Migration can be a difficult journey, depending on whether or not a migrant is attached to their homeland. It can affect the way the migrant integrates into society. When a migrant is willing to change a part of their identity, it can make the migration process easier. However, when a migrant is not accepted, this can draw the migrant back to being attached to their homeland and this then can cause problems for a migrant in their new society.
The migration journey can be a long and difficult process. This process can be made easier depending on how a migrant integrates. When a migrant doesn’t want to change anything about them, it can make it difficult for the migrant to integrate and “fit in” into society. It is possible for a migrant to integrate and still hold on to the migrants customs a traditions, however if they hold on to too much of it, it can make the integration process a difficult one. A migrant who is willing to change a part of their identity may find that their integration process is much easier than those who are not willing to do so. The anthology ‘Dark Dreams’ is a collection of short stories about refugees and their experiences and most of the stories told throughout the anthology were of migrants with successful migrations, this is because they had learnt to let go some parts of their identity as well as accept new things as a part of their identity. The story ‘A Truly Great Australia’ by Jane Woodward, is a story about Kheim Nguyen. “It took time to adjust but every step of the way was worth it.” He was willing to adjust to the Australian way of living, and accepting a new part of his identity. However, though it can make it easier a migrant doesn’t have to change a part of their identity if the community that the migrant has moved to is accepting of the migrant.
Whether or not a migrant is accepted into their new community can determine how they integrate. When a migrant isn’t accepted, it can make it difficult for a migrant and this can make a migrant feel as if they don’t belong. The new community that the migrant has moved to should be understanding and accept the migrant regardless of how the migrant may have come to Australia by. When a migrant comes to Australia illegally, they get called a refugee, and with that word people can associate negative words with it due to what the media portrays it as, and the true meaning of the word ‘refugee’ has been lost. By saying things like “go back to your country” or saying that they should have come by plane and not by any other means, can greatly affect a migrant and how the migrant feels towards their new society. For many migrants, when people say such things, the migrant wished that they could do as the people say and “go back to their country”, however due to the issues residing in that country they cannot go back. The story ‘Broken Hearts’ by Ariel Smith in the anthology ‘Dark Dreams’, is a story about Michael and how because of the way Michael had come to Australia, which was by boat, he was not accepted and was then kept in incarceration ever since he had come. Michael
was “refused a temporary protection visa”, meaning that his chances of living in Australia are very slim. When a migrant is not accepted into their new
