Sancta Sophia News Blog
Postcard from Simone, Studying on an Exchange Program at Peking
Simone van Nieuwenhuizen,
Exchange Program Student in Peking
Apart from being a compulsory part of my degree, I applied for exchange to become fluent in Chinese and gain a greater insight into traditional and modern Chinese culture. Learning a foreign language in Sydney University is very different from being exposed to it on a daily basis and being forced to apply your knowledge outside an exam or assessment context. Initially I found the language barrier quite overwhelming, but as I become more confident in the language becomes less of a problem.
The Peking University campus is really beautiful. There is even a lake (Weiming hu) and a pagoda! In spring, when the blossoms come out, the trees are really pretty too. It’s exciting studying here, where so many historical figures have studied and major Chinese political movements have emerged.
I have had many adventures here, including going to a Chinese public hospital to see an optometrist. In China, if you want to see a GP or any kind of medical specialist you have to go to a hospital; there are no ‘medical centres’ like there are in Australia. You can’t make any appointments either – when I tried to, I was told that I just had to line up to apply for a card when the doors opened at 7am and ‘hope’ I would be able to see someone before closing time. In the queue, there was a woman in front of me who had traveled overnight by train from the country just to see a GP. There was a man trying to sell a medical card to people in the line for 20 times its value so they didn’t have to apply for one inside the hospital and could see a doctor sooner.
Beijing is a very interesting city and there are so many fusions between ancient and modern. A few weekends a go, I found a modern, independent theatre tucked away at the back of a Hutong (an ancient, narrow residential street).
If you have the opportunity, I definitely recommend going on exchange for a semester or a year. Studying overseas really allows you to experience a different way of life and reminds you how big the world is.
I very rarely see the sun here; I am really looking forward to returning to Sydney weather!
- Simone
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