New chapter beckons for migrant

FOR LOVE OF OZ: Muhammad “Waseem” Jamal’s story of coming to Australia to provide a better life for his family is still unfolding.

Right now, the Pakistani man with a masters degree in information technology is glad to have a job as a service station console operator in Geraldton.

Although not his first choice, the job supports his wife, children, siblings and parents in Pakistan, however he looks forward to landing a dream job and returning to the IT industry.

Born in Pakistan in 1977, Mr Jamal arrived in Perth in September 2014 and came to Geraldton in January last year on a four-year skilled migrant visa.

Required to work for at least two years in a regional area, his intention was to sit out his time in the country and return to the metropolitan area.

It didn’t take long for the 38-year-old to fall in love with the “small town” for its laidback way of life and the friendly people.

“When I came here, it was in my mind that I would stay only for two years but … it was such a beautiful, quiet place and now I don’t want to go back to Perth or anywhere. I love this place. This is a really beautiful place,” Mr Jamal said.

“It’s a quiet place, not too rushed, not like Perth. I don’t have time to move around in the town, but somehow I manage to go to the beachside. People are very nice, very co-operative.”

The past 18 months have been lonely for Mr Jamal, in isolation from his family, his life revolving around the afternoon shift at a suburban service station and prayers at the Islamic mosque once a week.

One constant challenge in his life, he says, are the young shoplifters who are disrespectful and sometimes verbally and physically abusive and have plagued his workplace.

Having been raised in a culture that gives great respect to elders and where shoplifting is rare, he was initially ill equipped for the mental and emotional challenges of his job.

However, as customers have come to know him, they’ve helped Mr Jamal gain confidence at work and in settling into his new country.

They offer intelligence on shoplifters or give language tips for our impossible Aussie slang — “what is ta? It is short for thank you” — or invite him to check out their haul of fish as they refuel their boats (leading him to believe all Aussies are keen fishermen).

“When I came here, it was really difficult for me to speak with people. I am really shy with speaking, but to some extent I am doing it. I am still very shy; I don’t visit very much to shops because I don’t know how to buy this thing and this thing. I never go anywhere because I am living alone and I don’t need much, just some bread, some vegetables, and I cook for myself,” Mr Jamal said.

Softly spoken and polite, his shyness is in part due to having to speak English, a language he’d only previously learnt how to read and write.

But also, being alone with few friends in a foreign country makes settling in a whole lot slower.

Having always lived in a “joint family” home with his parents, two younger siblings, his wife and their two children in his home city of Lahore, Pakistan, Mr Jamal is accustomed to having frequent “gossips” with his friends and good fellowship with his family.

“(In Pakistan), usually people prefer to live in joint family system because everyone’s support comes through it. If you are suffering any crisis, everybody will try to support you in any way; financially, morally, ethically… in every way, they try to support you to pull out from that crisis. That is a very good thing,” he said.

“At the start, it was very difficult for me to live without them. I was really crying — why would I come here — because I’d never been alone without my family for even a single day.”

This month, things will change for the better. Mr Jamal will be reunited with his wife, Farah, son Rohaan, 6, and daughter Emaan, 5, when they come to Geraldton.

The former university video conferencing technician said with his wife by his side, he would be able to become part of the community.

He is hopeful of finding a job that suits his passions and career ambitions, his children will attend school and his family will have opportunity to make new Aussie friends.

It will be a new chapter of his life story.

“I’m just here because of my kids’ bright future, because I know that if they spend their life here, they will achieve a better life and future. It is a small town, not too many people, not too rushed and there are a lot of opportunities. It’s a good place to learn, a good place to grow up,” Mr Jamal said.

For love of Oz is an occasional series about people from overseas who have made their home in Geraldton.