Nylok

From South Sudan to Morwell

My name is Nylok Myong. I am from South Sudan.

I fled from my home city, Malakal, to Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan. I came from Khartoum to Egypt. I felt safer in Egypt. Egypt was good, but we were refugees there.

I lived in Egypt for a year-and-a-half before I was allowed into Australia. That’s quick compared to other people.

I came to Australia with my son. He was 11 then. Now, he’s in his 20s.

We arrived in Springvale, southeast of Melbourne, in 2007.

We came to Morwell in 2008.

Morwell is good. It was difficult at first, because it is another country. You have new rules to learn.

In Morwell, a lot of people are here. I like the people here; they are my friends. I have a lot of people who are friends. White people and black people. We had a social worker to show us what to do and take us to school – it was good. I like making friendships in Morwell.

I have kids away from here. I had four children, but my girl died in the war and now I have three.

My youngest son, I bring him here. I separated from my two other sons in 2005.

When I came to Australia, the Red Cross helped me find them. They helped me bring them to Khartoum and I paid to bring them to Egypt.

I want to bring them to Australia. But one son, he has disappeared. We don’t know where he is now since 2017 – I don’t know if he is dead or alive. I miss him.

All the people back home, I think about them. If I have a good job, I can support them.

All the time, they are ringing me. I can’t sleep well, because the phone rings all the time from my country. I hear the bad messages all the time. Some people die sick. Some people die hungry; they don’t have the food. That’s why I go to look for a job. I want to support them. I try to raise money and collect clothes to send to the people back home in South Sudan.

I am happy in Australia, but I am thinking about back home. There is no war here. There is a lot of food here. But back home, some people die with no food.

There are many South Sudanese in this area. I connect with them. I teach the children traditional dancing. Sometimes I go to church in Dandenong. I also go to church in the Latrobe Valley.

I have work here. I have a house here. I have some family here. I feel safe in Morwell.