Photo: Martin Walls

We stood out like brown pebbles in a bowl of ivory ones. It might’ve been our physical appearance that gave away our “international” status. Or maybe it was our body language – awkward, a little too alert.

I counted less than 20 of us lingering in the courtyard of the college where I would be residing for the next three years. I remember seeing us as LEDs, each emitting a colour that indicated the country from which we came. It was O-Week, day one, and already I wanted to go home. All I saw were strange faces in a foreign land.

Having grown up in Malaysia my whole life, I was accustomed to its culture, its people, my family, friends, and my surroundings. Standing alone in that courtyard with over a hundred other students that day, it suddenly hit me that I was a minority in the backdrop of a multicultural society different from the one I was used to.

The situation was foreign to me (pardon the pun), and I reacted like how most of us would – by avoiding it. I remember actually choosing to sit alone one O-Week afternoon until a group of local girls nearby invited me to join them.

Looking back, I think what made it difficult for me to blend in with the locals in the beginning wasn’t simply the fact that I was aware of my “difference”. The problem was I was too conscious of it.

A memory I can’t seem to delete happened once again during O-Week in college. The activity picked to initiate bonding was bowling, and we were split into groups of maybe five or six a team. Instead of harnessing all my energy and attention in ensuring the ball maintained a straight course down the alley, my mind kept screaming out that I was the only person in the group with naturally black hair, and probably the only one whose first language wasn’t English.

Such inconsequential thoughts must’ve manifested through my face, which wore an unsettled and probably even gloomy expression for as long as the game lasted. I hate to admit this, but I think (okay fine I know) that I carried this countenance with me to lectures and tutorials throughout my first year in university. It’s the only explanation I have as to why I spent a lot of my classes sitting between two empty seats if attendance was scarce.

Certain communication barriers, imagined and truthful, exacerbated my personal feeling of isolation. It wasn’t merely that I couldn’t understand Australians sometimes because of their usage of slangs (although I pardoned myself for this a long time ago after seeing that familiar expression of confusion on the faces of Australians who’d just come across Malaysian slangs). It was also the fact that I started being conscious of my accent.

Honestly though, I don’t think I would’ve been as aware of my pronunciation and inflections if I hadn’t been told by a friend that some of the local kids in our college were under the assumption that international students couldn’t speak English. The punch line here was that the international students that the claim was directed at, couldn’t or didn’t speak anything but English. I learnt later, that it was our accents that caused meaning to sometimes be lost in translation.

Because I was now mindful of my distinct way of speaking, I would hesitate every time I wanted to add to a conversation or discussion. Sometimes it actually seemed as if I had a speech impediment. So I convinced myself that it was better to sit mutely in tutorials than to give someone the chance to say something unkind about me behind my back (as some of you will find out, Arts is not the most popular degree choice for international students). In retrospect, this was probably one of the most ridiculous logic I’d ever come up with, because not only did I lose out on participation marks, I was also disadvantaged when I needed to talk to someone about a problematic assignment.

I think these reasons may explain why I gravitated towards the company of my fellow international students to seek solidarity. Around them, I never felt like an outcast.

Up until a while ago, it always frustrated me wondering how some people could navigate between two groups, envying them for making it seem so easy. My friend Tom (not his real name) was one such person. I used to think that he was able to get along with everyone because of his ability to play almost any musical instrument given to him. Such talent that could be exhibited during college events surely made one popular right? But the more I thought about it, the less I believed in my own argument.

Tom always had a smile on his face and greeted anyone he knew with enthusiasm. It didn’t matter if he’d only met them once for less than a minute.

A native of Singapore, he never cared that his accent was different to his Western peers. In fact, I vaguely remember him trying to teach several locals here some colloquialisms from home (you can’t just add “lah” to everything).

I am convinced now that it was Tom’s affable nature that helped bridge the gap between our seemingly different cultures, between “us” and “them”. He didn’t need to go out to a bar every single time he was asked to strengthen relationships or secure friendships. This could be done with just a simple “hello” or a “how’re you going?”.

After nearly a year of avoiding eye contact with my peers, I decided to test the validity of this strategy for myself. Take it from me. It worked.  And the best part was, I didn’t need to change anything about myself, nor compromise any of my principles.

Sometimes I feel if I were given the chance, I’d do it all over again, but differently. I’d let myself be myself, and I’d make more of an effort to be amicable with those around me, whoever they may be. I suppose I realised a little too late that at the end of the day, we’re all the same, and that everybody gets fed up sooner or later of the sour-faced girl who can’t look you in the eye and say “hi”.

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What’s your name, and how old are you?

My name is Imran Zaveer and I’m 24 years old.

Where are you from? Where and what course or program are you doing?

I’m originally from Sri Lanka and I am currently studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Melbourne and in my final year

How long have you been in Melbourne for and why did you choose to come to Melbourne?

I have been living in Melbourne for the past four years. As a kid I travelled a lot and when I came on holiday to Melbourne back when I was 14-years-old, the multicultural society and lifestyle appealed to me, and I decided that I would one day pursue my higher education here.

What got you into the EDGE program? And what are you expecting to get from the program?

I am always looking to develop my skills and explore my strengths and I realised that this program was going to be very useful in helping me in both these aspects. Having been a leader of a large student organization at Melbourne University and been in various leadership roles probably helped me get into this program.

Two weeks into the program I now have a much better idea of how every challenge given to us is increasing our knowledge on how best to deal with the outside world in order to achieve our goals. So self development in a career context is what I would like to gain from this program.

What does leadership mean to you?

Leadership is a skill. You can either be a natural or it can be acquired through experience. Personally, I believe that a leader should always lead by example no matter what.  A leader should be privileged to be in that position and strive to be the best he or she can be and inspire followers to bring out the best in them as well.

What or who do you draw inspiration from, and why?

I draw inspiration from everyone around me.

A poor man who lives in a hut once offered me a cup of tea because my car broke down and I had to wait till help arrived. I got two teaspoons of sugar with my tea and later find out from others that the family was so poor they would normally have their tea black.

These kinds of experiences in life makes me believe in the humanity and compassion that abounds in people and that inspires me to be a better person.

If you could champion one cause for international students in Melbourne, what would it be?

I guess it would be the cost of public transport. I have had to use public transport extensively in my time living in Melbourne and I find that it is incomprehensible as to why international students have to pay full fare. Students should be treated equally and in a great city such as Melbourne I don’t understand why this is the case when usually equality is treated with such high regard!

What, in your opinion, is the most common misunderstanding/stereotype that people have of international students in Melbourne?

I think it would be that international students are unable to communicate in English.

What are your other talents/hobbies outside the classroom?

I play for a pool league in the city, I play badminton weekly, I’m involved with the dancesport club at Melbourne Uni and I do Street Latin and Argentine Tango myself. I have a scuba diving license and I used to do regular dives in Sri Lanka but after coming to Australia, I have stuck to snorkelling because the water is so cold!

I also get involved with social work whenever the opportunity presents itself and I have been involved with a student group known as Student Appeal at Melbourne University for the past three years, and we raise funds for students in need of rent assistance.

Where is your favourite spot to hang out in Melbourne?

Nandos!

What song gets you pumped or excited? Think Eye of the Tiger or Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor” or any Bon Jovi track.

Incredible by M beat ft General Levy. Its not popular at all but for anyone who has watched Ali G would know it. When I drive listening to this song I really get pumped!

If I had a million dollars I would…. invest in Facebook shares right now!

If I only had $5 I would…. go to Coles, stare at the chocolate aisle for half an hour and then pick something I think is worth it.

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1. Living on the EDGE: Yubo Zhai
2. Living on the EDGE: Remya Ramesh
3. Living on the EDGE: Tuan Cuong Bui

IF YOU haven’t yet heard, Wong Fu Productions will be touring Australia from March 3, beginning in Melbourne, followed by Sydney and Brisbane.

There’ll be no singing or dancing, but there will be some heart-to-heart sharing from the three lads – Philip Wang, Wesley Chan and Ted Fu – about their rise to fame.

Their YouTube channel has garnered a staggering 125 million views, they were the producers behind Wong Lee Hom’s “Still in Love with You” music video, and their latest project – a partnership with FreeMantleMedia (American Idol) to produce the web series Home is Where the Hans Are, a family comedy about a young man, Derrick, who returns home after years away to discover that the man his mother remarried to is Chinese.

Click here to view the embedded video.

But the trio are by no means an overnight success. Their cult following has been built from nine years in the business, more than 200 short films and music videos, and the passion for storytelling.

“We like to tell stories, whether they’re funny, sad, or thoughtful, and write, direct, edit everything on our own,” they would tell you.

So what can you expect in the two-hour D&M with WongFu?

A chance to get in on their own stories and ask them questions, to be the first to watch their videos before they go live on YouTube, and quite simply, the privilege of seeing them in the flesh.

The meet and greet tickets have been sold out in Melbourne and Sydney already, by the way – so get in quick to secure yourself a seat.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit soulmannalive.com.

Wong Fu productions live in Melbourne!
Saturday, 3 March 2012
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm (Meet & Greet: 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm)
RMIT Storey Hall
Building 16, 336-348 Swanston Street,
Melbourne, VIC

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Photo: brainsnorkel

A  RADICAL right-wing youth group will launch a publicity campaign at several university campuses in the coming weeks, arguing for overseas education to be “substantively phased out”.

The Eureka Youth League will distribute flyers at Monash, Melbourne and La Trobe Universities, as well as RMIT.

The group’s website vows to “oppose all that is corrupt, alien, sick, retrograde and perverse in current Australian Society” and “work for the day when Australia can be purged clean.”

One pamphlet reads, “We want places at Australian Universities for Aussies, not for foreigners with dollars!”

Between 2008 and 2009 Australia earned over $17 billion in export revenue from education services, making international education its fourth biggest export behind coal, iron ore and gold.

Student groups are concerned about the upcoming recruitment drive, with the RMIT Student Union advising students to report any Eureka Youth League presence to campus security.

“While we respect freedom of speech, RMIT University Student Union does not condone racial or religious discrimination in any form and will do everything possible to ensure the well-being and safety of students,” a spokesman said.

“We are committed to providing an inclusive community free from racial or religious discrimination and such acts will not be tolerated.”

The Eureka Youth League is the youth wing of the Australia First political party, which won 0.4% of the vote for the Queensland Senate in the last federal election.

Dr Jim Saleam, NSW Chairman of the Australia First Party, denied the flyers have any racist intent.

“Our critics of all sorts operate to their agendas,” he said.

“Loading us with negative imputation is necessary for them.

“The matter of racism is irrelevant to Australia First; the issues of race and identity have long gone beyond that label.”

According to Dr Saleam, the Eureka Youth League was established in 2010 as an initiative of several younger members of the Australia First Party.

He would not disclose the group’s current membership figures, nor allow any contact between it and the media.

“The League members felt it was far more useful to operate without media interaction,” he said.

“In that regard, Australia First has provided certain services to shield League members and activists from unnecessary intrusion.”

Australia First has donated money to the League for its program in 2012, and party members will be assisting with the upcoming publicity drive.

“Our goal in 2012 is to aim at a younger audience,” Dr Saleam said.

“We expect the [Eureka] League will contribute to that development.”

Since its conception in 1996, the Australia First Party has been dogged by controversy.

Dr Jim Saleam himself was convicted in 1991 of organising a shotgun attack on the representative of the African National Congress in Australia, and in December 2005, party members distributed anti-immigration pamphlets and, allegedly, alcohol, at the Cronulla riots in southern Sydney.

The party’s former youth wing, the Patriotic Youth League (PYL), conducted a similar “publicity drive” in 2004 at the University of Newcastle, advocating “Australian unis for Australian students.”

The Herald Sun reported at the time that the group had ties to American neo-nazi organisations.

For Kevin Dunn, professor in Human Geography and Urban Studies at the University of Western Sydney, groups like the Eureka League are merely the latest manifestation of a movement that began over a hundred years ago.

“There has always been a connection between Australianism and Anglo-ism,” he said.

“It all goes back to the White Australia policy, where throughout that time it was formerly stated that Australian national identity was narrow and that it was Anglo.”

In 1998 Dunn set out to map the contours of racism in Australia and, after a decade of research, began to get a clearer picture of how we see ourselves.

According to his study, Challenging Racism, 86 per cent of Australians believe it is a good thing for society to be made up of different people from different ethnic backgrounds.

However, 12 per cent admit they are prejudiced against other cultures.

“What we found was that about one in ten Australians had very problematic views,” Prof Dunn said.

“For instance one in ten believe that there’s a racial hierarchy. They self identify as racist.

“And those people, we’ve found, are more likely to assume that their view is in fact the majority view. They have an inflated sense that their own views are consensus.”

Prof Dunn warned that although the Eureka League may not have a large following, the threat they pose is real.

“The more this minority get the sense that they have a majority view, the more emboldened they become,” he said.

“Make no mistake, they are the organised end of racism.”

Challenging Racism can be viewed online.

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What’s your name, and how old are you?

My name is Mengning Teng (Tiana). I am 21-years-old.

Where are you from? Where and what course or program are you doing?

I am from Beijing, China. I am currently doing Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in accounting and finance at the University of Melbourne.

How long have you been in Melbourne for and why did you choose to come to Melbourne?

I have been in Melbourne for three years so far. My parents used to study and work here and they recommended Melbourne, saying it was definitely the best place to live and study. After three years, I totally agree with them and feel extremely thankful for their decision.

Did you come alone or with family?

I came here by myself back in 2009. It was hard in the beginning, especially when I lost my sense of belonging. Yet with the warm help from my friends, teachers and the community, I started to enjoy the colourful life in Melbourne and feel that I am part of the society now.

What got you into the EDGE program? And what are you expecting to get from the program?

The fact that the EDGE program is focusing purely on international students appealed to me. It is a great sign of how much the city of Melbourne or Australia as a country values us, which is totally exciting to learn. Also, it means the problems that overseas students are facing will be addressed during this program. I am hoping and firmly believe that I will benefit tremendously along the way. Not only for job-hunting next year, but setting a long-term goal for my entire career life as well.

What does leadership mean to you?

I believe that leadership is the ability to make an impact on others. With leadership, things can be done in a more effective and efficient way. It can also be about leading ourselves, that is, self-control and discipline. One is most likely to achieve a better outcome when possessing leadership.

What or who do you draw inspiration from, and why?

I consider my parents as my role models. As doctors, they have been performing the best they possibly can and working way much harder than they need to for their entire career life, for more than 20 years. I am deeply touched and influenced by their extremely strong sense of social responsibility and the hunger for self-development. I believe that is what inspires me to be driven and determined as a person and the source of strength when I feel exhausted or think of giving up.

If you could champion one cause for international students in Melbourne, what would it be?

The public transportation is one of the most frustrating things about Melbourne. The service is not as good as promised/reported, and most importantly, as students, I believe we deserve concession price for sure. It has never made sense to me why we have to pay for full fare.

What, in your opinion, is the most common misunderstanding/stereotype that people have of international students in Melbourne?

Many, if not all, of the job advertisements set it straight that only local people or permanent residents will be considered. It is as if international students are no way near as good as PR holders or Australians that we do not even deserve a chance to apply. In a way it is understandable. But what is certain is that a large number of talents are driven away because of it.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I have been volunteering at a local community radio station as an editor every weekend and also at the university as a student host occasionally. It is a great way to contribute to the society and get a sense of achievement at the same time.

I enjoy spending time with my friends. You will find me hanging out with them at a cinema, karaoke, concert or even travelling overseas. If I have got a block of leisure time, I would learn to cook new dishes or even invent new recipes. Nothing is more fulfilling than tasting the food I create myself, whether it is delicious or not.

What are your other talents/hobbies outside the classroom?

I have been in love with music since I was little. I play clarinet and sing a lot. It is a way to express myself and to make me feel relaxed. In 2009, I participated in a musical called “the Puppets” as a cast. Being able to sing on stage and deliver the story to hundreds of audiences was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. Moreover, I am an Xtreme sports fan. If there is a chance, I will go bungee jumping or skydiving without hesitation. The excitement and thrill I get from them make me feel alive which cannot be compared to anything else.

Where is your favourite spot to hang out in Melbourne?

Churches are the most pleasant places to be from my point of view. The buildings are symbolic and the people there are always welcoming and thoughtful. What is interesting is that I don’t have to be a Christian or Catholic to resonate with them. They communicate with their kind hearts and create an atmosphere so that I can utter my true mind. It is so precious I reckon, especially in this fast-pace world that I have this opportunity to take a little break and face myself.

What song gets you pumped or excited? Think Eye of the Tiger or Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor” or any Bon Jovi track.

It is really hard to pick one from the following songs:

Mariah Carey-Hero

Bon Jovi- It’s My Life

Eminem – Lose Yourself

Britney Spears – Stronger

If I had a million dollars I would…. spend about $15,000 to get a pilot license and save the rest for jet rental, fuel and other costs. That should be enough to fulfil my dream to drive in the air when at leisure.

If I only had $5 I would…. get a hat for $5 and sing on the streets if I am jobless, or work 18 hours a day otherwise.

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3. Living on the EDGE: Juniarti Siswoutomo