Claudia

Claudia, 23

Born in Medan, Indonesia and heritage is from Shantou, China.

Came to Australia in January 2001

How did we meet?

Claudia and I met through a mutual friend, Aldwin. I had plans to shoot some pictures with him that day, and he happened to be eating lunch with Claudia beforehand. She had only recently transferred to UTS, so didn't know that many people in Sydney yet. Aldwin spontaneously brought her along to our photoshoot and we just started chatting.

Claudia and I have now been together for almost 3 years! :)

P.S The only reason I didn't interview Claudia earlier was that I wanted to interview her in person, and we haven't been physically seeing each other since the lockdown began.

What is your occupation?

I am a Tax Analyst at Deloitte, #big4 who specialises in private tax. I previously worked in many industries such as retail where I got to serve many wonderful customers, as well as some not so wonderful ones.

Here's a tip: You're not going to get the best service when you walk in a minute before we close. We will hide out the back when we see you.

Here's another tip: Be nice to the sales rep, if we like you we will bend over backwards for you. If you act rude and entitled, don't expect us to find your size 'out the back' or to get you a new one. We'll likely be playing on our phones as we 'look' for what you want.

I studied a Bachelor of Business/Law at UTS and am currently finishing off my PLT.

Why did you come to Australia?

We came here because Australia has a better standard of living than Indonesia.

The decision for the move stemmed from the 1998 Indonesian riots which occurred in Medan amongst other cities, us Chinese Indonesians were specifically targeted. This caused our homes, businesses and even loved ones to be subject to destruction and abuse.

When my great-grandparents migrated to Indonesia, they were banned from having Chinese last names due to government policy. This is why my last name isn’t Chinese at all, it’s actually quite Anglo.

What do you like about Sydney?

I like the multicultural food scene in Sydney, especially Darling Square and Barangaroo. So if I miss the flavours of home, I know where to go to get my fix.

For example, Spice Alley caters very much to the south-east Asian palate, especially Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian. This is the food that I grew up eating.

On a similar note, I enjoy interacting with people of diverse backgrounds in Sydney, like Asian, European and Middle Eastern for example. In the midst of this diversity, we find belonging and connectivity.

I like how each suburb gives a unique vibe. For example, Newtown has more hipster vibes and Burwood is like little Shanghai.

What don’t you like about Sydney?

I’ve noticed a lack of public transport etiquette, like people who take their shoes off on the train and people who talk loudly in quiet carriages. It disrupts peoples’ commutes after a long day’s work.

It’s also very unhygienic and disgusting when people put their feet on the seats, you could potentially be staining someone else’s clothes.

There’s also a lack of public transport safety and security, which makes it easier to commit self-harm and impact everyone’s commutes consequently.

I think business hours should be extended to cater to people who have full-time office jobs. Another gripe I have is our ‘convenient’ stores are actually inconvenient, due to the lack of variety of products and high prices.

What would you like to say to Sydneysiders?

Please top up your Opal cards before you commute. :)

Please don’t walk in the middle of the footpath, your father didn’t build it. :)

What languages do you speak?

English, Hokkien, Bahasa Indonesia, Mandarin

Teach us one word/phrase from your native language.

Bodoh - it means stupid in Bahasa Indonesia, it’s great to use behind or in front of people.

What is one thing you want us to know about your native country?

You can get anything you want in Indonesia as long as you have money. For example, if I wanted to throw a party in the middle of the road, I can - I just have to have the right amount of money even if it obstructs traffic ;)

Who is the most famous person in your native country?

Joko Widodo, our president.

I would like to also mention Ahok, who was one of the only Chinese-Indonesians to enter politics.

What is the best dish in your native country?

This is the question I’ve been waiting for.

Perkedel - fried mash potato patties. I’m a carb lover.

Cendol - pandan rice flour jelly, drowned in cold palm sugar and coconut milk syrup. Nothing tastes as good and refreshing as this dessert in summer.

Martabak - both sweet and savoury. Sort of like a crepe dessert filled with anything you want.

Popular flavours include chocolate, cheese, Ovaltine or all of them. The savoury ones are basically a fried omelette with a side of curry sauce. It’s like a big hug.

Disclaimer: All posts are personal opinions and perspectives of the interviewees and are not a perfect representation of the whole country/experience.