Ayan celebrates World Refugee Day

Refugee Week, Sunday 18th June -Saturday 24th June, is a time to raise awarenes of issues affecting refugees and celebrate the positive contributions made by refugees to Australian society. Originally celebrated in 1986, Refugee Week coincides with World Refugee Day on the 20th June. The theme is "With courage let us all combine", from the second verse of the Australian national anthem.This week we have a special story from a courageous Navitas Distance Learning student, Ayan, who tells us why she loves to celebrate Refugee Day.

"There are many celebrations in Somalia, but I don’t celebrate them. I celebrate World Refugee Day, because I don’t remember much about my country. I left when I was only 8 and I grew up in a refugee camp.

World Refugee Day is celebrated on June 20th each year. The website says “It honours the courage, strength and determination of women, men and children who are forced to flee their homeland under threat of persecution, conflict, and violence.” I was one of these people!

Why is it important to me? When we came to Kenya, we had nothing – no food, no clothing. We didn’t even know where we were going. They gave us a tent and some blankets, clean water to drink and food – I think it was maize. That day we believed we were going to get a new life – we were without hope before that. We were there for three years.

Then the government closed the camp because it was too close to the border. We moved further inland to a place called Hager-Dher. We stayed there for 15 years. Life got better and better. There was nothing there – you couldn’t grow anything or keep animals there, but we had peace and teachers came and taught the kids. My mother started a little market.We always celebrated World Refugee Day in the camp. That’s why I can’t forget that day. There were many nationalities there – Sudanese, Eritreans – and we all celebrated together.

Now I live in Brisbane and we do the same thing. We meet at a big park. There are so many nationalities. Each country does its traditional dance. The young people don’t usually join in, because they were born here. But we older people, we remember. I sometimes feel happy, sometimes emotional on this day. Emotional because I remember life before the refugee camp and in the refugee camp. But then, I remember where I am today and I feel happy because I have a better life. I never thought I would have this chance." 

Thank you Ayan for sharing your story of hope and courage with your DL classmates.We really admire your determination. Feel free to write to Ayan in the comments box below.

Activities
CSWE 1-3
1. Why is World Refugee Day important to Ayan?
2. What gave Ayan hope in the refugee camps?
3. Why do you think it's important to celebrate Refugee Week in Australia?

CSWE 2-3 
Click HERE to watch a video on refugees starting their own business. Choose one refugee story and discuss the questions with your teacher.
1. What business are they starting up?
2. What will help them start the business?
3. What will they need to overcome to make the business a success?

CSWE 3
Click on the link HERE to read about the achievements of the 2017 Refugee Week Ambassadors.Choose 1 story to discuss with your teacher.
1. What country are they from?
2. Why do you think they were chosen as ambassadors?
3. Why is it important to promote the success of refugees in Australia?

Sara discovers the world of open online learning

Sara

My name is Sara and I'm studying CSWE 3 via AMEP Distance Learning with Navitas English. One day, during my online English lesson, my teacher Erika and I discussed further studies in Australia. I told Erika that I had always been interested in working in the nursing sector. I said I was unsure about making the big financial commitment to begin further study and that I knew little about the Australian healthcare system.

The breakthrough came when Erika suggested I look at the website "Open 2 Study". Here I found a free open online short course called "Introduction to Nursing in Healthcare". I thought it would give me a good introduction to nursing so I quickly registered and immediately commenced the course.

The free online course was fantastic. It provided an overview of nursing roles and outlined the different healthcare sectors. I completed four modules in four weeks and  I learnt by doing online activities, watching videos, doing puzzles and completing assessments. Each module contained clear learning objectives and was easy to understand. I just set aside 2-3 hours per week and studied at my own pace. 

By doing this short course, I also found  that I was able to practice my English in online discussions. As well through reading and listening I learnt new vocabulary and gained knowledge. The best thing was that after successfully completing and passing the assessments, I was issued with a certificate of achievement.

The course encouraged me in two ways. Firstly, listening to lectures by a range of healthcare professionals, confirmed that nursing is a worthwhile career path and that the teamwork involved would be rewarding. Secondly, I now understood with a positive attitude and willingness to learn that we can all achieve our goals and improve ourselves, regardless of our age or gender.

If you have a couple of hours to spare, why not check out these free online courses. You could find a course that interests you. You can study from the comfort of your own home and most importantly you could change your life. Here is the link Open 2 Study.

• Click on the Open 2 Study link above and choose 2 courses that interest you. 
• Why do these courses interest you?
• What online activities did Sara do?  What online activities do you enjoy doing?
• Sara set aside 2-3 hours per week to study by herself. What helps you to make time to study.
• How does a positive attitude and willingness to learn help to achieve our goals?

Ivana is grateful for her life adventures

Ivana

It was 20^th September 2010 when I hopped on a plane to Sydney. Straight out of high school, full of energy, heroic determination, bravery and maybe a bit of foolishness, I was definitely hungry for adventure.

At the time, I didn’t realize that I was standing on the threshold of hundreds of opportunities, tough decisions and a process of self - discovery. My visa was granted for six months, but if someone had told me then, that I would live in Sydney for the next seven years, I would have said, “No way!"

Unbelievably, these seven years have passed so quickly. I can’t believe how many things I have learnt in so many different fields. Over the first two years I learnt English as a beginner. I then travelled around Australia and fell in love with a Mauritian guy. During this time I worked in a supermarket and a bakery and learnt how things work in Australia compared to my country, Slovakia.

Later on I entered the Australian Institute of Music. After three years I successfully completed my Bachelor of Music in classical performing arts, as an opera singer. Towards the end of my studies I also applied for permanent residency, which was granted. Since that time I have tried a few different positions such as a nanny, live in au pair, Slovak folk dancing teacher, Slovak language teacher and as a freelance singer.

Now I have time to reflect on my decisions. I know there's always room for improvement to work harder, to study more, or to achieve more. Having been born a perfectionist, it's difficult to give myself credit for what I achieved. Also it wasn’t easy to be separated from my family, lost in the world, not knowing where I belong. However looking back now, it was definitely worth it!

Now I've set my sights on gaining an administrative or student services position and my DL teacher Christine is helping me complete CSWE 3.

I can’t believe how lucky I am for all these experiences, friendships and feelings. I don’t own much except a few books and some clothes. However, thanks to my life journey, I have a warm soul which no one can ever take from me. I'm so grateful! 

A big thank you to Ivana for sharing her life adventures in Australia. If you'd like to read more about her singing career just click on this link http://ivanapasovicova.com.au/

• Ivana challenged herself by working in diverse occupations. What are the advantages of working in a variety of jobs?
• Ivana says, 'Having been born a perfectionist, it's difficult to give myself credit for what I've achieved.' Why is it important to acknowledge your achievements?'
• Gratefulness gives Ivana 'a warm soul'. When you are grateful for something, how does it make you feel? 

Elizabeth overcomes disappointment

My name's Elizabeth and I'm from China. I've been in Australia for seven months now. Before coming to Australia my husband and I did a lot of preparation. We made plans to help me find a job here and after a lot of hassles, we successfully brought our two dogs here. Finally, we worked out how much it would cost us to live in Australia for three months and brought sufficient savings with us. Since I'd been here three years earlier and loved what I experienced in Australia, I came with high expectations.

Things however were not the same as what we expected. Originally, we planned to settle in Newcastle, a coastal town not far from Sydney. However, because we could not find a proper house to rent we returned to my husband’s hometown in central NSW. It was difficult as I couldn't find a job for a while. So we put our savings and effort towards starting a new business in pet grooming. It took quite a while for us to settle and it was only after receiving help from my parents-in-law, that our lives got back on-track.

Running the new business has not been easy. One day I received a phone call from one of my clients. I could not hear her very well and she could not understand my English. She began saying something very rude to me over the phone. I felt both sad and angry at the same time. So I became scared of talking to people on the phone. Slowly I stopped answering phone calls and left all the communication jobs to my husband. I was so disappointed.

What helped me was a phone call from the Distance Learning Centre saying that I was able to start my English lessons online. After starting DL I've come to see that all new migrants encounter some kind of problems. Also life is often not what we expect. 

With the help from my DL teacher, Lorinda, I have slowly started talking to my clients. Surprisingly, I am actually able to communicate with them very well. Although there are still times when I have to repeat myself, I feel good about answering phone calls these days.

I still need to work on my English skills and learn more about Australian culture, but I'm sure I will soon build up enough confidence to communicate with all my clients. When that happens, I believe I'll find life in Australia more like what I expected.

Thank you Elizabeth for sharing your feelings and how your DL lessons helped you build up your confidence and overcome your disappointments. Life is often different to what we expect and when things turn out differently it's natural to feel disappointed. 

• What is something you expected which led to a disappointment? What did you do to overcome this disappointment?
• What was a positive thing that resulted from this situation? 
• Talking on the phone is tricky. What tips can you give for communicating on the phone?

A tale of love powering creativity

DL student Susanti

My name is Susanti and I come from Indonesia. The 17th February 2017 was one of the most auspicious days of my life. This is the day I tied the knot with my husband, Chris. I met Chris five years ago while we were both working in Jakarta. It was our love that started my romance with this beautiful country, Australia, and brought me to the peaceful city of Brisbane.

My dream was to make my own wedding dress so I could wear something special that I made with my own hands. I wanted my dress to be unique and one day, if I have a daughter, pass it down to her so she can be proud of her mother.

I believe I inherited my crochet skills from my mother but I had never done a crochet dress before. I had my fair share of doubts before starting work on my wedding dress. Could I finish it on time? Would it be good enough?  It was also a challenge to keep it a secret from Chris as I wanted to give him a nice surprise.

I started working on my wedding dress in mid-November 2016 and finally completed it on my wedding day with some final touches. I love roses so I used white cotton yarn to crochet about a hundred roses for my dress. I lined it with navy blue and added lavender flowers. I spent innumerable happy hours creating something new.

My DL teacher, Sonia, was one of the few people with whom I shared the progress of my dress every week. She inspired me to keep a visual record of how the dress was gradually taking shape. On my wedding day, Chris and the guests were pleasantly surprised which made me proud of all my efforts.

I feel I began a new chapter of my life with a new belief in myself.  I believe that if you have confidence in yourself and try hard to achieve your dreams you can achieve anything that you set your heart upon.  And no matter what lies in the road ahead, staying positive and having patience and faith will get you there.

Congratulations Susanti on your wedding and on this handmade masterpiece. We wish you well in your new life. Thanks for sharing your wonderful, happy story.

• What is something you made that required skill and effort that you were proud of?
• Are we all creative? What empowers your creativity?
• What skills would you like to learn or like to have learnt? Why?

Kris celebrates a special mother

Kris, DL Student

Last Sunday, 14th May, we celebrated Mother's Day in Australia. Like many of us, DL student Kris had the opportunity to honour her mother and remember the important role she played in her life, as she tells us her story.

Hi, I am Kris. I come from the Philippines and I'm the youngest of four siblings. Growing up, my life was simple. We were raised by a single mother who tried hard to make ends meet.

When I was a student, I remember experiencing many challenges: illness, loss of a loved one and other setbacks due to our tight financial situation.  But I never gave up.

After I finished my Bachelor degree in Economics in 2012, I had my first job as a Bank Teller. I was then able to help my mum who made so many sacrifices for us and also help other members of my family.

I am so proud of my mum who was able to send us all to school. One of my brothers is now a doctor, the other one is an agriculturist and my sister is a nurse. Nothing is impossible if your family works as a team. No matter how tough things get, you will be able to achieve your goals.

I moved to Australia in March 2015 and I got married to the man that I love. A few months later I had a job as a Personal Care Worker in a nursing home which I really enjoy. Now, I am a mother of a healthy and happy 8-month-old baby boy.

My dream is to get a degree in Pharmacy after I become a permanent resident. I am glad that my DL teacher Maha is helping me and sharing her knowledge and experience with me.

Thank you Kris for sharing your inspirational story with us and we wish you all the best for your family and career. We also wish all the DL mothers happiness and success. 

• What role does the mother play in the family?
• Has the role of mothers changed over the years? Why/why not?
• What challenges do modern day mothers face?

Nancy volunteers to help her community

DL Teacher Nancy

This week we celebrate National Volunteer Week to acknowledge the generous contributions of those who give up their time and effort to help others.

Nancy is one of our DL teachers who finds great pleasure not only in teaching English but also in volunteering to help her community with her English skills.

Going back 30 years, Nancy remembers how difficult it was for her to settle in Australia as an adult migrant. Even though she was an English lecturer in a university in China, it was still hard to find a job here. Nancy had to go back to full-time study and after completing her Diploma in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), she landed her first job as a teacher on the AMEP program.

Twenty years later Nancy is still doing what she loves best, teaching English in the same program. Most of her students are from a Chinese background with low level English. She is passionate about helping elderly Chinese students in particular as she understands how challenging it is for them to settle in a new country. She makes learning English easy for them and takes pride in their progress.

Nancy did not go out looking for volunteer work but because of her English skills, her friendly personality and her passion to help people, volunteering seemed to find her.

It all started when Nancy joined a Tai Chi class in her community where the local council organises free classes for the increasing Chinese population in the Northern Sydney area.

Being the helpful person that she is, she was always happy to translate and interpret small messages between the organisers and the Chinese people in her classes. This led to Nancy playing a key volunteer role liaising between council staff and the Chinese community.  She uses her time and bilingual skills to help the council communicate class timetables, venues, enrolments and housekeeping instructions to the Chinese community and she translates letters and flyers.

Through these community classes Nancy not only learnt Tai Chi, enjoyed her sketching classes and made friends, but she also had the the chance to give back . She says "Volunteering makes me feel good about helping others".

Research shows that volunteers live happier and healthier lives.  No wonder the motto for National Volunteer Week is "Give Happy, Live Happy". 

• Have you ever volunteered? What did you do?
• What are the benefits of volunteering for new migrants in Australia?
• What kind of volunteer work is available and how can you find it in your area?  Check out this website: Volunteering Australia

Why not share your volunteering experience here and inspire other students!