If I could sum up my experiences with just one word, it would be life-changing. And even that may be an understatement. I had the opportunity to travel alone across the world, enrol in a foreign university, succeed in a distinct education system, meet people from all over the world and take in everything Australia has to offer – how is one not be affected by all of this! It’s been 8 months since I returned home from Australia and it has been evident since the day I returned home that my experiences abroad had a significant affect on me as an individual. Most importantly, it opened my mind and eyes to all of the endless opportunities that are available outside of the Queen’s community, outside of Ontario and outside of Canada. Living in a foreign country for half a year and participating in an academic exchange allowed me to gain a better understanding of other cultures (not only Australian culture but that of many international students I met), of what global education means and most importantly, a better understanding of myself. By stepping out of my comfort zone and taking risks, I was able to discover what makes me who I am and more importantly, where I see myself heading and what my future will hold. Living in Australia greatly enhanced my independence, global sense and expanded my outlook on life – all of which will be beneficial to me in the future. I know for a fact that my experiences abroad will provide me with greater opportunities in my academic and personal future, as well as will significantly influence my career path, personal choices and future travel plans!

Having the chance to reflect back on my exchange and share my experiences with my family, friends and peers has strengthened my appreciation and gratefulness for opportunities Queen’s University provides its students such as academic exchange. I would recommend partaking in an academic exchange to anyone who has an interest in travelling, meeting new people and discovering yourself. As university students, we are provided with so many great chances to enjoy our four years and I would argue that an academic exchange is by far, one of the most academically and personally rewarding experiences available. What are you waiting for?

Written by: Darcy Vilder

The view from the Bund can only be really appreciated in person. Photo courtesy of Amy K.

I feel it is appropriate to start off by describing what is easily one of Shanghai’s trademark areas – the Bund. It is a beautiful waterfront located in the downtown area. Surrounding the location are hundreds of shops, restaurants, and malls that offer almost anything one can look for. You can easily devote an entire day just exploring the sidewalks and taking in the rich, storied culture that is embedded in every building there. There is a very unique design to a lot of the stores there, which I believe is due to influence from the British and American settlements from the early 1900’s. The area is not just a shopping district, but also one of Shanghai’s largest financial districts. Although there is much to do, I would personally recommend going there especially at night. The way the Bund lights up during the evening is incredible and is truly hard for me to properly put into words the amazement of it. You can also look across the river there that cuts through Shanghai and see the skyline light up. Doing so really allows travellers to realize just how far Shanghai and China has come during the past century.

Just a few blocks away is the arguably equally-famous Nanjing road. This is Shanghai’s premiere shopping district that is essentially a three-and-a-half mile long road of continuous shops, restaurants, and bars. If there is ever a place to find some souvenirs or even purchase some quality, authentic brand name objects Nanjing road is definitely the place to go. There are a lot of Western fast food restaurants there like KFC and McDonalds for those who feel a little homesick, but the real attraction I find is the street food offered. The dumplings and seafood are delicious! If you would like to have some free entertainment to go with your meal you can often find street performers that sing or do interesting live shows outside. Too tired to walk the whole way? No worries, there are street cars found there as well that offer rides for a nominal fee! The downside I find to using those though is the fact that you cannot explore the area at your own pace, but are instead confined to wherever and whenever the street car takes you. My recommendation is to explore wherever you can, and take periodic breaks to get some snacks and just take in the scenery. It can be crowded though, and pickpockets are not unheard of there (I’ve been an unfortunate victim of them), so be careful of your belongings!

One of Shanghai’s signature dishes in China is the famous (and delicious) xiaolongbao (soup dumplings). As the English translation suggests, these are dumplings filled with soup inside! These are served at a number of different restaurants in Shanghai; however the most famous is located in Yuyuan garden. The garden itself has more to offer than just dumplings though. There are beautiful towers spread across the area as well as ponds filled with koi, turtles, and ducks. The design of the buildings are a clear demonstration of traditional Chinese architecture back then, which contrasts that found at the Bund. One thing to consider though is that you definitely will need to be patient and tolerant of crowds. Yuyuan garden attracts tons of travellers from China as well as from across the globe. I remember I waited about half an hour in line just to get my order of dumplings. Finding a seat afterwards was impossible so I had to improvise and sit on the railings of the ponds (not the safest idea).

Although there were a bunch of places I got to see, there were still tons more which I did not have time for. French concession is one that immediately strikes my mind. The area is one of Shanghai’s most lavish and high-class districts where a lot of foreign travellers love going to. I remember going there once when I was very young and I remember definitely noticing the European influence that dominates the area.

If you are still curious about to what extent the West has influenced Shanghai, you can also check out Xin Tian Di. A lot of American ex-pats actually live in that area and there are tons of Western shops found there. Brand names such as Starbucks, McDonalds, Haagen-Dazs, and a huge variety of brand name clothing are all bundled into that one place. The restaurants there are extremely expensive, even for foreign travellers; however the prices match the quality of service and food served there.

An alley at Xintiandi. Photo courtesy of Amy K.

Overall, I definitely plan on returning to Shanghai again to gain a more complete experience of its vast riches. Some say that Shanghai best represents the progress China has made as a nation. It is the economic center of China and some predict it will be the premiere economic for all of Asia in the next few decades. It is a very unique city in China as I personally felt it had the greatest Western influence; even more so than Beijing. To some that can be a detraction, as it may leave you feeling deprived of a truly “Chinese” experience, but I feel that that is best left up to you to experience for yourself and decide.

Written by: Anthony Qiang

Now, back here at Queen’s for the semester, the memories are presenting themselves in entirely different ways. I have so little class and so little work this semester; it has left me with lots of time to reminisce. Of course, I find myself thinking of how it was one year ago that I was on my great adventure through Italy, Austria and Germany, and that was such a huge thing for me that I will always have fond memories. Of course, the cork board full of pictures beside my desk helps to bring them back often! I could write thousands of words about that, but I am sure you would get tired of it by the end, so here is a summary: Rome – Naples – Herculaneum – Florence – Salzburg – a friend’s house in a tiny village called WIldenau – Munich – Edinburgh. Fantastic. I could never forget touring the Vatican, tumbling dramatically to the ground in the Sistine Chapel (the view of the ceiling is excellent when you are flat on your back, though the room full of people laughing at you takes away from the experience), or late-night visits to luxurious gelaterias in Florence and strolls through the incredible streets, simply dripping with art and history. The week in Austria was excellent as well, living in a friend’s house, even going to a day of school with him, and being an honoured guest at the Fireman’s Ball, at which a strange ceremony, which awarded me a medal of some kind, was performed in German and never explained to me. All this was just over a year ago, and now I sit in Kingston and reflect.

Florence by night from the Piazza Michelangelo, something you should go see for yourself!

But, this year is just as important – I am learning how to apply all of these experiences into the rest of my life, as they seem to find their way into it on their own. The year had such an impact on me academically – the year abroad taught me self-discipline, as I had to remember to do my work around all the adventures, and those lessons have helped me this year. Personally, it has molded me into someone with more of a sense of adventure and more wanderlust. I have learned just how much is waiting out in the world, and I always find myself scheming how to get out there again (the QUIC website has great ideas, check it out!).

In the broad scheme of things, I see the influence of the exchange having very wide impact on my future. As mentioned above, I will always be searching for a chance to have another adventure and gain more stories to tell. However, there is more to it than that – a startling realization struck me at a recent meeting where someone from Career Services was speaking on how to integrate your international experiences into your resume alongside your professional experiences. A panic switch in my mind flipped, and I realized that I don’t have any professional experiences. While most people have been being professional and making a name for themselves, laying foundations for business jobs and lives spent behind desks, I have been cultivating stories.

All through high school (and life, really), I have worked away on our dairy farm whenever I am at home. After high school, when most people get their first serious job, I ran off to Norway for 5 weeks of random adventures and meeting interesting people. The summer after first year, I took off on a whim to New Brunswick, where I worked on a commercial fishing crew for elvers, one of the most ridiculous and enjoyable jobs I have ever done. This experience should have warned me of my future “professional” crisis, I suppose. Once, I even considered (for a solid 15 minutes) finding something relatively professional when a friend, upon hearing of my fishing job, asked me this: “Johnny, are you ever going to have a normal job?” As I thought about that one, I realized that I would be just fine answering him with a no!

This is me, knee deep in the Bay of Fundy fishing for baby eels at 4 A.M.

So, I went fishing, and then spent the rest of the summer hosting travellers and working away at the farm, focusing on enjoying my life more than making money.  Over the next year, I applied for exchanges, then went fishing again, then spent the summer farming and helping others to travel. Then was my time in Scotland (and so many other places!), then another summer of international visitors (friends started telling me I should ask the town for a paycheck, I have brought so many visitors through), and I am currently planning this summer – fishing, international friends, and a lot of driving around and seeing the world through my own eyes.

As I had my minor crisis about my resume having nothing but random jobs, always outnumbered by random adventures, I realized (with the help of the career counselor) that I could easily make this work for me – I can use a resume to show how I feel about the world, and prove to people that I am willing to work away at just about anything, and to make the best of it. Hopefully, the teacher’s colleges I have applied to appreciate this notion – after all, didn’t you think that the teachers with interesting stories in high school were the best ones? This got me thinking once again –as I said, I have done a lot of that lately – and I realized that once I graduate in June, I will essentially have a degree in storytelling; a major in history, where I read stories and learn details about exciting things that have happened in this world, and a minor in French, to help me project my stories in two languages, each with improved linguistic skill and form. So, I have built what I hope is an impressive collection of important stories about this world, developed the skills to tell them well, and used university as a springboard to collect personal stories to spice them up for future listeners.

I think I have made the right choices in life, despite the total lack of professional work. I am just not a professional guy, and the idea of sitting and working on businessy things does nothing for me – give me a job where I can tell my stories, and I will be a happy boy. I owe all of this to the international experiences I have had – Norway gave me the initial drive to see the world, and then Scotland helped me to develop myself and the stories into something that (I sincerely hope) people will care to hear sometime. Long story short, times gone by are not just memories. They are building blocks, and each of us has to use them to construct the life we want to live in the future. And since my building blocks are stories and adventures, I have the highest of hopes for what I can make of them!

Written by: Jonathon Farrell

New Year Eve Gala by Queen's Chinese students

As known to all, the Spring Festival is the biggest national event and even the worldwide celebration for many Chinese generations spreading overseas. When I was a child, I felt very mysterious and curious every time I saw those Chinese abroad show their celebrating way and express their greetings to the motherland people through the TV screen. I haven’t expected one day I would become one of them in the second decade of my life, which would also be one of the most memorable experience here in Canada.

Unlike those big cities such as Vancouver and Toronto where quite a number of Chinese people are gathered, I even couldn’t imagine if I can have a half-like Chinese New Year in Kingston. However, when I came to the Wallace Hall in JDUC on Jan21, I suddenly felt I was back in China, where I saw several big round tables, festival stage with red decorations as well as many happy Chinese faces. Correspondingly, round is similar to union in Chinese pronunciation, red is considered to be an auspicious color since ancient times while happiness is always the atmosphere of the Chinese New Year Festival. It is said to be an annual event happened in JDUC created by Queen’s Chinese Students and Scholars Association(QCSSA). I certainly wouldn’t miss this representative celebration on campus. Listening to the Chinese traditional music, enjoying the snacks and chatting around the table, I got quite relaxed after a week’s tiredness. The following show imitating the evening New Year Gala of CCTV(China Central Television), were nicely designed and performed by Queen’s student volunteers. Ancient costume show, Chinese Kongfu, cross-talk…… I was lucky enough to become an audience of a live Chinese Performing Art. Actually, the program was the spiritual feast of the evening party, accompanied dinner of various Chinese food served to be the real big feast. Yangzhou Fried Rice, Dumplings, Peppery Chicken……it was indeed quite a long time ago that I enjoy those delicious dishes since rushing pizzas and hamburgers here almost every day. The final chorus of Grateful Heart highlights the party while expressing the gratitude and dedication of each Chinese overseas student.

Dumpling Banquet

Besides the campaign run by student association, I went for the celebration of Kingston Community the next day, when almost all the Chinese family in the city as well as Chinese students get together in the Kingston Chinese Alliance Church. We started making dumplings since the afternoon. With several tables separated in the room, tons of dumplings were produced in each group. In face of this enjoyable task, no matter who made a dough by hand, who used a rolling pole to produce a piece of dumpling wrapper, who mixed the filling with vegetables and meat, everyone behaved to be an expert in this “national new year food”. It is especially interesting when children joined in to learn making dumplings, different versions representing different areas of China “argue” with each other. From such a small dumpling, you can see the diversity of China. Just as most Chinese dishes don’t have a quantized regulation, dumplings(jiaozi in Chinese) of different shapes yet symbolize the same festival meaning: wealth(shape similar to the golden ingot money of Ming Dynasty), union(mixture of various fillings and flavors), and new year blessing (jiao in Chinese means the leaving the passed year and welcoming the next year).

After the hilarious dumpling dinner, all went upstairs to watch the video of 2012 CCTV Chinese New Year Eve Gala. The amazing Chinese stage art brought everyone at present not only the joy of watching performance also the ethnic pride resulted from the deep cultural meanings shown in each program. Maybe inspired by this, also as a music student, after watching I couldn’t help going to the practice room to present a Chinese Concert with my violin. Tonight there is no Bach, no Bruch, but only the Chinese tone ranging from thousands of years ago to the modern time. Spring Festival Overture, Missing Home, Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto…… I found my own way to celebrate our own festival by home music, coincidently, to continue the tradition called shousui (staying up late all night on New Years). At this beautiful eve, I felt extremely happy and excited to leave the traditional melody flowing in the air beyond the sea.

First Chinese New Year without the accompaniment of family, however I have the union of a bigger family. First Chinese New Year away from China, however I experienced the most representative Chinese celebration at Queen’s and Kingston Community. First Spring Festival spent in the coldest winter, however, I would say it was the warmest one that I felt.

Written by: Zixuan (Essie) Liu, exchange School of Music

]]> http://blogatquic.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/chinesenewyear/feed/ 0 44.226528 -76.491224 44.226528 -76.491224 blogatquic New Year Eve Gala by Queen's Chinese students dumpling banquet(in the kitchen) http://blogatquic.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/fudanclasses/ http://blogatquic.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/fudanclasses/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:05:01 +0000 Student Writers http://blogatquic.wordpress.com/?p=867 Continue reading »]]> One of the biggest fears I had prior to my exchange was the fact that I had no idea how the curriculum in China would compare to the curriculum at Queen’s. Would the content be harder? Would there be endless amounts of work assigned to us? How would I deal with the language barrier? These are all questions I had in mind and I’m sure many others before me have asked the same. Therefore, I thought it would be helpful for anyone curious in doing a study abroad if I gave a general overview of what my experience was in the classroom at Fudan.

To begin with, in regards to any Queen’s student reading this, I thought it would be worth noting that, based on what I have heard from other fellow Queen’s students returning from exchange, Queen’s University can be pretty tough in terms of difficulty relative to other schools abroad. That being said, it is important to only consider what I have just mentioned as a general rule only. All institutions from every country have their own standards. I have spoken to countless previous exchange students as well as international students at Queen’s and a lot have said they find Queen’s to be pretty tough with its course load, but I have also met students who have said the opposite. A lot of factors come into play such as what courses you decide to take as well as how your study habits fit with what is expected of you in your exchange institution. Fudan is no exception to any of the aforementioned point

One of my goals at Fudan was to try and experience something new than what I would normally receive from Queen’s. As a Life Sciences Major I thought it would be interesting to switch over as a Chinese Language student. My course load consisted entirely of courses devoted to the enhancement of my Chinese language proficiency. I started off by taking a scheduled language aptitude test in order to give the professors there a better idea of what level I should be placed as. From there, I was then assigned to a class that would correspond well with my current level at the time.

My course load consisted of courses in reading, grammar, listening, oral, writing, and a course on Chinese culture. Typically, a week’s worth of lecture was actually quite small relative to what I would have undergone at Queen’s. I usually averaged approximately 12 – 15 hours of class per week. In hindsight, especially since coming back to Queen’s, the amount of free time I had was simply amazing. I often found myself with no idea what to do with all the free time I unexpectedly would have. The amount of work assigned as very reasonable. It usually consisted of basic exercises involving writing out sentences in Chinese, or completing problems based on passages written in Chinese. Now to be fair, I am speaking only on my behalf. As someone who has had prior exposure to the Chinese language, a decent portion of the assignments were largely review for me, but that being said, I do feel that even for those who are less accustomed to Chinese will find the work given to them to be very fair – especially compared to what one may experience back here

The professors I had were extremely friendly and approachable (I even had one agree to be my reference!). All classes were conducted in Chinese, but I could really tell they knew how to teach. They were able to convey exactly what idea they wished for the class to understand in a very clear manner. In addition, the average class sizes were extremely small (roughly 15 people), which allowed for time for questions to be asked. This was one thing I really loved about my classes there as I was given a better opportunity for one-on-one time with my professors and was able to get to know them at a greater level. They were all incredibly helpful to me regarding the course content and really gave me, along with the rest of the class, a sense that they truly cared about us learning.

Exams were still a bit stressful. Just like at Queen’s there is an exam period where there are no classes held and all students are to write their exams on select dates. My exam schedule was quite reasonable and I did not have any real complaints. One thing to note is that at Fudan there are fewer libraries than at Queen’s. Furthermore, the libraries there are significantly smaller than the ones we have here, so if you plan on studying outside of your room, leave very early if you want to get a seat. One nice trick I found (thanks to a very friendly student I tutored) was that there are rooms in the Guanghua Twin Towers that are open students who wish to study. Although they too are packed with students, I was usually able to find an empty seat for me. Also worth noting is that if you too are considering an exchange to Fudan as a Chinese language student, please note this: I fell it is extremely important for you to spend lots of time going into the city or around China to explore and experience the culture; however, education is still important and you are still a student first and foremost. Striking a balance between work and play is tricky, but it is incredibly rewarding and worth pursuing. Remember, there is a time to work and there is a time to play. Fudan offered me a very adaptable course load and I am very grateful for it. Hopefully if you are applying as well, you will feel so too.

Written by: Anthony Qiang

The pictures show some of the Indian and Canadian features flourishing together. The top right are the famous Indian spices put together while yummy Canadian dinner attracts us. Down left a photo of Canadian aboriginal cultures and to the right bottom the Indian Sari. Christmas and Diwali, the most famous and cherished festivals of the two nations, add life to the collage. Coming to the title; Stewing is a cooking method in which foods with different flavour, colours, shapes and textures are chopped and added to the pot so that every food gets cooked together at the same time. Highlighted thing is that vegetables that take longest to cook are put into the pot first and the ones that need least cooking to be put in last. Without getting into more details, I think this runs highly analogous with the blending of Indian and Canadian cultures.

The two countries are distinct in many aspects like foods, clothing, houses, education, family values, technology, weather, etc. Canadian weather seems moody! Need to get out of the house checking weather forecast daily. I swear I never checked weather forecast in past 19 years of my life which is to be done here every day! Another interesting thing is Canadian food being pretty delicious takes little time to cook on the contrary average cooking time for Indian lunch or dinner is 60 to 90 minutes with varieties of foodstuffs eaten at one meal. Eastern food is cooked by adding many spices whereas here in Canada, every food is enjoyed with its natural taste.

It seems to me that Western kids are more aware about what they want to do in future. Potential seeds are well nurtured. All the jobs are equally dignified and as a consequence everyone can pursue their dreams. Some few years back, parents wanted their kids to take high profile jobs and education to have a ‘decent’ social life at times out of kids’ interests. Picture is changing nowadays in India and even there, people are now seeing their hobbies and likes turning into profession. The gender discrimination prevails even today in some of the Indian families. Boys are sometimes preferred over girls; as after marriage a girl is supposed to stay with her husband’s family which means parents lose their right on their married angels .This discrimination occurs mainly in families of rural and uneducated people. Indian government is striving hard to get rid of this concern. The education expenses of rural and poor girls are taken care of by the government. Free meals and books are provided in rural girls’ school. Extra facilities are provided to girls such as reservations in politics, universities, civilian jobs so that come up with flying colours.

I met my 1^st Canadian friend in bus journey back home from university and in our first meet itself she was very interested in knowing about the ‘arranged marriages’ practised in India. Even today majority of Indians decide to spend their lives with person chosen for them by their parents. Even more Surprising; for few rare marriages in rural areas, partners are totally obscure about the person they are wed locked with! Question popping out of the mind is where is the ‘love’ between these unknown life partners? And then How come divorce rates are lower in India? Sounds strange but they start knowing each other and fall in love after marriage. Human Race is so different on the other side of the globe! Love marriages are highly practised in Canada. It is a great pleasure to marry someone of your choice. This freedom bestowed to Canadians is worth appreciating. Though the picture in India is changing and few youths choose their own life partners, there still may be a very minor and rare   occurrence of some deplorable practices like honour killing, where young couples who dare to marry out of their caste and community are killed same community people in the name of honour.

The natural human feelings run same in our minds; both east and west like to celebrate birthdays with great enthusiasm. One has yummy cakes with beautiful candles lit on top; where candles are blown to ask a wish and other has the tradition of lighting lights (diya) on birthday which is not supposed to be blown off because light represents the long life of that person. Nowadays even east have birthday cakes and celebrations. Both wish good blessings for birthday person with extreme ideas of keeping the light and blowing it off!

‘University cultures’ is something we as being students will like to focus on. It’s pleasing to study in a group of people with varied aims like Engineering, Arts, Commerce, Health sciences, etc. Queen’s bubble seems like a world in itself teaching us how to fly with professionalism, pride and confidence with the drastic creativity and rationalism. Professors are so friendly that if we pass together in campus corridor, they are the first to greet. We are allowed to sit with informal posture in class rooms, eat in classes and also can access laptops and cell phones during lectures. I was amazed about this class room culture during my initial days in Queen’s. Back in India students are expected to sit in proper posture in class room with back straight, not to eat in classrooms during lectures, no coffee, no cell phones and chatting in front of professors and not to use laptops in learning rooms unless you have presentations or project works!

I felt Queen’s academics have a practical approach since initial years prior to graduation. We students have to work regularly to sustain the courses. Emphasis is more on weekly works, assignments, projects and exams. In India we have markings mainly based on exams, lab courses and viva; we need to excel in final exams to do well. It’s inspirational to see student run organisations like AMS to make significant contributions in student’s campus life. Also the successful running of such organisations where recruitment, economy, management, marketing is taken care of by the students.

To me, students in Canada seem ‘independent’ with own lives. It’s surprising for the east to hear that some students from 16 or onwards take care of their own expenses like tuition fees. On Campus jobs make one more responsible and teach how to survive in practical world. In India generally most parents look after their children’s expenses even in their early twenties or till they complete their education. Earning while you learn is not commonly practiced in India. Parents look forward for education, foods, stay even enjoyment expenses and responsibility of till their ‘kids’ are 22-24.  Often, couples prefer staying together even if their marriage is not working and that just for their kids. Child is first priority in parents’ life after marriage and so it’s obvious for them to exercise right on their child’s life even when it comes to choosing life partners. So I think arranged marriages are not opposed by even the highly educated youth to respect their parents will. Directly comparing people in west are more independent with individual space and choose to live their lives in their own ways.

Lastly all strive hard to achieve the same big thing – HAPPINESS which will keep east and west bound together ever and always.

A short poetry eagerly summarising my thoughts,

Indo Canadian Cultures

Weaving together Indo Canadian culture

Generating a highly   globalised texture

Respecting each other’s ethics & differences

Resulting     into   relations    full    of   graces

Spices, Vedas and Yoga’s from the East

Eagerly enjoyed by the West as  Feast

Technology, Fast foods & Fashions from West

Beneficial to   East, multiplying    their    Quest

Distinct Bodies with similar Souls,

Achieving collectively heavenly goals,

Although living on opposite earth face

Bonded forever with Human Race!!

Written by Occasional Contributor: Surbhi Sudhar Bhagwat

Throughout first, second and first semester of third year, my parents were ‘gung-ho’ about me going on exchange – they thought it was a fabulous idea and were extremely excited for me. Never having the chance to do it themselves, they wanted me to experience everything an undergrad degree at Queen’s had to offer, and being travellers themselves, they thought Australia was a wonderful destination. That is, until about two weeks before my departure. I spent the month of January at home because the Australian semester doesn’t start until late-February and that was quite possibly, the longest month of my life – which is exactly what my mother had wanted, for time to slow right down or even better, for me to decide to stay in Canada. Fortunately for me but unfortunately for her (and my father, as you soon find out why), the early morning in February eventually arrived and I was ready as ever to hop on that plane and jet across the world. I had said my goodbyes to all my family, friends and dog, but saved the Mom and Dad goodbyes for the airport. We left for the Toronto Pearson Airport just before 5 am, a time of the day when most (normal) people are feeling tired, groggy and not at all talkative, and thankfully, this was and is typically the case with my Dad, however, I was not so lucky with my Mom. As we bantered on about what I had and had not remembered to pack; if I had directions, phone numbers, emergency contacts; and why again, had I chosen Australia, it dawned on me – these were my last hours in Canada for half a year, the last time I would have to endure negative temperatures until next year as well as the last time I was going to see my parents for 6 months. Hallelujah I thought.

Now I don’t know if this may be the case for you or not, but my Dad has never been one with words. He prefers to keep to his ‘man cave’, stocked with beer, snacks and a high-definition TV, choosing to ‘live the dream’ in the basement every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. His way with words didn’t change when we parted our ways at the airport. It was the usual, “Be safe. Don’t have too much fun. Call your mother. And be sure to come home.” A quick hug and a kiss and that was that. As I turned to say goodbye to my Mom I could see her lip begin to quiver and her eyes start to water. Uh oh, I thought to myself. She gave me all the motherly advice she could get out, gave me a long hug and a kiss and sent me on my way. As I showed security my ticket, I glanced back for one more wave goodbye, and instead saw my Mom with tears streaming down her face. How could I be so excited for my adventure, yet feel so guilty at the same time? My Dad, while laughing at how emotion my Mom was, told me to, “Just go… she’ll be fine.” And just like that, I was on my own; about to embark on the most exciting adventure I’ve had yet.

Scarborough Beach in Perth

Pearson Airport to San Francisco to Sydney to Perth – four different planes, four different airports and roughly 24 hours worth of flying and I had finally arrived.  My family had arranged for me to be picked up at the Perth Airport by one of my Grandma’s cousins – whom I had never met, and she hadn’t even seen since she was a teenager. Needless to say, it was an interesting meeting and car ride to Curtin University, but it was very reassuring knowing I had some family in Australia, and was not completely alone in a foreign country.  After arriving at Curtin University and finding Vickery House, the flat-style residence I would be staying in, I began settling in and unpacking my bags. I was in an 8 person flat with a shared kitchen, but none of my other flatmates had moved in yet, seeing as the semester didn’t start for another two weeks.  Shortly after unpacking, I had a residence meeting for those of us who had just moved in, and I was eager to meet some new people. Following that meeting, I spent the next week with two Scottish and one English exchange students, and had it not been for them, my first week in Australia would have been quite sad and lonely. We did absolutely everything together because we were all each other had and I was amazed at how quickly we all became very close friends.  Soon enough, more international students started arriving and our group began to grow, however those first few days were ‘make it’ or ‘break it’, and the three UK exchange students helped ‘make it’ into one of the most entertaining semesters of my life.

The attached picture shows myself and two of the exchange students from the UK at Scarborough Beach in Perth. This was our first full day in Perth and  (of course) decided to hit one of Australia’s many gorgeous beaches!

Written by: Darcy Vilder

However, after walking on Queen’s campus for two months, everything witnessed a difference, including my definition to this word.

One year ago, when I was fighting for my destination,

Exchange=honor + credits;

Two months after stepping on this dream land,

Exchange=experience+ change

As shown above, in my dictionary, “exchange” has turned from a noun to a verb, namely from a result to a process. If there needs an annotation, I would add that a worthy exchange contains an experience of one-year but a change of a life-time.

From the top arts institute of China, though I am still in the School of Music studying similar courses, in my first days I was confronted with maladjustments. When I was around by classmates rapid-firing different ideas, when teachers allowed us to discuss in an exam explaining there is no standard answer, when various forms of assignments and tests ranging from reading, listening, writing, performing to interviewing come one after another, when I see people always enjoy themselves in to all kinds of parties, clubs and activities despite their busy schedule……initially, I felt it interesting to find what I have never experienced before, yet consequently I had no idea what to do and gradually get a little worried about how to take action.

Suddenly, the honor yesterday turns into pressure and credits here means tougher work. Now “Exchange” seems no longer an achievable admission, so I began to seek for the meaning of this word. Actually, every exchange student is experiencing an exciting adventure, which requires every individual to take action under corresponding circumstances. If you stick to your old ways to understand and practice,  mostly you will find it doesn’t work and tend to feel overwhelmed about it. So, you have to change, not only for better adjusting to life here, but developing a beneficial habit which may be used to outline your future, especially your comprehensive perspectives and optimistic attitude. You are granted with a valuable chance to experience life abroad as well as complete yourself. That’s what exchange means.

“Exchange=experience+ change” I then kept it as a slogan on my study wall, more precisely, it has become a positive signal permanently existing in my mind. Whenever I cannot make a decision or meet some difficulties, it prevents me from any excuse to hesitate to have a try, to escape challenges and to refuse to remodel myself.

So, it’s time for me to close my books but open my mouth——a nice show of personal research results called “presentation”. It’s time for me to stop thinking alone but to start communicating with others——a production base creating collective wisdom called “group discussion”. It’s time for me to walk out of practice room and play in front of audience——the biweekly stage called “Studio” for professors and students interact about performance. It’s time for me to refresh from heavy schoolwork to devote to those in need within my capacity——a magnificent and enjoyable group called “volunteer”. Even, it’s time for me to move from my diary to QUIC Blog——a public platform for sharing thoughts. Whether you are planning or undergoing an exchange, if you try to understand the true meaning of this word and practice as it suggests, I believe your exchange is more than an adventure, but a wonder.

Written by: Zixuan Liu

It all began in Fresher’s Week when all the students in their first year (or on exchange!) were adopted by an academic mom and dad. I was adopted by a girl named Helen, who is about six months older than I am. She is a good cook, and very hospitable. She was collecting an international family, so my brothers and sisters come from all over the world – two from China, one from Egypt, one from France, and two from Scotland.

The partying started on Friday in preparation for this Monday event. As a third year student (yes, there is still an academic side to exchange!), I had to prepare a presentation for Monday, so I was not really involved in the madness on Friday, but Saturday, Sunday and Monday I dedicated to Raisin.

Sunday is when it got really crazy – the university has a different policy towards alcohol, so there were no attempts to stop the party on Sunday morning! The first part of the tradition for the weekend is the collection of the children by their fathers – one guy in my hall, Josh, is the dad of about 35 others. He went around with an airhorn and a bucket of ice. Needless to say, by 7 a.m. his kids were not in great shape! As a 3^rd year, I opted not to have a dad, so I was spared. However, I did have a son!

On Sunday I met up with my family at 2 p.m. to begin the competitions – there were six other mother’s families present, to equal two other teams the size of ours. I think they were all my academic cousins or something – it gets so complicated so fast!

We did a photo scavenger hunt, all around St Andrews taking odd pictures in odd places, to get points, things like “stage a murder in H&M”. Then we headed back to my mom’s house with all the other teams, and she fed us spaghetti and we played competitive games. Some examples were getting a mint wafer from your forehead to your mouth without using your hands, Disney movie re-enactments, and the one I starred at – bobbing for Malteesers in jello, then for apples in water, then once you were all wet, for gummy candies in flour! That was it for Sunday, so we all headed back to our halls to rest in preparation for the big day, Raisin Monday.

On my return to John Burnet Hall, I found that everyone else had days similar to mine – lots of friends and lots of fun. Of course, on a weekend of university condoned parties, a lot of people were not in good shape by Sunday night!

The next morning (Raisin Monday), I woke up early and dressed my son as Lady Canada, wearing my bedsheet as a toga and my flag as a shawl, and a wig on his head. Now, this is not the job of the father, but through a strange turn of events I was technically his mother, so I was in charge of his outfit. Then I went off to my mom’s again, where she served us the British classic, bacon and butter sandwiches, and dressed us up. Since we are such an international bunch, we went as landmarks from our countries – I was Niagara Falls, complete with a tin foil waterfall, we had the pyramids, the Eiffel tower, some Scottish monroes, and the Great Wall of China.

Raisin Monday, St.Andrews

Everyone was sent off to find their dads and get their Raisin Receipts – proof that you had given your parents either a bottle of wine or a pound of raisins. Then we all went back to the Quad, the lawn of the 600-year-old church, for a giant shaving foam fight!! We had to throw out any part of our costume that people could trip over (which was my whole thing!), which means that I no longer have a bedsheet or Canada flag in my room!

We spent quite some time in there, spraying and rubbing foam on each other. We developed some good techniques too – the hug, the hi-five, the tackle, etc. It was incredible – about 600 people crowded in there just going wild and having fun! Luckily for you, I braved bringing in my camera in.

I think I am still suffering from a large block of shaving cream lodged way up my nose – everything has smelled like aloe vera for more than 12 hours now! Then when that was finished, we headed back to halls in hopes of finding a warm shower, but that was not what was waiting – there were the upper years, who made the students strip to their underwear and run a lap of the building, and then threw a bucket of icy water on them!

Thanks to quick thinking, I avoided this by telling them about the presentation I had to run and give – they assumed I meant in 10 minutes, I just chose not to tell them I still had three hours!!

Raisin Weekend

So I went off to class, totally exhausted and still with foam blocking my ears, and did a presentation the professor thought was just great. Then, I collapsed into sleep for a very long time! What a time!! I love St Andrews!

It’s hard to believe that was one year ago already – how time flies. This November, I am writing essays and applying to teacher’s college. Sigh! But anyways, I hope you enjoyed my story! Now,  a plug for another QUIC event – the International Coffee House at CoGro is coming up fast, Thursday November 17, from 7-9 PM. I will be speaking about my adventures in Scotland and around Europe, so if you would like to hear it with the full enthusiasm that I can’t convey in a blog, come on out! We’ll have several speakers with stories of their experiences abroad, and even some live music and cultural displays, it’s really something you can’t miss. See you there!

Written by: Jonathon Farrell

A goal of mine when doing an exchange was to go to a school situated in a major city. I wanted to make my exchange experience as different from the experience I would get at Queen’s so that I could get a novel perspective on life as a student. Fudan was a perfect choice in that regard as it is a massive school that is just north of the downtown area of Shanghai. Boasting a strong worldwide reputation and a sizeable international presence, I felt confident with my choice of going to Fudan.

The campus is very different from Queen’s. It is significantly larger and there are a lot of roads for bicycles and motorcycles. Although using one is optional, I found having a bike to be an incredibly convenient thing to have. I remember it took me about half an hour to get to class on my first day, despite the fact that I lived on campus. Add in the fact that the weather can be quite hot during the summer and spring months, having a bike is almost a necessity. You can buy them from dealers that set up shops just outside the gates of the main campus. They usually try and charge you over-the-top prices, however that is quite common in China and you can usually bargain them down to about $20 if you go for a cheap bike.

Bikes are really handy for getting around campus

The food is probably one of the best draws of Fudan. They have their own cafeterias spread out around campus, and they’re both cheap and delicious. However, if you have a little extra cash to spend you can go explore the surrounding area and find a plethora of different cuisines offered. Asides from traditional Chinese food, you can try local Shanghainese-style meals, Korean food, Japanese food, Mexican food, and a whole other range of dishes. There are also a lot of fast food chains that have opened up near the area that may interest the homesick-student such as KFC and McDonald’s (of course their menus have been altered to have a slight Asian influence to them).

When I applied for Fudan, residence was guaranteed for Queen’s students. I stayed at the International dormitory, which is located at the very north-west end of campus. It is a 21-storey apartment building that is easily one of the largest buildings on campus. As the name suggests, it is comprised solely of foreign students, which makes the transition a bit easier knowing that your neighbours are all in the same boat as you. The rooms are quite nice and cozy. You have the option of having a single or a double. Both have their own personal bathrooms and balconies. One trouble students will face is the heating and air-conditioning. Electricity is not free and can be pricy if used around-the-clock. I remember during the winter months I would use my heater constantly and I ended up having to pay a huge sum of money to cover my electricity bill fees. My advice is to buy lots of extra blankets and only turn on the heater when you are actually going to bed. The summer time is a lot more manageable, but still keep in mind to never overuse the air-conditioning.

The view of the streets from my balcony (courtesy of Amy K.)

Laundry is another thing to be aware of. There are actually a number of different ways you can wash your clothes there. There are laundry machines set up on each floor, however there are no dryers so you usually have to find a way to dry them yourself (I bought a long rope and set it up on my balcony so that I could hang my clothes there). There is also a small laundry room in a building just across from the dormitory where someone will clean and dry them for you for a manageable fee. This was the one I felt was most convenient as she does a decent job and it saves you a lot of time. You could also take your clothes to other stores that will offer laundry services located just around the campus area. Each has their own benefits and drawbacks, so it really depends on the individual.

Overall, Fudan was definitely a big change from Queen’s. Whether it was how to get from point A to B, or what foods are offered to you, there is certainly an adjustment period you will experience. I really enjoyed my time there though. Coming back to Queen’s, I definitely miss riding my bike everyday as well as eating the cheap, tasty meals I could find. One the flip side, I definitely do no miss the lack of heating during the winter, so I guess every school has their drawbacks and benefits; it’s just all about seeing both sides.

Written by: Anthony Qiang