22 Jun 2017
FHS and FHS IEC are celebrating Refugee Week by sharing some of the many successful and inspiring stories from our Refugee Students. Here is one from one of our ex-students.
I don't know where to start, however, the feeling of standing here again is just amazing! Thanks to the Fairfield High School Community for giving me this opportunity to share my story with you all.
Nine years ago, I was one of the students who left their Iraq for the sake of freedom. Back in my country, I was 18 and already in Year 12 when my parents decided to leave. We stayed in Syria for 6 months. I had to learn Arabic as my first and second languages were Assyrian and Kurdish. After six months, finally, we arrived in this blessed country which I now call my second home.
Coming to a new country and starting from nothing was just as difficult for me as I'm sure it is for you. I understand how you are feeling right now. I would sit in that chair and think… When will I be able to talk fluent English or when will I be able to achieve my dreams? Yes, it was very hard for me as my English was very bad. I was worse than a Year One or Year Two student. JUST IMAGINE THAT!
After staying six months in the IEC, I went to high school and repeated Years 11 & 12 again, but this time all in English. Most of the time I had this fear of being scared to talk in English because I used to think others would laugh at me. But once, my teacher told me "Karolin think about it… you know three languages and now English, that makes it four languages! That's a lot to handle, and some others only know one or two." That motivated me to learn more, work hard and to challenge myself and others to become better in our studies.
However, with determination, hard work and help from my IEC teachers and other high school teachers, I made it through year 11 & 12 and then into university. These people were always there for me whenever I was feeling down or whenever I would think, "No, I can't do it, or I can't achieve my dreams." I remember one teacher, in particular, would always tell me, "Karolin you can do it, just believe in yourself and in God." She was like a sweet and caring mum to us. My beautiful teachers and my parents were always there for me to motivate and to encourage me to do well.
Finally, in 2011 I made it into University and began to study a Bachelor of Science and Mathematics. My dream was to become a high school teacher so that one day I would be able to assist students – especially students with refugee backgrounds (students who were like me). In 2015, after long hours of studying and working at the same time, I finally finished my Bachelor's degree yet my dreams didn't stop there. In 2016, I started doing my Master of Teaching at Western Sydney University. Now it's my second year and hopefully, I will finish at the end of this year so I will officially become a mathematics high school teacher.
One last thing before I finish; this blessed country gives us everything that we didn't or couldn't have. So why don't we use this opportunity to overcome all the obstacles and challenges by working hard to achieve our dreams? Always remember this, there is nothing impossible with determination and hard work. If you want to become
a doctor you can do it, you just need to dream it, believe it and achieve it.
Karolin Patros, former Fairfield IEC student