Interview by Freya Bennett
artwork by Seven Nguyen
We’re excited to feature a special interview series with our Vietnamese interns, who have embarked on an incredible journey studying and working in Naarm/Melbourne. They share their personal stories of adjusting to life in Australia, including cultural surprises, challenges in the education system, and the communities they’ve built along the way. Through their unique perspectives, we gain a deeper understanding of what it’s like to live and learn abroad, while celebrating their resilience and creativity. We are so lucky to have them sharing their talents with us over the next few months!
NIMUEL
What has been the most surprising or challenging part of adjusting to life in Australia?
When I first stepped onto Naarm/Melbourne, I felt extremely dry and cold! I needed to drink a lot more water than usual, and my skin required additional moisture. I slept very late for the first month due to the time difference, but after adjusting to life in Australia, I developed the best sleep schedule, which made me more productive and healthier than how I was!
How does the education system here compare to your home country?
I believe there is a significant difference in people’s appreciation for arts and design in Australia, as well as the wide range of subjects from which I can choose, from traditional crafts to the most recent technology of Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality, both of which I adore that inspired me so much in my education journey.
How have you built a sense of community while studying abroad?
Thanks to my creative club and my friendly classmates, I was able to make some great friends at school. Participating in club activities and making an effort to connect with outstanding students in my classes are two things that I truly enjoy – then, I would hang out with friends frequently at the local music and bookstores. I feel like I am more connected to this community and enjoy living here much more by doing so.
What motivated you to choose Australia for your studies?
The beauty of the land here was the most important factor in my decision, but my school’s reputation in the Australian art and design industry was also significant in my decision to come and study here! I was able to see the natural life, wild animals, birds, and flowers that Australia has to offer, and my favourite thing to do here during my spare time is to walk around parks, hills, look at trees, find a good spot to sit down, and draw!
What do you miss most about your home country?
The lively atmosphere at night in Vietnam is something I really miss. Most stores and cafes open at 6 in the morning and stay open until late at night! Every morning, I make myself a cup of phin coffee to satisfy my cravings for Vietnamese coffee. It really helps!
SEVEN
What has been the most surprising or challenging part of adjusting to life in Australia?
The most challenging part of adjusting to life in Australia was finding suitable accommodation. When I first arrived, I lived in a small room in St. Albans, which was quite far from my university. Although I initially liked the room because it offered more space than student accommodations, the long commute from my part-time job became burdensome. I remember several nights when, after finishing my shift at 10 p.m., I had to transfer from the Watergardens and Sunbury train line to a bus at Sunshine. By the time I arrived at St Albans station, it was already midnight, and I had to walk home in the dark for 20 minutes. It was scary and made me quite anxious, having to be on guard at all times. That’s when I realized I needed to find another place, but the housing crisis in Australia made it challenging. Finally, I found my current house and I’m pleased with it.
How does the education system here compare to your home country?
I don’t have enough experience studying in Australia to fully compare the educational systems of Australia and Vietnam. However, I can share my personal experience and which system I find more suitable for me. The digital design modules in Australia are very different from those in Vietnam. At RMIT Vietnam, the lessons focus more on tools and practical application, whereas at RMIT Melbourne, the emphasis is on theoretical framework. As a beginner in digital design, I prefer the modules in Vietnam. However, I really enjoyed the study environment in Australia. The classroom atmosphere is very harmonious, and students and lecturers interact like friends, sharing thoughts freely. I remember feeling so awkward when I first shared a small talk with a lecturer. The situation is quite different from the dynamics in Asian classrooms, where the power balance between students and teachers is more imbalanced, and there is a lot of pressure. Even though I studied at an international university, I still felt the weight of this Asian cultural dynamic as most students were Vietnamese and other Asians. So, being in Australia gave me a fresh perspective on work and study environments.
How have you built a sense of community while studying abroad?
I would say living in a shared house gives me the strongest sense of community. There are four different individuals living under the same roof, so we have certain responsibilities and rules to follow to maintain the household. Even though we are not best friends, we are still comfortable living with each other. We greet each other in the morning, have a small talk during dinner, and say good night. These little gestures make me really like my current living space. We may have disagreements, but that’s when we learn to adjust, communicate our problems, and solve them together. Shared living is an experience that I am really grateful for while studying abroad.
What motivated you to choose Australia for your studies?
To be honest, Australia has never been on my list, but it just happened. I had a chance to go abroad, and I took it. That’s the only reason I’m here. Why waste such a privileged experience?
What do you miss most about your home country?
One thing I miss about Vietnam is its convenience. Ho Chi Minh City, where I lived, is like a city that never sleeps. People are out on the streets selling, partying, and working regardless of the reasons. Along with that comes the convenience. You can still buy snacks for late-night cravings, and even at 3-4 a.m., there are food stalls for labour workers who work at odd hours. I love that this city is bustling but also laid-back in a way that people are always so sharing and welcoming of others.
ADRIAN
What has been the most surprising or challenging part of adjusting to life in Australia?
The most surprising aspect of adjusting to life in Australia is how pleasant the majority of people’s attitudes are. Instead of challenging confrontations in public, I’ve been treated with nothing but smiles, “It’s alright!” and “You’re all good!” every time I accidentally bump into someone. To me, it was a cultural shock. When I initially arrived here, I struggled to find a place to stay. Most rental companies do cashless transactions, so I was stuck when all I had was cash. That put me in a difficult scenario in which I had to rush around the city to open my Australian bank account and card while my room contract was pending because I hadn’t, or rather couldn’t, pay my moving-in fees yet.
How does the education system here compare to your home country?
I believe that the educational system here is far superior to that of my home country. I’ve noticed how diverse people around here study and work. In university, my Australian friends excel in brainstorming and idea generation, whereas the majority of us international students excel at technical skills, using everything in an app. For someone who is better at coming up with ideas, I finally felt like I could fit in because, in my own country, ideas are meaningless if my talents aren’t up to the task. Besides, it appears that kids here may choose what they want to learn in school, and they have a far more “humane” curriculum than the one I went through. In Vietnam, we would have to deal with a huge 13 topics and an average of 10 hours of studying every day, but this has decreased in recent years. I had to wake up at 5:30 a.m. every day to get ready for school; sometimes I can’t imagine how I managed to get through it all.
How have you built a sense of community while studying abroad?
I’ve managed to create a few trustworthy buddies. They would connect me with other overseas students and communities that they were interested in. It’s fantastic to discover all these groups and clubs that support each other and provide you with a place to be yourself.
What motivated you to choose Australia for your studies?
Back in Vietnam, I was already a member of RMIT. I chose to relocate abroad because I discovered that RMIT’s design course provided a more diverse selection of materials from which to study, and as my favourite instructor, Martin Constable once told me, altering one’s environment can lead to more inspiration. A much more personal reason is because I wanted to live closer to my partner.
What do you miss most about your home country?
The food, definitely the food. Compared to Australia, food in my country is dirt-cheap. Not only is it very affordable, it’s also very delicious. There are numerous Asian meals to die for, ranging from aromatic to powerful tastes. Not to mention my friends, family, and my two baby pups Teemo and Pepper, who are just the cutest.
TIFFANY
What has been the most surprising or challenging part of adjusting to life in Australia?
I have been in Melbourne for one year, and this city excites me and challenges me at the same time. First, the surprising part was the Melbourne Cafe culture. I have never been cafe-addicted before, but since I stepped foot here, I understand why Melbourne has this cafe culture. What surprised me though, was most cafes close at 4pm, too soon for me because I usually enjoy my cafe date in the afternoon or evening after dinner. But now, I acknowledge that cafes open to serve office people and there is little chance that people will need a cafe after finishing their work. In Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam which is vibrant with rich food culture and many destinations to spend time with loved ones I could spend time out from early morning until late. The feelings of homesickness have been the most challenging. I can proudly proclaim that I am a family-oriented person, so I spend most of my time with my family and have never lived far away from them. So, when I moved to Melbourne all by myself, lived alone, cooked alone, and ate alone, I felt empty, there was no one surrounding me. Although I have support from friends, that seemed not enough to fulfill my soul.
How does the education system here compare to your home country?
Australia is one of the best destinations for international students, with over 700,000 students from China, India, Nepal, Vietnam and etc. With top notch education, I am grateful to have an opportunity to experience it, especially studying at RMIT University which is top 10 in Australia. I am a transferred student from RMIT Vietnam, Hanoi campus, I reckon there is slight to no difference between RMIT Vietnam and RMIT Australia. Particularly, within my major which is Professional Communications, I have the chance to learn about communications strategies, writing news, study Asian cultures and a bit of designing. These are helpful skills for me when aiming to be an Executive Director of a communication agency. RMIT prepares me as a whole package.
How have you built a sense of community while studying abroad?
A sense of community in me has been built recently. I work for a business company with prominent local Aussie, and after a few weeks of working, I finally blend in. One event that mark the milestone of me being more social, a networking event from my company where I start conversations with strangers that I have ever done. I was a bit nervous but worth it, I gained many connections on LinkedIn that evening. Also, I need to thank my co-workers who are supportive with an international student like me, not feeling left out at all.
What motivated you to choose Australia for your studies?
My motivation to move to Australia is not that deep. I saw most of my friends exchange and transfer to RMIT Australia, so I had a sense of peer pressure. I prepared myself mentally and physically to move here. But on a deeper level, why I chose to move here was because back home, I was spoiled by my parents. I am grateful for that, I cannot demand anything more because mom and dad have given me all their love and support. However, everything has its positive and negative sides. The negative side is I did not feel like I could mature if I continued living that lifestyle of being spoiled, of having my parents help me with all challenges in my life. So, I decided to grow on my own, with long distance support from my parents, I live independently, face all the difficulties by myself. The biggest achievement I have reached so far is getting two internships from 2 amazing companies. I feel like a big girl now.
What do you miss most about your home country?
I will refer to the question WHO I miss the most. I miss my baby brother the most. Him and I, we are 11 years apart and I am not only a big sister to him but also a second mom. I have helped my mom take care of him since he was born. He is 10 years old now, my baby is not a baby anymore, he is stepping into the puberty phase instead. Since I moved aboard, I have skipped two birthdays of him, and there are many more to miss because I have a long education direction to pursuit. It has been 10 years of having him by my side, we co slept every night (except for some nights he hates me haha), we hang out together, stay at home together when we are too tired of travelling around with our parents. I think my parents are in the middle-aged phase of life when they want to enjoy life and have as little stress as possible. So, I had a responsibility to raise my brother some way, I can confidently say that because I am closer to him than my parents I will understand him more than they do. But then I decided to study aboard so raising my brother was a bit challenging, but we still call each other weekly. That is the reason why whenever I have a semester break, I book a flight back to Vietnam right away. I cannot wait to see my baby brother and my beloved family.
