Selena Li

From showing visiting friends all the city’s hidden hotspots to happily chatting to locals in the local dialect, I had definitely come a long way compared to the culture shock and feeling of unbelonging I had experienced during my first month. In this report, I revisit my first impressions of Japan and reflect on my improved understanding of Japanese language and culture.

Having studied the Japanese language and appreciated its culture since the beginning of high school, I had thought that certainly, I will not experience any form of major culture shock in Japan. I was, of course, proven wrong as five years of language classes had still not adequately prepared me for basic socialisation, let alone assimilating into a foreign society with a different environment and way of life. 'The Unwritten Rule' is a report that details my first impressions of Japan during my year as an exchange student.

A review of the 2015 film Tangerine by Sean Baker written for Metro Magazine.

Written in the genre of early 2000s Chinese period dramas. The Making Of A Lady is a short screenplay set in 16th century China and is about young lady Ling Yue who is forced into an arranged marriage, and struggles to find her true self, while also honouring her family.

“Kawaii desu ne?” is a multimodal journalistic article that explores the Japanese culture of ‘kawaii’ (which roughly translates to ‘cute’) and its influence internationally, particularly in western countries like Australia.

'Motherhood' is a short story written for the prompt 'escalation'. A full-time mother struggles to find peace between her special-needs daughter and her hotshot husband whom she suspects to be cheating on her.

Sydney's fashion enthusiasts and beauty addicts all gather in one place as Vogue wraps up yet another year's festivities at its annual Fashion's Night Out. A journalistic piece centered on the major fashion and beauty event held on Pitt St.

A short story about escapism, family expectations and RPGs.