Jok : “ I was born in Bor in Central South Sudan . Life in my village was simple , peaceful and satisfying . All the neighbours were relatives and our first friends were our cousins . The family bond was very important . This continues today , even though we are not in one geographical location . We share what little we have and help each other out .
Life was centred on the customs and practices of our people . We would help cultivate crops , mainly sorghum . As boys , our main task was to look after livestock , starting with goats and sheep . As we grew older we graduated to calves and eventually cattle . We tied them down at night and released them in the morning for grazing and moved them looking for pasture and water . We protected them from wild animals and thieves and had to ensure they didn ’ t get lost and destroy people ’ s crops . Cattle are Dinka ’ s life ! We think we were the first in the world to tame cattle . They are our pride , especially the pride bulls whose horns could be twisted in a Nilotic practice that we share with the ancient Egyptians .
That life came to an end with war . I grew up during the war but in 1991 everything was destroyed . I left with my sister ’ s family and lived in internal displaced camps in South Sudan . Eventually , I walked for many days before ending up in the famous ( or infamous ) Kakuma Refugee Camp in Northern Kenya . During my 10 years in this camp , my goal was to get an education , even if it was the substandard . Despite the hardships , I managed to finish my education and taught in the Primary School for two years . This developed my passion for knowledge .
The further I am from home , the closer I get to my dream - education . I arrived in Brisbane in 2005 on a Humanitarian Visa sponsored by my cousin , with financial assistance from my nephew in the USA . Six months after my arrival , I enrolled in a Business Communication Degree but changed and completed a Law Degree . I also have a Masters in International Relations and I am currently pursuing a Masters of Law ( International Law ) and a Graduate Certificate in Domestic Violence . My passion for Alternative Dispute Resolution led me to train as a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner and I worked for Relationships Australia before getting a job with Interrelate in Coffs Harbour .
I am a positive pessimist because I think the world is not our friend until we befriend it . Looking back , the culture repertoires that I have carried with me from home are the tools I shall always have . In essence , my passion is to have a positive impact on my community . Suffice to say , for me , life is the aggregate of fulfilled , unfulfilled and future dreams . Hope is tethered on the past with a long rope to reach the future . I often dream about impossible things and it keeps me going ...”
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