My struggles made me independent

Tara, Navitas Auburn

My name is Tara and I come from Nepal.  I was a housewife in Nepal and I worked as a volunteer in aged care.  I came to Australia on a spouse visa because my husband was studying in Australia. My English wasn't good and I had no confidence in myself. I found it very hard to communicate with people or find a job.

Life was extremely hard.  I had to work as a mushroom and chilli picker in a very far away farm.  It took me 2 hours to get to work in extremely cold conditions. I still remember the days where I would cry from being so tired and feeling sorry for myself.  But there was nothing I could do. I needed the money.

After getting my permanent visa I was pleased to start my AMEP English classes at Navitas college in Auburn.  There, I could not only improve my English but also develop my job seeking skills and most importantly my self -confidence.

I was determined to work hard and never give up.  I started at Level 2 and within 3 months I progressed to Level 3.  I also completed Certificate III in Aged Care, hoping it would help me find work but this wasn't easy.

Thanks to my classroom teachers and my DL teacher, Claudette.  She designs the DL lessons to suit my needs. She helped me apply for jobs online and prepared me well for job interviews by practising during the lessons.  I have recently got a job as a Carer in a retirement village.  I am very proud of how far I've come and feel that through all my struggles I have become an independent woman.

Congratulations Tara on your success. What a wonderful story of determination and hard work!

• How do personal struggles help us grow and be stronger?
• What is the hardest job you've ever had and what did you learn from the experience?
• Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years time?

Your comments will help build our DL community.

Clean Up Australia Day - 5th March

http://www.cleanup.org.au

It all started with a simple idea that an Australian bloke had to clean his own backyard - Sydney Harbour.  In the last 26 years, Clean Up Australia Day has become the nation's largest community-based event to help the environment. The concept grew to form Clean Up the World event.

Clean Up Australia Day is on Sunday 5th March. Thousands of volunteers join the day to clean up the rubbish that is choking our streets, beaches, parks and waterways and killing one of our best assets: nature.

Johanna, one of our DL teachers, is passionate about this cause.  She said:

"For several years my children and I took part in Clean Up Australia Day in our local park, a fine area of natural bushland in southern Sydney.  Under the supervision of a ranger, we collected lots of rubbish: cans, bottles and plastic bags.  The amount of rubbish we collected was shocking.  At some stage we became the champion rubbish collectors!"

"Taking part in a community activity like this is a great way to engage with the local community and show that you care for the environment.  By involving my children I was helping them become more aware of the importance of keeping Australia clean in a practical way."

Did you know these facts about Australia?
Australians are the second highest producers of waste per person in the world!
The amount of waste placed in landfill each year is enough to cover the state of Victoria!

Get more information or register as a volunteer for the day here.

• Why is it important to look after the environment?
• What practical things can we do in our daily lives to help the environment?
• Are you a good recycler! 

Why not ..

Test your recycling skills in 90 seconds here
Read about  Plastic bags
Share your view on the environment in the Comments section below.

Teacher learns from student

Teacher Bernadette, WA

One of the privileges of teaching adult learners is that both teachers and students come with life experiences and can learn different skills from each other.

DL teacher Bernadette showed her great learning skills when her Iranian student Sara taught her how to make a Persian dish from her country. After sharing the recipe and practising the English for giving instructions Bernadette took the recipe and had a go at cooking the dish in her own kitchen with great success.

Bernadette describes this Persian dish as 'divine' and it has become one of her favourite dishes.  She says "Tah-Chin is a layered rice chicken dish which is not only beautiful to present but also very tasty. It is served upside down and cuts like a cake. As my Iranian student Sara explained to me, Iranians love their rice and always layer it with different types of vegetables and meat. The most tasty part of this dish is the bottom layer of the rice, the crunchy 'tah-dig'.  My family loved it and I hope some of our students will try it too."

Check out Sara's Iranian Tah-Chin recipe

Thanks Bernadette and Sara for sharing this tasty recipe.

• Describe a special dish you have from your own country?
• Are you a good cook?  If so what is your specialty dish?
• What food from other cultures do you like to eat or cook and why?

Why not write a comment or an answer to one of the above questions.  

If you make the recipe tell us how it turned out!

Ways to make learning English easier

Ways to make learning English easier.

My name is Sheila and I'm from Colombia in South America. I'd like to share a little about myself and also some tips on ways to make learning English easier.

I live with my husband in Brisbane, Queensland. Brisbane is a beautiful, peaceful city and is very similar to my hometown in Colombia. I love the calm city and the friendly people here. 

I work at the Brisbane International Airport as a 'Food and Beverage Attendant'. It has been a very good learning experience for me, because I've learnt to prepare food and make coffee. By talking in English to so many travellers I've also learnt to understand different English accents. As well I've come to understand that English is an important language used to talk with people from around the world. It's important for work, business and travel as it's a global language.

So I'd like to share with you some strategies which make learning English easier. My most important tip is to make friends with people. It's an excellent way to practice speaking English and improve your listening skills.

My other tips are in the Slideshow that I have made. There are some questions you can discuss with your teacher then write your ideas in the comments. It's saved in Google Drive so just click on this link to open Ways to make learning English easier.

• Why is it important for you to learn English?
• What ideas can you suggest to make listening and speaking easier?
• What else can you suggest to make reading and writing English easier?

Journey to my dream

Giovanna

My name is Giovanna and I come from Venezuela. Four years ago I planned my trip from Venezuela to Sydney to meet the man who would eventually become my husband. I met him 6 months earlier when he came to Venezuela for a holiday. When I first arrived I had very little English and it was super-hard to feel comfortable here. It was the hardest year of my life, as I had no idea how difficult it would be.

In Venezuela I worked as a product developer and my passion was to develop a women's clothing range. So when I arrived in Australia my dream was to run an international women's' fashion company with products imported from Venezuela. 

I began by dream in 2012 by working part-time in a Mexican restaurant while studying English full-time. I was exhausted, nonetheless money was what I needed. My next job was as a sandwich and salad maker in a salad bar. I had to work long hours. Finally I worked in a small coffee shop close to the city of Sydney. I began as a waitress, but soon my boss trained me in a managerial role, since he saw my professional and a proactive nature. 

At first I learnt English privately and progress was slow because I had to start learning English from scratch. Next I began learning English in the Navitas AMEP classroom, then switched to Navitas Distance Learning as I was working. DL has given me the opportunity to study and work at the same time and has also boosted my confidence in speaking with people. My teacher's encouragement has driven me to to work hard towards my dream.

So now I am realising my dream. I have started an online ladies fashion company called 'Cacao Tropical Clothing'. It sells and tailor makes beautiful, ladies jewellery and accessories. I import from Venezuela and sell online and through a Facebook page Cacao Tropical Clothing.I am very proud of my achievements but I am still learning English everyday. Without learning English I wouldn't have been able to settle in this country and call Australia my lovely home.

Congratulations to Giovanna for reaching her dream and starting her jewellery and accessories business.

• If you were to start your own business what service or product would you sell?
• How would you advertise your business?
• What skills would you need to manage an online business?

DL Pathways Advisor celebrates Chinese New Year

Jennifer, Pathways Advisor

My name is Jennifer. Some of you may already know me as I'm one of the Pathways Advisors for DL students.

I come from Fujian in South China.  I came to Australia 7 years ago as an International student and completed two Masters degrees in Education and Translation with the University of NSW.  Fortunately when I was doing my studies, I met the man who would become my husband.  We have since settled in Sydney and have a 2 year old daughter.

I joined Navitas in 2011 as a bilingual support officer and assisted students in the classrooms.  Now I work as a Pathways Advisor for Mission Australia and I am based at the Distance Learning office in Sydney.

I like my job because it allows me to help students. By giving students career advice I help them make informed choices with their career path in a new country. It's rewarding to know I make a difference.

As well as career guidance, I conduct initial and exit interviews with DL students. I also deal with student feedback and can help students with any personal issues.

This week I'll celebrate Chinese New Year by cooking a feast for my family. The Year of the Rooster is an important year in my family because it's the year my mother was born. l plan to make stir fry lobster with crispy noodles, rice cakes and other traditional dishes from South China. In China the celebrations are about visiting friends and family, but since I don't have a big family here we'll go to the city to experience the festive atmosphere.  I plan to visit the Chinese New Year Market and the Lantern Show in Sydney.

If you need any learning or career advice you can contact Jennifer on (02) 9707 0276.
Students referred by a Navitas college can contact the Pathways Advisor in their college.

We wish all our DL students prosperity and good fortune in the New Year.  新年快乐

• What traditions do you have for special celebrations in your culture?
• How are your celebrations different in Australia from in your home country?

Beach safety

Going to the beach is a popular pastime in Australia specially when the weather gets too hot over the summer months. The beach is a wonderful place but it also has some dangers.

On average, one person has drowned every week at an Australian beach for the last 5 years and on average 10 people are rescued every day. Tourists and those who are unfamiliar with the beach are at a greater risk of drowning.

Luckily not every incident results in a fatality, however those who survive a drowning incident often suffer from a range of lifelong health issues.

Statistics for 2016 show that 83% of drowning deaths were males. New South Wales recorded the highest number of incidents, followed by Queensland, Victoria then Western Australia.

Discuss these questions with your teacher and share you comments below:

1. Do you like going to the beach? Why / Why not?
2. What activities can people enjoy at the beach?
3. What kind of dangers are there at Australian beaches?
4. What are the causes of drowning?
5. How do you keep safe at the beach?
6. Have you had a scary incident in the water?

You can find more information by reading this beach safety flyer or watching this YouTube video.