BEIJING, Nov 17 — A Chinese international student surprised many online after reportedly commuting between China and Australia weekly for three months so he could spend time with his girlfriend.
South China Morning Post reported that Xu Guangli, 28, travelled between his home in Shandong province and Melbourne, Australia, for 11 weeks, balancing his studies at RMIT University and personal life.
Xu was quoted telling Shandong-based newspaper Dazhong Daily that he only needed to attend one class per week since it was the last semester of his Master’s degree.
“Life in Melbourne on my own was lonely,” he reportedly said, explaining that his girlfriend had returned to China after completing her studies in Australia.
Xu’s journey typically begins at 7am in Dezhou, Shandong, where he took a train to Jinan, the nearest city with an airport. From there, he boarded a connecting flight to Melbourne, arriving just in time for class.
He typically returned to China the day after his lecture, spending three days on each round trip.
The trips cost him approximately 6,700 yuan (RM4,144) per week, covering flights, meals, and taxis. Xu shared that it was still cheaper than renting a flat in Melbourne, which cost 10,000 yuan monthly.
He documented his travels on social media, gaining nearly 10,000 followers. One video detailed the costs and showed his experiences visiting Chinese cities and even Vietnam during stopovers.
Social media users expressed amazement at Xu’s dedication, with one commenter calling it “devotion to love.” Others found the effort exhausting and impractical.
Xu completed his studies in October and does not plan to travel to Australia again for the foreseeable future.
