My Settlement Story - by Miwa Deguchi
I am not quite settled in Australia yet, but more so than before.
I feel am very lucky because I've got a good family, housemates and friends in Australia. They have helped me a lot to live in Australia. Also, I can buy almost all the Japanese foods here because Melbourne is a multicultural city.
I moved to Australia about two years ago. I believed I could live enjoyably anywhere because I'm a tough person. However the reality was different from my ideas and conceptions especially in regard to language. I needed to ask the same question again and again to understand what the person had said. I felt I was at a disadvantage and gradually I became quieter and quieter. On the other hand, my mind was not quiet or calm. I was full of emotion and unsatisfied at not being able to express my opinions or my feelings. Then, I told myself that I needed to wait for a few months to get used to my new life.
After a few months, I was still in the same situation. I couldn't read newspapers. I couldn't understand TV. So, I decided to go to English school full-time. During the four months at school I still felt that I was at a disadvantage. Other classmates could speak and read better than me. I had a lot of homework everyday and it took quite some time. Then, I decided that I would never go to school full time again.
Now, I am still studying at a community centre because I believe that I can have a more comfortable life by having better English. My English will never be perfect. However, I can now say what my opinions are and talk about my feelings even though the grammar is not correct. In addition, I'm happy to say that I started my cereal cooking classes this year. It was one of my small dreams to find companions who thought like me in regard to cooking. Settlement for me means progressing. So, I can say I am approaching settlement because I am taking one step at a time towards my dream.
Updated: 27 October 2006
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