English Original
After graduating from university in Xi'an in 2001, I worked as an English tour guide in Guilin for over two years. The job offered a high income and opportunities to travel, allowing for a comfortable life in that quiet, scenic city.
However, driven by curiosity about the outside world and a desire for better career prospects, I decided to study abroad. After extensive research, I chose Griffith University in Australia for its renowned Master of International Tourism and Hospitality Management program. I received my offer in March 2003, applied for a student visa in October, and by year's end, I had quit my job and flown to Australia's Gold Coast.
Gold Coast is a beautiful tourist city with a stunning coastline and sunny weather. While charming for travel or a relaxed life, it initially seemed less ideal for study. My first impression of Griffith University's campus was disappointment; it felt small, nestled in bushland, with modern buildings that lacked a distinctive cultural atmosphere. My disappointment grew when I found nearly half of my 100+ classmates were Chinese, creating a language environment not conducive to improving my English.
Accepting the gap between ideal and reality, I began my studies, only to find them more stressful than expected. I studied harder than ever before, even compared to preparing for China's university entrance exam. The Australian system differed greatly from China's. In China, passing final exams sufficed. In Australia, our final grade incorporated oral presentations, individual and group assignments, mid-term exams, and final exams—all of which had to be done well.
Presentations were particularly challenging for most Chinese students, as we had no prior experience, and English was not our native language. However, I came to see presentations as an excellent learning method, encouraging public speaking and confident expression of opinions. After a year of practice, I gained the confidence to present without relying on notes.
中文翻译
2001年从西安的大学毕业后，我在桂林做了两年多的英语导游。这份工作收入高，有机会游历全国，让我在那座宁静的山水之城过着舒适的生活。
然而，出于对外部世界的好奇以及对更好职业发展的渴望，我决定出国留学。经过大量研究，我选择了澳大利亚的格里菲斯大学，因其国际旅游与酒店管理硕士项目享有盛誉。我于2003年3月获得录取通知书，10月递交学生签证申请，并在年底辞去工作，飞往澳大利亚的黄金海岸。
黄金海岸是一座美丽的旅游城市，拥有迷人的海岸线和阳光明媚的天气。虽然这里适合旅行或悠闲生活，但起初似乎并不太适合学习。我对格里菲斯大学校园的第一印象是失望；它感觉很小，坐落在灌木丛中，现代建筑缺乏独特的文化氛围。当我发现班上100多名同学中近一半是中国人时，我更加失望了，这样的语言环境不利于提高我的英语水平。
接受了理想与现实的差距后，我开始了学习生活，却没想到学业压力如此之大。我学习得比以往任何时候都努力，甚至超过了七年前准备中国高考的时候。澳大利亚的教育体系与中国大不相同。在中国，只要通过每门课程的期末考试即可。而在澳大利亚，最终成绩包含了口头报告、个人与小组作业、期中考试和期末考试——所有这些都必须做好。
口头报告对大多数中国学生来说尤其具有挑战性，因为我们之前没有相关经验，而且英语不是我们的母语。然而，我逐渐认识到报告是一种极好的学习方法，它能鼓励学生在公众面前发言并勇敢地表达观点。经过一年的练习，我获得了无需手持讲稿进行报告的自信。