EDWARD KIM – KOREA
I am Edward Kim, 57 yrs old, from South Korea. I live with my wife Matilda and two beautiful grown up daughters, Patricia and Lina.
Moving to Australia was a big turning point in my life and it was not an easy decision. However I believed Australia was a very reliable country so I wasn’t worried. At first, I didn’t come for my daughters’ better education, I came over to have a change in my life, but in the end it worked well for everyone.
Korea is very crowded, especially Seoul, where we lived. Life is very competitive and all the cycles change and go very fast. People start resigning from their jobs between 45-50 yrs old because there were always lots of talented young people pushing you. I always had a yearning for the peaceful and relaxed life in Australia.
I was a restaurant manager in the biggest and most famous hotel in the country. I immigrated through the skilled migration scheme but I couldn’t find the same level of job here because my English was not strong enough. Language is one of the biggest problems.
I was a restaurant manager in a small hotel in Sydney for a year, but my position and wages were both down. Because I spoke Japanese I was the Japanese connector in the restaurant. However I felt that I couldn’t really go forward staying in that job.
We returned to Korea after a year because I was not happy. I was having trouble adapting to the new culture and the language really held me back. After a year in Korea, I returned to Australia in 1992. This time I went to Gold Coast, which had the best scenery and weather.
I started my own tour company for Koreans, which went well until the Asian financial crisis in 1997. A friend offered me a job as a safety officer in a coach company and I have been working there for 6 years. I work from 3am until 11am. Then I meet my friends or study for my real estate licence, or do occasional work as a car detailer or as a tiler.
When we first came to Australia we had no relatives or friends nearby. We had no one to help us with anything and had to learn by mistake. I may get a real estate licence and help other Koreans who immigrate here. I have helped lots of first arrivals to buy a car, get the electricity on, go shopping, etc.
I want to have a job, not to stay at home like an old man, I enjoy meeting people and making friends.
My dream is to save enough money to travel in Japan, Korea and Australia.