Personal Statement

To go to a foreign country without knowing anyone or anything when you are 9 years old, is it a risk? At least for me, it was a huge risk because I even didn’t know what was going to happen during my visit to Australia. At that time, I was learning piano, so my mother sent me to join this “Young Pianist” program in Australia in order to let me learn piano well. I was the youngest one in that program and almost everyone knew each other. I was not, however, and everything was totally strange and unfamiliar for me. I was just like a lost sheep in a complete new environment. What kind of people I was going to meet? What type of culture I was going to experience? What kind of journey I was going to have? Everything was so uncertain, but I still boarded the flight with my little carriage.

When I got there, I saw a total different scene in Australia. For me, everything looked different from China. People with blonde or brown hair, white skin, dark and deep eyes, I never saw them before in my hometown! What they ate was something I never ate before. I thought I would cry for a long period and keep calling my parents. However, instead of being sad, I totally enjoyed my journey there. Things I went through and people I met were really impressive even until now.

During that period, people in Australia are really nice to me, especially my instructor. He was like my father who took care of me excellently when ever I need help or had homesick. He would encourage me that since you had come to Australia, you should try to enjoy the trip and learn something valuable. He didn’t push me to play the piano all day long, which was totally different from China; instead, he took me to different places, such as museums, theatres and beaches.

Ever since then, I enjoy the feelings when I travel around different places, no matter whether I go abroad or not. I love watching people with different skin colors walking across streets, seeing people saying “hi” with smile to each...