Nguyet Nguyen

"The most vivid memory of our first day in Australia was how cold it was. We arrived in Melbourne in July 1978 when I was only 10 and the winter weather was extremely unpleasant as we were not appropriately dressed to accommodate the cold. It was not the kind of weather we were used to, coming from Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam, where the weather was hot and humid almost all year round.

The language barrier was difficult initially but I was able to learn English reasonably quick due to my young age at the time. The food was different to what we were used to but for my brother and I, we grew to enjoy them in quick time. My mum however, found it hard to adjust and because it was in 1978, there were no Asian groceries available.

As time passed, we learnt to adapt to the new conditions and grew to love what Australia had to offer - Good quality education, excellent healthcare and an abundance of treats such as ice cream, chocolates and cakes. The education here has helped me gain a role where I can afford the opportunity to travel domestically and overseas and has most importantly, provided me with a good living to raise a family with three wonderful children." -Nguyet Nguyen (Left)