Sitting on the white Gold Coast sand, the gentle sea breeze wafting through his hair as he watched the yachts and motor launches cruising the Broad Water, his mind and heart were drawn back to Brazil.

As a young man, he earned the title of Sailing Champion in the “OPTIMIST” Class of yachting for two years running, in the tranquil waters off his hometown of Sao Paulo.

Now Christian Ommundsen, a 27-year-old Brazilian student, is studying at CQU's Gold Coast International Campus. He loves living and studying on the Gold Coast and is fascinated by its similarities with, and differences between, his hometown of Sao Paulo.

“Australia, especially the Gold Coast, provides all kinds of things I personally like, such as warm weather, good waves, nice people, pleasant environment and good work and study opportunities,” he said. In his first semester of his Graduate Certificate in Management program, Christian has settled into life on the Gold Coast surprisingly quickly, adding, “...our way of life is pretty similar, Brazil and Australia, we both like having fun. We both think life is not just for working, but also having fun.

While Christian sees some similarities with life in Australia and Brazil, like the nightlife and restaurants, ... "the Gold Coast is completely different to my life back home. At the Gold Coast it is a beach lifestyle and things are more organised. There is almost no crime and people have different customs. Besides that, the costs for living and studying at the Gold Coast are much more affordable compared to the US or the UK.

One thing that Christian has learned is that Australian English isn’t quite the same as the English he learned in Brazil. “Sometimes it’s difficult to understand the Australian slang,” he said. “For instance, instead of saying ‘throw it in the trash’, Australians say 'chuck it in the bin'. And then there’s ‘no worries mate’, as well as the accent.

Christian, who has a Bachelor of Business in Foreign Trade, expects his CQU qualifications will help him secure a better job when he finally returns to Brazil.

“The Campus is very dynamic and the subjects are interesting and very applicable to my job,” he said. “It will help me get a better work position when I get back and also will help me for my entire life in terms of international experience.”