New Humans of Australia: Francia

When I was a child in Venezuela, I loved singing and dancing – I was even in the choir! Now in Sydney, I go to Latin clubs with my son. I love it! It makes me so happy to dance, and I enjoy meeting new people in my new country. 

I was born in Punto Fijo, Venezuela in 1966. The city is one of the country’s major oil centres, and a lot of its industry centred around that. 

I attended local primary and secondary schools, then enrolled in university. I didn’t complete my studies. Instead, I got married and had two children—a daughter in 1992 and a son in 1995. 

I was young and in love, but it didn’t last. After we divorced, I returned to university and got a qualification as a technician in oil industry administration. I worked in that sector for 23 years. 

When things started becoming uncertain in Venezuela, my sister encouraged me to move to Sydney, Australia where she had been living for 18 years. She moved here in 2006 for a better life, and she encouraged me to move with her but I wasn’t ready. 

In 2013 things began to get really bad in Venezuela. Food and petrol became scarce, and there was no food on the shelves. The education and healthcare systems were deteriorating rapidly. People went missing frequently, and day-to-day living became impossible. 

My children and I moved to Colombia because it was safer. We went back and forth between Colombia and Venezuela for a few years as our home became more unsafe. In 2016, I applied for a refugee visa, and the family moved to Colombia permanently while we waited. 

I finally arrived in Sydney in July 2023 and moved in with my sister. I felt welcome as soon as I arrived in Australia; it’s a great place to live, and it’s safe. 

I barely knew any English when I arrived and it was a big change, but my visa letter informed me about the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) and I immediately enrolled, hoping to learn how to communicate in my new country. 

My son is living with me now, but his children (my grandchildren) are still with their mother in Venezuela. They are 9, 6, and 5 years old and I miss them so much—it feels like half of my heart is there. 

I’ve been speaking with Settlement Services International about any support they can provide to help them move here to be safe with us. I talk to them every day on FaceTime and WhatsApp and we send money to help them, but there’s not much else we can do. 

Since arriving in Australia, I’ve met so many people from South America, especially from Argentina, Peru, Chile, and Colombia, all looking for a better life. There isn’t a large Venezuelan community here in Sydney, but I hold on to my culture. I cook Venezuelan food – arepas are my favourite! I also listen to the music and, of course, dance. 

My goal here is to improve my English and then get a job in dressmaking. I want to create beautiful things in my new home.