Earlier this year, we sat down with Annalise Tindal and discovered there is more than meets
the eye to our Academic and Student Services Manager. Coming to Australia via Europe,
Asia, North America and the Middle East, Annalise shares her insights from a life abroad
and why she admires the way international students embrace their time in Oz.
What is your role at the Faculty and how long
have you been with Monash?
As Academic and Student Services Manager
I look after – with the help of my team – all aspects
of the student academic life cycle from admissions
to enrolment to results and finally course completion.
I also represent the Faculty at a number of central
committees, ensure compliance with various University
policies and procedures, and work closely with Faculty
course education teams. I’ve been here for six years.
What has been your career path to Monash?
My intention was to become a travel writer with Condé
Nast Traveller magazine and I moved to New York to
do just that, but somehow I ended up managing a bar
in Singapore. While working in hospitality, training staff
became a particular passion of mine and I decided
to work in education instead. I pursued a teaching role
at Perth Institute of Business and Technology (PIBT),
Edith Cowan University in Perth, WA. That led me to a
role at Curtin International College (CIC), Curtin University
both teaching and working as the Student Services
Manager. When I decided to leave Perth, I applied for
a variety of roles in Singapore, Thailand, Tasmania and
Melbourne. I figured I’d move to wherever I got a job.
Melbourne and Monash won. Of course, I was only
meant to be here for a year on a contract basis.
So it was a job that brought you to Australia?
Partly. My parents had decided to settle on a vineyard
in Margaret River. That was certainly a huge drawcard!
My brothers had also moved to Perth. We’d lived in a lot
of places both together and apart so the thought of us all
being in the same place was incredibly appealing to me.
When you say you have lived in a lot of places,
how many places are we talking?
Having bought my first home at the end of last year,
I counted the addresses I’ve had in my lifetime and the
total came to 31! That breaks down to 10 in the US,
10 in Australia, three in the UK, five in the Middle East
(Cairo, Jeddah and Tehran), and three in Singapore.
One great thing about changing your address is that
you give yourself a brand new base from which you can
shoot off and enjoy more travel experiences. Living in
Cairo we could have beach days in El Alamein, or safari
in Nairobi or sail the Greek islands. Of all the bases I’ve
had, Singapore was likely the best and I ticked a lot of
places off my bucket list while there.
Wow, you really are a citizen of the world!
Do you find your past allows you to better relate
to international students?
Absolutely. I was an international student everywhere
I went. It didn’t really matter where I was in the world,
I was always a foreigner. Cultural shock can be
overwhelming, but it’s the reverse cultural shock that’s
even more of a surprise. You go back home, to what
should be the familiar, and you realise you’ve changed
and nothing is what it once was. International students
are to be admired for the adjusting they must do,
particularly those speaking another language.
Having been at Monash for six years, what are
your favourite things about the Faculty?
The location is superb and I like the community feel of
the campus. We’re a small faculty doing big things and
that feels good. It’s also a challenge working here
because at times there can be so many conflicting
priorities. We’re always looking at what’s next and where
we’re headed as a faculty. There’s never a dull moment.
It’s interesting to see the direction learning and teaching
is taking, having been educated in both the UK and the
US. We’re definitely leaning more toward the US approach
and I think our students will be better off as a result.
I certainly retained more knowledge from my US
education due to the active class participation.
And what about Melbourne? Any plans to explore
another part of the world?
Melbourne is such a cosmopolitan city and that suits
me perfectly, especially when it comes to the food.
There are not many places in the world where you can
find both fresh produce and such a medley of cuisines.
Whether I feel like Egyptian mahshi, Singaporean laksa,
or a Danish smörgåsbord, I can find it in Melbourne.
The fact that the city is in Victoria, which is such a
beautiful and varied state in terms of scenery, is another
plus in my book. As far as further exploration goes, I have
to admit that it’s always a test for me to choose what’s
next on the travel agenda. The problem with seeing the
world is that you want to see more of it, but you also
want to return to the places you’ve been.
I can think of a dozen places where I haven’t been and
a dozen more that I want to go back to. For the former,
I think I’d like to see Iceland and for the latter, Scotland
will always top the list.
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