Freya Wang: Life as an international high school student

Unlike most international students who move to Australia after finishing high school, Freya Wang moved during it. Having first arrived in Australia as a young year nine student, Freya completed her high school years in Hobart and is now getting ready to start her university studies at the University of Tasmania.

We spoke to Freya about being an international student at high school, life in Hobart and her plans for the future.

Moving to Australia

In late 2020, Freya left her home in China for a new life in Australia. While moving at a young age can be challenging for many people, Freya was lucky enough to already have family members living in Tasmania.

Freya explains, “I chose Tasmania because my sister and cousin studied and worked here, and therefore my parents thought I would be looked after.”

The state’s laid-back lifestyle and friendly locals also made Freya’s decision easier.

“Tasmania is a peaceful place and Tasmanians are known to be friendlier than people in some big cities,” she says. “I prefer the slow pace of life, so Tasmania is a great place for me.”

Studying at Elizabeth College

When Freya first arrived in Tasmania, she attended a local high school in Hobart before moving to Elizabeth College to complete her Year 11 and 12 subjects.

“I had a great time at Elizabeth College. I did a lot of group experiments in biology and chemistry courses here and the local students in my group also took good care of me,” she says. “I have learned the names and functions of a lot of laboratory equipment, and these experiments will also be helpful to my study of laboratory medicine at university.”

Freya particularly enjoyed the opportunity to participate in a selection of Elizabeth College’s enrichment activities, which students can choose to take based on their interests.

“My friend and I chose mahjong, and I got a prize of the ‘Mahjong Queen’ and a chocolate at the end of the year.”

But for Freya, the best experience at Elizabeth College was the international student summer camp, on which she got to climb Mount Wellington and learn more about Tasmania.

“On the tour, we learned a lot about Indigenous Australian history and objects, played games in groups, saw the sky and roasted marshmallows around the campfire at night,” she says.

“The moon was so beautiful that night and the stars were so bright. There was a lot of laughter around the campfire. I think I will always remember that day.”

Life after high school

Having recently graduated from Elizabeth College, Freya is getting ready to start a Bachelor of Medicine at the University of Tasmania next year. Once she settles in, Freya is looking forward to finding a volunteer position at a hospital and spending more time on improving her English skills.

“I hope that I can settle here in the future,” she says.

But before the academic year starts, Freya has the summer holidays to enjoy – and there’s already a few goals she wants to achieve. These include finding a job, passing her driving test and looking for a place to live closer to the university.

Being a younger international student

While moving to a new country when you’re still a teenager comes with its fair share of challenges, Freya shows that it can also be a wonderful learning experience and new adventure.

As Freya explains, there’s plenty of support available for younger international students in Tasmania.

“At school, the teacher will ask us about our study process and guide us patiently when we need help. The local students also treat us with respect and equality,” she says. “The Government Education and Training International (GETI) and school organise many activities that can enrich international students’ lives, such as barbecues and camping.

“I have had many new and wonderful experiences here.”