The are over 600 thousand international students in Australia for the period of January to November 2022 according to the Australian Department of Education.
In today’s “Your Aussie Story” post, we’re featuring someone who shares her experiences and journey as an international student in Australia in the hopes of helping those who also want to study here. She does so, one YouTube video at a time. Please welcome, Dayanara:
A bit about me
Hello, my name is Dayanara. Some of you may know me by my name, but for those who don’t, I’d like to share that I was named after the beautiful and talented Dayanara Torres, Miss Universe 1993. Unlike my namesake, I am not good in answering beauty pageant questions rather I can only answer your simple questions about the realities of becoming an international student here in Australia on my YouTube channel Ask Dayanara.
Before coming to Australia to study, my life was mainly focused on my work and saving money. I finished my first bachelor’s degree from the University of the East-Manila, where I studied Accounting Technology. Most of my friends and classmates continued studying to be able to take the board exam to become a CPA in the Philippines but I chose the path of entering the corporate world to save money so I can study abroad.
Why I chose to study in Australia?
To answer this question, my honest answer is that my mom won’t allow me to study elsewhere if I am not with family. The reason behind this is that it was just her and I ever since I was 3 years old after losing my father in an accident. It was my uncle who introduced the idea of studying in Australia, she felt assured that I will be taken care of (also I was very persistent in convincing her). Another factor was that our resources were limited and living with my relatives was a significant help.
Logistically as well, Australia is the closest country to the Philippines compared to other study destinations in the world. After 3 years, 6 months, 21 days of not seeing my mother, she arrived in Australia on my birthday last year.
Being an International Student in Australia
“Being an international student in Australia is a balance of the good and the bad.”
The good side of studying here is that international students can experience a new culture, learn a new language, and gain valuable skills and experiences that will benefit us in our future careers. The bad side is that international students are considered as “cash cows” by Australian universities because international students provide a reliable source of income, and our tuition is higher compared to domestic students. At the end of the day university, colleges and schools are still business entities that need to make money to fund and support the growth and development of their business.
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The struggles I faced
There were so many struggles that I’ve faced here in Australia, but I will share 3 of the most memorable:
Work
The one I struggled with the most was looking for my first job. I tried applying for jobs online, handing-in my resume to businesses and tweaking my resume to fit the job that I want to apply for. I thought that my experience in the Philippines was enough but reality kicked in. I am in a new country and my experiences back home was irrelevant. Luckily after a few months, I was able to find my first job as a shop assistant.
Based on my experience, it was very challenging to balance my studies and work life. I am constantly questioning myself whether I made the right decision of coming here. Living a double life (student/employee) can become too overwhelming especially when I have an assessment due, but I still need to go to work because I need to pay my tuition. Eventually, I was able to cope by learning what to prioritise first and setting up a routine on when to study and to relax.
Transportation
My second struggle was public transportation in Rockhampton (regional town in Central QLD). Public transportation is very difficult in a regional area compared to the city. There is only one bus per route, so if you miss the bus you need to wait for another hour for the next one. The day that I passed my practical driving test was one of the best days in my life.
Assessments
Lastly, I struggled with my assessments particularly in preparing business reports because I am not used to writing one and to add to the pain, we are required to reference all our sources. It was a struggle for me because referencing is an unfamiliar concept to me. It was not required back when I was studying in the Philippines. I had to learn these rules and make sure that I am paraphrasing the idea that I am copying because the uni have very strict rules on plagiarism.
Studying in The Philippines vs. Studying in Australia
Studying in the Philippines is more fun because I got my friends with me, and we support one another. Here in Australia, I felt alone because most of my classmates knew each other from high school. I remember during my orientation week, everyone was chatting with one another and I was just by myself looking around hoping I can spot some Filipinos in the crowd. Feeling alone became worse during my second year when COVID-19 hit, and the uni had to move all my classes online.
What happened to me after graduating?
After I finished my course, a lot of personal things happened, and one was moving from one place to another. We moved from Brisbane to stay in Cairns for two weeks before moving interstate to Mudgee and now I am living in Sydney with my husband.
“Life is still a struggle of constantly finding the balance, but I am forever grateful for all the opportunities.”
I never thought that I will be given this opportunity if I was not brave enough to start my journey as an international student. Right now, I am back studying for my CPA program and am working full-time as an Assistant Accountant.
Thinking of studying in AU? Here’s some tips
I say this in my vlog all the time, for aspiring international students who wants to study here in Australia:
- Choose your course wisely
- Be prepared physically, mentally, spiritually and the most importantly, financially.
- Life of an international student is not as easy as it seems online so do your own research.
For international students who are here already, Laban lang! (Just keep on fighting!) I know life is not easy now but if we keep on working to find that balance, we will eventually get there.
Conclusion
I arrived in Australia on the 19th of February 2019. When I first came here, I was a 24 year old bright-eyed girl, excited at the same time scared of what the future holds. I won’t be here today without all the people who help me achieve this and I will be forever grateful for everyone especially my mom, my relatives, my husband, and my new family. Where I am today, whatever achievements I earned are not only my achievement it is yours as well.
Dayanara’s YouTube
Dayanara’s Facebook Page
Dayanara’s Instagram
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Authors: Ask Dayanara x My Aussie Story
About the ” Your Aussie Story” series:
Immigrants in Australia, though from different cultures and backgrounds, tend to have similar experiences and common ‘struggles’ as they build their new life here in Australia. Through My Aussie Story, I’ve been trying to help out people like myself to be able to navigate the Australian way of life a little bit easier by sharing my own experiences.
I’ve always believed that every migrant’s journey would be less challenging if we learn from each other. This is why we’ve created Your Aussie Story. Your Aussie Story is a ‘series’ in our website where we feature inspiring stories of immigrants in Australia.
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Disclaimer All content and information in this post is for purposes of sharing my experiences only, does not constitute professional advice and does not establish any kind of professional-client relationship.
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