Finding Love in the City of Churches
Adelaide-based LM Training Specialists is a language centre funded by the Commonwealth Government to deliver the Adult Migrant English Program to newly arrived refugees and migrants.
The focus of this training is to arm students with the survival skills necessary to ease the burden of settlement.
Verity Mikhchi (nee Ritchie) is the Coordinator of Curriculum Quality and Innovation.
"Wherever there is a humanitarian crisis in the world, the pattern of intake follows", Verity explains. Ten years ago a lot of Sudanese started to arrive in Australia. Now that intake has eased. This trend was followed by an influx of people fleeing civil and ethnic strife in the Middle East. Now the concentrating is on those from Burma and Bhutan. More often than not, it takes the sight of a stranger for some of us to realise that there is a world beyond our borders. For some, that world, unfortunately, harbours an evil that we can scarcely imagine.
The role of the Coordinator of Curriculum Quality and Innovation is primarily to educate the educators, who must then deliver the curriculum. Asked how the centre manages conflict amongst its students, the reply is matter-of-fact. "We are trained to handle conflict with positive reinforcement. The emphasis at LM Training Specialists is on Multiculturalism. The recognition that here in Australia, we understand that people who come from far distant lands do retain aspects of their culture."
Ironically Verity recently married a gentleman from Iran - Khodadad Mikhchi.
Verity Mikhchi and her new husband Khodadad Mikhchi
"I laughed and cried alternately throughout the ceremony … my mechanism to stop myself from crying was to start laughing".
When asked how they met, Verity giggles like a schoolgirl.
"I remember going back to my desk … and sitting down and blushing and I thought … what's happening here … I then became aware that I liked him … the reason why that is funny is because I had sworn off men completely … that promise lasted about a month, when he walked into the reception at my work."
What of the cultural differences between a girl from Adelaide and a man from the Middle East? Verity is circumspect "I don't know that he is typical of an Iranian man … he's been in Australia for roughly three years. He's had quite a western-liberal upbringing … we don't have that many cultural differences".
"The only issue where we might have disagreements would be … how to bring up a child … we are not anywhere near having a child but we do talk about it and we do talk about how we might like to go about it … otherwise we don't have any problems at all."
"I knew I would never marry an Australian … someone from a different culture but I thought it would be me travelling"
Khodadad identifies strongly with his Persian heritage. Verity takes a few minutes to address the misconceptions of the Persian race. Despite the geographical location, Persians do not speak Arabic. Whilst Iran may be an Islamic State, Khodadad is not a Muslim. Two questions that she is often asked. Persians are immersed in a rich culture with centuries of tradition. Khodadad Mikhchi is very proud of that history.
The focus of our interview then shifts to Adelaide, and the attraction of this City of Churches.
"I'm an old married woman now, I don't go out on a Friday nights anymore". After further coaxing, Verity offers First Bar, at the Richmond Hotel in Rundle Mall for those searching the epicentre of this city's nightlife.
"A lot of the city's beauty is hidden. Adelaide has a huge food culture. It is a great city to live, it's affordable, all of my family are here; it's close to the beach; the (Adelaide) Hills and the wine district. I have a strong bond with all of my High School friends … I love my City."
In a poignant moment where she speaks more to herself than the microphone, Verity admits, "I'm quite happy with a lot of aspects of my life".
I quite like “When asked how they met, Verity giggles like a schoolgirl”!