Feature - High hopes for Australian resettlement

Hopes are high among the class of 17 Sudanese and two Eritrean refugees being taught this week about Australian geography, law, health care, education, and culture by the International Organisation for Migration in Nairobi. Before the end of the month they will all have been "resettled" in Australia, a country they know almost nothing about, except that it will mean a new start for them. Divided into discussion groups and asked what knowledge they have about their future home, one group says there are good job opportunities, another that Australians are good at sports, with a third saying they share the same queen as the English. One man says he is sure they are good people. "People in Australia are kind, that's why we've been able to get the resettlement," he says. It soon emerges that the list of questions far outshines the levels of knowledge in the classroom. The climate, the culture, the value of the dollar, how to find a job, whether cattle can be imported for dowries, what the marriage procedures are, and what educational facilities are available are all shrouded in mystery. NEW START Many of the refugees have been up since early morning to travel to the three-day course, living either in Nairobi's slum areas or well outside the city where rent is cheaper. Surviving on meagre remittances sent by relatives or friends, some have to commute each day from as far away as Nakuru, Ngong or Thika. About 1,000 refugees will pass through the voluntary classes this year, which began as a pilot project with the Australian government last month. All of this week's participants have relatives in Australia who have agreed to sponsor them by paying between US $750 and US $900 to cover their flights and medical expenses before they travel. UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS Having filled out the forms, been interviewed, found to be HIV-negative and healthy, and finally received their 'Visa 202' from the Australian government, the refugees are finally ready to go. Yet many of them have unrealistic expectations about what awaits them. Anyang Deng Lual, an 18-year old man, admits he knows practically nothing about the country he is going to, but says he knows life has to be better there. "I'm happy because I'm going to a people who will help me," he says. "They'll make my life good." Gabriel Ateng Mayen, his uncle, says all he wants to do is attend secondary school. "All good things in life, you get them with education," he says. He doesn't know much about the Australian system but feels sure that it will allow him to finish school and attend university. Saba Habtom, an Eritrean woman who is travelling with her child to join her husband, says there are only "good things" in Australia where she is sure to have a "happy life". CULTURE CLASH The class teacher, Timnit Embaye, warns that the road ahead may not be as easy as the class imagines. They will most likely experience some form of discrimination in their new home, she says, despite the fact that it is illegal under Australian law. "Discrimination is everywhere," she tells the class. "Your expectations are very high. That's why we have cultural orientation to tell you about the reality of Australia." "You can practise your culture in any way you want," explains Timnit, "from wearing traditional dress, to eating traditional foods and practising indigenous religions." But some cultural adjustment will be necessary, she warns. It is against the law to demand a dowry, she says, just as it is illegal to forcibly return a family member to Africa to marry there. "You can't force an Australian to pay a dowry under the law. The constitution comes first," she says. "But a dowry makes the marriage last," protests a pastor in the class. "My wife can't walk away, and I can't walk away because of all the cattle." Similarly, it is illegal to beat or physically injure children as a means of punishing them, warns Timnit. "Culturally we are a bit harsh to children in Africa," she says as the class describes methods of punishment including beatings, canings, pinching and tying children down. Wife-beating, "a part of Sudanese culture", is also not acceptable the class learns. When a man protests to say it is a way of "disciplining" his wife, Timnit asks how he would feel if his wife beat him in the same manner. "Beating your wife is not a solution," she says. "Instead of beating your wife to discipline her, discuss the issue." "We need certain cultural adjustments in this respect," she adds. TIME TO ADJUST The IOM Student Notebook given to the refugees explains that the initial "honeymoon" stage of elation once they arrive often gives way to feelings of loneliness, isolation and depression. "It may take months to get jobs," warns Timnit. After a while they will begin to feel frustrated, with few friends and nobody to talk to, she explains. Many will even wish they were back in Kenya. But in the meantime there is much to learn about the journey ahead. Where to assemble before the airport trip, how much to pack, how to find plane seats, and how to lock the bathroom door and flush the toilet on board, are all essential parts of the programme. On Tuesday and Wednesday technical details about registering in Australia, receiving benefits, accessing public transport, opening a bank account, finding support groups, obtaining citizenship, types of housing, disposal of household rubbish and the school system will follow. "I want you to remember to be patient, it will not be very smooth," says Timnit. "Give it some time, the difficulties are not permanent, they are temporary."