I don’t know about you but I tend to miss my family and the country I grew up in a bit more during this time of the year. I get a bit more homesick and a little sad.
For today’s feature, we have with us someone who founded a mental health support group for Filipinos in Australia called Kapit Bisig. He will be sharing with us a bit about his journey in Australia and how Kapit Bisig came about. Please welcome, Hanz:
A bit about me
Hi, my name is Hanz. I came to Australia on a student visa and I recently just finished my Diploma studies in Community Services. I’m also the founder of a Filipino support group here in Adelaide called Kapit Bisig. Before migrating to Australia, I was working as a case manager for the Department of Health – Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in our province.
For me, a career as a case manager was fulfilling. I really loved it and saw myself retiring as one. Being in that line of work has introduced me to people who inspired me to do better everyday and my experiences there taught me a lot. However, after getting married to an amazing woman, I figured that I had to make some adjustments. At the time, my wife was still working abroad in a cruise ship that sailed through Asia. We realised that the only option we had was to work overseas. So we grabbed the opportunity to go to Australia.
Thoughts on migrating to Australia
I was full of excitement when I first came to Australia. I saw it as the beginning of a new chapter for my wife and I. The plan was for me to go to Australia first and then my wife could follow a few months later. I was also really looking forward to seeing my cousin and her family who were already Australian citizens and have lived in Australia for over a decade. I actually have two cousins here in Adelaide with whom I have close relationships with. And one of them married my best friend in high school.
Of all days, I arrived in Australia on the 1st of January 2020. Given that it was New Year’s day, I was expecting to see fireworks when I arrived but there were none. This was the moment when the fact that I was in a different country started to sink in.
My overall experience here in Australia has been great. I enjoy the cooler seasons. The environment is just refreshing! The population is diverse and the people are nice. Originally, I only planned to save up for a tiny home and a business back in the Philippines but I fell in love with Australia. I want my future kids to grow up here. And at the moment, one of our goals is to be granted permanent residency.
Everything was unfamiliar
The first few years were very hard. I was literally jobless the first couple of months and I had to find work that would pay me in cash. I also missed my wife badly. We couldn’t physically be together at the time because she still needed to finish her work contract in the cruise ship. Then of course, there’s the need to get used to a different cultural environment. Everything I was facing then was new to me.
“One Day at a Time”
This was the quote that I always had in my head. It served as reminder that the difficulties I was experiencing won’t last forever. And true enough, things changed when I landed my first job in a fish and chips takeaway cafe. Things took a turn for the better from then on.
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The challenges I faced led me to doing this
I have experienced a lot of challenges that affected my mental health and I needed an outlet. I worked as a case manager for 3 years and I have developed a passion for helping others who have drug addictions and/or mental health problems. This is something that I want to continue doing here in Australia. So I thought, why not help other people while I help myself? I figured that a way of going about this was through a support group. Hence, the creation of Kapit Bisig.
What is Kapit Bisig?
Kapit Bisig is a support group for Filipinos who struggle with mental health here in Australia. At first I was planning to strictly limit it to international students but then I realised that it would make more sense and it would help more people if the group welcomed anyone from the Filipino Australian community.
“Connecting people is the primary purpose of KB (Kapit Bisig).”
I wanted to create a space for people who share the same purpose and experiences. Where they can talk freely about their lives and mental health. Meeting someone who has been through the same things as you can help in making you feel that you are not alone in your silent struggles.
How I’ve changed since migrating to Australia
Australia changed me in many ways. Like when I was still living with my parents I only knew how to cook rice and boil eggs to feed myself whenever my mom was busy. But now I can cook a couple of Filipino dishes. Still, I’m very thankful to have my wife here now. She arrived in Australia a couple months back so I no longer have to do everything on my own because I now have my partner in life with me. So far, we’re doing pretty well with regards to working towards our goals. I plan to continue pursuing a career in helping the community, specifically people who are struggling with their mental health.
“Australia has helped me become more independent and mature. Though, I’m still growing and learning even to this day.”
Christmas Blues
My first Christmas in Australia was tough because it was the first time that I wasn’t in the Philippines for the occasion. I’ve always loved Christmas. I mean who doesn’t? Back home, we start our Christmas countdown as early as September and the 1st day of December feels like Christmas already. But I’ve managed to still feel the spirit of a Filipino Christmas because I’ve met a few kababayans here and we formed an amazing friendship over time. This year’s Christmas is the one I’m looking forward to the most because I get to spend it with my wife after a couple of years of being apart due to the pandemic.
My advice to you is…
“Focus on your goals”
Before you come here, set some goals for yourself or your family. There will be challenges and problems along the way but remain focused. Everyone who migrated to Australia had to face challenges at some point in their lives but always remember to not give up. Just keep going!
Get involved with Kapit Bisig
You can get involved by spreading the word that such a group exists. This will help us reach out to Filipinos who suffer silently and let them know that there are other people out there who can relate to them and understand their struggles.
Kapit Bisig’s Facebook group
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Authors: Hanz (Kapit Bisig founder) 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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