Football helped Wanderers player integrate when he arrived in Australia

Playing against English Premier League giants, Arsenal is a long way from the Kenyan refugee camp where Wanderers player Abraham Majok was born.

Sydney Wanderers Forward Abraham Majok (L) in action during the AFC Champions League 2017.

Sydney Wanderers Forward Abraham Majok (L) in action during the AFC Champions League 2017. Source: Getty Images AsiaPac

On Saturday, the Western Sydney Wanderers took on the Gunners in what Abraham Majok says was a dream come true.

Born to South Sudanese parents in Kenya, Majok arrived in Australia in 2005 with his mother and nine siblings.

Majok says at first he was frightened by how different everything in Australia was.

“It felt like, 'where the hell are we?' we're in a different country, they look nothing like us, and I couldn't speak the language as well,” he said.

“I’d never been on a plane before, being on the plane was weird.”

Majok said even being in a car was strange because he had hardly ever been in one.

Like many new migrants, he said moving to Australia was a very isolating experience.

“You felt lonely because no one speaks your language... I felt lost, but got through it in the end."

But when he started playing football, that all changed.
Abraham Majok has come a long way to be signed with the Western Sydney Wanderers.
Abraham Majok has come a long way to be signed with the Western Sydney Wanderers. Source: Getty Images
"It helped me a lot because it helped me with the language, meeting new people,” he said.

“So from there it helped me into integrating into the Australian society.

“Just putting myself out there with other people and talking to them and getting to know them."

When Majok got given the opportunity to play football professionally, he jumped at the chance.

He said his childhood in Kenya and life as a migrant has made him motivated to work hard.

In Kenya, “nothing is easy or given to you," he said.

“For me... I have a chance to make my life better than what it was and so I just saw what I wanted and just keep working hard for it until I get there."

Despite being a Manchester fan, Majok said playing Arsenal was a dream come true.

"When you come to a point in your life, you start playing against teams you always watch on TV, you look up to the players... It's just unbelievable."

But Majok hasn't achieved all his football dreams yet and he aspires to play in Europe one day.

“For now just got to keep working one step at a time and see where that takes me."

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2 min read

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By Amanda Copp, Adrian Arciuli



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