4 best day trips from Melbourne

If you need a break from the city, regional Victoria has a lot to offer from the beaches to the mountains – and everywhere in between! Here are four of my favourite day trip ideas from Melbourne. 1. Great Ocean Road One of Australia’s most scenic drives, the Great Ocean Road is located less than …

Học ngoại ngữ miễn phí trên điện thoại với Duolingo

A few screenshots of the Duolingo app on iPhone. Mình là một người đam mê du lịch. Khi mới đến Melbourne, hễ cứ ngày nghỉ là mình lại đi khám phá một địa điểm mới, còn nếu vì lý do gì đó mà đi không được, thì sẽ lên mạng tìm đọc những điểm đến …

The social dilemma: A quick review

I just forced myself to sit through an hour and a half of this most-talked-about Netflix documentary on social media. I was tempted to check my phone a few times, but I didn’t. And I’m glad that I have watched it.  First of all, if you think that social media is just another tool to …

A beginner’s guide to Kanazawa

I have fallen in love with Kanazawa since the first time I visited this historic city in the central part of Japan. Often compared to Kyoto for its geisha districts, although of a smaller size, Kanazawa was the seat of the Maeda Clan during the Edo Period and Japan's second largest city to escape destructive …

A beginner’s guide to Shirakawago

The village Shirakawago is famed for its gassho-zukuri farmhouses with steeply-sloped thatched roof, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. While many people choose to visit it in winter for the light-up event, the village looks just as beautiful during autumn. When the leaves on the surrounding mountains turn yellow and orange, …

Why It Is Important to Be Culturally Competent in Australia

Back in 2015, when I was studying my first ever degree abroad in Australia, the question that kept bothering me was: “How can I compete with local students in the labour market upon graduation? Which strengths should I focus on in order to make up for my limited English proficiency?” I once raised those questions …

Leica Q Review: A Beast That’s Hard to Tame

It’s been 6 months since I started shooting with the Leica Q, and up until now, I cannot say that I have fully utilised this small yet powerful camera. In short, Leica Q is a beast that’s hard to tame. Once you nail the focus and exposure, the colour is superb and crystal clear. But …

Japanese street life with Fujifilm X-Pro2

I have a friend who insists that you have to use the viewfinder in order to be considered a "real" photographer -- and I beg to differ. What I love about Fuji is their ability to preview live film simulation on the LCD, and to someone who mainly does photojournalism like me, the ability to …

5 Things You Should Know Before Visiting Japan

As some friends of mine are planning to visit Japan soon, I think it would be beneficial to share a few tips from my recent trip. Bear in mind that I'm no travel expert, and in some ways, I believe experience the unknown is the beauty of travelling to another country. Without further ado, here …

3 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Studying in Australia

So it's been a month since I officially graduated from Melbourne University. It's been 30 days of relentless job hunting, 300 times of being rejected, and 3000 times I decided to change my future plan.