What does 'becoming Australian' mean to me

Image credit to Minuteman Press Liverpool

This year is especially meaningful for me, as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Australian Boating Manual. In March, I will be speaking at the Women Who Sail Australia gathering (https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GhooBj9fL/) reflecting on what the future of Captain Dick Gandy’s iconic “Boating Bible” might look like as it sails into its next 30 years - continuing to guide the sailors of tomorrow.

This year also marks another milestone: I have now lived half of my life in Australia. I was born and raised in China, and the first half of my life belongs there. Measured by time, I am now half Australian and half Chinese precisely. In spirit, though, I feel almost Aussie. So this Australia Day feels extra special.

What does “becoming Australian” mean to me?

After witnessing a peaceful student protest in Tiananmen Square being crushed in 1989, I made the decision to migrate to Australia. Back then the access to information about the outside world was very limited in China. At the time, my knowledge of this country was almost zero. Google didn’t exist (and even now it’s blocked). Facebook didn’t exist (also blocked). WeChat and TikTok hadn’t been invented. And drop bears? Never heard of them. I also had no idea about redbacks, funnel-webs, blue-ringed octopus, tiger snakes, box jellyfish—or all the other things in Australia apparently waiting to kill you. I’m quite glad I didn’t know. As the saying goes, the ignorant are fearless.

One of the biggest challenges to settle in this country was the language - Aussie English. All the American English I had learned in the classroom in China suddenly became… useless. At times, I would sit in conversations feeling as though I had accidentally enrolled in a comedy show with no subtitles.

When I first arrived, I thought becoming Australian meant blending in perfectly, perhaps even erasing parts of who I was. But over the years, I’ve learned something beautiful: in Australia, you don’t have to lose yourself to belong. In fact, I often feel more Australian when I’m wearing my traditional Chinese qipao.

Becoming Australian isn’t a moment, it’s a journey. A slow weaving of your story into the great tapestry of this nation. It’s made up of many small moments: My first “G’day.” My first Aussie BBQ. The first time I discovered that Vegemite is… well… an acquired taste. The moment I said “No worries” while actually having lots of worries. The moment I began saying “yeah, nah” and “nah, yeah”—and genuinely understood the difference. And the moment I caught myself cheering for Australia in sport… over China.

Australia is one of the most multicultural nations on Earth. Nearly half of us were born overseas or have at least one parent who was. We come from more than 200 countries, speak over 300 languages, and celebrate countless cultures and faiths - yet we live, work, and dream together as Australians.

Here, identity isn’t a single box. It’s a growing collection of stories, memories, and values.

Becoming Australian means saying yes to the things that scare you: new languages, new jobs, new challenges, new friendships, new ways of thinking. It means learning to laugh at yourself—because Australians will always laugh with you, not at you. Humour is part of the glue that holds this country together.

It means being curious, learning from others, respecting differences, and discovering that deep down, we all want the same things:

Freedom;

Safety;

Opportunity;

Belonging;

and a better future for our children.

It means embracing Australian values - fairness, mateship, a “can-do” attitude, a love of the outdoors, an easy-going spirit, and a great sense of humour.

Becoming Australian also means giving back. I feel more Aussie when I learn and contribute through volunteering; I feel more Aussie when I support charities; and I feel more Aussie when I start my day with a sunrise swim at the beach.

I came from China, but I belong here now. My accent may still give me away, and my childhood memories are from another land. But my heart, my work, my daughter, my hopes, and my future are Australian.

I am proud of where I came from - and equally proud of where I am now.

By Jing Gandy - publisher of the Australian Boating Manual