International Students

On April 19th, our international students ventured into the Melbourne CBD for our annual City Trip with Andrew Helmsley and Chenhao Cui.

The ambitious itinerary included:

• Cultural exposure: Marveling at the Cathedral and the State Library.
• A step back in time: Visiting historical teahouses and the Royal Arcade.
• A test of survival: A competitive city treasure hunt.

It was amusing to see students climbing up and down the library stairs to track down the statues and books listed on their worksheets. Naturally, to survive the cultural and physical overload, the group sustained themselves with coffee and tea along the way.

As a stroke of luck, we caught a live symphony orchestra rehearsal at the Cathedral. One student noted that hearing live music in that acoustic setting was entirely different from listening online. It appears digital streaming still has some catching up to do.

Student Feedback:

As adults, we take great pride in showing off history and architecture. However, teenagers reminded us of what truly matters to them:

"For my team, we've agreed that the best aspect of the trip wasn't the cathedral, state library, or the royal arcade, but instead the overall vibe of the city. We enjoyed the many shops and peaceful atmosphere... Though personally, I really liked the architecture of the state library and the rehearsal at the cathedral."

It appears centuries of breathtaking architecture and live orchestral performances still struggle to compete with a good atmosphere and the prospect of retail therapy.

Ultimately, we are just glad the students felt at home in Melbourne. Thank you to everyone for making it a very pleasant day out.