Twelve brave women and their new lives in Australia

Vesna Cvjetićanin’s uncle worked on the original Snowy Scheme. In 1990, she left war torn Sombor, Serbia, for Australia.

Vesna’s plan was to stay in Australia until things got better in her native Serbia. Her husband’s degree was recognised professionally here, which enabled them to stay on a resident visa.

A lawyer in Serbia, Vesna set about learning English and working with community organisations and women’s refuges. She gained employment with the ACT health department, then moved to Federal Health, becoming a director.

Vesna’s family connection to the original Snowy Scheme and its workers from more than 30 countries, and her time here, inspired Vesna to write: An Unexpected Life: Celebrating the stories of 12 of Canberra’s Migrant Women. She describes the book’s subjects as a Leg tower of people who add their strength and attributes to Australia.

“This book is about 11 friends I’ve met since arriving in Australia,” Vesna said.

“We are from Peru, Chile, Ghana, South Africa, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Macedonia, Bosnia -Herzegovina, Romania and Serbia. Having that migrant background, brings us together like a magnet.”

The diversity of the Snowy Scheme played a significant role in shaping multicultural Australia; Vesna’s own culturally diverse circle of friends has personally helped shape her journey.

The most interesting discovery for Vesna that came out of writing this book is that the, “ human spirit is so strong and can be so beautifully resilient.” The book took two and a half years to collate and write.

With World Refugee Day on the 20th of June, this is a great opportunity to celebrate our own journeys.