Taghreed creates her own luck in the 'Lucky Country'

Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation (ADI) Associate Research Fellow Taghreed Jamal Al Deen feels so lucky.

Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation (ADI) Associate Research Fellow Taghreed Jamal Al Deen feels so lucky.

She has found her community, is able to channel her father’s passion for history and use knowledge gained from growing up in Iraq to work on a globally important research project many would find challenging at best.

Dr Al Deen is working with the Institute’s Dr Ben Isakhan investigating the inter-relationship between the destruction of cultural heritage and sharp upsurges in terror and violence in Iraq.

“For the first time in my life I can use my knowledge,’’ she said happily.

“I have this passion for research, reading and writing and this topic is so interesting.

“It’s not just because it’s about Iraq and Syria but it’s also about religion and the history of Iraq, the cultural practices and heritage.”

Dr Al Deen believes her father played an inspirational role in developing her interest in history and research.

“My father was a high school history teacher and used to publish his articles in what was called the Gulf magazine,” she said.

“He spent nights and nights with books around him, he was the one who wanted me to do my PhD, he believed in me.”

Dr Al Deen fled Iraq with her family in 1995, fearing persecution from Saddam Hussein’s regime.

“My uncle was one of the biggest figures for the opposition,” she said.

“My family waited for me to complete my teaching degree before we left.

“I was the only one of my siblings to finish my schooling, my brother was doing year 12 and my sister was doing engineering.

“We left Iraq and lived in Syria from October 1995 to January 1997.  ”I got married in Syria in 1996, my family went to the US and I came with my husband to Australia in 1997.”

Dr Al Deen said she had hoped to continue her education on arrival in Australia but her unfamiliarity with the operation of the education system in Australia made this difficult.

 “I did my Masters at Victoria University while I had my second child and also taught migrants at AMES and Chisholm TAFE in Dandenong and Berwick,” she said.

“It’s funny I was against teaching when I first arrived, but it gave me the opportunity to learn more about the system as well as work with other migrants.”

Dr Al Deen went on to complete her PhD which looked at the career opportunities for beginning Muslim teachers in non Islamist schools.

“Originally I wanted to look at migrant mother’s involvement in their children’s education,” she said.

“So many mothers don’t know about the education system and understand what their kids are doing, but I had to change topics.”

Dr Al Deen said it was difficult migrating from one country to another.

“Migration is a very challenging experience, but I think you should look at it positively not negatively in order to integrate successfully into society,” she said.

“Sometimes you don’t feel you are part of society or the community and it’s difficult because sometimes you don’t always feel part of your own community as well.

“But once you become settled, things become easier.”

Dr Al Deen said the key to settling was about finding your community.

 “When Jo (Collins, ADI’s Administration Manager) called me one morning I was convinced I was dreaming,” she said.

“I had applied for many jobs.

 “I’d been about to apply for a job in Oman or Qatar or somewhere else.

“Now I can see I have found my community here (at Deakin).”

Dr Al Deen said she felt welcome from day one at Deakin and didn’t feel a stranger.

“I feel I can share my ideas, I’m respected and more confident in my career,” she said.

Dr Al Deen believed her resilience was nurtured by her parents.

“In my family the girls were stronger than the boys and that is the way my dad brought us up,” she said.

“If I compared myself with other girls at school, my sisters and I were different", she said. “Even though we lived in the south, my mother worked at the university, and my father taught illiterate people after school, my parents were very involved in our education.”

Dr Al Deen spoke proudly of the achievements of her sisters. One sister went onto gain her Masters in Engineering and Technology, while her youngest sister is studying for a Masters in Biochemistry and is the face on the poster promoting the university’s expertise in this discipline.

 “Ironically, now my own daughter is looking at doing her university studies in medicine in another country.  “Somewhere else.”

Dr Al Deen urged people to take every opportunity.

“Don’t give up and keep looking for jobs even if you are being rejected,” she said.

“This was one of the most important lessons I learned.  “Keep writing, keep publishing and keep learning.”