From late February to early March this year, fourteen students and I visited Perth, Western Australia as part of a two-week inaugural homestay and study program conducted by Otemae and Murdoch universities. The students had the opportunity of living and studying in a major Australian university whilst enjoying the authentic experience of everyday Australian family life through the friendliness and local knowledge of their homestay parents.

On the first day of classes, the students were given placement tests before being allocated their appropriate levels. Their classmates included students from India, Iran, Pakistan, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, so it was a wonderful chance to meet and learn about other cultures and lifestyles. The teachers were very friendly and encouraging which provided a warm and productive atmosphere for our Otemae students to study English.

In addition to English study on the campus, the students were also taken on various excursions to learn about the culture, history, wildlife and nature of Australia. The tours were well organized, very educational and lots of fun! The staff, teachers, and organizers at Murdoch did a fantastic job in making this trip successful and memorable. We are looking forward to making this the first of many trips to Murdoch University in the future!