The Idea

During Covid-19, I remember how my 16-year-old self was away from home for the first time, starting high school in a foreign country and doing remotely learning. My homestay family always went out on the weekend while I woke up early and went to the Library to study. I talked and was invited to join a group of Aussie friends in class who have been together for years. I built some connection and shared about my learning and life in Australia. Some were surprised , some admired the resilience and some acknowledged things may have been heard and I was so brave . I took that as a compliment and felt proud of myself , continuing to go to State Library every day after class till dinner time. Little did people know, I rarely hang out with those classmates and volunteering and joining youth group at local church made me feel no less lonely. I appreciated the connection, the excitement and novelty of meeting new people, however I recognised some anxiety around making long term friendship in Australia. No one was from my Vietnamese background, spoke the language or invited me over to cook my home dishes. I missed my family and friends in Vietnam but was too proud of my independence to admit my struggles. Till now, it has been 5 years living here , I have grown so much. However , the loneliness still lingers on the nights when I couldn’t sleep or when I had late night assignments. I convinced myself it was part of student life toward growth and more fulfilment . I was more open to speaking to counsellor and EAP, helping me work toward healthy and grounded mindset in any situation.