Student Profile

Bibash Adhikari

How old are you? 25

Where are you from?
I am from an area of Kathmandu called Hattigaunda. Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal and contains the government bodies and most of Nepal’s major industry.

What are the main differences between your home and Darwin?
I have found the culture very different in Darwin. In Nepal we have a cast system with 4 different casts and 36 subcasts but Darwin is very multicultural with a lot of Filipinos, Indians and Chinese and of course Australians.

I also find the aboriginal art here very different from the types of art we have in Nepal but I did find one similarity. We have an instrument called a Pancheybaja that is very similar to the Didgeridoo. I was also quite surprised to find that Australians had heard of many places in Nepal.

What do you miss most from home?
I miss the same things that every student does when they leave home, my friends and family and the Nepalese food. I also missed Bollywood movies but I managed to find some in Darwin at the local markets.

I have made good friends with some other students from Nepal and from other countries and that has made settling in much easier. I really enjoy getting to know people from a different background and although we sometimes have trouble communicating clearly, we have found it very interesting comparing our native languages and our different alphabets.

Have you been getting involved in activities outside of school?
Yes. There is a Nepalese group in Darwin and they organised a welcome party for me and a few of the other Nepali students arriving in Darwin.

Through this group I have made some good contacts through their email network and I have started playing soccer with some of the other people. We have even organised a soccer tournament in July between four Darwin based Nepali teams.

For Nepali New Years, the group organised a function for local Nepali people. This involved traditional Nepalese food, music, dancing, singing and lots of gossip.

Why did you choose to study in Darwin?
I really wanted to learn more about the hospitality industry and improve my English. Darwin is also a popular tourist destination.

Most interesting part of the hospitality industry?
I like the satisfaction of good customer service. I also like meeting new people, especially people from many different cultures and backgrounds.

What is your favorite part of the course so far?
I have really enjoyed the lectures. The lecturers here have a good sense of humor and make us laugh a lot but they are also very serious about their industry. The RSA course was also very useful as it gave me the chance to get a job in the liquor industry.

Where do you want this course to take you?
After I graduate I would like to continue to work in the hospitality and tourism industry. Since Nepal is a very popular tourist destination I would maybe like to go back there to work in the tourism industry.

What have you been doing to improve your English?
Before I came, I spent a lot of time studying for my IELTS exam and achieved a very good result. Since coming to Australia I have been trying to speak with as many Australian people as possible and also read English books, listen to English radio and watch English tv. It was hard at first, especially as Australians seem to speak very fast and sometimes I don’t understand completely.