Experience certainly means ‘trying’ something, but primarily it also coincides with a judgement we make about what we try. This is the main characteristic of the experiences that young people of the CL movement visiting Australia for work or study have in common and they resound of Fr Giussani’s reflections on experience. In The Risk of Education, Giussani observes: “What characterizes experience is not so much doing, is not so much establishing relationships with reality, as a mechanical fact. This is the error inherent in the typical expression ‘to have an experience,’ where experience equates to trying things out. Rather, what characterizes experience is understanding something, discovering its meaning. Thus experience entails an intelligence concerning the meaning of things. And the meaning of something is discovered in its connection with the rest. Thus, experience means discovering the purpose of a particular thing in the context of the world.”

Francesca, Sydney.

I didn't choose Australia. An opportunity came my way, and I took it. Certainly, taking the first step was fundamental! Despite all the talk about my first experience abroad, despite the countless doubts and questions about my life, the only certainty I had was that I would find something for myself there, in Sydney, on the other side of the world, working as an au pair for a family with five children. And this made me serene amidst the whirlwind of emotions I felt at the beginning of a new journey. "I have to trust," I told myself.

And when Andrea's smile welcomed me at the airport with a bouquet of flowers in hand, after a 24-hour flight, I had confirmation. Yes, trust. Because to trust others, you must have someone looking at you and trusting you!

Now I am convinced that it was also a matter of faith. I am not perfect, and during the year in the land of kangaroos, I sometimes missed sacraments like Sunday Mass because I believed I could handle it alone. Then suddenly, something would happen that reminded me that I had to entrust everything, even Caty's diapers (the girl I took care of in the first months), and that we don't do it all by ourselves. Caty, with her simplicity and innocence (and lots of mischief 😂), taught me to have this attitude. I remember Marco's tricky questions, the gatherings eating chestnuts in front of the fire in August, and moments with the my host family, work colleagues, friends from school and other families. The friends I encountered along the way, the experiences, and unexpected events that left a mark on me.
Looking back, I can now say that Christ has allowed me to open up to others, to the different, to cultures distant from ours, putting me in a position not of superiority but rather of listening, sharing, and asking questions.
In conclusion, I became more aware of myself, and above all, I was happy. Which, in the end, is what one desires!

Katharina, Sydney (High school student)

Australia was such an amazing experience for 3 months, and I did appreciate this country for its multicultural policy and some traditions and cultures. I’ve never experienced this in Europe before, it was really interesting and increased my openness to the outside world. Every day, I felt there were so many things to learn about Australia, and I couldn’t wait to learn even more. I saw this holiday as a huge opportunity of life, that could help me to understand people with a different mindset and perspective of life. I think this experience is the first step of a process which could, eventually, help me to be a better person. While I was there, I felt a huge strength which led me to do more things and discover more, and I had never had such power back home. Of course, home is not as interesting as Australia because there, something was different. I hope I’ll find myself with a new mindset facing everyday life back home.

Pedro, Sydney.

I arrived in Sydney after finishing my university degree to look for international working experience. As I didn’t know anyone in Australia and didn’t even know where to live, a few days before I arrived I contacted the CL international secretary and they gave me the contact of Filippo, a member of the CL community in Sydney. He and his beautiful family were the first among many gifts during my stay in the country. They opened their house for me for some days until I found a house to stay, but their house remained open for whenever I needed a -cooked Italian dinner and their amazing company. They also introduced me to the Aussie CL community, which was absolutely crucial during my time away from home and my girlfriend.

My one and a half years stay in Australia helped me realize the fact that everything in my life is a gift, and I can only be grateful for it and enjoy it. This time was crucial for me to decide to marry my girlfriend, now my wife. I was lucky enough to meet an amazing group of friends (ten of whom came to my wedding in Spain), find a fantastic job in my field, live in a beautiful house close to the beach, and learn to appreciate the most important thing I had found, which is my faith that helps me live all of this with the certainty that this is not mine.

I miss Australia so much and hopefully I will have the opportunity to go back some day.

Read also:

Memories Of Australia - Part 1


Memories of Australia - Part 2