Intercultural understanding

Earlier this term, Year 10 students visited the Sydney Jewish Museum to supplement what they have been learning about in History. Here’s what Arias Vang had to say about his experience:

What was the highlight of the excursion for you?

Arias: The highlight of our excursion of Sydney Jewish Museum was meeting a real-life Holocaust survivor. It definitely improved my understanding of what happened during that time period. More specifically, the experience helped gain a deeper understanding of what was going through the heads of the victims during the war. It was eye-opening.

What was the most eye-opening about the speaker's experience?

Arias: For me, what was most eye-opening was how much the speaker had to travel to escape Europe. She and her parents moved from Europe to China before finally moving to Australia. By listening to her stories, I was able to imagine how hard of a battle it would’ve been to go through all that distance and to be displaced from your home.

How did it improve your understanding of the Holocaust?

Arias: It gave us a glimpse of how traumatic the experience was at the very least. Just hearing her talk about the nightmares she still experiences even to this day, I can tell that it was a terrible experience I would not wish on anyone.

What would you say to younger students about the importance of learning about these experiences?

Arias: I think it’s important to learn about these historical experiences. Being exposed to these things will help you learn from the mistakes of the past and hopefully help you be a better person. Learning about this topic showed me a lot of things that I shouldn’t do and made me further reflect on the importance of respecting other people regardless of their cultures, beliefs, and background. 

Arias Vang

Year 10