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New research unveils a disconcerting reality for international students in Australia who are grappling with more than just their studies.
(Story adapted from source: The Guardian &amp; Malaysians on Social Media)
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/655dbeec7c983b7619d11cb626c3514e84c923c4c400e60780f1710b3f9e3f46" />
Jane Cheah of Subang Jaya, Malaysia always wanted to do the OZ study adventure. Meet some interesting students abroad and perhaps do a Road trip along New South Wales and visit the 13 apostles as she checks out the whole IG checklist.
However, what she encountered instead was a range of racism ranging from subtle ugly looks to downright verbal (fortunately not yet physical) abuse at the most unlikely of day-to-day everyday locations. The shock of being treated like an outcast just because her skin was not pale white was not something she was adequately prepared for. This not even yet taking into account rising inflation meaning fresh fruits she had taken for granted while living in Malaysia are considered something of a high-end food in fast-rising inflation Western economies.
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/9c823e8f9510a2f7f3f41e78344db72cd1abc752da8142195ffecc73d074a837" /> Imagine not eating any Fresh Fruits for a year until you make it Home
&nbsp;
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/35314a2afd7079cd4b4049be5919d18055595c62cb12020412282d19358c8f18" /> Malaysian students in Australia (2019)
When Juli&euml;n Lubeek, a well-deserving recipient of a scholarship to complete his PhD at an esteemed Australian university, landed Down Under, he didn't envisage the 'Australian Dream' to involve bouts of homelessness and a literal hunger for knowledge.
Lubeek&rsquo;s scholarship money evaporated at the end of 2021, thanks to pandemic-induced delays, turning him into a full-time student by day and a near-homeless, hungry, international scholar by night.
The rules of the game were tough: No government support, but international students could work up to 40 hours a week. Alas, Lubeek found that balancing full-time studying with a 40-hour work week was as tough as convincing a kangaroo to sit for tea.
The truth is, he says, international students are viewed as cash cows - an ATM with feelings. If they treat Caucasian foreign students like this, one can only imagine the treatment of Asian students these days. Thanks in part to the near-daily mainstream media assault by the USA on all things &lsquo;&Ccedil;hina&rsquo;.
New research conducted by Monash University, which surveyed more than 60 international students in Melbourne, reveals that the Australian Dream is more of a mirage for these students, with the rising cost of living, exorbitant transportation expenses, and the Herculean task of managing studies with work commitments.
Now, consider that there are 182,000 international students currently living in Melbourne, almost 40% of Victoria's entire university populace. That's like filling up the Melbourne Cricket Ground twice over with students from all over the world, including a sizable contingent of 20,000 students from Malaysia alone.
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/e23f3660951012b45bf3130767531a5ccd74d05f04231d8b5ccaa3ed894f39ad" /> Malaysian students at their club booth at a University in Aussie.
Diving further into the numbers, the report shows that almost half of the surveyed students are food insecure &ndash; a rate that triples the average Aussie.
Dr Beatriz Gallo Cordoba, co-author of the report, was taken aback by the extent of hardship the interviewees were encountering, often quietly bearing the brunt of their circumstances, which led to diminished academic performance and overall well-being.
It seems that the 'Aussie spirit' of mateship and support is needed more than ever. International students require more assistance, including food relief, financial support, and scholarships, to ensure they aren't just surviving but thriving.
Yet, despite the hardships, students continue to flock to Australia. As of December 2022, there were 619,371 international students pursuing their degrees in Australia, a figure that's projected to grow to 940,000 by 2025.
However, when a crisis, like the Covid-19 pandemic or a cost-of-living crunch hits, coping strategies often stop working. A 27-year-old male student revealed that his diet was dictated by his wallet, not his stomach.
<img src="https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExOTI5YWRmZWFmOWUwNDdiYTI0MTBhNzZiZDdlODQwNjVlYzllOWY5MSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZzX2dpZklkJmN0PWc/La7P30FM3sTDrwntki/giphy.gif" alt="No Money Bangladeshi Gif By Gif" />
The responsibility, therefore, lies not just with the universities to support these students but also with the wider community to ensure that their experience in Australia is not just about surviving but thriving. After all, these international students aren't just figures in a database, but humans living, learning, and contributing to the Australian society.
Australia is home to a large population of Malaysian students, with an estimated 20,000 choosing to study here each year, out of the hundreds of thousands of Malaysian students studying abroad. Australia, and indeed all countries that welcome international students, need to do better by them.
The pandemic isn't over, and neither are the challenges faced by these students.
Some snippets of the life of KOLs in Australia:
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/0346a9ba3bf4818614123e0ec82a8e25551bd3acf4449e807c2c6f45c434001c" /> Image Isabelle Kwan <a href="https://www.instagram.com/issakwannn/">(@isabelleeyt</a>)
<img src="https://r2.myc.my/fb2cc888a2601b1bbc27db897a72f02a05dc310f0699e0fa86e0fd3492c8845c" /> Image via Wen <a href="https://www.instagram.com/weninmelb/">(@weninmelb</a>)
International students are not just transients or cash cows. They're part of the community, contributing to the vibrancy and diversity of the country. As the Greens spokesperson for education, senator Mehreen Faruqi, astutely points out, Australia seems to have failed its international students during the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis.
We lure these bright young minds with promises of a world-class education, only to leave them struggling with sky-high rents and a cost-of-living crisis that has seen many students choosing meals based on their wallets rather than their dietary needs.
According to Walsh, with the present circumstances, it seems unlikely the situation would improve in the short term. International students were a particularly vulnerable population during the pandemic, and the effects will continue to linger.
In conclusion, international students aren&rsquo;t just silent communities that fly beneath the radar; they are a vital part of our society, and it's high time we recognized and supported them as such. We must stop treating them as mere statistics and start welcoming them as integral members of our community. The pandemic may not be over, but neither is our collective resilience and capacity for empathy and support.
&nbsp;
*Sources: Visual and Reference Credits to Social Media, The Guardian &amp; various cross-references for context.
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'Lapar’ Down Under: Australia's International Students Navigate Food vs Shelter vs Racism

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