Our Faces, Our Stories - Stockland

Sandra YaldaMy journeyto AustraliaMy name is Sandra Yaldaand I’m 16 yearsold. This is the storyabout my life in Iraq,how I came to Australia and why.I was born in Baghdad, the capitalof Iraq in November 1993. Ihave two brothers and a sister,all of whom are older than me.My family lived in Iraq for aroundfourteen years and this is where Istarted my schooling.Life in Iraq was happy for eachindividual Iraqi because it wassafe and we had our rights, butthen life got harder and harderbecause of the threatening war inour country. Every good momentturned to a very hard situation.In 2003, the war started in Iraq,so my family moved to a smallvillage called Alqosh in northIraq. We lived in the village forone year and it was more peacefulthere. When the war settleddown we came back to Baghdad.I was really happy to move backbecause I had missed my friends,however, at the same time, I wasalso scared because the warcontinued to threaten my family.In Iraq, my dad had his own carpentryshop. My brother, Sarmadworked with him and togetherthey built furniture includingbeautiful chairs, tables and sofabeds.One day when my dad andSarmad were working, terroristscame into the shop and setit on fire. They beat my brotherand kidnapped him for four days.The terrorists demanded a largeamount of money for his return.My family, including my auntygave the money to the terroristsso we could get him home safely.We left our home in Iraq for Syriaand lived there for two and a halfyears. I started school in Syriaand I enjoyed it very much, but wefound life very hard. My brothersdid not go to school because theyhad to work to support our family;they worked very long hours.In Syria I joined a church youthgroup and went on many excursions.I felt happy because I waswith my best friend Stiphany whoalways made me happy duringmy sad times. She was my besthelper while I was in Syria.After all the hard times, my familydecided to migrate to Australiafor a better life and education. Myfamily got so excited when we finallygot our visa and we startedpreparing for our journey. My unclewas already in Australia andhe helped us with the move.I started school one month afterarriving in Australia. It was toughas I didn’t know any English, butafter studying in the IntensiveEnglish Centre for one year, myEnglish improved. Every day Ikeep improving my English.I have now lived in Australia forone and a half years and havemade some really good friends.When I leave school, I would liketo study tourism and one daywork in a hotel.20