Exposure to different culture (part 2)

After completed my secondary school years, I was heading to Australia for university. This time I was excited to embark on a journey to be in a new place again. My life felt like an adventure. I was lucky to get to explore the different parts of the world and learn new cultures. I felt like there was so much to learn about people. It added to a new perspective; it made me see things the way I wouldn’t have if I were to grow up in one place. I didn’t know what Australia was going to be like, but I wasn’t afraid. I was ready. I knew that what I learnt in Singapore had taught me enough to be able to adapt into another culture.

I became open to world beyond what I had already experienced.

I visited Melbourne before university started. Being a typical tourist, I tried taking photos with different landmarks and spectacular buildings. I mostly asked my dad to take them for me, but so often, there would be local Australians offering help to take photos, without having been asked. I found that surprising at first. Throughout the day, we walked to places around the city, mostly asking for directions after being lost a few times. Then I realised, I could ask anyone on the streets for help without being turned down. The locals would even walk us to the places themselves or they would explain till we understood our ways before leaving us to go ourselves.

There were people from many different nationalities on the streets everywhere. There were streets full of Italian restaurants, all nationalities of Asian cuisines you could possibly think of, Greek and Indian food were also decent choices, brunch and dining places for local, French, fusion, and other dishes. It was as if the whole city had invited people from all over the world to be there. It certainly wasn’t what I had expected.

Bachelor of Arts 

I registered as a student in Bachelor of Arts, University of Melbourne. The major and minor I took were intriguing. I learnt analytical concepts and theories about the cinema, television, music, social media which associated with identity and gender as well as journalism and marketing communications. The classes were run with interesting conversation; discussion among tutors and peers. Every opinion was counted, everyone had a voice and was encouraged to express what they thought. There was no right or wrong answer, just different angles of perspectives.

As what one of my tutors used to say, “Ideas lead to multiple ideas and they keep multiplying.” I learnt to express my thoughts and form ideas, which led to new ideas and analytical thinking of a topic. I learnt to consider all grounds and possibilities, and not be biased against one source of information or even an aspect of a topic. Learning became so enjoyable, I laughed together with my tutors and peers. It was fun and felt wonderful to be original and creative. It was also intriguing to learn what people had to say.

The manner over a cup of coffee

Melbourne had a very casual thing where people simply went to grab a cup of coffee, sat down, sometimes walked, and talked. Living in Melbourne made me realise that a little happiness actually came in a paper cup. I was walking around in the city with a local friend one day, we saw a cafe, decided on the spot to just go in and had coffee. We settled ourselves down, started chatting away and what came as a little surprise was that my friend simply just put his phone away. It was apparently rude to look at your phone or texting while engaging in a conversation with another person.

It was a common etiquette to show respect to another human being. There, coffee talk was where we had meaningful human-to-human interaction, no distractions. Sometimes, you picked up a lot just by having good conversation with people.

Saving the environment

Being in Melbourne, I admired how kind and selfless people were. I was doing my own grocery shopping in Woolworths, a general store, where you could find anything you needed in your home. I was asked by a cashier if I wanted to purchase a $2 green shopping bag, in place of getting free plastic bags to help with global warming. I looked around and was astounded to see almost every local Australian carrying the green bag. I decided to get one, and I was contented with myself to do something even so little to help save the environment.

What I also found out later was that even the free plastic bags were biodegradable in Australia. I recalled the time at the airport where the immigration wouldn’t allow you to pass through if you were to bring in fruits to the country and that’s because the chemicals that were used on them might affect the environment. The take-away coffee cups were also biodegradable. I was grateful for just how people were so concerned with the environment. It was a big deal and it was important.

Street talents and creativity

Walking along the streets in the city, it was a likely chance that you randomly met so many talented people who performed on the streets to entertain the people that walked around. Some of them were actually well-known. Music and art were for everyone, It wasn’t restricted. It was that culture that made the city lively. I could take a tram and got off in a suburb and found antique and vintage shops along the whole street. Amazing art sculptures were prominent to the city. You could see art and creativity everywhere and they came in many forms.

The gratitude

Having lived in Melbourne, I discovered my appreciation in many things. I loved art and creativity and freedom; to express both. It taught me to reinvent myself, especially in my thinking. I wanted to look at things in a spectrum, not confining my thoughts. I learnt to respect everything for its nature, whether it’s people or environment. It taught me a culture where nothing was supposed to be taken for granted. I learnt to embrace and appreciate differences because they counted, and it was that that brought awareness to what really matter in life; to be human; to be kind; to be selfless.

Image sources:

http://wecareonlineclasses.com/wp-content/uploads/box-300×225.jpg

http://www.australia.com/content/australia/en/places/vic/fed-square/jcr:content/hero/image.adapt.1663.medium.jpg

http://newsroom.melbourne.edu/sites/newsroom.melbourne.edu/files/styles/content_width_x2/public/pictures/news/main_images/Open%20Day.jpg?itok=-MaFmmog

http://www.melbournegirl.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Melbourne-Coffee.jpg

http://inside.capitaland.com/images/static/stories/articles/2014/11/nov14_02_escape.jpg?sfvrsn=2