Written by Violetta Katsaris and Sasika Jayasuriya After decades of suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease (CKDU) in Galwaduwagama, Sri Lanka, a Reverse Osmosis (R.O) plant has been implemented by Impact Engineers to help provide clean water. “This project is not something that will greatly benefit us [the adults as opposed to the children]. We have already been drinking […]
International
I Should’ve Known Something Wasn’t Right
A look into the reality of being an au pair. Written by Emily Van Arendonk. To most, the experience of being an au pair sounds like a dream. Traveling the world and seeing a more intimate side of culture in exchange for childcare and light housework. But, for some, this opportunity of a lifetime is […]
Cultural anxieties: Children want to learn their mother language, while parents continue to prioritise English
How a Sydney community school is reviving a language that is being shunned in its own motherland, and in the homes of the students themselves. By: Mansib Ahmad Can a language really be preserved by learning it for just three hours a week? You may say “yes, of course it can”. But what if […]
Shear cruelty
By Venice Warner The deaths of 2400 sheep during live exports to the Middle East due to shocking conditions including overcrowding and lack of food and water, has divided public opinion over whether live exports should be banned. Nicole Binet, 50, a model from Balgowlah, said: “The export of live sheep should be banned, […]
Live sheep exports: Necessity or torture?
By Grace Robinson-Tagg The export of live sheep to the Middle East is a hot topic at the moment, with much controversy surrounding it. Boat loads of sheep are dying on the long journey from heat exhaustion and dehydration and for that reason, the question over whether it should be banned has arisen as […]
There’s 7.6 billion people in the world, and they’re all racist.
By: Natalie Di Paola In 2007-2010, Indians were attacked while living here, straining the relations between Australia and India and deterring International Students. Ten years later, are Indian students still afraid to come to Australia? “I did hear about it [the racial attacks], but I wasn’t afraid. I think racism is everywhere and I have […]
Settling in: The Refugee Experience
A young Syrian refugee with a love for poetry, and an Australian who established a co-op to help refugees settle in to Sydney. These are their stories. By Janelle Taouk Part I: A Syrian Refugee’s Perspective Around seven years ago, Sarina Mouzenian believed that she was going to die. Sitting in a Café in Aleppo […]
There’s No Place Like (War-Torn) Home
Faced with the threat of imminent death or sanctuary in an unknown land, refugees are following the yellow brick road to their Emerald City. By Jakob Andreasen The sounds of bullets ricocheting off cars. The shattering of glass, as it meets the pavement. Agonising screams of young women, elderly men and frightened children. Watching a […]
Fake It ‘Till You Make It: The Consumer Paradox within the Booming Replica Luxury Marketplace
It accounts for $450 billion AUD global industry, yet the freedom for budget-conscious millennials to score the latest designer ‘it’ piece does not evoke thoughts of an insidious market underbelly; one deeply embroiled in organized crime, money laundering and the exploitation of human rights. Welcome to the underworld of replica luxury products, where the demand […]
Racist Australia?
By Josh Needs I think racism is everywhere and I have one of those goals in my life where I want to live where they haven’t seen people like me. So that’s one of the goals for my life and I’m sure when they see someone like me there will be some sort of rejection […]
K-Pop: The beginning of a new era?
Showing no signs of stopping, K-pop seems set on dominating mainstream media. But what exactly is the appeal behind it? “I buy their albums; I stream their music… I retweet the stuff they post… I always find myself on Twitter, refreshing and scrolling, seeing if anything’s been updated.” Though this may seem tedious for some, […]
K-POP FORCES UNITE ON SOCIAL MEDIA – By Laura Rando
Korean Pop’s unique entertainment has gained coverage in the Western entertainment industry through the exposure of social media and K-Pop’s strong communities and fandoms that have banded together to place Korean Pop in its worldwide element. “Having a really strong fandom…[that are so] powerful online…can connect [this] power [and help correlate K-Pop artists into […]
International Students’ Struggle with Racial Discrimination
Cindy Yu Abuse remains a common occurrence for international students in Sydney-based universities, some fearing for their safety and wellbeing. Jessie Liu, a Chinese International student, is walking on campus to her next economics class. As she stops to check where her class is, she suddenly feels a gush of water being poured onto her […]
Saving a language from extinction
60 years ago, the Bengali Language Movement reached a bloody end with the independence of a new nation, Bangladesh – along with the recognition of its ancient language, Bangla. But in this globalized era, the Bangla language is increasingly becoming forgotten by its own people. One Sydney school is doing its best to keep the language […]
Cultural anxieties: Children want to learn their mother language, while parents continue to prioritise English
How a Sydney community school is reviving a language that is being shunned in its own motherland, and in the homes of the students themselves. By: Mansib Ahmad Sub-edited by: Serah Lee Can a language really be preserved by learning it for just three hours a week? You may say “yes, of course […]
Two Sides Of The Same Coin
From politically-motivated Instagram snaps and TED Talks to working with NGOs and visiting refugee camps, online blogger culture has tapped into activism. A week after walking the red carpet with Cate Blanchett at the Dubai Film Festival, Lebanese-Australian model, Jessica Kahawaty, was sweating in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. On an official UNHCR emergency mission visiting some […]
Hanging up the hiking boots
Norbu Tenzing: the young man from a famous family, with a mountain of reasons why he won’t be following the path climbed by many before him. By Grace Robinson-Tagg and Callum O’Donnell Many of us would say that we have big shoes to fill when it comes to the achievements of our predecessors. Some […]
Production Project 1 by Camilla Theakstone and Maya Skidmore
COLLABORATIVE PROFILE PIECE – publication: SBS Online Left: Local fruits reminiscent of her home in Iran. Right: Mehravar “Mazee” Marzbani surrounded by her traditional furniture from her home in Iran. Why refugees turn to crime: a migrant’s story Mehravar “Nazee” Marzbani is a psychologist and national social planner from Iran, who holds a passion for […]
Nepalese international students in Australia: an emerging trope
By Serah Lee It’s something we’ve all heard before. Culturally and linguistically diverse students travelling abroad to continents like Australia and America to pursue an overseas education and broaden their vocational horizons is a common trope we’ve all encountered at some point. To this day, most of our foreign applicants in Australia come from […]
Despite 3 million deaths, Bangla still isn’t as important as English
How a Sydney community school is reviving a language that is being shunned in its own motherland By: Mansib Ahmad “Six thousand languages exist in the world today, according to the United Nations. But 43 per cent – almost half of those – are endangered languages,” Matt Thistlethwaite says in Parliament during his […]