From war torn country to Toowoomba law student

FROM refugee status in Iran to a new start in Toowoomba, now Zahra Aria is ready to take on the rest of the world.

Toowoomba law student Zahra Aria ready to take on the rest of the world. Picture: Kevin Farmer

WHILE many born-and-bred Australians take our lifestyle for granted, nothing could be further from the truth for a refugee like Zahra Aria.

Zhara and her four siblings were born in Iran where her refugee parents had arrived after fleeing war-torn Kunduz in northern Afghanistan.

The family was considered Afghani and so was left with few rights including not being able to work or study at university or, at times, attend school.

The family had to get special permission from the government even to travel any distances in Iran and should they not return within the allocated time, they risked being deported to Afghanistan.

"As Afghanis we were not allowed to do a lot of things," Zahra said.

"We were very poor. We had no money, no food... we had a below-average life.

"We only had one meal a day and that was usually potato.

"When I was 17 I did some volunteer work for the UNHCR in Iran and found out about humanitarian refugee visas and I applied for us.

"It was a long process, it took four years until we were accepted by the Australian Government."

The family was flown to Brisbane on a refugee visa four years' ago and was directed to Toowoomba, a city they had never heard of.

They arrived in the Garden City with no English skills and it's a testament to the determination and willingness to learn that Zahra and her siblings have such a good grasp of the English language.

"I started to learn English at the HumeRidge Church and about a month later I was introduced to the USQ," she said.

Once her English skills allowed it, Zahra started studying for a Bachelor of Arts majoring in international relations at the USQ in 2015 and then studied for a Diploma in Justice a year later while also volunteering to help Toowoomba's youth through a local police program.

Now doing law, she hopes to apply for Australian citizenship next month and apply for a New Colombo Plan Scholarship which provides opportunities for Australian undergraduate students to undertake semester-based study and internships or mentorships in Indo-Pacific locations.

"I'm so proud of being a part of Australia," Zahra smiled.

"The biggest thing for me is the freedom.

"Where we came from we had no rights.

"One of my biggest dreams was to study law and I'm doing that.

"The Australian Government provides things but you have to work hard for it, which is good.

"I would like to work for Australia at the UN. The Australian Government saved my life and I'm sure I can help others, particularly in immigration and women's rights.

"We promised the Australian Government we would do our best to be good citizens."

Perhaps some of us born-and-bred Australians could take a leaf out of Zahra's book.
 

Originally published as From war torn country to Toowoomba law student