Our Faces, Our Stories - Stockland

Rosa ChirinosMy journeyMy name is Rosa Chirinos.I was born inLima, Peru on 6 August1994 and my firstlanguage is Spanish. Peru hasfewer cultures than Australia andthe biggest difference is that allsuburbs in Peru are noisier thanhere. Peru has a large populationin a small area, which createstraffic jams with horns blaring.In Peru, our family lived nearmy aunty and grandparents, sowe visited each other often. Myfamily travelled to many placestogether. In 2001 my family andI travelled to Bolivia, a countrynear Peru, to visit my uncle andhis family who lived there. Thatwas the first time I met my cousin.I visited some other cities inmy country like Arequipa, Huancayo,Junín and Tacna. It was anamazing experience. I have familyin most of these cities.At school in Lima, I enjoyed playingvolleyball and basketball. Iwas in the school’s basketballteam for five years. I also tookswimming classes and learnt karatefor a short time.My parents used to talk to myaunty who lived in Australia; shewould always tell them that it wasa wonderful country to live in. So,my parents applied to migrate toAustralia, but were refused. Afterthat, my father decided to travelto Argentina to work because hecould not find work in Peru.After two years, my family gota student visa for Australia, butonly my mother and my fathercould come here. So I stayedin my country with my “mamy”(grandmother). I went to schoolduring the time I stayed with her.I also visited my other grandmotherwho lived near our home.Then two years later, I joined myparents in Australia.I was 15 years old when I arrivedin Australia. I knew only myparents and some relatives, butmade new friends from differentcountries such as Afghanistan,Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, Thailand,Cambodia, Colombia, Mexico,Chile, China and Peru. I improvedmy English by talking tothem and I learned about theirculture and traditions. I’m now inYear 10 and when I finish school,I hope to go to university andstudy to be a doctor.What I miss most about Peru ismy family and friends. I like mylife in Australia, it is calm andnice.8