Herman (Harry), 20
Born in Cape Town, South Africa
Arrived in Australia in June 2009
How did we meet?
Harry, as everyone calls him, and I met last year at the Welcome Dinner for our society, the Commerce (International) Society.
What is your occupation?
I’m a student at the University of New South Wales studying a Bachelor of Commerce (International), majoring in Finance and Chinese, and I was previously working at Swarovski until the whole pandemic.
Why did you come to Australia?
My mother came to Australia for job prospects and the future for us in South Africa as a skilled Caucasian was bleak since there are strict employment quotas that disadvantage us.
For example, employers need to hire a certain percentage of black, Asian and white people.
I know it’s coming from a good perspective since they’re trying to correct the wrongs of the Apartheid era.
What do you like about Sydney?
I think it’s nice how international Sydney is. For example, I live in Cherrybrook and my neighbours are multicultural, some are Malaysian, Indian and Chinese.
In South Africa, it’s also a multicultural society but it is a different feeling.
Sydney is a very egalitarian society- everyone is treated as equals.
What don’t you like about Sydney?
I don’t like it when cyclists ride on the footpaths- stay on the road!
The trains take like ten minutes to come. For example in Japan, if you miss a train, you’ll have to wait a minute or two at most during peak hours. It’s definitely not the case here and it’s quite embarrassing for Australians; it gives a really bad impression of us as a ‘world-class city.’
I don’t like how the public rubbish bins overflow with rubbish occasionally- it’s just a bad look.
What would you like to say to Sydneysiders?
Stop being a nuisance on the roads! No one thinks your burnouts are cool- be respectful!
What languages do you speak?
English, Afrikaans and learning Japanese and Mandarin Chinese.
Teach us one word/phrase from your native language.
Makie sakie- it’s a slang term that means don’t worry or no dramas. It’s sorta similar to how Aussies say “She’ll be right.”
What is one thing you want us to know about your native country?
I think it’s a very beautiful place to go and visit: there are like 11 official languages! It isn’t the safest place in the world but everyone is really friendly and there’s a lot of history to take in.
It’s good for a visit, but I wouldn’t really recommend living there.
Who is the most famous person in your native country?
It has to be Nelson Mandela. He’s like our Queen Elizabeth II- he’s on the currency!
Since my grandparents were from the Apartheid era, they actually regard him as a terrorist. That’s a story for another time.
What he was fighting for was very admirable but it was impossible to do it peacefully since the regime was oppressing him from the getgo. You have to break some eggs to get your voice heard.
What is the best dish in your native country?
Because of the significant Malaysian-Indonesian diaspora in South Africa, there’s this curried fish dish called Cape Malay pickled dish that you eat during Easter.
We took it for granted back in South Africa but nowadays I miss it.
Disclaimer: All posts are personal opinions and perspectives of the interviewees and are not a perfect representation of the whole country/experience.
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