Word of Mouth by westwords6

Word of

Mouth

MIGR AT I O PA R N IS T OF ONL THE Y JOUR NEY

Published by WestWords: Western Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Literature Development Organisation WestWords is an independent not-for-profit cultural organisation located within Western Sydney with centres in Parramatta, Blacktown, Campbelltown and Katoomba. WestWords celebrates and champions the people, places and cultures that are at the heart of Western Sydney. We provide pathways of opportunity for the development of the authentic and articulate voices and showcase them through innovative literature-based, multi-arts programs. To achieve these goals we deliver a comprehensive program of residencies, fellowships, workshops, performances, presentations and publications. WestWords Centre for Writing 91B Grose St, North Parramatta NSW 2151 Postal address: PO Box 2327, North Parramatta, 1750 Email: admin@westwords.com.au Website: www.westwords.com.au

WestWords is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.

Word of Mouth M I G R A T I O N I S O N LY PA R T O F T H E J O U R N E Y

This is a joint project between Liverpool City Council, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre and WestWords in collaboration with the Western Sydney Migrant Resource Centre, Navitas, MTC Liverpool and Settlement Services International.

introduction TA N YA VAV I L O VA The stories you are about to read were written by people from refugee backgrounds who worked with myself and Rawah Arja from WestWords over a series of four workshops. These are their stories of resilience, hardship and hope. To give you some insight into the process, Rawahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s group met on Tuesday mornings and together they watched poetry slams and read books about place. They talked about ideas of home and belonging, and each participant made an artwork. From here, they wrote down their stories. My group met on Monday evenings, also at Liverpool Library, to talk about and write our stories. We listened and read other stories of resilience so that we could learn from them something of the craft of writing. How to capture a moment, or set the scene, how to impress upon the page a million different feelings. My group told stories of fathers who were artists, of parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; dreams for their children, of the dangerous boat journey, of mental health struggles, of making up for lost education and learning a whole new way of life. The culmination of the process took place on Friday 21st June at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre when the ten writers from both groups read their work before an audience of over 100 people as part of Refugee Week. INTRODUCTION

Creating powerful stories is deceptively difficult and even more so when the stories are told in a second, or third, language. All of the stories which you are about to read were written over the course of a month, and many of them written down here for the very first time. TANYA VAVILOVA is interested in telling stories about outsiders, outcasts and misfits–about life in the shadows or margins of society. She was born in Moscow and grew up in the Western suburbs of Sydney. Her debut collection of essays We are Speaking in Code is forthcoming from Brio in early 2020.

R AWA H A R J A The cold, hard rain fell on his notepad as he tried to memorise his study notes for school. Water seeped through what was left of his shoes and the noise of the cars driving by made it difficult to hear his own thoughts. He didn’t have very much and so using the bright lights of the nearest petrol station sufficed. I mean, it had to. Everything depended on that test and what was to come of it. She grew up in a poor village not far from him with a family torn apart by death and heartache. She attended the nearest orphanage, lost in a world too broken to care for a young girl, searching for hope. Searching for one to love her for all that she was despite being accompanied only by loneliness. Meet Mohamed and Raifa, my parents. My parents left their homeland Lebanon and made the ultimate sacrifice for us - seven children they hadn’t even met yet. They left their dreams and everything that they knew and loved to start all over in an unknown and foreign country. Still, they were determined to push forward and create for us a life they never had. My father showed us what it was like to keep steadfast in prayer and still earn an honest living. My mother showed us how compassion and care could melt the stubbornness of a mountain. My childhood was that of sitting around fires, drinking hot tea, with my brothers and sisters, under a blanket of stars listening to my dad tell stories-one ever so present in my mind. The story of Moses and his near impossible mission to face a tyrannical and oppressive Pharaoh. 8

INTRODUCTION

“No tougher journey than that of facing a problem and feeling scared and alone,” my father would say. He knew all too well what it felt like to feel hopeless and reminded us of the test he studied for, many years ago, as a scared little boy, under the cold rain. “Passing that test was my ticket to freedom. You see, education gave me the home I had been searching for my whole life.” “How did you keep going even after all the troubles?” we’d all say amazed at his strength and resilience. “A simple prayer from the Quran”: (Moses) said: “O my Lord! expand me my chest; Ease my task for me; And remove the impairment from my speech, So, they may understand what I say: And appoint for me a helper from my family Harun, my brother; Add to my strength through him, And make him share my task:

That we may glorify You much, And remember You much, Undoubtedly You are seeing us.

INTRODUCTION

My parents are the best people I know. They have used their story to help shape mine, no matter what obstacle came knocking at my door. “The tests that come our way are designed to strengthen not only your bond with your Lord but also with the people that you love,” my dad says. “You need to be like a candle-it suffers in pain while giving light to others.” And the truth is, whether they know this or not, the brilliant men and women I worked with in my writing group used their pain and have been a source of light for me. Not only were they willing to share all that was dark and truly heart breaking, memories still raw in their minds, they still showed up, humbled at the fact that their story can and will be used to empower those still stuck in silence. They have inspired me to do better, to be better because the world right now, in all it’s suffering can use more light. RAWAH ARJA’S passion is to write authentic stories that give diverse groups a voice and a sense of belonging. She has been shortlisted for the Charlotte Waring Barton Award CBCA NSW. Her debut YA novel The F Team will be published by Giramondo in March 2020.

C O U N C I L L O R C H A R I S H M A K A L I YA N D A Liverpool City Council The theme for 2019 Refugee Week was “A World of Stories”, which is very relevant to Liverpool and the Western Sydney region. In Liverpool, we are home to people from all corners of the globe and 86% of our population identify as being a migrant or a first generation Australian. Despite Liverpool’s vibrancy and diversity, members of culturally and linguistically diverse communities rarely see their stories reflected in mainstream Australian art or media. The stories you are reading were developed over four weeks with the participants meeting each week for workshops and presented as part of Liverpool’s contribution to celebrating Refugee Week 2019.

INTRODUCTION

I would like to acknowledge and thank the hardworking workshop facilitators from WestWords, Tanya Vavilova and Rawah Arja who helped the participants develop their stories. Projects like these are crucial in sending a message to our community that our stories matter and are part of the fabric of Australian society. I want to also emphasise the importance of hearing refugees’ stories told in their own words. Our nation’s understanding of refugees and asylum seekers is often through the lens of news media or through politically motivated debates. Rarely do we have the opportunity to hear from the people at the centre of the stories. Stories are powerful ways to connect people with each other and to cross cultural and linguistic barriers. Congratulations to Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre for once again, championing art and stories told by our community, for our community. Liverpool is a proudly multicultural place and we are a city full of great opportunities for all of our residents. Our doors are open to anyone who wants to make a new life here and each member of the Liverpool family plays an important role in shaping our future. I would like to thank Miriama Tamata, community Development Worker (CALD) with Council; Cayn Rosmarin, Programs and Education Officer with Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre for their contributions to realising the project and Sara Mansour, Arts and Culture Project Coordinator, SSI for acting as MC for the showcase event. And a special thank you to the storytellers. The Liverpool community is grateful for the opportunity to hear and read your words. Thank you for sharing your story with us. I would also like to thank the following organisations for collaborating with Council to make this project possible: »» WestWords, Western Sydney’s Literature Development Organisation and its Executive Director Michael Campbell; »» Western Sydney Migrant Resource Centre; »» Navitas; »» MTC Liverpool; and »» Settlement Services International. INTRODUCTION

WESTWORDS

NAVITAS

WestWords celebrates and champions the people, places and cultures that are at the heart of Western Sydney. They provide pathways of opportunity for the development of the authentic and articulate voices and showcase them through innovative literature-based, multi-arts programs. To achieve these goals we deliver a comprehensive program of residencies, fellowships, workshops, performances, presentations and publications.

Since 1988, Navitas English has been delivering the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) to migrants and refugees, on behalf of the Australian Government, and in 2010 successfully tendered to deliver the Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) program to jobseekers with language, literacy and numeracy barriers to employment and career pathways. The AMEP is delivered through colleges in South Western Sydney and the ACT, while the SEE program is delivered from sites across metropolitan Sydney. Along with these major programs, the Navitas English team continues to deliver and tender for other vital programs in areas such as youth employment and career pathways.

WESTERN SYDNEY MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTRE The Western Sydney Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) champions our diverse community to be empowered, informed and connected. Western Sydney MRC was established in September 1979 following recommendations from the Galbally Report that the establishment of Migrant Resource Centres would be fundamental in ensuring the successful settlement of Non-English Speaking Background migrants in Australia. Opened as the Liverpool Migrant Resource Centre, we were set up to provide community development and welfare related services for people living with the Liverpool Local Government Area.

MTC AUSTRALIA, LIVERPOOL MTC is a social enterprise that gives people the inspiration, capability and opportunity to create a fulfilling life. We deliver high impact employment, training and youth programs that help around 15,000 people every year to gain skills for employment and entrepreneurship, build selfworth, and enable possibilities for transformative change.

SETTLEMENT SERVICES INTERNATIONAL Word of Mouth is supported by Settlement Services International (SSI) through its Arts and Culture program. Underpinned by its vision that everyone should have access to opportunities for creative development and cultural expression and participation, SSI self-funds arts and culture initiatives ranging from community arts projects to festivals and artist development. SSI is a community organisation and social business providing a range of services in the areas of refugee settlement, migrant support services, asylum seeker assistance, housing, multicultural foster care, disability support, employment services and youth support. SSI is committed to ensuring that people in vulnerable communities are supported and resourced to fulfil their potential as members of the Australian community.

CASULA POWERHOUSE ARTS CENTRE Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre (CPAC) is a cultural facility of the Liverpool City Council providing access to the arts.

Asma Nayim Ullah It was a small wooden boat. But there were a hundred of us. We were surrounded by an unknown sea. The earthy scent coming from the floor we sat with no shoes on became stronger every time it rained. There was nothing to cover our hopeless heads. It was scary. Very rarely the water was calm and the view of the sky beautiful. But no words would be able to describe the fear the grownups held under their tongues. Whenever my eyes met my motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, I saw doubts in her light brown eyes. On the tenth day, someone yelled and pointed towards a ship into the distance. We all stood up, barely having the energy to yell for help as we got closer. Although we were dehydrated and starving, the adults forced themselves up to get the shipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention. Some picked up their empty water bottles and some picked up their little kids to show how bad our situation was. We became desperate as things started to collapse in the boat. The night came and they started to transfer us to a big ship. A day after we were found, finally on land, young kids like me were happy and excited. We thought it was a new beginning. But the faces of our parents showed a different feeling, haunted by their past, the atmosphere around them ASMA NAYIM ULLAH

was heavy. As a nine year old I didn’t understand why they were expressing both pain and relief so I began to feel anxious and confused about everything that happened next. After three months of being referred to by numbers, queuing for meals at certain times of day, officers patrolling our rooms, often at night while we were asleep, and having a huge metal fence around the Darwin Detention Centre separating us from the outside world, I felt like we were trapped in a system and I didn’t know when we would be released to finally experience the freedom we had risked our lives for. When we were released, we moved here, to Sydney. For a while, it was hard to get used to using the transports but with time we managed to get around. We lived in a hotel for a few months before we moved to our first rented house. It felt amazing to finally have the personal space we really needed to cope with what we’d been through. Sometimes I had nightmares and I didn’t know why or how to stop them. And most of the time, I kept them to myself, no matter how bad they were. My siblings and I were enrolled into a primary school thirty minutes away from our house by walking. On our first day at school, we were so nervous, our hands started to shake, but thankfully we were welcomed to our classes with warm greetings from the students and the teachers. At the beginning, it was hard to make friends since I didn’t know how to speak English but gradually I was able to make friends one by one from different cultures and backgrounds. I felt like I was travelling the world whenever I was around a diverse group of friends and that was a special feeling that I hold dearly in my heart even now. As for my parents, it wasn’t easy for them to find jobs as refugees since they couldn’t speak English and their past injuries also limited their work options, which made me, as their eldest daughter, start to think about working. I still stress about it now even though recently my mother started working as a fulltime support teacher at a primary school while my father does casual work. They always tell me to just focus on my studies but it’s hard. When I started going to high school, I made new friends again as my English continued to improve. I started to become interested in sports such as basketball

ASMA NAYIM ULLAH

and sometimes I would draw things I found beautiful in my free time while still trying my best to do well in my subjects. When I was younger, I didn’t know what being a ‘refugee’ really meant and why some people had such negative views whenever that word was mentioned. That made me feel like an outsider and afraid of being rejected. So I kept it hidden from everyone I knew at school. Recently, I told a few of my close friends and they didn’t seem to treat me any differently which I’m thankful for. As a young kid back then, I didn’t exactly understand the reason why we left our home country. But now, I do and it’s painful to think about.

To most of the world, we Rohingya, are an ethnic minority, from Burma also known as Myanmar. The majority is Buddhist, and the Burmese government says that the Rohingya don’t exist. They didn’t accept us for decades just because our religion and appearance is different. We were denied access to government services and rejected as citizens. The Rohingya faced discrimination and torture no matter where they were in Myanmar. The Rohingya community faced restrictions on basic freedoms such as access to education and health ASMA NAYIM ULLAH

services. But ever since the military started to gain power, it became a lot worse for us. In 2012, the military and the local Buddhists killed over 10,000 Rohingya people, not even sparing the children and the elderly. They burned down and destroyed our villages. They committed widespread gang rapes and other form of sexual violence against the Rohingya women and girls. The United Nations has described us as the most persecuted minority. The Rohingya people have been beaten, raped, abused, killed and displaced. We are the victims of a genocide, an ethnic cleansing carried out by the Myanmar army. My family lost so many of their loved ones. Most of us who are now living here are traumatised and haunted because of that experience. Suffering from physical injuries and battling with mental health issues. But now we have the chance to rebuild our lives and have a brighter future with the help of education. Support from organisations and communities and sharing our stories with one and another is helping. Many of us have found hobbies that we like such as sports, art and cooking. Here we have opportunities that we did not get back in our home country and this has helped me create my own hopes and dreams for my community and for myself. I wish nothing but the best for people no matter who they are. Because I know how it feels to be hated for being different and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want anyone to go through that. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to give up on my future just because of my past. So I will work hard and become someone my parents can be proud of and I want to be able to help and support people who are just like me. And this is the first step. Sharing my story.

Thank you.

ASMA NAYIM ULLAH

My Dad

Jehan Idan Dad, remembering you is easy, I do it every day, but missing you is a heartache that never goes away. They say a girl’s first love and hero is her dad. Well, that is true, but can someone tell me why my hero went away? I had a talented father who was an artist in Baghdad. He was a calligraphy artist who was always dazzling everyone with his amazing work. I lost him in an unfortunate accident that forced my family to make the decision to suddenly leave our home country, Iraq. My father’s gallery in Baghdad didn’t charge people to enter; everyone was welcome. He wanted people to come and learn about the Arabic script and the words that he wrote.

JEHAN IDAN

One of his works can be translated as: “The good remained for the good ones.”

I grew up in a middle class family with extremely philanthropic parents who constantly reminded me and my brother and sister how lucky we were. Even when life was challenging As a child, I saw gang violence and other crime around me. When I grew up, I wanted to understand why such things happened. I knew that I wanted to be a forensic scientist. However, when I left Iraq I was unable to continue my studies. My family and I travelled to Jordan seeking refuge. After one year there, we were told we could travel to America, however, while we were packing my mother received a phone call from Australian Immigration telling her we had been accepted into Australia. I was happy to see my family in Australia, but I was also worried and scared because it was sudden and we had not planned to settle there. When I arrived in Sydney, I didn’t speak a word of English. After six months at an intensive English Centre, I started high school. It was a tough experience because the other kids made fun of my English. They didn’t know any better, but it made me feel bad. I had to learn the rules of the school, I had to engage with people from different backgrounds, and also to learn the language. Those early 22

JEHAN IDAN

times were very hard, but I never wanted to give up because I knew I needed to complete my education. Education is a basic human right. It made me learn very fast. And I did well at school. With hard work and dedication to my studies, I was accepted into the Conocophilips Science Experience at the University of Sydney. This is an award for young Australian scientists. I was one step closer to my dream of becoming a forensic scientist. Since then, I have been accepted by the Ingham Institute into their work experience program, which specialises in cancer research. It is an interesting and challenging experience. I accomplished this within my two years in Australia. Many people told me that I couldn’t achieve my dreams, I couldn’t become what I wanted to be, because I am a refugee. They insulted me by their words, they saw me as weak and tried to put me down, they didn’t see my passion behind my weakness, they didn’t see my dream behind my sadness, all they saw was a word written on my forehead that said: “Refugee”. Refugees are people who left the country they were born and raised in, carrying a bunch of memories with them. Carrying wounds and tears in them. They are people who seek safety along the way; it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. In the end they are humans that have hearts to feel and goals to reach. Like my father and his gallery in Baghdad, I want to give back to those who are less fortunate. It is not a choice for me. It is a way of life. I think we all have a responsibility, no matter where we come from, to work hard to ensure everyone is given the opportunity to thrive. Education not only empowers families but communities and economies. As a result of our education, we all do better – it’s just simple as that. A lot of people think being hopeful for the future is normal but where I came from, it is an exception. It’s actually a privilege to have hope. I’d like to end with this quote: “To be called a refugee is the opposite of an insult: it is a badge of strength, courage, and victory.”

JEHAN IDAN

Zinah Al-Haidari My name is Zinah Al-Haidari and I am from Baghdad, Iraq. I was eight when the war started. It has affected my memories of my country. I have lived with fear, stress and danger. I have experienced discrimination in my country, because I am Mandaean and my religion was a minority. But let me tell you with all the difficult times and hard challenges that I have experienced it did not affect my ability to continue studying. I remember one night, during winter. It was very dark and cold. Me and my sisters were studying together. We had a little lamp of fire to light up to help us because there was no electricity to have a proper light. Suddenly, we heard some footsteps on the roof of the house. But we thought it might be a dog or a cat and we did not pay much attention to it. Then, a few minutes later there was someone knocking on the door really hard. Unexpectedly, the house was full of police officers. They asked everyone to gather in one room, they needed to check the house. Later, we found out that the footsteps on the

ZINAH AL-HAIDARI

roof was a terrorist who had escaped from them and had jumped onto our roof. The police thought we had hidden that terrorist inside the house. In 2011, after a series of fearful events and threats we decided to leave Iraq, we travelled to Jordan seeking peace and safety. I continued my secondary school study but it was not easy for me. I faced the challenges of discrimination of being Iraqi, Mandaean and one of the top students of the whole grade. Studying was an escape for me. I love to study, because it turns off my mind from everything else. I don’t think about the sad memories, only focusing on learning new things. I had lived in Jordan for two years when on the 1st April 2013 we received the phone call from the UN giving us an appointment for an interview at the Australian Embassy in Amman, Jordan. It was one of the happiest moments. But soon as my dad hung up I told him April Fools is on that day. Are you sure we have an interview on the 1st April? It might be someone kidding with us! And even on the day of the interview, my dad told the taxi driver to wait for us outside just in case if the interview was a joke. We will need a taxi go home hahaha. Two months later I arrived in Australia. Me and my family were so happy. Two weeks later I started studying English language at the IEC (Intensive English Centre) at Lurnea High School and I continued my high school studies. On finishing I chose to do Bachelor of Social Work to encourage people who go through tough times in their lives and to assist them overcoming their difficulties and to achieve their dreams. Whatever bad times you go through in your life, don’t give up on your dreams and don’t let those difficulties challenge your ability to succeed. Be strong, dream big and work hard to be successful.

Thank you.

ZINAH AL-HAIDARI

Sameem Yousif Allall My name is Sameem. I am married and I have one son. I am from Iraq. I am going to share my story of how I ended up in Australia. It all started when ISIS attacked and bombarded our cities on 10th of June 2014. When that happened, we were so fearful that ISIS might come and destroy the village Bahrtelam, where we lived. We decided to get out from this place quietly. After midnight, we took the risk, and, to protect my family, moved to a safer area, to Ankawa, north of Iraq. MY REFUGEE JOURNEY In Ankawa, we rented a room in a hotel. We stayed there for two days. But because it was so expensive, we met my relatives and looked for a big house. Fortunately, we managed to find one, and rented it. We stayed in that house for nearly one and a half months with all my relatives and hoped that country would become normal. Unfortunately, the situation didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get any better. It became worse. So, finally there was no choice. We decided to go to Jordan.

SAMEEM YOUSIF ALLALL

LIFE IN JORDAN I stayed in Jordan for more than three years. The life in Jordan was very difficult because the government did not allow us to work. I decided to apply and seek help from UN. While I was waiting news from UN, I thought that I should do something to survive, so I started to look for a simple job to pay rent and feed my family. I was so lucky that I met a man who gave me a job. I worked as an Uber driver secretly seven days a week. I was constantly worried if I faced the police because I did not have permission to work. The money I got from the job, was enough to pay for the rent. My family and I joined the Iraqi Church group, who gave food aid and sometimes during Easter and Christmas gave money to buy clothes. GOOD NEWS After three years, the Australian embassy in Amman called me. At the interview I told my story. I waited for the result for one year. I was under constant fear if my application to Australia would be rejected. Finally, I got the good news that I was granted to come to Australia on 20th of May 2018. After two months, I arrived to Sydney Australia on the 2nd of June. When I first arrived I was embarrassed and shy because my English language was very bad. Also, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have enough knowledge about the culture and new lifestyle in this country. But gradually I improved myself through enrolling in Navitas and now my language is getting better. I can speak English well and I do voluntary work to gain local experience. I am confident I will get a permanent job. AT L A S T Now, I can talk to people in English even though I make mistakes, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel shy. Life was really tough at the beginning but I never lost hope. I was determined to learn English and get a job. Finally, I thank Australia for their help and support. To Navitas, I thank a lot. Navitas has helped me to gain self confident. I really appreciate all those people who helped me to learn English especially my teacher Rudra .

SAMEEM YOUSIF ALLALL

Ghazwan Al-Khamees I would like to share my brief story about my journey from Iraq to Australia. My name is Ghazwan and I am from Iraq. I am married and have two daughters. I left my country with my family to Jordan in 2016 because of very harsh circumstances like wars and instability. I stayed in Jordan for more than two years. In Jordan I stayed without work and life was full of difficulties. I was not allowed to work because I was a refugee. I felt sad and lonely all the time. I met a friend who helped me to make an application to the UN. After waiting more than two years the embassy of Australia called me and said “Congratulations”. I got the refugee visa. I felt so happy that I was accepted as a refugee in Australia. I arrived in Australia on the 8th June 2018 and was greeted at the airport by relatives. We hugged each other and cried with joy. It took me a lot of time to settle in Australia because of the culture, weather, and most of all my English was not good at all. I did not give up but continued to study English at Navitas. Today, I can speak, read, write and listen well. Finally I want to thank Australia for everything that it did for me and my family. We are proud to call ourselves “Australian”.

Thank you. GHAZWAN AL-KHAMEES

Aseel Adday My name is Aseel, I am from Iraq, I have been in Australia one year and a half, I am married, I have 5 children 4 girls and one boy. I became a refugee because of the war in Iraq, before that I lived in safe country, but after that when a lot of parties were formed, they started to show that they were racist and sectarian. They started persecution and killing Mandean citizens and we had no choice, but to leave our country. This is why I came to Australia as a refugee. Now I am happy because Australia is offering me and people safety, housing, Medicare and free English class. Thank you Australia.

Thank You.

ASEEL ADDAY

Basheer Zuhairi My name is Basheer Zuhairi and I was born in Iraq, Baghdad. I finished high school and a diploma in electronics in 1984. After I was sent to be a soldier for eight years. I got married in 1990. In 1993 I bought a jewellery shop and then in 1998 I changed my job to become a lab technician. I have seven children consisting of four daughters and three sons. My eldest daughter is married with two children, a son and a daughter. My childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s occupations are: teacher, electrician, plumber, scientist, engineer and the others are still in school. My second eldest son and daughter are both engaged. And the other children are still studying. My wife finished high school in Iraq and college in teaching. I departed from Iraq in 2004 because of the war and the fall of Saddam Husseinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regime. The country has become a jungle filled with military that deprive the people of their own interest. In order to preserve my life and the life of my family, I decided to leave my country and go to Australia with the help of my brother. On the 26th of June 2004, I arrived in Jordan. I lived there for two and a half years before moving to Syria on the 12th February 2006 because of the lack of jobs and

BASHEER ZUHAIRI

education that the government did not provide for us. My family and I lived in Syria for two and half years before coming to Australia on the 31st October 2008. When I arrived here, I found it hard, firstly because of the language barrier and driving. But slowly I was able to get my driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s licence. I enrolled in TAFE, got a security licence and worked for about four years. I worked on many jobs such as truck driving, sewing, handyman, excavator and bread delivery. Now I am just studying.

BASHEER ZUHAIRI

Claudia Di-Martino My name is Claudia Di-Martino, I am a proud Latina, but I am also a very proud refugee from a third world country. I was born in a small country called El Salvador in Central America. My family and I had to leave our country because of a civil war. I arrived in Australia in 1989 with my parents and my younger sister. At the beginning, life in Australia was a challenge for me because I couldn’t speak a word of English. Learning a new language, adjusting to a new way of life, learning new things about this country was not easy at times. All I remember at the beginning was crawling under my blankets and crying myself to sleep because I was finding hard to adjust and I was homesick. It was not easy at the beginning because I felt broken, out place, empty and lost. Yes, very lost. But like people say, ‘time is a healer’. Now I look back in time, this year it will be thirty years that I have been living in Australia. Thirty years have passed and how much I have achieved. I am now a proud Australian citizen, I completed year 12, graduated from university, I married an CLAUDIA DI-MARTINO

Italian with a passion for Australia. He has taught me one thing or two about NRL, AFL and even about Cricket which I find boring. I do apologise to all the cricket lovers. I have two amazing daughters and I am an ESL teacher. I have been teaching for more than 10 years. I love my job and what I find so surprising about it is that when I came to Australia I could not speak a word of English. If someone would have told me that one day I was going to be helping other people understand English I would have laughed, but I love what I do, I love my job because I understand firsthand what it is to learn English. Life is good now and one thing is for sure I don’t feel lost anymore. Maybe you just arrived in this country and like me you feel lost and out of place. Don’t worry everything will be ok. Most important give yourself time, try each day and don’t give up. You will be right in the end. I will be forever thankful to this country for giving my family and opportunity and a new life. Australia is an amazing country which I am proud to call home.

Thank you

CLAUDIA DI-MARTINO

Dao Chi Do My name is Dao and I come from Vietnam. My family left Vietnam in 1979. We escaped from Vietnam by a boat. It was dangerous because we had 26 people on the boat. We were on the open ocean for five days and five nights. We had bad luck because we got lost and didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where to go. We saw pirates follow us. If they got on the boat, they would rape the women and girls. Then kill them and throw them to the sea. My dad had spotted the pirates with his binoculars and he told us to hide under the cabin. When my boat arrived on the beach of Kuala Lumpur, my dad decided that women and girls should sit down in the middle while the men sat around. Later, the police came and took us by bus to the police station. We stayed at the police station for one night. In the morning, they asked everyone questions and searched both the women and men. They were looking for gold and jewellery. Later we went to an island called Pulau Bidong. In 1979 it had the most population of refugees in the world. About 40,000 refugees lived on the island. We received food and water supplies from the Red Cross. Some people sold pigs at the small market which was in front of the police station. When the police saw one of the pigs, they took it, buried it and bowed down to pray for it. Later

DAO CHI DO

the water supplied stopped for a week, so we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any water to drink and shower. After waiting a week the water started to run again. We thanked God we were still alive. We stayed on the island for about six months. Later we received a mission from Australia to sponsor us. Before that, we had an interview to get the visa. Next, we were on an airplane to Australia. We arrived at the airport in Western Australia on the 31st of August, 1979. When we first arrived in Australia, everything was different for us. The culture, food, people, language and religion were very different from Vietnamese culture. My family and I stayed at an immigration centre to check up on our health. One week later, my mum and I started to learn English. We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand English much. My teacher asked me if I was married and I said yes. He asked my mum the same question and she said no. All of our classmates started to laugh at us. My family got a job working on a farm. We worked there for about two years. After living in Australia for two years we became citizens. We then moved to Sydney. In 1986, I met my husband at a church and we got married. We have four sons and two daughters. We also have 4 grandchildren. I studied English for about one and a half years and I finished the English Course. After that, I studied certificate 2 in retail management at Miller TAFE. I started looking for a job in retail but it was difficult because I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any experience, so I took another course. I went to college to study diploma of community service for a year. Then job network referred me to MTC to improve my English. Thank you Australia for celebrating World Refugees day. I am grateful to be here and share my story.

Thank you.

DAO CHI DO

Mariam Abbas My name is Mariam Abbas. I was born on the 30th of December 2000. My story is a small part of a bigger story, which involves my father, my mother and my two brothers. My eldest brother was born In Iraq In 1997. My parents had no choice but to leave Iraq because America had a blockade against Iraq. Even baby milk and pencils were forbidden to enter the country. During that time, thousands of children, men, women and animals died either from hunger or illness. The blockade waged a war that implied Iraq had weapons of destruction. This big silly play, watched by millions around the world was intended to steal our oil and money. After they had killed millions of Iraqis, their only response was â&#x20AC;&#x153;we are sorryâ&#x20AC;?. My father and mother decided they wanted a better future for their son so they left their families to move to Jordan. It was hard for my father who had to sell his artworks in order to financially support his family back in Iraq and his own.

MARIAM ABBAS

artwork My father's Whale Hedar abadi: aghdad Devouring B Moon, 2019 My artwork as: Mariam Abb 2018 Vulnerability,

MARIAM ABBAS

As a child I would constantly watch my father spend hours working in his studio; art was a major part of my upbringing and it is the reason I’m here today. After my younger brother and I were born, my father and mother decided to apply to the United Nations office in Jordan as refugees. We waited for five years for them to accept us. August 18th 2005 was the day I arrived in Australia as a four-year-old. All I remember from that day is the baked beans I had on the flight. The first place my family lived in was Blacktown where we stayed for one month before moving to Liverpool. I grew up in a wonderful neighbourhood with people from all different backgrounds, which allowed me to feel like I belonged somewhere. I remember having my seventh birthday in my house with Arabic music really loud; I was so excited to have everyone celebrate with me. Growing up very shy, art for me was a way to express myself internally rather than verbally. My dream has always been to travel the world and help people that are less fortunate through art. Today as an 18-year-old I am lucky enough to be able to say that I’m fulfilling part of my dream of becoming an artist—I am now currently studying my first year at the National Art School. I’m very grateful to be in this country and to grow up with a father who is an artist because he has inspired me to continue to see the world in a more beautiful and colourful way.

MARIAM ABBAS

A World of Stories Word of Mouth is the culmination of a series of writing workshops where participants from refugee backgrounds developed their stories. The writers presented them at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre as part of Liverpool’s contribution to celebrating Refugee Week 2019.

I want to emphasise the importance of hearing refugees’ stories told in their own words. Our nation’s understanding of refugees and asylum seekers is often through the lens of news media or through politically motivated debates. Rarely do we have the opportunity to hear from the people at the centre of the stories. Stories are powerful ways to connect people with each other and to cross cultural and linguistic barriers. Projects like these are crucial in sending a message to our community that our stories matter and are part of the fabric of Australian society. C O U N C I L L O R C H A R I S H M A K A L I YA N D A

Liverpool City Council

“It was a small wooden boat. But there were a hundred of us.” - Asma “It all started when ISIS attacked and bombarded our cities on 10th of June 2014.” - Sameem

“My story is a small part of a bigger story.” - Mariam “To be called a refugee is the opposite of an insult: it is a badge of strength, courage, and victory.” - Jehan