Education, health, opportunity and freedom are liberties that many Australians may take for granted, but not two Albury refugees, who have expressed their gratitude this refugee week.
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Refugee Week is an annual celebration, which this year runs from Sunday June 19 to Saturday June 25, informing the public about refugees and celebrating their contributions.
Murray High School Year 11 student Aruna Majhi, who is Bhutanese, said when her family came to Australia about seven years ago from a refugee camp in Nepal, it was one of their best decisions.
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"We didn't have the facilities and stuff there and coming here, feeling safe and education and having all the facilities, it's just so great," she said.
"All the opportunities we get are just amazing and we're very grateful for that."
All the opportunities we get are just amazing and we're very grateful for that.
- Aruna Majhi
When asked which facilities she was referring to, Aruna said Medicare.
"And just being allowed to go everywhere you know, because we had to stay in the camp, so we didn't really go anywhere and it was hard," she said.
Similarly, Murray High Year 12 student Divine Angalikiyana, who is Conogolese, said her life in Australia was far different to Burundi, where she had been living.
"Here in Australia I have a lot of opportunities, I can do a lot of stuff that I wouldn't be able to do in Africa, especially in the camp that I was," she said.
"In the school I learned a lot more I think, and just looking at future there is much opportunity here in Australia."
Both students are hoping to pursue a career in health: Aruna wants to be a doctor and Divine wants to be a nurse.
But right now, Aruna said her goal was just to make her parents happy.
"They have put me in this really beautiful environment and I just want to make them proud," she said.
"My goal is to be a doctor, it's always been that, but I don't know where life is going to take me.
"I don't mind working anywhere as long as I'm working and doing my job."
Divine was not sure where her passion for nursing came from, but was determined to do it.
"Health is something really interesting," she said.
"Health in Australia and health in Africa is really different, so I don't know, I'm just interested in knowing much more about it."
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