For nearly a year, the six members of Kedar Sapkota's family lived in a tent that measured six metres by four metres.
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After that came an upgrade, of sorts, to a little hut, 9m long by 6m wide.
Mr Sapkota, of Thurgoona, left his native Bhutan in 1990 and spent 18 years in Nepal as a refugee before coming to Australia nearly 11 years ago.
"It's a visual thing and we are able to explain our previous life, the refugee life and the cause of the refugees," he said.
"We are able to explain why we are here ... what skills we have, what capacity we have and what we can contribute to the local community."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Part of Refugee Week, The Refugee Experience tours end on Friday, with many sessions throughout the week booked out.
Mr Sapkota said the large refugee camp "was always dangerous and hostile" and for six months there was no schooling.
After that, volunteer teachers set up classes under a tree and Mr Sapkota, then 14, had to virtually restart his education.
"I learned a lot, I got a lot of support from the volunteer teachers over there, and they did a very good job," he said.
He completed primary and secondary school, the latter with the help of a UNHCR scholarship, and then did his bachelor degree in India, earning money through part-time teaching.
Mr Sapkota arrived in Sydney in 2008 with only $5 to his name and became one of the first group of Bhutanese refugees to settle in Albury-Wodonga.
To his surprise and gratitude, he discovered all he needed had been supplied by Border volunteers and service providers.
"That was very emotional, we left everything, whatever we had in our life, but when we arrived here and we get inside, we have everything here," he said.
"That gave me the confidence that we have the opportunity to have a good life again."
He noted many of the Border's Bhutanese community members were now working or studying and buying homes in the region.
"This all evolved because of the local support and service providers, the local volunteers," he said.
"And I give thanks."
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