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We are deeply grateful to everyone who trusted us with their stories. We thank every person who contributed their voice to this project.
Denisse Marianela Vera
Camden, NSW
My parents migrated from Chile to Australia in 1985, carrying with them not only the belongings they could fit into a few suitcases, but also the weight of a turbulent political past. They arrived as political refugees, seeking safety and a fresh start after years of uncertainty. I was born in Australia in 1989, but from the moment I could understand stories, I felt deeply connected to Chile, not because I had lived there, but because of the way my parents spoke about it.
They painted vivid pictures of its mountains, its coastline, its bustling markets, and the warmth of its people. These memories were bittersweet, threaded with the pain of why they had to leave. My father’s path to Australia had been marked by hardship… he had been imprisoned for 13 months during the dictatorship, an experience that left indelible scars but also a steadfast belief in justice and human dignity. For him, Australia came to symbolise more than just a safe haven. It was the embodiment of freedom and the promise of prosperity for his family.
Despite the trauma that had pushed them away, my father always dreamed of returning to Chile, if only to embrace family members he had been forced to leave behind. That dream became reality many times over, as we travelled back together during my childhood. Those trips stitched together the two halves of my identity, the Australian life I was growing up in, and the Chilean roots that anchored me.
At home, we were raised with strong family values and a deep respect for nature. Weekends were often spent outdoors… by the sea, in the bush, or exploring national parks. My parents instilled in us the belief that life is too precious to be spent on things you don’t love. “Find a profession you feel passionate about,” they would say, “because passion and love will carry you through the hard days.” Those words, along with the resilience they modelled, became guiding principles in my own life.
Nico Walker-Gonzalez
Weipa, Cape York Peninsula
The desire of going overseas and exploring the world was always within me since I can remember, and I knew there was no better way to do it than mixing it with what I love the most: Looking after our ecosystem. Australia was my first and last stop (for now..), where I discovered and learned about the amazing world of plants and their vital role in our environment, aspiring my passion of conservation through knowledge.
The love for what I do and want to see, has taken me to very remote and beautiful places in Oz like Nhulunbuy in East Arnhem Land, Pumpkin Island in Central QLD, Daintree National Park in NEQ, and Weipa in Western Cape York, where I am currently based working in possibly the most challenging job I’ve had so far.
The more I see, deeply is my understanding on how crucial it is to protect what we have and how delicate everything is. Learning to coexist, admire, and take only what’s necessary are the main lessons I can take from my experiences so far.
I’m here for more, and won’t rest until my dream of sharing this knowledge with my home (Chile) becomes a reality.
Natalia Weir
Canberra, ACT
When I was ten years old, I stepped off a plane into a world that felt like another planet. It was early April, the air fresh, the sunlight bright, the sea impossibly blue. My stepdad took us straight to Sydney Harbour. I remember standing before the sails of the Opera House, convinced I had flown to another planet.
But my mother’s journey had begun long before mine. She met him in Russia, in a small mining town in the Far East where he had come searching for rare minerals. She was his translator; he, an Australian gemmologist with a rugged sense of adventure. Their meeting was improbable, yet it set the course of our lives.
For love, and the hope of something better, my mother chose to leave behind our home, our language, and the family and friends who anchored us. Saying goodbye to my babushka was the hardest part. I tried to show a strong face for my mother and did not cry. We packed what little we could carry. My beloved polar bear toy, Marishka, would not fit, so she stayed behind. And then, with only fragments of our past tucked into our luggage, we boarded a plane that rewrote our story.
Migration is never just about distance. It is about renewal, carrying your past in the lining of your bones while learning to move to a new rhythm. For my mother, it meant trading bitter winters and birch forests for a sunburnt land. For me, it meant stumbling over new words, standing out, and then slowly, trying to blend in.
Our new life unfolded in Canberra, cradled by hills and vast skies. It wasn’t dazzling, but it became home. A place where roots, once torn from Russian soil, began to take hold again.
When I returned to my hometown at fourteen, I took a handful of soil from the park where I had played as a child. I sealed it in a plastic bag and carried it back across the ocean. Today it rests in a small jar on my bedside table. It is my anchor: a piece of one home, held inside another.
And yet, the soil reminds me of my in-betweenness. In Australia, I miss Russia; in Russia, I feel foreign. No matter where I am, I long for an imagined homeland, that I don’t think exists. Nostalgia has become my theme song.
Perhaps this is what migration truly is: not arriving, but forever moving between worlds. My home is not a place, but the thread of memory I carry, the soil in a jar, the language that slips between my tongue and my dreams. I am both here and there, and in the space between, I am becoming.
Christian Olea
Sydney, NSW
I immigrated to Australia on the 17th of May, 1988, with my parents and my 10-month-old sister. I was just 10 years old at the time. Coincidentally, it was also my stepfather’s birthday and mine the next. I have a vague memory someone giving us a cupcake that day.
We were political refugees escaping the brutal military dictatorship that had ruled Chile since 1973. Our family had faced intense persecution a few years before we left, and everything came to a head when our home was raided at 3 a.m. by unidentified military forces. My stepfather was taken and disappeared for several weeks. When he was finally returned and my baby sister was born, my mother and stepfather made the life-altering decision to leave the country — not just for their own safety, but to protect our future, especially now that they had a newborn to care for.
Those final years in Chile were filled with fear and sadness. We left with no possessions, no money, only hope. When we arrived in Australia, we were placed in what is now known as the Villawood Detention Centre. Back then, it was referred to as a “hostel,” a temporary shelter for newly arrived immigrants designed to help with integration into Australian society. I have many fun memories of this place, playing with lots of children from many nationalities, our inability to speak a common language did not stop us from playing together.
Adapting to our new life in Australia was incredibly difficult, especially for my parents who were still processing the trauma they had endured. As a child, I coped by mentally blocking out many painful memories and reframing our journey as a big adventure.
Soon after, we moved to Liverpool, where we tried to build a normal life. Five years later, my parents welcomed another baby girl into the family. Life remained busy and often difficult, but my parents did everything they could to give us a sense of stability and belonging in our new home in Australia.
As I grew older, I decided to follow in my stepfather’s artistic footsteps. I became a secondary Visual Arts teacher, completing a Bachelor of Education and later a Master of Arts in Photomedia. In my university years I had a strong interest electronic music and was involved in many Jungle / Drum and Bass events . After finishing my studies, I worked in various schools across Sydney, and eventually broadened my horizons by living and teaching abroad — spending a year in China and traveling through several countries in South America for another year. During my travels, I absorbed as much as I could from different cultures, people, and ways of life.
After returning to Australia, I realised I wanted a more creative and entrepreneurial life. I started looking for ways to manufacture printed t-shirts and began selling them at local markets. Eventually, I met Rebecca Frost — a wonderfully creative soul, single mother, and fashion enthusiast who was juggling studying, two jobs and raising a child. Together, we began experimenting with modifying second-hand garments, blending art, fashion, and sustainability.
And so, Spunky Bruiser was born in 2008 — a clothing label that repurposes vintage and recycled garments into unique, wearable art. Each piece is designed to be loved and worn for a lifetime, reflecting our shared belief in creativity, resilience, and conscious living.
Katherine Are and Nicolás Andrade
Canberra, ACT
Hi, I’m Kathy, and I’m writing on behalf of myself and my partner, Nico. We’re from Chile.
At first, our idea was just to visit Australia—to improve our English and to learn about a different culture. That was seven years ago now… time really flies! We never expected to end up living here, but life had other plans. Then COVID arrived, and everything changed. Like many people, our path shifted, and we started to build a life here.
We slowly got used to the sense of safety, the opportunities that began to appear, and the rhythm of life. It hasn’t always been easy. I think it never really is easy to be far from your roots. But both Nico and I believe that sometimes life puts you somewhere new so you can grow and see things from a different perspective.
Being an immigrant and not a native English speaker brings a lot of challenges. You have to adapt, be more flexible, and relearn how to be patient with yourself. Sometimes it’s hard to create the same kind of deep connections you have in your own language, but we’ve also learned that connection isn’t just about words—it’s about presence, listening, and being open.
We’ve made beautiful friends from all over the world, and if you ever hear us talk, you’ll probably notice some strange phrases or things that might not quite make sense—but we get each other, and that’s what matters. We’re also really grateful to the people in Australia—those who live here and understand what it means to be an immigrant. Not everyone does, but for those who do, thank you.
We didn’t come to Australia chasing a big dream—just a desire for personal growth. We knew we didn’t want to stay in a system where there was so little space for quality time and connection. And here, somehow, we found a bit more of that. It’s not perfect, and it’s not always easy—but is where we are now and we are grateful.
Now, we own a small business called Lawen Healing Rituals. We create organic and natural skincare, and we offer wellness experiences. Lawen is a Mapuche word from Mapudungun, the language of one of the Indigenous peoples of our home country, Chile. It means “medicine from the earth.” We chose this name to honour our roots and the deep wisdom of the Aboriginal people from our land—people who have always lived in close connection with nature, something we try to bring into everything we do.
Thank you for allowing us to share a piece of our journey.
Stephanie Chambers
Inner West, Sydney
Love brought me to Australia from New York, a place my family has been deeply rooted for 4 generations. It is in many ways opposite: good light from north instead of south, an ‘upside down’ moon and trees that shed bark instead of leaves. It is these magical differences that connect me so deeply to Australia. The birds here of course, unite us all, whether we’re birders or not, whether we grew up here or just arrived, they’re uniqueness binds us all and brings us together.
Camila Núñez
Sydney, NSW
Dejar mi país fue como salir del nido por primera vez. El aire era desconocido, el viento era diferente y el aterrizaje… digamos que no siempre fue elegante
Vine con mi pareja y, como dos aves que van más allá de su zona de vuelo, nos enfrentamos a tormentas, corrientes impredecibles y cielos que no conocíamos. Pero en ese vuelo, evolucionamos a una velocidad que jamás habríamos alcanzado quedándonos en la misma rama.
Armamos nuestro nido, acá en Australia, rodeados de aves humanas muy especiales. Desde la Kookaburra con su risa contagiosa , el Black Cockatoo callado pero sabio, hasta el King Parrot que sabe que con la guatita llena, se lleva el corazón contento.
No ha sido fácil dejar el nido en el que crecimos atrás, y muchas pero este vuelo nos ha hecho más fuertes, más libres y mas conscientes de que vivir en otro país es una experiencia que todo ser humano debería probar. (Aun que sea un tiempo corto). Porque a veces, para conocerte de verdad, hay que atreverse a volar lejos.
Leaving my country felt like leaving the nest for the first time. The air was unfamiliar, the wind different, and the landing… well, let’s just say it wasn’t always graceful.
I came with my partner and, like two birds flying beyond their range, we faced storms, unpredictable currents, and skies we had never known. But in that flight, we evolved at a pace we never could have if we had stayed on the same branch.
We built our nest here in Australia, surrounded by some very special human birds. From the Kookaburra with its infectious laugh, to the Black Cockatoo, quiet yet wise, and the King Parrot who knows that with a full belly comes a happy heart.
It has not been easy to leave behind the nest where we grew up, but this flight has made us stronger, freer, and more aware that living in another country is an experience every human being should try, even if just for a little while. Because sometimes, to truly know yourself, you have to be brave enough to fly far.
Romina
Sydney, NSW
In detention centres you don’t get a chance to say goodbye, and that’s why I came back.
Back in the 2000s we were in a detention centre (me and my family); I was around 11 years old. I was pulled out of school unexpectedly, out of my routines and what was known to me, and returned back to where we came from.
So many years have passed; two years ago I couldn’t believe my visa was granted to come back here, once again. I thought I was banned for life, trembling through the gates thinking: could this be a dream? A joke? A trap to question me?
Touching this land opened so many unhealed wounds from the past. But now, I’m trying to rewrite my story and fixing what was once broken.
Jeannette Muñoz
Sydney, NSW
Corrían tiempos difíciles en Chile y toda Sudamérica por allá por los 80’s y después de la pérdida de uno de sus hijos mis padres decidieron pedir asilo en Australia. De eso ya han pasado 27 años m, vinimos solo 3 y ahora ya somos una diversa familia de 8 integrantes, mi esposo es de origen Turko, tenemos 3 hijos más uno adoptad originario del Norte de Chino y 2 nueras una Australiana y una de China del Sur. Logramos con mucho esfuerzo asimilarnos a este hermoso país pero seguimos muy arraigados a nuestro idioma, cultura y país. Afortunadamente podemos volver seguido a casa lo que nos mantiene conectados a nuestras raíces y a nuestro padre y abuelo que ya nos dejó hace 6 años y que sus restos como él siempre soñó descansan en Chile junto a su hijo.
Soy una agradecida de la vida porque juntos hemos logrado vencer muchas de nuestras metas y cumplido varios de nuestros sueños, individuales y colectivos. Personalmente muy orgullosa de haber sido homenajeada con el premio a la ‘Local Woman of the Year’ este 2025, lo que para mí a sido un premio al esfuerzo y dedicación de muchos años al servicio de nuestras comunidades y queda mucho más aún por lograr.
Times were tough in Chile and across South America back in the 80s, and after the loss of one of their children my parents decided to seek asylum in Australia. It has now been 27 years since then. We arrived as just three, and today we are a diverse family of eight. My husband is of Turkish background, we have three children and one adopted son from northern China, and two daughters-in-law, one Australian and one from southern China. With a lot of effort we managed to settle into this beautiful country, but we have remained deeply connected to our language, culture and homeland. Thankfully we are able to return home often, which keeps us close to our roots and to the memory of our father and grandfather who passed away six years ago. As he always wished, his remains rest in Chile alongside his son.
I am deeply grateful for life because together we have been able to overcome many challenges, achieve our goals and fulfil both individual and shared dreams. Personally, I am very proud to have been honoured with the Local Woman of the Year award in 2025. For me, this recognition is a tribute to many years of hard work and dedication in service to our communities, and I know there is still so much more to accomplish.
Rocío
Canberra, ACT
Érase una vez una llamada telefónica que lo cambió todo.
Después de muchos años viviendo lejos de Chile, por fin había tomado la decisión de regresar. Estaba emocionada de reencontrarme con mis raíces, con mi familia, con mi tierra. Faltaban apenas unos días para tomar el vuelo cuando, de pronto, recibí un mensaje de mi hermana melliza —que vivía en Chile—:
“Ro, llámame cuando puedas.”
Eran casi las dos de la mañana y yo recién llegaba a casa. ¿Quién manda un mensaje a esa hora si no es por algo urgente? La llamé de inmediato.
—Ro, ¿cuánto has tomado? —me preguntó.
—¿Por qué? —le respondí extrañada.
—Porque necesito que estés 100% sobria para lo que voy a decirte. Llámame mañana.
Obviamente, no podía quedarme con la intriga.
—No me vas a dejar toda la noche pensando —insistí—. Dime qué pasa.
Tras una breve pausa, disparó la pregunta que me descolocó por completo:
—¿Qué te parece si, en vez de volver a Chile… nos vamos a vivir a Australia?
Mi cerebro no podía procesarlo.
—Clau, ¡me estoy mudando a Chile la próxima semana! ¿De qué me estás hablando?
—Recién vuelvo de allá —me respondió—. Es un país maravilloso, te va a encantar.
Le dije que primero llegaría a Chile y hablaríamos en persona.
Y así fue. Una semana después aterricé en Santiago, feliz de reencontrarme con mi familia. Viajamos al sur, fuimos a la playa, a la montaña… y ahí le dije a mi hermana:
—Tienes que ayudarme a encontrar un departamento.
—¿Un departamento? —me respondió—. ¿Acaso no nos vamos a Australia?
No pude evitar reírme.
—¿Australia? ¿Y qué vamos a hacer allá?
—Ya lo pensé todo —me dijo—: puedes estudiar algo para sumar a tu carrera, practicar el idioma… y, si tienes suerte, encontrar un corazón australiano que quiera un poco de amor latino.
Me reí aún más.
—¿Y de qué vamos a vivir?
—De vender alfombras —contestó muy seria.
Lo dijo con tanta convicción que hasta parecía un plan posible.
Finalmente, acepté. Le pedí que celebráramos nuestro cumpleaños en Chile y luego partiríamos. Con la impulsividad que siempre nos caracterizó, en menos de tres meses teníamos los documentos listos y estábamos en un avión rumbo a Australia.
Sentada allí, con la cabeza llena de dudas y sin saber nada de alfombras, me preguntaba:
“¿Qué sé realmente de Australia?”
Mi respuesta fue casi infantil: “Bueno… está al otro lado del mundo, hay canguros y hace mucho calor.” Eso era todo lo que sabía.
Llegamos a mediados de abril. En el aeropuerto lo primero que me sorprendió fue lo multicultural que era todo. Y, viniendo de un lugar tropical, jamás esperé que en pleno abril hiciera tanto frío. Ahí comprendí: en realidad no sabía nada de Australia.
Han pasado seis años desde ese día. La vida aquí ha sido una montaña rusa: emigrar nunca es fácil. Pero este país lo vale. Todo funciona, la calidad de vida es increíble y, aunque vender alfombras no funcionó (¡qué sorpresa!), logré reinventarme, trabajar en distintos rubros y conocer gente maravillosa.
Lo que más me enamoró de Australia fue la calidad de vida: la tranquilidad de caminar de noche sin miedo, la amabilidad de la gente, lo organizado que está todo. Aquí los espacios se cuidan para que disfrutes al aire libre. Con el tiempo entendí que Australia no solo es lindo por sus paisajes, sino por la forma en que te invita a vivir mejor.
Y si se preguntan… sí, tal como lo predijo mi hermana, encontré un corazón australiano. El más lindo y bueno de todos. Un hombre que ama la cultura latinoamericana y que, en el fondo, es un “latino” nacido en el lugar equivocado… o en el lugar correcto, porque fue aquí donde nos casamos, echamos raíces y trajimos al mundo a nuestro amado hijo, Leonardo.
Hoy Australia es mi hogar. Estoy agradecida de mi hermana por convencerme de emigrar, de mi esposo por ser tan maravilloso, de este país que me recibió y de Dios por este regalo de vida tan grande.
Once upon a time, there was a phone call that changed everything.
After many years living far from Chile, I had finally decided to return. I was excited to reconnect with my roots, my family, my land. Just days before my flight, I received a message from my twin sister who was living in Chile:
“Ro, call me when you can.”
It was nearly two in the morning and I had just arrived home. Who sends a message at that hour unless it is something urgent? I called her straight away.
“Ro, how much have you had to drink?” she asked.
“Why?” I replied, puzzled.
“Because I need you to be one hundred percent sober for what I am about to tell you. Call me tomorrow.”
Of course, I could not just leave it at that.
“You are not going to let me spend the whole night wondering. Tell me what is going on.”
After a short pause, she hit me with a question that threw me completely off balance:
“What would you think if, instead of coming back to Chile, we moved to Australia?”
My brain could not process it.
“Clau, I am moving to Chile next week! What are you talking about?”
“I have just come back from there,” she said. “It is a wonderful country, you are going to love it.”
I told her I would arrive in Chile first and we would talk in person.
And so it was. A week later I landed in Santiago, thrilled to see my family again. We travelled south, went to the beach, to the mountains, and there I told my sister:
“You have to help me find an apartment.”
“An apartment?” she replied. “Aren’t we going to Australia?”
I could not help laughing.
“Australia? And what are we going to do there?”
“I have it all worked out,” she said. “You can study something to add to your career, practise the language… and if you are lucky, find an Australian heart that wants a bit of Latin love.”
I laughed even harder.
“And what are we going to live on?”
“Selling rugs,” she answered, completely serious.
She said it with such conviction it almost sounded like a real plan.
In the end, I agreed. I asked that we celebrate our birthday in Chile first, and then we would leave. With the impulsiveness that had always defined us, in less than three months we had our documents ready and were on a plane to Australia.
Sitting there, full of doubts and knowing nothing about rugs, I wondered:
“What do I actually know about Australia?”
My answer was almost childlike: “Well… it is on the other side of the world, there are kangaroos, and it is really hot.” That was all I knew.
We arrived in mid-April. At the airport, the first thing that struck me was how multicultural everything was. And coming from a tropical place, I never expected it to be so cold in April. That was when I realised: I really knew nothing about Australia.
It has been six years since that day. Life here has been a rollercoaster because migrating is never easy. But this country is worth it. Everything works, the quality of life is incredible and, although selling rugs did not work out (no surprise there!), I managed to reinvent myself, work in different fields and meet wonderful people.
What I fell in love with most about Australia was the quality of life: the peace of walking at night without fear, the kindness of the people, how organised everything is. Here, public spaces are cared for so you can enjoy the outdoors. Over time I understood that Australia is not only beautiful because of its landscapes, but because of the way it invites you to live better.
And if you are wondering… yes, just as my sister predicted, I did find an Australian heart. The most beautiful and kind one of all. A man who loves Latin American culture and who, deep down, is a “Latino” born in the wrong place… or the right one, because it was here that we married, put down roots and brought our beloved son, Leonardo, into the world.
Today Australia is my home. I am grateful to my sister for convincing me to take this leap, to my husband for being so wonderful, to this country that welcomed me, and to God for such an incredible gift of life.
Fabiola Guzmán
Canberra, ACT
I came to Australia as a baby at 6 months. This was thanks to the hopes and dreams of my parents, in pursuit of a better future for themselves and their children. I’m so grateful they chose Australia as their new place of migration. A country so vast in culture, beauty, nature and opportunity. What is more beautiful is how I am still deeply connected to Chile. Even though I consider myself Australian, my chilean roots are the foundation of my identity, culture and family values.
My partner, who I met in Chile, is now migrating to Australia to live with me. It’s been beautiful to see him integrate himself into Australian life. Seeing his reaction to seeing the Australian wildlife is priceless.
Jazz
Canberra, ACT
En un lugar del mundo, en el momento más inesperado, conocí al hombre que lleno cada espacio de mi corazón, el cual hasta ese instante se encontraba roto.
Su alegría, viveza y amor le dio a mi vida un sentido que se encontraba perdido, olvidado y sumido entre las responsabilidades de la adultez y el éxito profesional.
Darle espacio a ese amor me permitió ver que al mundo en el que vivía le faltaban colores, y sin pensarlo dos veces decidí dejar atrás lo que llevaba construido y migrar a este país que no solo me ofreció un hogar sino que hoy es el lugar donde junto a mi marido e hija construyo una hermosa familia.
Soy una Chilena feliz y orgullosa de su origen. Chile es y siempre será mi historia pero Australia es mi futuro.
Somewhere in the world, at the most unexpected moment, I met the man who filled every corner of my heart — a heart that until then had been broken.
His joy, vitality and love gave my life a meaning I thought I’d lost, buried under the responsibilities of adulthood and professional success.
Making space for that love allowed me to see that the world I’d been living in was missing colour, and without a second thought I decided to leave behind what I’d built and migrate to this country. Here I not only found a home, but also the place where, together with my husband and daughter, I’m building a beautiful family.
I’m a Chilean woman, happy and proud of my roots. Chile is, and always will be, my story — but Australia is my future.
Pablo Moncada
Melbourne, VIC
Sueño con juntar todas las partes de mi corazón que he dejado en cada migración.
I dream of bringing together all the pieces of my heart that I have left behind with every migration.
Vanessa Sotillo
Canberra, ACT
Desde los 21 años soñaba con venir a Australia. En mi universidad existía la posibilidad de un intercambio en Gold Coast, pero en ese momento no pude hacerlo por temas económicos. Aun así, ese sueño nunca se apagó. Con el tiempo, en Perú ya no me sentía motivada ni cómoda, sentía que no encontraba mi futuro allí y que necesitaba un nuevo comienzo.
A los 32 años decidí dar el paso y migrar a Australia, con la convicción de transformar mi vida por completo. Mi deseo era empezar desde cero, cambiar de carrera, trabajar sin el estrés que llevaba conmigo y construir una vida con mayor equilibrio y calidad. Para mí, este viaje no solo significó mudarme de país, sino atreverme a cumplir un sueño postergado y abrir la puerta a una nueva versión de mí misma.
Y hoy, a mis 39 años, me siento orgullosa de ser ciudadana australiana y de tener una hermosa familia. Algo que en algún momento pensé imposible, hoy es mi realidad. Para mí es la prueba de que nunca es tarde para empezar de nuevo y que cuando uno se atreve a soñar y perseverar, la vida puede sorprendernos con más de lo que alguna vez imaginamos.
Since I was 21, I had dreamed of coming to Australia. At my university there was the chance to do an exchange in the Gold Coast, but at the time I could not afford it. Even so, that dream never faded. Over time, in Peru I no longer felt motivated or comfortable. I felt I could not see my future there and that I needed a fresh start.
At 32, I decided to take the leap and migrate to Australia, determined to completely transform my life. My wish was to start from scratch, change careers, work without the constant stress I had been carrying, and build a life with more balance and quality. For me, this journey was not just about moving to another country but about daring to pursue a long-postponed dream and opening the door to a new version of myself.
Today, at 39, I am proud to be an Australian citizen and to have a beautiful family. Something I once thought impossible is now my reality. For me, it is proof that it is never too late to begin again, and that when we dare to dream and persevere, life can surprise us with more than we ever imagined.
Isabel Sarmiento y Fabbio Claverie
Canberra, ACT
Our story began in 2016. We had both just finished university, started our careers, and shared the dream of living abroad for a while — to work, save money, travel the world, and then return to Chile. A little like the classic millennial dream.
We started the process for a visa that would allow us to live in Australia for 18 months. In March 2019, we finally arrived, determined to stick to our plan: improve our English, work hard, save up, and explore as much as we could.
From the very beginning, Australia was kind to us. We were lucky to stay with relatives, which made our adaptation much smoother. We found jobs quickly, and everything was going according to plan. The only surprise was how fast time seemed to pass — it quickly became clear that 18 months wouldn’t be enough to do all we had hoped.
We constantly asked ourselves: what if we stayed just a little longer?
Then COVID hit in March 2020. The borders closed, the situation in Chile was uncertain, and we were lucky to be living in a city with zero cases, secure jobs, and — unexpectedly — the chance to apply for permanent residency much sooner than we ever imagined. We decided to take that leap.
Like any migration journey, ours has had its ups and downs, but we’ve learned to go with the flow. Without fully realising it, this place became home. Today, we are building our family here, and that question we used to ask — what if we stayed a little longer? — well, it’s already been seven years.
Fernanda Retamal
Newcastle, NSW
I never considered the idea of emigrating from Chile. Today, at 39 years old, I’m an Australian permanent resident, I’ve been living here for 12 years, and I speak two languages: Chilean Spanish and Australian English. 🙂
I was satisfied with my life in Chile. I successfully completed my university studies. I found professional fulfilment, working in what I loved. I had families and friends nearby, as well as a beautiful home. Still, I did not feel safe living in my country. Injustice and social inequality were factors that helped me make the decision to leave.
I was always curious to know what it feels like to live in a country with social equality, to speak a language different from my own, to experience diverse places and cultures, to try food I’d never tasted before and to discover who I am.
This is how the idea of traveling to Australia and the need of learning a new language, English, arose. So, I bought my tickets to Sydney, and I enrolled in an English language school and began my journey. Australia stole my heart from day one with its beautiful landscapes and its way of life.
Australia has given me the opportunity to live in a unique community where diversity and living in harmony are celebrated. No matter what country you are coming from, the most important thing is to share the same dream; to live in a democratic and safe environment.
I know it is not easy to start a life in another country; it requires a lot of courage, effort, and persistence. I never thought I could do it until I did.
I’m proud to be an immigrant.
Cheers Fer 🙂
José B.
Perth, WA
Quería salir del molde, romper los márgenes, estaba aburrido de lo mismo… pero con el tiempo me di cuenta que paradójicamente había caído en otro incluso más rigido. No se puede ser realmente libre en la sociedad, dentro de este cuerpo. La verdadera libertad está en el corazón cuando creamos, y nuestras obras son el reflejo de ésta.
I wanted to break out of the mould, to push past the margins — I was bored of the same old thing. But over time I realised that, paradoxically, I’d just fallen into another mould, one even more rigid. You can’t ever be truly free in society, not inside this body. Real freedom lives in the heart when we create, and our work is its reflection.
Jacqueline Dinamarca
Bondi, NSW
Volar!, Si Volar!
Esa fue la idea primeramente, ser libre de una vida ocupada y sin tiempo e interacción. Llegue con muchas ganas de conocer y disfrutar mi evolución cómo persona, si bien aquí uno se siente como un puma, migrando de casa en casa, adaptándose a la naturaleza de las personas, es difícil, pero se puede encontrar un hábitat en la que te puedas sentir tranquilo y en paz. Mi plumaje cambio, se desgasto, se dañó, sentí que no podría, fueron 5 meses de resiliencia, intentándolo todo para poder sobrevivir, muchas especies me criticaron no me daban la oportunidad de demostrar las habilidades que tengo o podía lograr, toque muchas puertas, paso al menos 1 año para crear mi nido, encontrar trabajo estable, departamento y disfrutarlo junto a los que identificó como mi familia.
Cada ave llega a un lugar sin saber lo que puede pasar, pero con un sueño claro, que es hacer de tu vida lo que tú quieras, nadie tiene el camino y rumbo asegurado, hay que buscarlo, anhelarlo, yo aún no tengo nada claro, eso no está mal, está increíble, solo quiero mantenerme y aprender de cada vuelo que emprendo, continuar conociendo lo increíble que es la naturaleza, de las personas y este hermoso terreno que tengo en mis pies.
Fly! Yes, fly!
That was the idea from the start, to be free from a busy life with no time or real connection. I arrived full of excitement to explore and enjoy my growth as a person. While here, one can feel like a puma, migrating from home to home, adapting to the nature of the people around you. It is difficult, but it is possible to find a habitat where you can feel calm and at peace. My feathers changed, wore down, got damaged. I felt like I could not make it. Those first five months were all about resilience, trying everything to survive. Many species judged me, not giving me the chance to show the skills I had or could develop. I knocked on countless doors. It took at least a year to build my nest, find stable work, a place to live, and to enjoy it alongside those I identified as my family.
Every bird arrives somewhere without knowing what will happen, but with a clear dream, to make your life what you want it to be. No one has a guaranteed path or direction. You have to search for it, long for it. I still do not have it all figured out, and that is not a bad thing, it is incredible. I just want to keep moving, learning from every flight I take, continuing to discover the wonder of nature, of people, and of this beautiful land beneath my feet.
Rosa
Sydney, NSW
Nos vinimos a Australia en el 2012 con mi marido desde Chile. La idea era vivir una experiencia nueva, trabajar acá, aprender inglés por uno o dos años y volver a Chile. Han pasado casi 13 años y seguimos aquí.
En estos años han surgido nuevas oportunidades de trabajo y proyectos que han hecho de esta estadía se alargue.
Yo como artista he aprendido a diversificar mi arte a través de exposiciones, murales, trabajo con niños y haciendo clases de arte.
Mi sueño siempre fue aprender inglés y vivir en otro país para tener otra mirada del mundo y eso ha sido algo muy enriquecedor.
My husband and I came to Australia in 2012 from Chile. The plan was to have a new experience, work here, learn English for a year or two, and then return to Chile. Nearly 13 years have passed, and we are still here.
Over these years, new work opportunities and projects have come up, which have extended our stay.
As an artist, I have learned to diversify my practice through exhibitions, murals, working with children, and teaching art classes.
My dream has always been to learn English and live in another country to gain a new perspective on the world, and it has been an incredibly enriching experience.
María José Heitzer
Sydney, NSW
Dejé Chile y crucé el mundo persiguiendo un sueño: vivir en un lugar donde mi arte y mi vida pudieran respirar al mismo ritmo. Australia me recibió con su luz, un nuevo mar y su calma, regalándome el espacio para crear y criar an mis hijos en un entorno seguro y lleno de naturaleza. Aquí encontré un nuevo hogar… y una nueva inspiración.
I left Chile and crossed the world chasing a dream: to live in a place where my art and my life could breathe in the same rhythm. Australia welcomed me with its light, a new ocean and its calm, giving me the space to create and to raise my children in a safe environment surrounded by nature. Here, I found a new home… and a new source of inspiration.
Anon
Canberra, ACT
We migrate to Australia in 1978 I was 25 years old and my wife 24 with a 2 daughters (3 year old and 6 months) we left Chile as the country was in a dictatorship we had a curfew for 5 years and we did not want our children to live under that regime. When we arrive to Australia after 2 years missing everything we realise that this was the best place for our girls to grow up and now 47 years Australia is home for us.. after 6 years here our son was born.. We travelled many times back to Chile to visit our families also our mothers and sister come to visit us. Our dreams was to our children have a good education all of them are professionals now.. We both worked for the Public Service in Canberra and now happily retired..Our children live in Canberra as well and we have 5 grandkids. Our heart is half australiano and half chileno.
Paulina
Gadigal Land (Redfern, Sydney)
Decidí venirme a Australia para mejorar mi manejo del idioma inglés porque en mi trabajo como Productora en Canal 13 tenía que estar en constante comunicación con FIFA Media en Zurich y recuerdo que un día mi editor me pidió llamarlos por teléfono para obtener una respuesta y estaba tan nerviosa de no entender o que no me entendieran que le pedí a un compañero que hiciese de traductor por si fallaba en algo. Desde ese momento sentí que era una necesidad si quería seguir creciendo profesionalmente… Así que vine primero de vacaciones y conocí gente que ya llevaba varios años acá estudiando. Así que volví y negocié mi salida pensando que solo vendría por 8 meses, pero ya cuando llevaba dos meses me di cuenta que no iba a alcanzar el nivel que quería con solo 6 meses, así que decidí que iba a quedarme por más tiempo y al mes de renovar la visa, comenzó el COVID. Intenté volver a Chile, tenía pasaje para irme, pero no pude desligarme del contrato de arriendo que tenía y ese bond era parte de mis ahorros para volver a Chile… Así que me tuve que quedar, con mucho miedo, porque nadie está preparado para vivir una “pandemia” lejos de los tuyos y de tu casa.
En mis primeros meses y años, nunca pensé migrar permanentemente, pero hice el proceso de la Skilled Visa, para una carrera altamente competitiva pero que nunca está en demanda y me llamaron 2 veces para aplicar! Así que creo que estaba en el destino…
De ese viaje inicial, van más de 6 años y justo para mi cumpleaños recibí la confirmación de mi ceremonia para la ciudadanía australiana del próximo 17 de septiembre.
I decided to come to Australia to improve my English because, in my job as a Producer at Canal 13, I had to be in constant communication with FIFA Media in Zurich. I remember one day my editor asked me to call them directly for an answer, and I was so nervous about not understanding or not being understood that I asked a colleague to translate in case I failed at any point. From that moment, I knew it was a necessity if I wanted to keep growing professionally.
So I first came on holiday and met people who had already been here for several years studying. When I went back, I negotiated my exit, thinking I would only come for eight months. But after two months here, I realised I would not reach the level of English I wanted in just six months, so I decided to stay longer. A month after renewing my visa, COVID hit. I tried to return to Chile—I even had a ticket booked—but I could not get out of my rental contract, and the bond was part of the savings I needed to go back. So I had to stay, and it was frightening because no one is ever prepared to live through a pandemic far from home and family.
In my first months and years, I never thought I would migrate permanently. But I applied for a Skilled Visa, in a highly competitive field that is rarely in demand, and I was called twice to apply. That is when I started to think it must have been meant to be.
Now, more than six years have passed since that first trip, and right on my birthday I received the confirmation for my Australian citizenship ceremony on the 17th of September.
Francisca Villalón
Chile
Estuve en Australia durante el año 2016. Soy de Chile y quedé impresionada con la naturaleza australiana, pude ver fauna nativa en la ciudad, algo que en Chile no existe por los perros callejeros.
Durante mi estadía en Australia estaba escribiendo e ilustrando un libro sobre Chile, estar lejos y estar conociendo otra cultura me hizo conectar con mi país con una mirada de orgullo nacional, le contaba a los australianos lo que iba escribiendo sobre mi país. Al mismo tiempo, si investigaba algo sobre Chile, luego me preguntaba cómo era en Australia e iba comparando.
La naturaleza australiana me cautivó, sus arañas me paralizaron, sus aves me enamoraron, sus marsupiales me impactaron con sus ojos y su identidad tan endémica.
I was in Australia during 2016. I’m from Chile, and I was amazed by the Australian nature. I was able to see native wildlife in the city, something that doesn’t exist in Chile because of the stray dogs.
During my stay in Australia, I was writing and illustrating a book about Chile. Being far away and experiencing another culture made me connect with my own country with a renewed sense of national pride. I would tell Australians about what I was writing about my country. At the same time, whenever I researched something about Chile, I would then wonder how it compared to Australia.
The Australian nature captivated me. Its spiders left me frozen, its birds stole my heart, and its marsupials amazed me with their eyes and their uniquely endemic identity.
