Ariana from Macau : Where East meets West

Macau could perhaps be considered as Hong Kong's smaller and overlooked little brother. It is similar in that its a small ex-European colonial enclave on the south coast of China and it is also administered under the "Two systems, one nation" policy. However, it is much smaller in size and population and its main industry is tourism, primarily based around the casino and gambling business. As you will hear in Ariana's story, this does limit the scope of opportunities for young Macinese and leads to many leaving Macau for pursue their aspirations elsewhere.Before 1999, Macau was a colony of Portugal, and though the influence of Portuguese language and culture has been waning, it still makes up a part of Macau's unique and distinctive identity, in particular in its cuisine and architecture. However, in many other areas it is the Cantonese Chinese culture that predominates. Ariana originally came to Australia to pursue her studies in Translating and Interpreting, and she completed a Masters in Brisbane. After graduating, she struggled for a while to gain secure employment and fell out of love with the interpreting business somewhat. Like many, she was drawn to Tasmania by the Australian Government's Regional Migration scheme, which gives preference to visa applications from those residing in regional areas such as Tasmania. This also prompted a change of career direction for Ariana. At first she worked in childcare before eventually securing her current job in events management, which has been a breakthrough for Ariana both in terms of securing a long-term visa, but also job satisfaction and personal confidence.