the exams for entering a graduate programme. As for those students from China who don’t come overseas, I believe their reasons would be things like a lack of funds, or they think China is fine. Many probably plan to accumulate some more work experience in China before looking for opportunities to go abroad.

On the whole I don’t really believe that Chinese overseas students are happy with the study environment in Melbourne for the simple fact that there are just too many Chinese people here!

Young and excited about the future

My name is Yang Tong Xiu and I come from China. I used to study at the Communication University of China but unfortunately I didn’t complete my studies before leaving. At that time, my family and I thought it would be better for me to come to Australia to study. The main reason was that coming to Australia would help me get a good job in the future.

Chinese students come to Australia to study for many different reasons but the main one is definitely to secure a well paying job in the future. Of course another reason is that Australia is an English speaking country, and it is good for us to have this environment, because pay prospects are still better in many companies if you are proficient in English. The third reason, I suppose is because Australia is cheaper and safer for students.

As for those students who don’t go overseas to continue their studies, they also have their reasons for staying behind. Firstly, for many students it is too expensive to study overseas. As you know, our fees are three times higher than those of local students, which is a very heavy burden for our families. Secondly, overseas study is a tough thing to do. Some students have a very promising future in my country so they don’t need to consider this choice. For most families, they don’t want their children to carry too much on their shoulders when they are very young. Obviously, life would be better and easier for most of us if we were able to stay in China where we have close friends and family. Australia is a good country, but we would be able to enjoy a much more convenient life and closer relationships if we were at home.

To be honest, I did not choose to come to Australia. Australia was my only option. This is the country that my family was able to afford and also seemed like a good environment for study. If I had a choice, I would probably say I would like to live in France but after everything I have experienced here, I am not sure if going abroad to study is the right decision at all.

Generally speaking, overseas study is a good thing for Chinese students. I suppose it is because we are young and all excited about the future. But for most of us, the reality of studying in Australia is not exactly the same as we used to imagine. Talk about complaints, the biggest one is the high price of almost everything! And the environment is also a problem for us. One of the reasons many people came here was to learn English but there are so many Chinese! We hang around and speak our mother tongue, despite the fact that language is already the biggest problem for us getting involved in Australia. So, you will often hear students say, “I never knew there were going to be so many Chinese here.” This moment seems rather dramatic, as this is one thought we all share but no one wants to say.

Melbourne isn't like living in a foreign city

My name is Zhao Jing (Crystal is my English name) and I come from Henan in China. I have lived in Australia a little over a year now and moved here shortly after I finished my undergraduate degree. Like many other students, the main reasons I decided to study abroad were to improve my English, to meet the expectations of my parents and to enjoy a high quality education.

Regarding those students who don’t make it overseas, I believe most of them stay in China because of a lack of money and English skills. As for why I chose Australia, my brother was already living here and my parents encouraged me to join him. Do I believe that Chinese students are satisfied with their educational experience in Australia? Yes, I think they think it is OK. However, there is a consensus that living in Melbourne isn’t really like living in a foreign city at all.

I am living in Clayton at the moment. Personally, finding accommodation wasn’t that difficult but finding suitable housemates was extremely hard. Many people just don’t know how to communicate with other housemates or with their landlord and this causes problems. Apart from this, I find the expense of housing in Melbourne to be the biggest difficulty. In terms of my ideal circumstances, I would like to find a place near to Clayton campus that was reasonably priced and not too big.

In terms of safety, I can't say that I feel safe in Melbourne. I think people drive too fast and this makes me feel uncomfortable. Also, I have experienced being bothered on the street whilst out walking. However, the worst thing is a thief stole my credit card! I reported it to police but nothing really happened.