People often ask me what studying abroad was like. My answer is always the same, I went to Australia for a degree, but I came back with so much more.
When I left Bhutan for Melbourne in 2023 to pursue my Master’s in Global Media and Communication at the University of Melbourne, I wasn’t chasing a foreign degree simply because it was abroad. After working for seven years under two Prime Ministers and two different governments, I felt it was time to become a student again. In media and communications, learning never stops. Technologies evolve, societies change and today, artificial intelligence is changing the way we communicate, learn and live. I knew I needed to learn again.
But if I am being truthful, I was terrified too.
My biggest worry before leaving wasn’t my Master’s programme, it was figuring out how to use Melbourne’s tram system. Google Maps became my closest companion during those first few weeks. Today, I laugh about it because a few months later, I was confidently navigating Melbourne’s CBD. That, I realised, is what studying abroad feels like. Everything that once intimidated you slowly becomes part of who you are.
I left Bhutan thinking I knew quite a lot. Professionally, I had experience. I was confident. Then I walked into my first classroom and realised just how little I knew of the world.
Media and communications wasn’t just media and communications. One day, we would discuss why Siri’s default voice was female and what that said about gender and society. Another day, we would debate artificial intelligence and human relationships in Japan or social media regulations being developed in Europe. Suddenly, I realised that to understand communications, you must understand people. To understand people, you must understand the world. And the world is so much bigger than we imagine.
Perhaps the most beautiful part of studying abroad wasn’t what I learned in classrooms, it was what I learned outside them.
I was one of very few Bhutanese students at the University of Melbourne at the time. My classmates came from different countries, cultures and experiences. Sitting in a classroom where everyone sees the world differently teaches you something invaluable, it teaches you to listen, to question your assumptions and to appreciate perspectives beyond your own.
Then there was Melbourne itself. I chose not to buy a car because its public transport system was simply brilliant. Every day, I took buses, trains and trams to university and silently wished Bhutan could one day have something similar. Wednesdays on campus became my favourite days with free food, concerts, fashion shows and communities coming together. There were even food relief programmes for students who needed support. The University wasn’t simply a place for learning, it was a place where students were cared for beyond academics.
Because I knew I didn’t know when I would ever live in Australia again, I said yes to experiences. I travelled whenever I could, to Uluru, the Great Barrier Reef, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, around Victoria, Cairns, Canberra and the Gold Coast. I wandered through museums and galleries because art has always fascinated me. The National Gallery of Victoria and the State Library became some of my favourite places in Melbourne.
Yet, no matter where I went, there was always something missing, home.
I realised then that being Bhutanese is a beautiful thing. No matter where we are in the world, we somehow find our way back to each other. I found myself attending Bhutanese gatherings whenever I could and visiting monasteries simply because praying to the Buddha felt like home. One of my favourite memories was wearing my kira after a National Day celebration and walking through Melbourne’s CBD. Thousands of kilometres away from home, I had never felt prouder to be Bhutanese.
Studying abroad also taught me something deeply personal, it taught me acceptance. Away from familiar expectations, I learned to be kinder to myself and more comfortable in my own skin. Growing isn’t only about becoming more accomplished, sometimes, it is simply about becoming more yourself.
Looking back today, if I could tell my younger self one thing before boarding that flight to Melbourne, it would simply be this: don’t be afraid to begin again. Ask more questions. Say yes more often. Speak to people who are different from you. Take the longer route home if it means discovering something new. The best lessons often happen outside the classroom.
If there is one thing I would do differently, it would be to worry less and embrace uncertainty sooner. There is often so much pressure when studying abroad, to get good grades, gain experience and plan the next step. While all of that matters, I learned that there is equal value in simply being present. Years later, it won’t be the assignments you remember most, it will be the conversations, the friendships and the moments that changed you.
Melbourne gave me a Master’s degree. But more importantly, it gave me perspective, a reminder that learning never truly ends, that home can be found in unexpected places and that no matter how far we travel, we always carry Bhutan with us.
I left Bhutan carrying dreams in my suitcase and returned carrying memories, friendships and lessons that will stay with me for a lifetime. Some journeys take us across countries. The most meaningful ones change how we see the world and ourselves.
Kinley Wangmo
Project 108