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Published: February 26th 2009
Learning about Australia
The land of many culturesDuring my week observing Australian cultural orientation classes at Umpiem camp I met such fantastic participants eager to learn about life in Australia. It was also exciting for me because I can track some of the families down when I return home to see how there resettlement is going. The class was once again mixed Burmese and Karen with 2 interpreters used. I mostly observed the adult class but on the fifth day both classes were combined to make it a Family Day. I was able to participant in the lessons and add information on some of the topics.
Most of the families were very interested about education, weather and what Australia will be like. Family roles and parenting brought up some interesting discussions with the women seeming quite pleased that household roles were a little more shared in Australia. The youth were eager to find out about school and when the trainer was showing them some Australian cultural objects, the bikini was a hilarious addition. Seeing the different reactions to things that are culturally acceptable in Australia and what is foreign to them definitely widened and increased my understanding about families living in the camp.
After speaking with
the participants, it became quite clear that resettling to Australia was a decision they had thought hard and long about. Many of them had been living in the camp for over 20 years waiting in anticipation for things to change in Burma and to return to their beloved homeland. As there has been no progression with the political situation in Burma, if anything it has gotten worse, most families have chosen to start a new life and beginning in Australia to give their children opportunities they never had growing up in the camp. It is such a life changing and massive decision for them to make.
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