My Story

Despite the promise of a more open world, when travelling, I was a second-class sojourner/migrant. The process of obtaining a short-term study or a tourist visa involved hours of queuing and a lot of paperwork. Detailed questioning at border checkpoints and manual luggage inspections made me feel singled out while others breezed through. I often had to report to local police upon arrival. These first-hand experiences opened my eyes to the broader inequalities in international migration and the rights and obligations of immigrants. They gave me an understanding of some of the challenges migrants face, from bureaucratic hurdles to social prejudice. These experiences enhanced my sensitivity to immigrants’ career trajectories and livelihoods in the countries I was visiting and reassured me that I wanted to dedicate my career to understanding, explaining, and improving the experiences of migrants.

Having channelled my early experiences into my academic interests, I am now driven toward continuous learning around the intersection between migration policy and social structures with real-world economic and social engagement of migrants. I love the re-invigoration that comes from attending conferences and seminars. Exchanging ideas with colleagues, friends, and students during breaks can be equally, if not more exciting, than the presentations. I always look forward to these interactions, and the energy I get from them sustains me for weeks. However, when travel is not an option, I remain connected to the global research community by attending online events, which means staying up late into the night in Australia.