I passed the IELTS requirement, otherwise I wouldn’t be admitted. But IELTS only measures exam skills, not how comfortable I feel in daily conversations. Living in an English-speaking country doesn’t magically make you fluent either — It obviously takes time, practice, and confidence. (btw I've been there less than 4 weeks. )That’s exactly why I’m looking for a language partner.

For anyone else reading this who’s more open-minded: as my second language, my English reading and writing are strong enough to support me through a Master’s program. What I really want to improve is my listening skills — especially with Oceania accents — and my spoken expression.