Interview with multilingual teacher's assistant

Y Nam is the newest member to DSC with multilingual skills. He speaks Vietnamese, Italian, Chinese and German. He plays an important role in supporting the International Student Program in communicating with Vietnamese students’ family regarding their academic and welfare issues. He also participates international student events and assists students in the classroom.

Y Nam Phan | 25 years old

Where were you born and where did you grow up?

I was born in the north of Italy, 80 km from Venice. I grew up in a small village in the countryside called Cordovado. There are only 2500 inhabitants and it is 30 minutes from the seaside. I attended university in Venice, so I moved to be closer.

Tell us about your family?

My dad and mum are from Vietnam, but I was born and raised in Italy. I have a younger sister studying architecture named Valentina. My grandfather came to Italy in 1979 and my parents came in 1989. My mum's side is all in Italy, but my dads’ side is in Vietnam and the States.

Do you speak any other languages?

I grew up talking to my parents and relatives in Vietnamese, therefore I can speak it pretty well. I also studied Chinese and German - during university and high school respectively - however, I still need a lot of practice.

We have Vietnamese International Students at the school, have you been involved with them at all?

I met some of the Vietnamese students during the Tree Top Adventure in Belgrave, as well as in some Italian language classes. However, I still haven't had any good conversation with them.

What has been your experience with the Vietnamese International Students at DSC?

It's very nice to see them actively taking part in the school's activities. These are a good way to socialize with other students, as well as practising their English. I think families should support their willingness to have extra activities (such as excursions, incursions, homework club, language week events, sports club, language buddy program) so that students could relax their mind sometimes, as well as enjoy their experience in Australia.

Winter Music Concert

During DSC’s Winter Concert, international students, Berry and Jenny participated in the guitar ensemble and performed the Cradle song and Kind Henry VIII. Here are their reflections on this wonderful experience.

I really enjoyed watching so many talented people performing on the stage and I also loved performing with my fellow peers. In the beginning, I thought it would be hard for me to perform on stage since it was my first time to performing in front of an audience but when I stepped on stage I felt a wave of excitement wash over me which was what made the experience so memorable. I have been playing the guitar for 1 month and I am self-taught. I used resources such as YouTube videos and online sites, as well as my friends and family who had experience in playing the guitar.

Berry EAIN 8F

The thing that I enjoyed the most is making new friends. In the beginning, I learnt the guitar at home with my teacher for about 2 years. Then, when I came here, I learnt it on YouTube by myself.

Jenny LE 8F

Interview with International Student

Nguyen Quynh Thu (Jenny) LE is an International Student from Vietnam. We interviewed her about her experiences so far at Doncaster Secondary College.

How did you find your first year at Doncaster Secondary College?

To be honest, I was a little bit nervous on my first day here, at Doncaster secondary college since, I did not know anyone from the school and everybody here is very confident unlike me. However, when I spoke to my classmates for the first time, I realised that they are actually very friendly and outgoing. They asked me to hang out with them and helped me to know more about the school. I feel like it was fortunate for me because I was not expecting that all the teachers and students would really be this kind towards me. So, in general, I feel really happy and have a lot of fun with my friend at DSC.

How have you been involved in the school community?

I have been involved in the guitar ensemble, some sports programs such as badminton club after school on Fridays and I also helped out with some marketing projects for our Vietnamese International Student program.

Tell us about an excursion you have been on?

I have been on two excursions. The first one was for year 8 students, to Werribee Zoo which we went at the end of term 1. The second one was to the Tree Top Adventure at the beginning of term 2, which was specifically organised for international students. Both of them were very exciting and I had a lot of memories a lot from these two excursions and I also made some new friends. During these two excursions, I did not only learn about classwork but also different types of skills such as; teamwork, responsibility and respects which are school values and it was also an opportunity for me to challenge myself and break the limit that I created for myself.

How is your learning experience at Doncaster Secondary College different to Vietnam?

Doncaster Secondary College is quite different from the international school I studied at in Vietnam. The way the teachers teach and treat the students here is very different. In Australia, you are free to share your opinions without any judgement. Teachers in Vietnam are very strict and sometimes I felt it was a bit uncomfortable for me to ask them questions. Australian teachers are very friendly. They listen to our ideas and our opinions and they will take the time to explain things to us if we do not understand the task.

Jenny LE 8F

College Newsletter

Issue 29 · 14 Jun 2019

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