Sarabjeet Singh balances his own study commitments with helping other international students settle into life in Australia.
The 21-year-old young Sikh man's passion for civil engineering led him to Australia in 2020.
He tells SBS Punjabi that from the day he started his student Journey in Australia, he was determined to do something for the community and to help others.
Recently, he was awarded the City of Greater Geelong for his contributions to the community, and he says this is just the beginning of his journey.
“When I came to Australia, I was an impressionable young boy who did not know where to go and what to do, but then someone helped me and that inspired me to help others,” he says.
Mr Singh has proven a great support for newly arrived students through his voluntary work as a student mentor.
He has organised study support groups for students and also represented bodies like Study Geelong, Study Melbourne and Engineers Australia.
Mr Singh explains how he set up a group for Indian students, which involves meet-ups to celebrate important Indian festivals and dine together.
He says he has never felt like an outsider in Australia. In fact, he feels at home here because people have been so helpful.
Mr Singh has a special message for international students and community members: stay determined and always follow your goals no matter how difficult the situation is.
"Hard work will always pay off in the end," he says.
To listen to this interview in Punjabi please click on the audio below.
