Life and Study in the National Park

My name is Karen and I come from Japan.  I met my husband in Western Australia 6 years ago.  We got married and we have been living here for about 3 years.

My husband has a tourist business in Karijini National Park, which is 1500 km away from Perth.  There are a lot of beautiful gorges and natural pools there. It is a spiritual environment with spectacular views.

We live in the National Park 7 months a year during the tourist peak season. I love watching the beautiful sunrise and sunset and the star-filled sky at night.  I enjoy listening to the different birds, swimming and walking in gorges. Sometimes however living in this remote place makes me frustrated because I miss the dynamics of the city life, the concerts, the festivals, dining out, catching up with people, but I try to treasure all the unique experiences here. I have a job too in the National Park.  I work as a Yoga instructor and a massage therapist.  

I enrolled in the DL program to study English in 2014.  My English has been improving dramatically with teacher Bernadette.  Studying online is the perfect study style for me because of the flexibility.

I have also been studying the Interior Design Diploma course online for the last 6 months which is very exciting. I have learnt how to make scale models to represent the characteristics of different architectural styles. In the picture you can see me with the Gothic style miniature interior design.

I am so happy that living in a remote place could not stop me from taking up new challenges, learning, improving and working hard towards my future goals.  Now I have finished my AMEP course and I am proud to have achieved Certificate 3.

Congratulations Karen on completing the CSWE course and thank you for sharing your unique experiences.  We wish you all the best for your future.

• What do you like the most about your lifestyle in Australia?  What do you miss?
• If you had to live in a national park, how would you feel and what would you do?     
• What courses would you like to do in the future?
• What are the pros and cons of studying online?

Why not leave a message for Karen or write an answer to one of the questions below!

For information on DL Holiday Programs for WA students click here.

Sara finds a job in her field

Teacher Bernadette with Sara

My name is Sara and I'm from Iran.  I came to Australia with my husband in January 2015.  In Iran I was awarded a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and a Master's degree in Commercial Management.  I worked as a Documentation Officer for an import company for 2 years in Iran.

When I arrived in Perth I tried to find a job in a restaurant or a cafe because my English wasn't really good enough to work in my own profession.  I worked full time in a cafe and I decided to improve my English by studying with Distance Learning.

I explained my situation to my DL teacher, Bernadette, so she focused our study on the theme of Work.  I learned how to write a covering letter and I had to rewrite my resume according to Australian standards.  We pracitsed job interviews and we tried to think outside the box and prepare answers to possible tricky questions.

I was very motivated and after each lesson I would practise the interview with my husband.  After a month of very serious preparation, I applied for a Documentation Officer job in an export company and to my surprise I was invited to an interview.  I remembered everything I practised with Bernadette during our DL lessons: the language, the answers, the body language and having a positive attitude.  I was so happy when I was offered the job and very grateful to my DL teacher for her support.

My experience taught me that with hard work and motivation all dreams can come true.  I am here in this great country, doing what I know and what I'm passionate about and contributing my skills to the society.  Thanks to the AMEP DL program and to my DL teacher.

Note: The photo was taken at the Iranian Cultural Show in Perth where Teacher Bernadette had the chance to meet Sara and learn many interesting things about the Iranian culture.

Congratulations to Sara on getting a job in her field.  If you need help with job seeking skills ask your teacher for a referral to one of our specialised DL teachers.

• How is finding a job in Australia different from your country?
• Should job seekers have one resume or more when applying for different jobs?
• What stops people from pursuing a job in the same profession they had before?

Why not add a comment here!