Resilience: Spring 2022

Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners

Western Sydney University and W’SUP acknowledges and respects the Traditionalcustodians of the Lands, the Darug, Gundungurra, D’harawal, Wiradjuri and Bundjalung Peoples, whose relationships to this land we work and live upon informs our own sense of belonging and accountability. We pay our respects to the elders while upholding the promise of future generations.

W’SUP is Western Sydney University’s multimedia student publication.

W’SUP publishes new stories online every two weeks during the semester. Occasionally, the W’SUP team also produces a print magazine –like the one you are holding in your hands right now.

Get your work published

If you would like the W’SUP editors to consider your work for publication, or have a story idea, please send it to wsup@westernsydney.edu.au or message us via Facebook. The W’SUP team publishes videos, photographs. audio podcasts and writing.

For more information, visit our website www.wsup.news.

Publishing team

Director of Student Publications Shayma Abdellatif

Editors Dinusha Soo Madilyn McKinley Julia Bell Ruby Ritchie Joshua Thomas Nikita Deo

Designers

Art Director: Dinusha Soo Assistant Graphic Designer: Donita Wilegoda Mudalige Illustrator: Brendan Gatt

Photographer: Jefferson Lopez

Multimedia Producers

Luka Ng Laura Caldwell

Marketing

Marketing Coordinator: Rana Awad Assistant Marketing Coordinator: Quynh Phuong Nguyen

Student Community Staff Publications & Student Representative Officer: Christina Ueltzen

Student Representative Officer: Grant Murray

Administrative Officer: Jenny Page Manager: Richard Martino

Printing Arrow Print

Cover image: Brendan Gatt

Cover Description: The cover revolves around the idea of a unwavering tree that still stands despite the deforestation that surrounds it. The illustrator wanted to highlight resilience through natural connotations by symbolising the audience as the tree, communicating to them “no matter what life throws at them, they too can still stand.”

Published by

W’SUP Publication Committee

Student Community Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW 2751

WHAT’S INSIDE

Meet the W’SUP editors

SRC report

p. 4 p. 6

Koalas on the rise (hopefully) p. 9

My day as a student parent p. 10

Visual essay – Darwin: a resilient city emerges p. 12

Waltzing with the fleeting p. 14

Poems – Omen, IT, Parra Lake p. 16

Rat resilience p. 17

Visual essay – Hang in there Sydney p. 18

Dealing with rejection p. 20

Music therapy: Resilence despite resistence p. 22

Resilence for some but not for all: Labor and Australian refugee policy p. 24

Visual essay – Where the grass is greener p. 26

First speech as a parliamentarian p. 28

Running towards the goal p. 30

Meet Western’s “Womengineer” p. 32

Living with endometriosis and learning about resilience p. 34

How Sri Lanka must find resilence as bankruptcy looms

Wrapped up in books

From humble beginnings to music

“With every caution comes a disadvantage”

The mothers shall live

p. 36 p. 38 p. 40 p. 41 p. 43

p. 40 p. 41 p. 42

MEET THE

W’SUP EDITORS

SHAYMA ABDELLATIF

DIRECTOR OF STUDENT PUBLICATIONS

The past three years have been nothing short of challenging. However, amidst the adversity, we learned to survive, adapt and even discovered new ways of living. In this edition, W’SUP showcases the student experience of what it means to be resilient when faced with seemingly unsurmountable walls; the walls you overcame.

A little about the me: I studied a Bachelor of Communication and a Bachelor of International studies. I have a passion for discovering untold stories and it is for that reason that I pursued journalism. Being involved with the student community has greatly enriched my journey at university, and has allowed me the opportunity to do what I love – making awesome friends and writing diverse stories.

We hope that you enjoy reading this edition!

EMAIL: shay.abdellatif@gmail.com

LINKEDIN: Shayma Abdellatif

DINUSHA SOO

ART DIRECTOR AND EDITOR

Dinusha is currently enrolled in a Bachelor of Design – Visual Communication (Dean’s Scholars). She is looking to pursue a career in social design, where she can combine her creative design skills with her professional acumen to help create positive change. Dinusha is passionate about issues surrounding social advocacy (particularly promoting the rights of refugees) as well as all things related to sustainability.

INSTAGRAM: gettingcraft_y

LINKEDIN: Dinusha Soo

MADILYN MCKINLEY

EDITOR

Madi is currently in her third and final year studying a Bachelor of Communication (Dean’s Scholars). Her chosen major is journalism, driven by her love for storytelling and writing. Madi also has a passion for travel and hopes that one day she can combine her passion into her future career. She is eager to get back out into the world again after the pandemic to talk to people everywhere and hear their narratives. She is the ultimate chatterbox!

When she’s not writing articles, you can find her socialising, exploring new places and spending time with her two dogs.

LINKEDIN: Madilyn McKinley

EDITOR RUBY RITCHIE

I am a Law and Communications student studying at Western Sydney University. I work as a legal intern at a law firm and as an editor for W’SUP. I am passionate about journalism, and an avid writer trying to make their mark on the world. I am an Aboriginal woman currently residing on Dharug land and have a keen interest in Australian politics and social justice. My aim is to deliver content that gives young people from Western Sydney a voice outside of social media screens, to share their point of view with integrity and open minds across campuses.

JOSHUA THOMAS

EDITOR

I manage my work life balance by learning innovation at uni and being creative with digital media and music. I would like to be a famous musician, and managing my own business with advertising in future. I enjoy making movies, animations, running and my favourite hobby is creative writing. I read a lot of books about creativity. I enjoy reading C.S Lewis, Edward de Bono and John Harvey. Feel free to contact me.

INSTAGRAM: jumbojetfruit

LINKEDIN: Joshua Thomas

EMAIL: josh6thomas@gmail.com

NIKITA DEO

EDITOR

Nikita enjoys tempering her love for reading and writing with creative pursuits such as oil painting, walks along creeks, and lying around watching the world go by.

JULIA BELL

EDITOR

I have recently completed a Bachelor in Screen Media and am continuing to a Master of Marketing. I am interested in autism and mental health and have a passion for film and literature.

SRC REPORT

BAKAR MOHAMAD

VICE PRESIDENT UNDERGRADUATE

Heeyooo all!

We hope you’re settling well into the new semester and ON-CAMPUS LIFE!! The SRC are your student representatives, the group who observes what the university is doing and how it impacts students. We are YOUR voice on campus, standing up for justice, equity and fairness for all (or at least we try to ;))

This semester, we’ll be on each campus monthly so look out for us and come have a chat :)

We’re also working on a few campaigns including a free parking initiative, textbook support for students and improving residential life.

Oh annnnnddddd, we’re working on some crazy events for students, so stay tuned!! A common complaint we heard in the past was the lack of social life on campus, which we can all resonate with. To address this, we’re collaborating with student clubs and setting up some exciting stuff!

If you have any concerns, or would like to chat to the SRC, our email is src@westernsydney.edu.au. Also, stay tuned on what we have going through our Instagram channel: ‘westernsydneyusrc’.

We’ll see you around (and come say hi if you see me on campus)!

ROBERT REED

DISABILITIES REPRESENTATIVE

Hi to all the students of Western Sydney University, I am currently your SRC Disabilities Representative. In my time as a Disabilities Representative, I have met many students from a wide variety of backgrounds and have learnt many things from you all in my journey.

Disability is not a term I use unless, in an official capacity, I see all students as unique and wonderful individuals striving to achieve the goal of higher education pursuant to their future dreams. As a student with a disability, I understand the struggles of completing a university degree, finding the time for recreation and the impact a disability can have. It can be demanding, and there are times when we can’t control what happens in our lives. Knowing that we are not alone and that many others share the same experiences helps us see that we can achieve anything we believe.

Over my time as a Disabilities Representative, I have had the opportunity to advocate for many students in their struggles whilst attending Western Sydney University and formed a collaborative network with the wonderful staff who work in the Welfare, Counselling and Disabilities Services. I have also had the pleasure of working alongside many committees and groups that aim to create a better learning experience for students with a disability, such as the Cross Campus Equity Network, the Assistive Technology Team and Sustainable Futures led by ever-supportive Jen Dollin.

Last year we also began the Mate’s Corner Men’s Discussion Sessions and would like to extend an invitation to any male or nonbinary student who would like to attend these sessions. I hope that throughout the rest of my tenure, myself and the officers of the Disability Collective can continue to advocate and make sure that all hear your voice. We may be a small group in number, but our voices are mighty. I wish all students of Western Sydney University well in the upcoming semester and beyond, and a hearty congratulations to all those who are graduating and continuing their journey post-Western Sydney.

VICKY-RAE REED

WELFARE AND WELLBEING REPRESENTATIVE

I have been a student leader here at Western Sydney University for the last five years. In addition to my roles as President of many student clubs, including Western Phoenix Spirit, I am also the inaugural SRC Welfare and Wellbeing Representative.

My work in advocacy has seen me advocate mainly in the realms of disability, veterans and indigenous/Pacifica affairs.

My primary areas of focus for 2022 have been:

1 - Ensuring accommodations are in place for students who prefer not to return to campus during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

2 - Greater visible and tangible support for student veterans on campus. 3 - Greater support for Pacifica students in Australian universities.

In highlighting the issue of student welfare and wellbeing, I believe it is prudent to highlight the intersectionality of students. University students are not all fresh from high school. Some have families, are mature students, care for persons with disability/have a disability, have served in the ANZDF, or come from abroad as international students or even as refugees/ asylum seekers. We often do not know each other’s stories, but I believe it brings such a unique richness to life at Western.

TIFFANY SHARPE

FIRST NATIONS REPRESENTATIVE

I am a mature-aged student studying for a double degree in Bachelor of Advanced Medical Science (Biomedical Science) and Bachelor of Creative Leadership at Western Sydney University. I am a proud Indigenous woman of the Dharug Nation, elected to be the First Nations Representative of the SRC.

There has never been a more exciting time to be a First Nations representative in 2022, with the current Albanese Government planning to hold a referendum in 2023 which will entrench the Indigenous voice to parliament in the constitution based on The Uluru Statement from The Heart.

Imagining the hardships that our ancestors’ faced for 10,000 years may be difficult for non-indigenous communities to comprehend. However, an official voice in Parliament has finally acknowledged our pain and unique challenges and assisted us in

I invite all students to join the movement to improve the lives and political voices of First Nations people and ensure that all Australians have an equitable say in the laws that affect them. After years of being ignored, we, as the first nations people of Australia, finally have a chance to be heard. As an indigenous student, still learning of the atrocities my ancestors have been subjected to, I have mixed feelings about this, mostly hope but also worry. To what this means for my people should the referendum not pass, I also feel a sense of accomplishment because the change has the opportunity to come to fruition, despite how long it took.

Resilience

| P.8 [ri-zil-yens]

The ability of a person to to or recover readily from illness, adversity, major life changes, etc.; buoyancy.

adjust respond recover

The ability of a system or organisation to to or readily from a crisis, disruptive process, etc.

Koalas on the rise (hopefully)

Article and photographs by Julia Bell

We are currently in our sixth mass extinction event, and as opposed to the past when a meteor wiped out the dinosaurs or the world was covered in ice, this one is kind of on us.

It is impossible to ignore the effects of climate change, habitat destruction, pollution, and every other catastrophe that is happening around the world right now. But just for a moment, the very brief moment you looked at this magazine and decided to gloss through the articles, we’re going to focus on how we are working to fix it.

Taronga Zoo is creating the world’s first koala breeding program with the aim of releasing koalas back into the wild. While conserving koalas has always been an important goal for Taronga Zoo, breeding koalas will increase their numbers in the wild. The dedicated 5000-hectare reserve will preserve the natural habitat that is lost due to urban development and the ongoing threat of natural disasters.

Koalas were declared endangered by Queensland, New South Wales, and the ACT in 2022, after declining in numbers over the past few decades. With the increase in habitat destruction from bushfires, koalas are disappearing even faster and are predicted to be extinct by 2050.

With the rapid urban developments, koalas are not only losing their homes but are becoming more vulnerable to traffic conditions, as they’re forced to cross roads for food and shelter, noise pollution in suburban areas disrupting natural cycles to wildlife, and pets that may be aggressive to unknown animals. With land being changed for the needs of agriculture and population growth, preserving natural bushland should be a priority.

The NSW Government allocated $16 million to establish this koala reserve project, that is part of the NSW Koala Strategy with a funding of $193.3 million. This commitment is a promising step towards reserving some of the damage we caused, and eventually getting koalas off of the endangered list.

You can find out more about the NSW Government’s Koala strategy on the NSW Department of Planning and Environment website.

My day as a student

Article and photograph by Sandy Lindsay

Unlike other accounts of this type, I won’t start with waking. That would not depict the bone aching exhaustion I "start" my day with. Instead, I’ll begin my story at 8pm the previous night.

8pm in my home is the moment I count down to all day: bedtime for the kids. My five-year-old son skips off to bed, still full of today’s adventures and tomorrow’s plans. He is the easy child. My daughter on the other hand, has spent her 19 months perfecting the art of making evil look cute. And so the rituals are ticked off. Bottle of milk. Not too hot, not too cold. Sleeping bag. Blankie. Dolly. White noise machine. Fan on low for circulation. Nightlight is half under the cot so she can see the light it casts, but can’t quite see where it is coming from. All is quiet: success. Time for dinner with hubby and a glass of well-earned wine…

I have three hours of lectures to watch before I can call it a night. Midnight ticks by and I can hear my husband snoring in bed behind me. I crawl in next to him and spend the next whoknows-how-long rolling over in my mind the endless list of to-dos. Which child am I dropping off tomorrow morning? How much milk is left in the fridge? How long can I put off grocery shopping before I run out of bread? Can’t forget to buy toilet paper. Did I transfer money for the power bill? When is that doctor’s appointment again? Need to get a present for that birthday party next week. Is tomorrow library day? Where is the library bag? Did I put the laundry in the dry er????? I check. And the moment I get back into bed. MAAAAAAAAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

It’s 1:15 am and it takes me 30 minutes to shush and rock and pray her back to sleep. I’m asleep within minutes of her. When next I hear my name, it is 2:30 am. A jab in hubby’s ribs indicates it is his turn. But he is. SO. LOUD. You don’t know how loud a light switch is until 2:30 am in the morning when you just want to sleep. I should have got up to the baby. I’m awake anyway. When she stops fussing I drift back into an exhausted stupor.

parentIt’s 3:05 am and I have awakened once again. What is wrong with her? Why did she inherit my love of cheese instead of my love of sleep? She’s in our bed now, and I spend the rest of the night with a wriggling ball of limbs and hair wedged between me and my husband. I dare not roll over in case I wake her. 5:30 am is marked by the warbling of magpies and my daughter shouting “UP”. This child will change the world one day. She will either rule it or burn it down.

We are 400 words in already and my day is just officially starting. Time for breakfast, a load of laundry, the dishwasher is unpacked, library bag and hat are tracked down and school bags are packed. We are all out the door by 7:45 am off to our respective destinations for the day. Work, work, kindergarten, childcare.

7.5 hours of work rolls slowly by, punctuated by coffee. Caffeine, how would I do this without you? 4:30 pm is home time. Except it isn’t. I need to pick up two children before I can think of home. The five-year-old doesn’t want to leave after school care yet. It’s his turn to use the roller skates. I decide to avoid a tantrum and wait 10 minutes for him to awkwardly skate around the school yard. Imagine a newborn giraffe learning to walk, except on wheels. He is so proud of himself. “Did you see me, Mum?!” “Yes honey, you were spectacular! What did you learn today?” The trip between school and childcare is short, but you wouldn’t know it by how many questions I answer in that short drive.

Picking up my daughter is a different affair. She is as tired as I am but isn’t propped up by caffeine. She is emotional and hangry and her shoes are full of sand. It takes longer to get her into the car seat than to drive home. She is clinging onto me like one of those $2 clip-on koalas you see in touristy shops in Circular Quay. I am her safe place and she needs me. I cook dinner with her on my hip. The five-year-old won’t eat meat. The toddler won’t eat vegetables. I give up and they both get air-fried chips for dinner for the second time this week.

Hubby gets home at 6:15 pm and entertains the kids while I sneak off to do some reading while I’m alert enough to focus on it. I can hear the squeals of delight through three closed doors between the living room and where my desk is tucked away in our bedroom. By the pitch, I can establish Daddy is either giving them horsey rides or pretending to be a dog. I wish I was with them. Was returning to studies the right choice? Am I selfish to chain myself to this computer while they are so young? Am I trading now for a better later they didn’t ask for? And I re-read the same sentence four more times…

7:30 pm is bath time and it’s all hands on deck to get both kids clean, brushed and dressed. And since it is impossible to bathe them without getting drenched, we all end up showering together half the time.

While wrestling a wondersuit onto my daughter I reflect on how hot showers have become a luxury. But my daughter is showing me she has a belly button, and that is worth the trade-off of independence. She learns something new every day and it is an absolute delight. And my son is calling for me to read The Velveteen Rabbit be fore bed again because he knows it’s my favour ite. The kids and I arrange ourselves in the single bed to read his book. It’s like tetris with more feet, but it’s my favourite moment of the day.

The bedroom doors close at 8:00 pm. I’ve made it through another day, except there’s an assignment due in two days that I haven’t started yet. And so the midnight oil beckons to be burned…

If you can relate to this story, then you can find support in the Student Parent Union. The Student Parent Union provides a network and a voice for students who are parents at Western. We facilitate connection and support while navigating the unique experience that is studying while parenting.

“You look tired. Long night?” Be kind to strangers. You never know how many times they got up to a baby last night.

For more information, visit the Western Sydney University Student Parent Union group on WESTERNLife.

Darwin: a resilient

By Dinusha Soocity emerges

VISSUAL ESSAY

When I visited Darwin for a holiday, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. But what I found was a vibrant, resilient city. I have tried to capture the essence of the city and the beauty it encapsulates in my photography.

These photos were taken in Darwin both in the city and surrounding areas.

Waltzing with the

fleetingArticle and photograph by Yasasi Malmeewala

Loneliness, strange feeling. Compelling at times. Is it real though? For now, let’s say, I’ve felt it. When I decided to up and move to a different country more than two years ago, I didn’t know it would hit this hard.

Today’s story isn’t about missing my family though. Obviously, I’ve missed home. Terribly, in fact. How could I not? My best days are with them, out on the verandah around 5:30 in the evening when we gather around. It would be just the four of us, with our cups filled with tea, sometimes with pieces of jaggery from visits to Delvita which is Appachchi’s ancestral home. Or when it was us four this one-time carpooling around Negombo, just wasting fuel, not getting out of the car to have a cup of coffee at least and ending up heading back to Kurunegala faster than you can say faster, like four introverts.

This loneliness is different. I’ve had time to battle with the idea of it for some time. And this time was sometimes spent writing poems that are now safely stored away on the notepad app on my phone. Normally, I would never dare share these little notes with anyone except family, but for the singular person who has reached this 16th line with a little interest in what I’m trying to say today, I’ll make an exception.

This was on a train ride after work, somewhere in April 2022:

I hate to think about love, ponder over it like some sad mistress because it ruins the point of less expectations It bursts that archaic hope in my heart of finding someone who fits the part

I’ve never loved a person; like how Elinor loved Edward or in more modern times, even amidst all the complications, how Anastasia loved Christian. But at the same time, never once in my life did I ever feel like I was missing out on something. I still remember the first guy who approached me to say they liked me, I was 12. But what I remember more vividly is the thing he said to one of my friends before he said anything to me. To my friend he went along the lines of, “Please don’t tell her now, she’ll actually slap me”. I never slapped him of course, but I hated to even be seated next to him, after his confession, in class at school. I just didn’t want the sweet romance that boy had in mind then.

Times have changed us. I’m not the girl I used to be, definitely not the girl a boy would think would slap them if they ever confessed their feelings to. I’ll never know why I cried; maybe I was scared. Earlier this year, after being away from the people I love, more than I had to, I started to feel like someone’s company may not be the worst thing that could happen. That was a little detour. Back to loneliness, yes.

Bhante say that everything we love will eventually leave us someday, and it’ll all become an illusion that was once cherished. And so is self. Having an understanding, even in a minute level, of this teaching has helped me navigate my emotions in ways I’ll forever be grateful for. But as an ordinary person, sometimes it’s hard to apply the reality of things as it is to things as sensitive as love. Yet, I see people who are in love, who talk about and understand these teachings and spread that.

So, I guess that also helps me to not forget that this can be done, that you can love, but also let go when it’s time in real life. Some things are meant to be, and some things aren’t. And this much I know, wherever you go, whomever you may meet, trying to take the best out of the situation you are in and being happy with what you have, will make you never feel like you are missing out on anything. Outside looking in, this may seem hard to do, but you can always try. Afterall, that’s what we all do. Trying, while waltzing with the fleeting.

Lennox Head, NSW. Photo by Jefferson Lopez.

A TANKA

A garbage bag flaps Its arms in the wind like a Dealership tube-man.

A magpie watches, knowing Full well it’s on borrowed time.

PARRA LAKE AN ODE

THE road chokes the lake — Its sooty film stains the land Still holy beneath.

A bell bird still sings an Orphic Ode in vain over loud trucks.

ITThere is another world, and it is in this one. – Paul Eluard

IT WAS THERE that night at the Easter Show, inside the Dirty Tricks showbag, inside that, a camera that squirted water and a bottle of vanishing ink. I smelled it in the dark aroma of Turkish coffee, my auntie telling me stories on the sofa. I saw it glisten in wisps of vapour, when the bartender dropped ice in a glass – a bourbon and coke

and behind the bar on shelves of glass, coloured bottles danced in the mirror.

I felt it in school, in Healthy Harold’s dark theatrical bus.

I found it on the library shelf, inside a book of Persian history, far older than the library: pencilled notes that told me to read the book beside this one.

I learned it, in a solo game of Chinese whispers I’ve been playing since I was a boy, the players of the game, a chain of my past selves –The phrase, a trace of memory now: That door to another world you found with your cousin in the yard is real, don’t forget it.

Poems by Eren Yilmaz

Rat resilience

Article and illustration by Raushan Reehal

A recent study conducted by award-winning behavioural neuroscientist Professor Kelly Lambert at the University of Richmond, USA, has used rats to study resilience. Professor Lambert’s group performed experiments which involved giving one group of rats fruit loops. The other experimental group of rats were required to dig for their fruit loops in sawdust.

In the next part of the experiment, the same two groups of rats were given an impossible task to complete: both groups were required to retrieve fruit loops, this time hidden inside a cat toy.

Interestingly, the group of rats that had their food given to them in the first phase of the experiment, were less inclined to extract the food out from the cat toy, giving up more easily compared to the first group. The rats that had been digging also appeared to be less stressed and attempted to solve the puzzle more times.

This study demonstrated how resilience learnt in the past can influence its levels in the future. Professor Kelly Lambert’s podcasts on Spotify highlight discoveries and research in neuroscience. Check it out if you are keen to hear more on the subject.

Hang in there Sydney

VISSUAL ESSAY

By Jefferson Lopez

The past few years during lockdown drew attention to the idea of what resilience could look like in different forms. Many of these photographs were taken during the 2021 lockdown, where I wanted to juxtapose the human attitude towards isolation within a scene that could be considered as picturesque.

Photos were taken in Sydney’s inner city and CBD.

Dealing with rejection

Article and Photographs by Donita Wilegoda Mudalige

Just like Jack Ma (one of China’s richest CEOs) got rejected many times – so will we experience rejections. It is a life phenomenon which is inevitable.

In 2017, I applied for a mentorship program via the university and was hoping I would receive an offer. The mentorship program teams up a WSU student with a prestigious individual in business or government. I really wanted to be mentored by a successful entrepreneur because at the time, I wanted to start a business after I graduate from university. Despite having a lot of hopes, I received an email a few days later stating I was unsuccessful in my application.

For some people, when they are faced with a rejection, they remember the recent rejection along with past rejections! Negativity piling up with negativity. It is such a bad feeling. In that moment, all they see is negativity. Majority of the time, they don’t see reality because they are so immersed in that negative emotion. That’s ex actly how I felt in that moment. Because of one rejection, I told myself I am a failure and won’t be accepted for anything else! As you can see, the negative emotions clouded my rationality.

This is not the first time I got rejected for a certain opportunity, but I guess this affected me because I was very hopeful. After some time, I reflected on my experience, and went through a mindset shift. Before, I had a limited mindset, meaning I thought there are scarce opportunities out there for me to take advantage of. I later realised I needed to change my mindset. My previous mindset was preventing me from progressing in my life. Most of the time, I didn’t attempt to grab an opportunity because of the fear of rejection. I thought there is no point me in attempting and thought it was best to save myself from disappointment.

For me to grow as a person, I need to develop an abundance mindset where I understood that opportunities are infinite and that if one door closes, there will always be an open door. Practicing an abundance mindset helped me take advantage of opportunities as well as make smarter decisions.

Another mindset shift that was advantageous to me was, viewing failure as a stepping stone for success.

Most people view failure as a negative and end of world situation. Failure is barely known for anything positive, but something to avoid. However, if you really think about it, every success we encountered was built on failed attempts and the mindset of never giving up. To get a high distinction for an assessment, imagine all the “failed” attempts a student undergoes to find the best study method? If we view failure as a stepping stone, it would be easier for us to deal with it and encourage us to keep trying until we become successful in our goal.

Remember the following whenever you are hesitant of doing something advantageous for yourself:

There is an immediate result if you do nothing = nothing!

There is an immediate result if you do something = something!

I didn’t let that one rejection in 2017 stop me from progressing forward. In fact, one year after getting rejected from the mentorship program –I accidently started my own design business and was mentored by a successful young entrepre neur in the UK! You never know what is on the other side of failure, stick around and find out what is in store for you.

“

If we view failure as a steppingstone, it would be easier for us to deal with it and encourage us to keep trying until we become successful in our goal.

Donita at Vesak Celebrations and English Conversation Group.

Music therapy:

resistance Resilience despite

Article by Jessica (Jess) Rose

Music therapy is a fairly new profession compared to other health sciences, but despite many people having never heard of this therapy, there has been extensive research done in the field. From as early as the 1800s, the effectiveness of music as medicine has been studied, although it wasn’t until World War I and II that music therapy was recognised as a formal profession. Fast-forward to today, and the demand for music therapists is growing at a phenomenal rate.

Music therapy can be beneficial to any population, for any number of reasons. From infants who struggle to form bonds with their parent or caregiver, to children, adolescents or adults facing the challenges that come with a physical or intellectual disability; music can be used as a healing tool. There have also been many studies done that have yielded fantastic results, including the ability of music to unlock memories that were otherwise past the point of recollection among dementia patients. Rhythm and tempo have also proven to be paramount when it comes to gait and mobility training, ultimately helping people to improve coordination, or even allowing stroke victims to walk again.

While this may sound inspiring, society has not always credited the idea of using music as a medical treatment. Traditionally, music has been more widely accepted for storytelling and entertainment purposes. Only in the past few decades has music therapy, in its many forms, been extensively researched, referenced and reviewed on a global level.

And just as the industry’s pioneers seemed to be making headway in breaking the stigma surrounding its relevance, Covid saw the health sector come to a grinding halt. Some industries were able to bounce back with minimal aspects of their day-to-day functioning affected, but hospitals, aged care facilities and other health services still suffer the effects of the pandemic more than two-and-a-half years on.

But I think it’s safe to assume that people are tired of hearing about the ways that Covid still negatively impacts so many facets of everyday living. So, in the spirit of strength-based language as encouraged within music therapy reporting, there are also positives that were born of the pandemic that some may prefer to focus on.

Although face-to-face sessions are available again since Covid-related restrictions have eased, telehealth appointments are great for accessibility, where clients may be unable to attend sessions in person. It also allows clients to be more autonomous, giving them freedom of choice where they might prefer to attend a session online. For some clients, leaving the house could rely on overcoming immense internal conflicts, so having the option to meet with a music therapist online means that they can get the help they need, without having to experience such anxieties.

Globally, people continuously show resilience in the face of the many curveballs that life decides to throw at them.

But it takes a special type of person to persevere in an industry that had barely established itself before Covid came along and forced the world to go on hold. Music therapists, and other pro fessionals in the music therapy field, are some of those people.

Over the last few years, they have shown ceaseless dedication to their work, flexibility in how they cater to their client’s needs, and compassion to the next generation of music therapists, who saw their once very hands-on studies be conducted entirely online with no warning.

The future of music therapy may look different to how the industry’s pioneers imagined, but thanks to their efforts, and the efforts of those who didn’t let a pandemic get in the way of helping others, therapists can continue to use music to heal, perhaps in a more meaningful way than ever.

If you would like to know more about music therapy in Australia, please visit: https://www.austmta.org.au/

Photo by James Zwadlo/Unsplash.

Resilience for some Labor and Australian refugee policy

The welcoming home of the Nadesalingam family back to Biloela made headlines across Australia. Recently, the MP (Member of Parliament) for Reid Sally Sitou was sworn into Parliament, a child of parents who fled the Vietnam war.

Australia has a long and controversial history with refugee policy criticised by the United Nations, international peace and human rights organisations and governments across the globe.

Will the new government bring new policy? Or will it stay stagnant?

What is Australia’s refugee policy?

In Australia, refugees arriving with valid visas are given opportunities for permanent residency and are considered legal arrivals. However, those considered as “unlawful arrivals” are subject to living on temporary protection visas, or in the worst cases, detention either in Australia or offshore.

Yet the worst-case scenarios are often far too prolific; the Nadesalingam family knows this scenario better than most after fighting for four years in detention, despite their two young children being born in Australia.

The Nadesalingam family are Eelam Tamils, originally from Sri Lanka. Many Eelam Tamils have suffered from immense hardship under the Sinhalese government, seeking asylum since the Sri Lankan Civil War (1983-2009).

Recently, dozens of Sri Lankans were turned away from Australian borders. The UN declared Sri Lanka to be in a humanitarian crisis, after experiencing economic catastrophe. The Sri Lankan government has allegedly committed physical and sexual violence, widespread segregation and genocidal war crimes against Eelam Tamils.

| P.24 but not for all:

Article by Ruby Ritchie

The current Labor Government granted the family visas in July, and they are back in their hometown of Biloela. Yet there are many families still in detention, and a greater population of refugees living on temporary protection visas.

Labor was met with controversy in 2012 after reintroducing offshore processing in a bid to circumvent the High Court’s ruling on the Malaysia Solution, opening refugees to the indefinite detention we see today.

In their election campaign the party promised to abolish temporary visas altogether, yet still supported offshore processing.

Legacy of Labor and Liberal governments on detention

Although the Labor party opened the door back up to offshore processing, successive Liberal governments ripped the metaphorical door from its hinges through Operation Sovereign Borders. Labor continues to support OSB, with Richard Marles, the deputy Labor leader, saying: “Let’s be really clear; there is no difference between Labor and the government when it comes to border protection policy...Labor supports Operation Sovereign Borders and every aspect of it.”

The motive behind their support of OSB is to reduce the incidence of people smuggling. Although concerns about people smuggling may be legitimate and well-founded, offshore detentions are, to human right organisations and refugee councils, not a sensible solution in reducing its prevalence.

Eelam Tamil struggle and Australian refugee policy: Genuine promises or tokenism?

Renuga Inpakumar, co-chair of the Tamil Refugee Council, discussed the issues Tamil communities face under Australian refugee policies, and her perspective on whether Labor will make changes.

“My community has been greatly affected by the refugee policies implemented in Australia. The Eelam Tamils have been fleeing Sri Lanka since the beginning of Sri Lankan independence. It was in 2009 when the Australian government implemented harsh refugee laws in which many Eelam Tamils were placed in the indefinite detention,” she said.

Renuga continued, “being a Tamil Eelam person myself and witnessing Australia’s policies discriminate against our community caused intergenerational trauma. The policies have become another aspect of why the Tamil youth suffer every day, witnessing individuals either die, be deported, or have severe mental health issues because of Australia’s refugee policies.”

When asked about whether Labor’s promise to give the Nadesalingam family permanent protection was pure tokenism, Renuga replied in the affirmative.

“Refugees have constantly been used as political pawns for getting votes, whether that be in the Liberal party or the Labor Party,” she said.

The bottom line

Labor has only so far met one of their promises surrounding Australian refugee policy, granting the Nadesalingam family permanent visas. However, thousands of other refugees in Australia continue live their life in limbo.

The abolition of temporary protection visas is yet to be enacted and offshore detention is still actively being supported by the new federal government.

The Nadesalingam family may have been given protection, however, the future for asylum seek ers remains uncertain.

Villawood Detention Centre Heritage Precinct.

Photograph by Shayma Abdellatif

Where the grass is

greener

Sometimes it can be easy to forget to stop and admire the beauty of our country. Taking a moment to visit the beaches along the East Coast and wandering through bushlands while photographing what I came across, reminded me about resiliency and enjoying life for what it is.

VISSUAL ESSAY

By Jefferson Lopez

Photos are taken in Killalea, Gerringong and Gerroa.

First speech as a

parliamentarian

By Dinusha Soo

With the 2022 elections held recently, have you ever considered what changes you might enact if you were elected? As the emerging leaders of tomorrow I think it’s important to consider the changes we might advocate for. The following is a piece of creative writing where I use my fictional position as a newly elected member of parliament to advocate for changes to refugee rights.

As I give my first speech in this house today, I would like to acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, the Owners of the land where we gather today and pay my respects to Elders past and present. I recognise their connection to Country and role in caring for and maintaining Country over thousands of years. I would also like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands across my electorate of Flynn – the Gureng Gureng, Wuli Wuli, Yiman, Wadjigu, Ngur, Bidjara, Gangulu and Darambal peoples.

It is an incredible honour to stand before Parliament today as a representative of the people of Flynn. I am only the third person to do so, and the only woman of colour. I would like to pay tribute to those who represented Flynn before me, namely Chris Trevor and Ken O’Dowd. I thank you for your years of service to this community.

Today is truly a historic day. This electorate has not been held by Labor since 2007. I thank my talented team, who helped campaign so tenaciously – this win would not have been possible without you. To my family and friends: thank you for your resilience and support over the past few months.

Like many regional areas, Flynn has been overlooked in the past, but today, this has changed. When the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese asked me whether I would be the Minister for Home Affairs, I was deeply honoured. Not since 1982 has a minister for Home Affairs come from an electorate representing regional Australia. The time for change has come and I could not be prouder to be part of it. But whether I am home in my electorate or Canberra, I can assure you that I am fighting for the people of Flynn; this will always be my first priority.

Flynn is a diverse electorate, which extends west from Gladstone and Gayndah and includes Mount Morgan, Monto, Biloela, Moura, Blackwater and Emerald. The town of Biloela has also been my home for the last 35 years.

My parents migrated to Biloela from Sri Lanka in 1986. My Dad worked in the local coal mine, and my mum worked as a teacher at the local Catholic school. Biloela has a strong migrant history; Greek immigrants settled in the town in 1930, started businesses and began to farm the land. Russian immigrants followed shortly after, working mainly as cotton pickers.

Flynn is a welcoming and diverse community. In 2010, 500 refugees from Afghanistan and Syria arrived and benefited from the strong volunteer networks in the area. These organisations were pivotal in securing local employment for these refugees.

Therefore, it did not surprise me when I saw the enormous local support for the Murugappan family, a family fleeing persecution in Sri Lanka. Priya and Nades are well-loved in Biloela. Priya has a strong connection to the community, holding craft classes and volunteering, whilst Nades worked at the local abattoir.

Yet under the draconian regulations imposed by the former Coalition Government, the Murugappan family were removed from their family home in Biloela, transported to Christmas Island, and then to community detention in Perth, which cost the Federal Government more than $2 million.

Despite gaining support from Labor, Greens, Independents, as well as the former Nationals leader, Barnaby Joyce, and my predecessor, Ken O’Dowd, this family was not able to return to Biloela.

This did not quell the determination of the people of Flynn to see the Murugappan set free. The local community held vigils, gained media attention, and raised funds. The compassion and tenacity of my community embody the spirit of regional Australia.

My colleague, the Hon. Jim Chalmers, in one of his first acts as Interim Home Affairs Minister, allowed the family to return to their home in Biloela whilst their immigration status was being resolved.

Today, in my capacity as Home Affairs Minister, I want to go one step further. I will be granting the Murugappan family permanent visas to remain in Australia. I will bring back the dignity and respect to a family that has needlessly suffered and deliver an outcome that my local community can truly celebrate.

Today, I also want the process of healing to begin. We have to start with acknowledging that as a Parliament, we could have done better. Under the previous government, Australian Border Force was directed to call those seeking asylum “illegals”. This rhetoric is not only dehumanising but dangerous, inciting unneces sary fear among the community. Today, I ask all colleagues, from all sides of politics, as well as the media, to use the words contained in the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention – asylum seekers and refu gees. Let us empower rather than disenfranchise this group of people.

Today, I pledge to work alongside subject matter experts to gradually transition 20,000 refugees currently in Australia on temporary visas to permanent visas. Some of these refugees have already been in the country for over ten years and are actively contributing to Australia’s economy and society. Like the Murugappan family, these refugees deserve the chance to move forward with certainty and security. By providing permanent visas, we can encourage sustainable economic growth in geographical areas where these people choose to settle down.

To conclude, I want to say to my fellow parliamentarians that this 47th Parliament allows us to write a new chapter in Australia’s history. Just as the Hon. Gough Whitlam once said: “I was profoundly embarrassed by it (the White Australia Policy) and I did all I could to change it.”

Let us meet a similar challenge and re-write the way Australia regards those seeking protection asylum. Let us empower all people irrespective of creed, race, or colour and be the welcoming country that I know we can be.

Illustration by Brendan Gatt

Running towards the goal

By Joshua Thomas

As I stepped out of my house, I felt the gnashing of cold wind. Icicles were growing on the garage, and the driveway was covered in snow. I realized that I was just sick of staying at home. I was going to drive to my appointment at the doctor. But I was feeling weary and tired so I decided to go inside and call them that I couldn’t make it today. I decide to climb back into bed.

On my bed I felt a buzzing noise inside my ears. I was anxious and felt I couldn’t take care of myself today. All I could think about was what I should be doing. I was not living in the present moment as I could not think clearly with everything going on.

I decided to get up and look around the town and get to school. The town seemed dead. I had been learning about slaves in my history class and it felt similar to what I have learned. How teaching slaves to read and write, caused them to be disobedient as they were bored and dissatisfied. This is exactly how I feel as I am always fearful of what my history teacher may say about the quality of my work. I had not done enough research.

When lunchtime rolled around, my closest friends were talking about going for a run next to the river after school. I was glad they did not invite me, but at the same time it was like they had forgotten me. I am really hesitant when it comes to running, as I have not been successful and wasn’t that good at it. I wasn’t very confident to run miles and miles.

I was also really hesitant, as I thought I could grow more as a person by studying, and there were a lot of risks going for a run. My family were big on running, and I had kind of been left out from Saturday sport because of it. I stay home while my sister runs races around the local 400-metre track. I tried these races with mixed results. The last time I was out in front, but became distracted when boys from my school yelled out having a shot at me about my shirt, and I fell behind.

I never really thought I was very productive with my schoolwork. When exams came around my scores were below average compared to the students who did sport. Maybe they knew something that I didn’t.

I decided I needed a study buddy; so I went to the library and went out of my comfort zone to talk to a new person in my grade who I never talked to before. He said he would love to help me study and we scheduled a time after school to work on our upcoming exams.

When it was time to study, he actually knew a lot about history and spoke quite fast. He went through the questions from the textbook in half the time that I would take. After our study session, he asked, “Would you like to go for a run with me on Saturday, for a fun run?”

I froze. I just made a friend but I didn’t know what to do. Eventually I came to a conclusion that I might lose a friend if I said no. So I said “yes, that would be fun.”

Saturday rolled by and I was actually really excited. I told my parents and they were proud of me. We started the race. I didn’t believe it. Running is better than I thought. I felt I could conquer my fears and setbacks.

Later that month, I was able to bounce back into my group of friends having similar interests to them. We talked about it and I felt better at my studies. I ended up achieving a high distinction in my history test. Running became my escape at times when I was overwhelmed and worried.

Illustration by Brendan Gatt

Meet Western’s

“Womengineer”

If you had told Heimy Molina when she was in high school, that a high-vis vest and a hard-hat would become staple items in her wardrobe, she probably wouldn’t have believed you. As someone born in the Philippines, she never considered for there to be an opportunity to have a career in STEM.

Fast-forward to today however, as a final year Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) student, Heimy is breaking down stereotypes and is a face of determination and resilience. She is Western’s Womengineer.

As an international student, Heimy watched her high school classmates put together their career aspirations as she sat undecided as to what her next journey would look like. Fuelled by the unknown, Heimy stumbled upon the world of engineering where she felt everything fall into place. The adrenaline of learning something new every day and knowing that she will never know everything was enough for Heimy to fall in love with the profession.

“I joke around that I like building things, but I also like to order people to build it! I think it stems mostly from my passion for management. When I chose to study engineering, I was thinking to myself, why didn’t I look into this all this time!”

Although Heimy eventually found her passion, it has not been easy to find her feet in the industry. Largely dominated by men, there has been a slow shift that is seeing more and more women undertake roles in STEM, but it hasn’t come without its challenges. Heimy’s struggles started back at home where those closest to her were hesitant about her career move because of ingrained stereotypes.

“Being from the Philippines, it is a very conservative country where most engineers are men. Even when I told my family that I was looking into studying engineering they questioned it, simply because I am a girl,” she says.

“I found that I had put myself into this box of questioning what I should be doing instead of asking myself what I wanted to do.

I found myself juggling my choices because I put myself in this box. Once I figured out what I wanted to do, breaking past all the stereotypes and not listening to anyone but myself, that’s when I found what I wanted.”

As Heimy found comfort in living in Australia and studying at Western Sydney University, she has entrusted the help of mentors to guide her in achieving her goals. She recognises that having the support of people around her who understand her mindset and want to see her thrive has pushed her success.

“At first, I kept putting myself in a bubble and was hesitant. But as I slowly opened my horizons, I found myself mentors, from professors to professionals in the industry,”Heimy says.

“Hearing their side of things has been excellent. It has helped removed my fears and put in place my achievements.”

According to Engineers Australia’s Women In Engineering June 2022 report, the aggregate proportion of qualified female professional engineers is 13%. Heimy however, is optimistic for this number to increase as she inspires women around her to take the next step into the STEM field.

“I like to encourage girls to be a part of STEM. Because it’s not about whether you are female, it’s instead about what you can do,” she says.

“I want to be an inspiration to others. Back home I didn’t have any female role models going into the engineering field. I just want to become that person who will reach out to women, not only just in engineering, but also for day-to-day advice.”

Alongside her aspirations to become a project manager, Heimy would like to become active in school programs to inspire the next generation of women to become involved in engineering. She wants to help break boundaries and open minds, being the person she wishes she had as a guide at school.

Article by Madi McKinley

Shining a light on what some are afraid to admit, Heimy openly discusses her challenges that sometimes stand in the way of her success. As someone with high standards, she has recognised her times of burnout and inability to set healthy limits, however, knows that recognising these traits is only going to make her more successful and have a better understanding of the need for resilience.

“The root of my resilience has been looking at my older self. I used to compare myself to other people which really isn’t healthy, so instead I look at my past self and recognise my achievements, no matter how small, and that gives me great inspiration to keep going,” she says.

“I have my hindrances and obstacles, and that is perfectly normal as that means I am human. But I make sure to keep looking forward to being the best future self that I can be whilst recongising how far I have come, because you have to always remember to celebrate your wins.”

Heimy’s dedication paired with a cheerful and optimistic attitude makes her the perfect inspiration for women wanting to enter the engineering world but are afraid of the barriers they may face. Prepared to assist many with open arms, Heimy is just one of the faces who are shifting Australia’s industries to become more inclusive and dynamic.

Her approach to resilience can’t help but bring upon a moment of self-reflection, as she encourages personal values and self-worth to be embraced above all else. It is about recognising self-doubts and the moments where you may trip and fall, but to ultimately make sure that the passion and fire within you keeps burning throughout the journey.

“Embrace yourself and don’t feel pressured by those around you. Believe in yourself and recognise that you may need help or hurdles may appear along the way, but you will find your way around them. As long as the fire remains burning inside of you, nothing else will matter.”

Photos supplied by Heimy Molina

Living with endometriosis and learning about resilience

By Anonymous

When I was quite young, I could’ve sworn I did not have the ability to speak my own voice. It would sound strange to open my mouth and hear a voice that sounded foreign to me. It was like an outer body experience every single time I spoke. Disorienting and confusing. Even though I grew up as a migrant child, it wasn’t even like being caught between two worlds then, really.

When we’re young we’re finding our voices and constantly trying to forge our own that is unique. Dormant in us all are storytellers by nature. By sheer virtue of being human. It is part of our human nature no matter where we come from. The urge to tell people, introvert, or extrovert, in whatever shape or form, our ideas, our thoughts, our dreams, our aspirations, what we want to eat, where we want to go, our pain, our sorrow and so much more of our true lived experiences.

I often think about life in terms of dreams. Dreams realised, unrealised, dreams lived and dreams unlived. Dreams of youth. Dreams collapsing as we grow older. Life can sometimes feel like a constant push and pull and yet, paradoxically, perpetually stagnant and stranded. It’s as if that push and pull produces this net effect of… not that much?

I used to think that I could not really feel at peace unless I could comfortably forge my own place in the world. There is beauty and there are challenges to this. But as I stumble my way through life, clutching at all my lived experiences in my carefully guarded heart, towing my beloved black dog, carrying the burden of breaking through generational pain; I can’t help but feel that the challenges are never ending.

Being diagnosed with endometriosis felt like yet another stumble. But one that also ended up being a gift – the gift of learning about your own inner strength and resilience.

There are many complexities around the awareness of this condition, its clinical management, and research. Aside from the nitty gritty clinical details, which tend to obscure the silent daily battles, it’s the emotional rollercoaster that can be a lot at times. Of course, everyone will have their own unique journey to diagnosis and management, but it helps to simply know that you are not alone in your pain. Sharing stories of your pain can make a massive difference though.

But... endo-what, you may ask? And fair enough question. Even though endometriosis affects approximately one in nine women in Australia according to Endometriosis Australia, most women (and young girls) may not even know they have it. Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition that involves tissue, normally shed during a woman’s menstrual period, that abnormally sticks to other parts of the body as "adhesions". This leads to pain and other debilitating symptoms that are often difficult to diagnose (the average time to diagnosis is around 7 years!).

The best starting point to finding out more about it I found was looking up resources provided by organisations such as Endometriosis Australia (EA) for example. EA provides a wealth of information for anyone interested in learning about the condition, particularly if you think you may have symptoms and want to follow up: https://www.endometriosisaustralia.org/research.

Illustration by Brendan Gatt

How Sri Lanka must

find resilience as bankruptcy looms

Sri Lanka finds itself in a critical juncture – it is facing its worst economic crisis in its history – as it finds itself in bankruptcy. So, what happened, and how did they get here?

Despite its pristine looks, Sri Lanka has a turbulent history. It was marred by a civil war which commenced in 1983 and lasted for 26 years. During this period, as many as 70,000 people died.

The country has also allegedly been a victim of corruption by the Rajapaksa family. Mahinda Rajapaksa initiated several large infrastructure projects to display economic growth. However, the large-scale infrastructure including highways and an airport, were infiltrated with corruption. This was coupled with mismanagement by the government, whereby predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa (Mahinda’s brother) suddenly forced all farmers to go organic. The decision disrupted a previously prosperous agricultural community, leaving farmers in the dark with no support to transition into adopting healthier farming methods.

Then in 2019, Sri Lanka experienced its first bouts of terrorism since the civil war had ended. ISIS - inspired terrorists carried out a several attacks across the country on churches and hotels during Easter Day, resulting in hundreds of victims. This dramatically impacted the tour ism industry which was slowly rebuilding at the time. Tourism was then further impacted when COVID-19 hit. Together they crippled the industry, which has always been a significant source of income for the nation.

Currently, families do not have enough to eat, electricity has been cutoff for a large portion of the day, people are queuing for food and lifesaving medicines are in short supply. According to the UNICEF, “children are at the heart of this crisis. Families are struggling to find enough food. As public transport is cut, children are missing out on both an education and access to school meals, placing them at greater risk of being pushed into child labour.”

We’re talking about 2.3 million children in need and more than 11 per cent of the population living under poverty. The situation is dire with the bankrupt country now seeking funds from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Whilst the situation seems untenable – it is important to gather, raise awareness and donate where it is possible. The Sri Lankan Student Union at Western Sydney University is coming together to make a difference. The president of the club, Dinil Jayasekara said a dinner recently held on-campus, provided an opportunity for “students to break away from the stress and tension, give them a chance to speak to each other and find some comfort.”

For students with Sri Lankan heritage and international students from Sri Lanka, it is a particularly difficult time.

Dinil adds, “everyone is worried, academics and students alike, anyone with a Sri Lankan background finds it difficult to carry on with their day like nothing’s happening when in our home country, people are suffering to get basic necessities. It’s hard to say the situation is improving.”

The Sri Lankans Student Union recently conducted a survey, inviting their members to reflect on the situation in Sri Lanka and these are some of the results:

• 54.5% of students felt very distressed by the political situation in Sri Lanka choosing 10 on a scale of 1-10. 72.7% felt that the situation affected their studies.

• 54.5% felt they would need financial assistance to continue their studies in Australia – which they are hoping Western Sydney University can provide.

Should you wish to help, you can donate to the UNICEF Australia’s Sri Lanka appeal.

Article by Dinusha Soo

Photos from the Sri Lankan Student Union as they celebrate Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

Wrapped up in books

Article and Photos by Yasasi Malmeewala

For some, reading starts out as a simple hobby, but before you know it, you are borrowing books about how a girl wrote secret letters to a certain Kavinsky in the lacrosse team, diary entries of Anne Frank, history, and science fiction. With modern technology, it’s an ever-changing world out there. Everyday something new is discovered, something old forgotten. It freaks me out to think that it’s the same thing happening to books. I fear for this generation, because it’s one where five-year-olds have smartphones on their hands half the day and 20-year-olds have to still scream for basic human rights.

I’m writing this for the ones who call books old school or boring. Throw away that phone and pick up a book instead because books are revolutionary. Literature is such a powerful force that even the brightest minds on the planet followed it. Albert Einstein was asked once how we could make our children intelligent. He replied, “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”

Yes, it is true with the world moving in a faster pace we are bound to get in sync with the technology used today, but it doesn’t mean we have to cut out that part of ourselves that’s a dreamer. It was found that women read more than men, 19.8 minutes per day compared to 13.2, with men’s reading time decreasing faster than that of women, according to a report by the American Time Use Survey. Maybe that’s why it seems as if women mature faster than men. A study by University of Sussex showed that reading reduces stress by 68%; that is more than listening to music or having a cup of tea. People who regularly read were 2.5 times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease too. So, it can be seen right off the bat that there are many benefits to reading.

Adults who read for 30 minutes a week feel 20% more satisfied with their lives and around 40% of people said that the reason they didn’t read was, “being busy with work”. But a recent study shows that people spend 10 times more time watching TV than reading despite being “busy”. Popular author Neil Gaiman, creator of the graphic novel Caroline, was attending the first – ever party – approved science fiction and fantasy convention in one of the busiest countries in the world. He took a top official aside and asked him why it hadn’t been held before and what had changed? The official told him that it was simply because their people were brilliant at making things if other people brought them the plans. But they didn’t innovate and invent.

Illustration by Dinusha Soo

This pretty much sums up the reason why people should be encouraged to read more, and not just books about math and science but books about fairy tales and daydreams too. Because books are an escapism to get a sense of freedom, far away from this modern world. The reason I say that reading overall is calming, is because personally, I’m a distractible reader, it’s like when you put me in a vintage thrift store … oh the glory. Most people choose the most silent place they can find when they read. So as that environment they are in is also calming, it’s easy to get lost in the pages of a story about some character’s feelings, moments of happiness and their undoing that can happen in seconds. It takes you to a place that alleviates reality.

I can’t go without mentioning and sharing some books and authors I absolutely loved growing up so that you can give it a go too. A song for Summer and The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotson, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, Scarlet by Cathy Cassidy, Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur, Jodi Picoult books and Jill Mansell books.

To wrap it up, books add colour to what can be a monotonous life and make you a smarter and a happier person. So, dear reader, let's read!

Photo on Left: Yasasi Malmeewala at a café reading. Photo by Yasasi Malmeewala Above Photo: Some of Yasari’s favourite books. Photo by Yasasi Malmeewala

From humble beginnings to music

By Sumaiya Chowdhure

Amidst the pandemic blues, 2021 served as a year for hard-earned triumphs accompanied with many audacious challenges for Khushi Patil when a sudden burst of creative inspiration embarked her on a journey to video-directing nirvana.

The artist made her entrance into the scene after releasing her first launch video for Girls That Mosh. The one-minute launch video is a sonic ode to the perplexing odyssey of creative ambitions, pushing boundaries and celebrating the tumultuousness of life itself.

Starting from humble beginnings and working her way to the top, during a scene of the short video, Patil can be seen riding her skateboard, filmed by her 10-year-old sister through the lens of an iPhone camera out of a moving car being driven by her mother.

The restrictive nature of lockdown forced the artist to become creative in newfound ways to bring her visions to fruition. The music video director from Melbourne was not afraid to admit; she made use of ordinary household items to direct shoots at home for her website Girls That Mosh. “I remember using a toilet roll to create a spotlight in front of the camera for one of my very first shoots,” she says referring to the technicolour aesthetic of the launch film on Girls That Mosh.

During her adolescent years in school, Patil was fascinated by the multi-layered textures and camera work in cinema with a special appreciation for music. In her work she tries to capture and mimic the essence of films that she most admires. “I’ve been into this since I was 14 or 15, I loved watching beautiful films and having these visuals in my head that I just wanted to show people,” she says.

The path to stardom in videography comes with its challenges for Patil. Being born to South Asian immigrant parents, she had to choose between the conventional career path of engineering and dentistry like her mother or chasing her dreams. The passion to pursue her career was and still is met with an overwhelming amount of guilt and fear. “My parents moved here for a reason, and I am always afraid that I won’t be able to show them that I can be successful in this career”, she says.

Despite all doubts, Patil rebels against all fears that barricade the path to achieving her dreams. In 2021, she earned her way to co-directing music video Catcha Grip - CD ft. Pania with 31,851 views on YouTube. “I am not shocked at how far I have come because I have put in the work,” Patil says.

With tangerine dreams and twinkling eyes, the artist does not stop here, Patil plans on releasing a clothing line with her designs sometime this year. “Being a brown girl, I need to open myself up to all opportunities, I cannot afford to fail,” she says. The artist hopes to one day be featured in her greatest inspiration magazine i_D

Self-made music video director Khushi Patil.

Photograph by Khushi Patil

“With every caution comes a disadvantage”

By Shayma Abdellatif

Kavika Singhal is a recent graduate with a Bachelor of Cyber Security and Behaviour. A finalist of several state and national awards, Kavika’s passion for cybersecurity extends beyond the academic, as she volunteered in many initiatives with the aim of encouraging students to pursue this field and facilitating entry opportunities for them. On her spare time, Kavika also volunteers to train senior citizens on how to use the internet safely. Kavika shares the challenges of pursuing a career in cybersecurity as an international student and a woman of colour.

Where the story began

“My interest stems from a passion for criminology. I’ve been reading crime novels since the age of eight. Not something that was recommended by my family, but that’s what I was attracted to.

"I didn’t know what the field was, but I knew this is a field that I wanted to learn more about. I was like maybe this field is for me. I’ll have the ability to empower people and actually protect them from cyber-attacks.”

Breaking into the industry

“As an international student, there are challenges with being in any field, not just cybersecurity, but in cybersecurity, if you have a big passion for cyber-crime it’s difficult for international students. A lot of companies don’t intake professionals who come from different countries or belong to different nationalities, and don’t have Australian citizenship…

“The reason they give is quite plausible and understandable. However, with every caution comes a disadvantage to people who are passionate. I understand their point of view, but I’m also passionate about it [cybersecurity] and the thing I can’t change is my nationality. Maybe I can in the long term, but at the present, if I want to grow in a position where I would need to work with the Government, it would be near impossible…

“International students are deprived of many opportunities like that. I myself have been deprived of that. Fortunately for me, there were mentors and many people who helped me along the way.”

Being different

“I’m a woman of colour, I have a different nationality, I have a diverse background. The cybersecurity community is quite welcoming, and most places that I’ve been to were inclusive and diverse, but I have been in a work place where I have witnessed the slight difference, the slight passive discrimination. However, I realised that I don’t have to undermine my own ability…

“When you come to a country [Australia] where different cultures are celebrated, you realise that you’re unique in your own self. Your culture is unique and it gives you identity. Your different quirks, your different ideas, different skills, give you your own shape.

Memorable moments

“I ran the Microsoft Student Accelerator Program for 2021. We had almost 1,500 people. Within that initiative the top 20 people got jobs in tech companies. It feels really nice to say that I am part of their journey. They were also international students who have been looking for jobs since their first or second year of their degree and they finally found something.”

Photo supplied by Kavika Singhal

The mothers shall live

By Eric Kalo

It may have begun with an accident millennia ago. According to ancient Roman legend, rain washed the melted fat from animal sacrifices and wood ashes or tallow from Mount Sapo1 into clay soil of the Tiber River banks, where they formed a lather mixture with an amazing ability to clean skin and cloths. Perhaps the idea came from ancient Babylon where frothy solutions produced by boiling animal fat, ash or mashing certain plants to wash woollen clothing. However, it happened! First ever recorded chemical reaction! Soap was invented.

People typically think of soap as soothing, but from the perspective of microorganisms and at molecular level, it is destructive and can break things apart. A drop of soap diluted in water is sufficient to rupture and kill many invisible germs. Handwashing with soap is one of the cheapest and most valued key public health practices to drastically reduce many preventable diseases, which are killing thousands of people every day. Despite not only saving more lives than penicillin but enabling our existence in densely populated cities, we still underrate and overlook what is perhaps one of the greatest lifesaving products in human history.

Handwashing was championed 130 years ago by Dr Ignaz (or Ignac) Semmelweis, an ambitious Hungarian- born physician who figured out how to prevent a deadly infection spread by doctors to childbearing women: childbed, or puerperal fever, an infection, now known to be caused by the streptococcus bacterium. At the time, microbes were not widely identified as vectors of disease, and many doctors ridiculed the notion that a lack of personal hygiene is to blame for their patients’ deaths. Many women, however, understood that doctors can bring death to them, and even called it the “doctors’ plague”.

Ostracised by his colleagues, Semmelweis was eventually committed to an insane Viennese asylum in 1865, where he was probably beaten and died shortly of wound infections and sepsis, a potentially fatal complication of an infection in the bloodstream. Basically, one of the disease complications that Semmelweis fought so hard to prevent in those childbearing women.

Now, as “wash your hands” is screamed from the mouths of public officials and from medical communi ties around the world, the discovery of Semmelweis’s antiseptics breakthrough has found deeper reso nance in the wake of current global COVID-19 pandemic. His advice has finally fallen on receptive ears and been put to good use.

The fact that Semmelweis’s hypothesis regarding his empirical observations of extreme cleanliness were met with harsh criticism, rejection by his peers and wrath of the establishment, points to “belief perseverance” by those same peers. This highlights the difficulties of communicating new findings and implementing reform supported by adequate evidence. Many biographers depict Semmelweis as a martyr in life and a hero much later. A tragic hero destroyed by evil gods. However, he fits better into a Sophoclean2 tragedy according to one biographer.

The next time you have the impulse to bypass the sink, remember that other people’s lives might be in your hands. The simple act of handwashing can really make a difference.

1 Mount Sapo, a fictional mountain supposed to exist somewhere near Rome, Italy.

2 Sophocles, ancient Greek tragedian (497/496-405/406 B.C., Colonus, Attica).