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http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac;jsessionid=E11AC8D18A5FE963B601F8FC1F6FA943?sy=afr&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=1month&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=brs&cls=174&clsPage=1&docID=SMH110321HS4GO7DMAVE Free to play basketball and to ask teachers for help Author: Sung Chan (Chris) Min. Date: 21/03/2011 Words: 572 Source: SMH Publication: Sydney Morning Herald Section: News and Features Page: 17 I ATTENDED four years of high school in China; completing years 7-10. I am now completing my HSC at Merrylands High School after successfully completing a preliminary course. I have come to realise there are several remarkable differences in schooling between the two countries. The first obvious differences are the start and finishing times. In China my school day began at 7am and finished at 10 at night. It took me a while to adjust to the change here but it was a welcome one. Oh, I forgot to mention that I had to attend school on the weekends as well. I found myself constantly exhausted going to school in China, this fatigue compounded by the fact that I faced a half-hour bike ride to and from school every day. So as you could imagine, I had very little free time to relax or pursue my personal interests. I love basketball but was never given the opportunity to play it in China. So I was delighted when I joined the basketball team at Merrylands last year. I played at a grade level against other schools. Even though I am grateful for the friendlier schooling hours here, it was quite difficult to adjust to at first. I felt confused and struggled to manage my free time. I quickly came to the realisation that Australian students are given greater independence. In China the schools seem to control the student's entire day and week through inflexible timetables. Even the "little" things differ greatly. Though who am I kidding? Food is not just a little thing. The food at school in my old country was limited to a traditional Chinese cuisine. Noodles, dumplings and soup were the main foods offered. Here, we are lucky enough to have a great variety of fresh and tasty food. Fruit salad, gourmet sandwiches, wraps, burgers, fresh salads, pies - something for everyone. Paying cash makes it easy. In China, we had to use a "food card" where money had to be deposited beforehand. Another welcome difference is the student-teacher relationship. The teachers at Merrylands High are welcoming and supportive. I am able to approach them at any time for help and support. I feel as though I am valued and appreciate being able to communicate my ideas freely. In China, there is very little opportunity to approach the teacher which means you could become lost with the work when you were unsure of something. The fact that there are 60 students in every classroom in China makes it extremely difficult to get the one-on-one help I am appreciating now. Our school had more than 3000 students. The homework centre at Merrylands High School also allows us to extend ourselves as well to get free support after school. School here is peaceful and encouraging, not uptight and harsh like my old school. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to work hard at Merrylands High. I already have many positive memories that I value and will keep in my heart forever. Sung Chan (Chris) Min is 17 and lives in Winston Hills. He is in Year 12 at Merrylands High School STUDENT DIARY Changing schools as a teenager is always daunting. But what is it like to change countries as well? Today we are given a glimpse into life in the Australian schoolyard, as viewed by a student from China as part of a series of articles written by students who have come from overseas. 大家来讨论一下吧，别的方面我保留意见，但关于伙食，我是非常不同意这个小孩子的，个人觉得西餐吃不饱，估计再过一点时间，这点东西都吃厌了就该怀念中餐了。还有储值的饭卡不是挺好的嘛。 |
