Being an Australian

Manyok Yaak, aged 26, knows a thing or two about what it means to be an Australian and how to survive the trauma of transition in the post-migration period.

He arrived Australia as a refugee from the Sudan 8 years ago and has never looked back.

In fact, he loves his adopted country and adores its values. He now wants to be known simply as an Australian, not Sudanese, according to The Australian newspaper report.

“I do not want to live in a country where people call me Sudanese, I think of myself as an Australian”, so says Manyok, as he does the daily battle for survival with great dreams and ambitions running through his veins.

In fact, his work ethic is the envy of all. Come to think of it, he works overnight in a factory, from 10pm to 6am, then goes to sleep. In the afternoon, he goes to the University to further his education before returning to the factory.

A living work-horse from way back, young Manyok is determined to do what it takes to improve himself and to succeed where others fail – the recent Government decision to lower the intake of Sudanese refugees notwithstanding.