Metro Special

Pros: Getting a global perspective

By Wu Yang (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-04-20 08:04

What New Zealand offered me was a lifestyle other than the mainstream Chinese one.

The courses of my major include both theory and on-the-job education. During class trainings my classmates and I needed to learn within groups.

Several discussion sessions were usually conducted to conclude a group opinion. A wide range of opinions and different voices can be heard by the tutor. My classmates and I were able to speak out our unrealistic ideas, to justify them with the greatest amount of courage, and to fight for them as much as we could.

In addition to coursework, there were different social groups I could mingle with.

I made friends from all parts of the world including Russia, America, England, Japan, India and Brazil.

In that foreign environment, I was forced to learn to get along with these people (or I would be without friends!).

People from all walks of life became my acquaintances, including artists, students, soldiers, corporate owners, athletes, socialites and even illegal immigrants.

By talking to these people, I got to learn from their interesting life experiences and my views were broadened by spending time with them.

New Zealand represents a laidback lifestyle with a quality natural environment. It has less pressure with more farms, vineyards, ranches, lakes and mountains.

During school holidays, I stayed in the Abel Tasman National Park, in which I went hiking, camping and swimming.

Each May and in every horseracing season, I went to the Ellerslie Racing Show for a celebration of lifestyles.

The fresh air and relaxed lifestyle, surrounded by an interesting group of friends and most importantly, a set of positive life experiences, made living overseas worth a million.

To put it simply, without my overseas experiences, I would not be as fulfilled as I am now.

China Daily

(China Daily 04/20/2010)