“I’ve studied basic accounting, so I’ve kind of worked in several places doing the accounts and all that,” she says.

When she began exploring study options, Anita realised she wanted something broader that focused on the current world climate.

“I thought this double degree was a perfect combination of business and politics and international relations,” she says.

Choosing Canberra for family life

One of the biggest advantages of receiving an Australia Awards scholarship has been the opportunity to bring her family with her.

“I was excited when I was awarded the scholarship. But at the same time, I was also offered a Chinese scholarship. I was sitting on the fence, deciding whether to go to China or Australia. When I decided I could go to Australia, I had this feeling of excitement and I had the thoughts where I could bring the kids, too. Like if I were to choose China, I would go by myself. I wouldn't bring them.”

This is Anita’s second time living in Canberra, moving here once before in around 2015 while her husband completed his master’s degree.

“When I was looking around at the scholarship, I thought, ‘Oh, I know Canberra,’” she says.

Having some familiarity with the city, and feeling like it moved at a good pace for her and her kids made the decision much simpler.

“I was thinking if I were to go to university in Sydney or Brisbane, I don't think I would be able to bring the kids because looking at it, it's too crowded and I couldn't cope with everything around, compared to Canberra where things are easy.”

Her three children, aged thirteen, nine and six, are all attending school in Canberra while Anita completes her degree.

“The good thing is the six-year-old, I brought him here when he was five, so he’s never been to school in Vanuatu. That’s his first schooling when we arrived here,” she says, adding that he has “much more of an Australian accent” than her older children.

Although the children will have to return home to Vanuatu with Anita once she completes her study, the oldest two are already talking about coming back to further their own education in the future.

“It’s not only me gaining from the scholarship,” she says. “It’s them as well.”

Learning through experience

Although Anita’s degree is multi-focused, she has found herself especially drawn to the international relations component of her studies.

“We've studied a lot about the relationships in the past, things that have happened in history, but with the current situation happening around the world … it’s a real highlight of [the course], where we can see in real time how countries negotiate and have their relationship with each other in terms of politics, and geopolitics as well.” she says.

While living and studying in Canberra, Anita has also been teaching Bislama, the national language of Vanuatu, to diplomats preparing to work at the Australian High Commission in Vanuatu, something she sees as more of an opportunity than just a job.

“It helps me as well,” she says. “Listening to them talking from their experience, it also helped me gain understanding of what the diplomats are doing.”

Finding community far from home

Canberra is very different from Vanuatu, with one of the biggest “culture shocks”, Anita says, being how people interact.

“Back at home we say hi to everyone. We say good morning to everyone,” she says. “In Canberra, it’s like if you say good morning to someone, they will stare at you like, ‘Oh, do I know you?’”

Over time though, Anita says she has come to understand those cultural differences, and found ways to build connections with the people around her.

Church has become an important part of that.

“We have a church that we go to here in Canberra,” she says. “That’s where we go and mingle with many of the Vanuatu people or the Pacific people.”

That community has been especially valuable for her children, helping to keep them in touch with their roots.

“In Vanuatu, kids go out to play with their neighbours,” she says. “So I would bring them to church every weekend, so they can get involved in kids activities.”

At UC, Anita has also found support through friendships with other international students.

“I have friends from China, from Papua New Guinea and from Kiribati,” she says. “We support each other in terms of talking or chatting or sharing problems together.”

She believes building friendships with other international students, as well as domestic students, is one of the most important things new international students can do.

“If you feel lonely or you feel that you’re not that perfect, don’t stay in your shell,” she says. “Just reach out and open up and speak to people around you.”

Once she finishes her study, Anita plans to return to Vanuatu and hopes to use what she has learned to contribute to government and community work back home.

“I wanted to contribute with what I’ve learned here at UC and in Australia,” she says. “It’s been a good, rewarding study and I hope to find a job that can help me contribute to the country.”