Paw Shee Wah

From Thailand to Wonthaggi

I was born in a refugee camp in Thailand. So were my two brothers.

Our parents were born in Myanmar (Burma), but they faced religious and ethnic persecution in their home country.

We are Karen people.

We arrived in Australia on 30 May 2014. Never before had I been outside our refugee camp in my 19 years of life.

Growing up in a refugee camp, I didn’t have many opportunities. I went to school with friends and just came back home without doing anything, day after day. We didn’t have a chance to go outside and find out what the camp looked like; we had to stay inside. A lot of the kids at the camp, if they went outside, it wasn’t safe for them. We had to be careful and not go far from our parents.

We felt unsafe. We didn’t have a passport. We didn’t own anything. That’s why we decided to come to Australia.

We waited four years before the Australian government accepted our visa application. When the government said we could come to Australia, we felt very happy. It was like a win. So many thanks to them. We are very happy here. We feel safe and welcome.

When we arrived, we landed in Sydney, then flew to Melbourne before our sponsors took us to Wonthaggi, a coastal town in Gippsland. It was cold. We only brought one suitcase, and we didn’t have a jumper.

I started studying and working straightaway. I worked in a café part-time when I went to Bass Coast Adult Learning Centre and then to TAFE. Then I got a good job in the kitchen at a local aged care facility. I now work as a personal carer in a Wonthaggi residential aged care lodge.

I am the middle child. My older brother used to work in Moe at the local meatworks. He would wake up at 3am to start by 6am. He didn’t get home until 5pm, and was always very tired. He now works in Wonthaggi. My younger brother also works – he works for a local takeaway store.

My parents go to school to learn English, and they volunteer. They have more friends than me! I studied English as an additional language, just to improve it. My English is getting better and I am more confident.

We speak Karen in our house, and continue to practise Buddhism as a family. We pray every day before we sleep. For me, religion, it’s safe. I pray for safe travels before I drive and for a nice sleep with no nightmares.

We bought a house in 2019. We live together as a family. We will stay together; this is our home now.

We all enjoy it here.

I like the beach and the waterfalls. I enjoy playing badminton. I think the people are very friendly.

For me, Australia is a big, strong community. They welcome all. They don’t mind. They welcome every religion and all cultures. That’s why I love it here. I want to thank the government and the people very much.