At the time of writing this post I am on a plane heading up to Adelaide for spending my Christmas holiday there. Once I'm back, I will write about my first trip to Adelaide.
For now I want to write about a controversial subject that sometimes comes up when I talk to my mates:  Do immigrants owe to Australia? This subject can be very sensitive and even may annoy some Aussies. However, I believe that it is important to discuss this issue or at least use our precious freedom of speech to express our ideas.
I personally believe that when we live in a society, no matter which country it is, we owe a lot to it. Nobody is capable of living on his or her own. We owe to people who work hard to provide us with food, secure our lives and entertain us. So yes, from this point of view I do owe to Australia.
From an immigration point of view, I believe that many of us should not. feel that we are in a one-way relationship with our new country in which it is only us who must be happy. I would rather say that we are in a win-win situation!
But why is that? It actually depends on how and why you have come to Australia? How do you live and what do you do here? Since I came to Australia I have seen so many different types of people who have had unique reasons to move to Australia and have had amazing unique stories. However, I believe that we can divide people into a few major categories:
1- Immigrants who come to Australia on a boat.
2- Immigrants who come to Oz as skilled migrants or on another type of visa which has been granted for something that they had to offer.

The first category also can be divided into two sub categories:
A- Those who start learning, getting adapted and after a few years they contribute in making their society better.
B- Those who continue their miserable life!

I believe that many of us have decided to move to Australia because we found it a better place to live. I personally decided to have a voyage to find myself, build myself and find the flaws that I might have but I was not aware of because people who lived around me all had same issues!  Thus, I am happy that Australia gives me this chance to come here and also because it offered me a secure life and plenty of respect as well as peace of mind so that I could freely begin my journey and gradually become a different yet way more mature person.
But wait! It's not fair to think that only I must be thankful. Australia must thank me too! Let me tell you why!
I came to Australia at my early thirties, with a bachelor degree and almost ten years of work experience in IT industry. I had worked for quite a few corporations in three countries and two subcontinents. So, just think that how many years, how much money and how much effort would be needed to grow up, teach and train someone over 30 years? Definitely heaps! So we, the professionals, are a big asset for Australia and this makes us worth respecting. The good news is that Australia and the Aussies (mostly) understand this and are thankful for that.
So what is our role here? Do we have to be a good citizen and pay tax to prove it? Definitely we do. However, I believe that we can have even more added value for Australia. Many of us have brought yummy dishes to Australia and have saved them from having tasteless boring English foods! Many of us have though the Aussies new languages. Many of us have though the Aussies that race and colour do not make any nations the superiors. I believe that echo of us can be a good ambassador for our motherland and share our extensive experience and rich culture with the Aussies. I have found that many of them are very receptive and enthusiastic to learn.

So what if I am a refugee? Can I help and be someone valuable? The answer is 100% positive. Let me give you a good example:
My hair dresser has come to Australia on a boat. As he told me he had stayed in a detention centre for about two years until he had been granted with a Visa. For almost two years after that he has spent his time to learn a new skill (hair cut) as well as to learn English. As soon as he has managed to work he has let the government know that he does not need financial aids. After a few years, he has managed to start his own business, which is a small hair cut shop in Sydney CBD. Since then, he has decided to pay back the money that the government has paid to him to help him stand on his feet.  

As you see this person has taken the opportunity that Australia has given to him in the best way and now he is a respectable citizen for its society. Therefore, even under the most difficult circumstances one can make a big change and build a new life from scratch. I don’t think that anybody on this planet looks at such a brave person with scorn.

Okay, we are landing in Adelaide domestic airport shortly. Better wrap this post up and say goodbye till the next post :-)