Written by Afdal Ade Hendrayana, VDMS Alumnus from State University of Padang (UNP)
September 3rd, 2016 was the first day at Melbourne. As a new comer feeling everything was totally strange. Having money nearly AUD 399 in my pocket encouraged me to find a job soon but what to do was still a big question in my mind. In order to tackle under pressure situation, I contacted some friends of mine living in Melbourne, which I call as link in this writing. Shortly, I met a man, who now I call him as my own brother and he guided me to find someone hiring me. I met with a store manager restaurant, Nando’s restaurant, that is, an international casual dining restaurant operating approximately 1,000 outlets in 30 countries. It just took short time to make a deal working there. At the beginning, working at restaurant made me going down because of no experience. While there is drawback working at restaurant I think the benefits far outweigh. Working at restaurant leads me to know more about new terms particularly for African diet in flame grilled-chicken (The chicken is served in quarters, halves, wholes, and butterfly breasts), burgers, pitas, salads, wings and wraps as well. It encourages me to make daily talk with customers in order to improve my English; pronouncing words correctly, being fluent in speaking, having vocabularies greatly, and talking English in appropriate way. That’s true that living and talking with people using English as the first language is an effective way to learn their own language.
Academic staff room at the school of humanities and social sience, faculty of art and education, Deakin University
Doing many things at the same time allows me to find another job besides working at restaurant. Working as a white-collar worker, to perform professional or managerial work, becomes my target to achieve. That was too difficult to find for a new comer and just coming to Melbourne by working and holiday visa. Keep trying and struggling is the key I have. In order to build link, I tried sending message to one of Professor of Deakin University, since the last email with him in 2009. Once I sent him an email when arriving in Melbourne, I got a quick-reply from him and then I met him in the summer-afternoon talk (Read my previous writing: Suatu Sore di Musim Semi Bersama Profesor Ismet Fanany).
After the talk, I tried to keep in touch with him as in my mind he was my link to get white-collar work. Someday at early morning, I got a call from him and he was offered to work as casual academic staff at Deakin University within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Education. Really?! That’s crazy. Be still, my beating heart at that time. I was so happy to get, both call itself and information given on it. Then I got email from Deakin containing offering employment and some engagement documents to fill out. Being academic staff member allows me to develop and produce Indonesian learning materials and setting out the linkage between development of materials and non-formal education settings. Every single learning material developed and produced for undergraduate students taking Indonesian language major will be discussed with Professor Ismet Fanany weekly. As a result, I learn so much how to develop foreign language learning materials and teach it to international students. Yes we will not get difficulties to find a job, on the condition that we keep links as link building is still the best way to improve search visibility.
Afdal works at Nandos restaurant as well at Fawkner on the weekends
Not satisfied yet with current situation in order to learn and get more knowledge is a must. I am always trying to make it. Being busy working in restaurant roughly 50 hours a week and then producing and developing undergraduate students learning materials for one semester are laborious activity to do. But, that’s not enough yet during living in Melbourne, which has sensational cityscapes and all people coming are dotted with interesting architecture, statuesque art buildings, and contemporary towers. Two last weeks, I sent application letter to work at Pearson, that is, Education company ranging products from high stake and clinical assessments, brain training, digital resources, soft skill training, course design and development, and the delivery of online learning course, for position Melbourne Professional Marker and Warehouse and then got interview and test last week. I believe that big result coming from great attempt. I am fully grateful that my applications have been successful for both the roles I apply. I will be starting working at Pearson in May 2017. See what Shane L. Koyczan says Try. The tiniest dream that you try to make happen, is worth more than the biggest dream you never attempt. And wait for sharing experience during working at Pearson in my next writing. See you!
A2A E – Newsletter Vol. 63| V | 2017