Class Year: 2026 
Major/Minor: Art Studio and IDS
Program: IFSA University of Queensland - Brisbane, Australia
Identities I can speak to students about: Women abroad, English as a second language, International student experience, finding a job
Program specific experiences I can speak about: Enrolled in a local university
Favorite experience:
Experiencing different culture and learn about their history. Also, immerse in the abundant wildlife. One of the best is when we went to a bird aviary center and got parrots land on my head.
What course/internship experience during your global study semester allowed you to learn something new and exciting
I got a job as a pottery instructor in a studio and that experience is quite fulfilling. I got to do what I like and also teach people how to do it. I got to meet a lot of people and made some friends at work. SO that is something that I learned more about teaching, about technical stuffs of pottery. All the classes are also very informative, especially 3 classes that is for my IDS major. I also learned something interesting in my Australian history class that I would never know if I didn't take it.
How have your global studies related to one of the 7 Enduring Skills?
My semester at the University of Queensland transformed my adaptability in ways I never anticipated. Living with five housemates from different backgrounds meant navigating diverse communication styles and living habits daily. Simple tasks like coordinating kitchen use or managing shared spaces required flexibility and open-mindedness. I have only been staying with my friends so staying with stranger like this is something new.
Securing a position as a pottery instructor particularly challenged my adaptive capabilities. Teaching ceramics to people from different background means I'm always doing something new each sessions. I discovered that techniques I considered universal often needed changing to make things easier. It also taught me about doing teamworks with my colleagues. I also feel much comfortable communicating with people now.
The experience taught me that adaptability isn't just about surviving change - it's about thriving in it. I very much enjoy my life in Australia, everything was very accessible and I was able to adapt to it pretty quickly. But studying is something that I took sometimes to figure out since it is completely different to in the US and in Vietnam. Eventually I figured my way. This growth in adaptability now serves me beyond academics.