My story began like any other Chinese overseas student in Australia. I obtained my Australian permanent residency status in 2009. While I was hunting for a job in the Engineering industry, I also quickly realised that my strength in English language proficiency could open another pathway for me, the pathway I have been on since 2012.

 

In my 12 years of career as a NAATI Certified English and Chinese translator and interpreter, I have been deeply involved in all aspects of community life in Australia, from legal to medical, commercial to tourism, education to migration as well as in diplomatic settings. I provide language services to people from all walks of life, including various departments of the Victorian government and Federal Government.

 

I am also an educator for fair work, work ethic and leadership while I train junior translators and interpreters. Many of my students have gone on to become successful community translators and interpreters in Australia. I taught them to use the power of English language proficiency to help new Chinese migrants understand the way of life in Australia, bridge cultural differences between local Australian businesses and Chinese businesses, as well as promote our role as a cultural mediator and ambassador.

 

As for someone like me, society tends to give me a lot of labels such as a mother of two, Chinese migrant, female etc. The lack of Asian voices in the Australian parliarment, the COVID, and even the recent cases of violence against women have reminded me again and again that we, Asians, can only become stronger when we are united, and I am happy to be the voice and the bridge in making the Asian, especially the Chinese community, stronger and prosperous in Australia.