A man journeyed nearly 5,500 miles weekly to a different country because it was more cost-effective than residing in his university town.
While some of us might grumble about a half-hour commute to work by bus or car, think about heading to the airport, passing through security, and boarding a plane just to get to class.
It sounds exhausting, but for Guangli Xu, this was a regular occurrence.
The 28-year-old gained widespread attention after sharing his extensive commute on Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok.
Each of Xu’s trips spanned three days. He would leave his home in China’s Shandong province around 7am, head to Jinan, the capital, to catch a flight.
From there, he would fly to Melbourne, Australia, in time for his classes at RMIT University where he pursued art management.
After attending classes, Xu would return to China on the third day, staying with a friend while in Australia.
Discussing his weekly flights, Xu told SBS Mandarin: “A round trip takes about 72 hours. One way is about 10 to 13 hours on the plane.”
Xu had previously lived in Melbourne, spending eight years there for studies, including a degree in game design.
For his final semester in 2024, Xu opted to move back home and take on the role of an ‘international commuter.’
He mentioned, “I usually leave for Melbourne on Monday mornings and can be back home [in China] by Wednesday evenings.”
“The overall cost is not much different. But I think the money is better spent [in China] because the overall cost here is lower.”
In one of his videos, Xu detailed that each trip cost him approximately $930, covering the flight, taxi, and meals.
Despite the apparent inconvenience, Xu’s research into the travel’s feasibility and his wish to spend more time with family convinced him to stick to the plan.
“I found that the flight routes between China and Australia are frequent, with multiple airlines operating, so I gave it a try… It turned out to be quite feasible and I haven’t encountered any major issues,” he explained.
“I prefer the environment and convenience in China. After living abroad for so many years, I also wanted to spend more time with my family.”
Xu finished his semester in October and does not anticipate returning to Australia soon.