My First Year on Aussie Soil
By SBS
What is it really like to start calling Australia home? My First Year in Australia is an SBS podcast hosted by comedian and actor Suraj Kolarkar. As a youngster he migrated Down Under from India and has been obsessed with immigrant stories ever since. Join Suraj as he delves into tales from people who have found their feet in Australia, sharing their hilarious first impressions, the highs and lows of life in a new country, and the perils of the Aussie accent.
Latest episode
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Australia became a second home for Urzila Carlson after she left South Africa for NZ
Urzila Carlson is a hugely successful comedian in Australia and NZ where she now lives, and has also built a significant following overseas. Suraj and Urzila talk about growing up in apartheid South Africa and how it shaped Urzila's world view, how t… -
Comedian Tahir found fame in Australia after migrating as a child
Beloved comedian Tahir Bilgiç has established himself as a fixture in Aussie comedy, starring in shows like Fat Pizza, and Here Come the Habbibs. Born in Ankara (Türkiye), Tahir migrated to Australia in the mid 70s as a toddler. He shares his stories… -
Anisa Nandaula on the shock of Rockhampton after migrating from Uganda
Ugandan-born comedian and performer Anisa Nandaula was told by her mother that she was headed to the most diverse part of Australia. This turned out to be the middle of Rockhampton. Anisa steps Suraj through the story of immigrating and adapting to a… -
Indira Naidoo: From smuggled baby to media star
Indira Naidoo is a revered media personality and journalist, and an inspiration to many in Australia. Naidoo's parents were fifth generation Indian South Africans living under apartheid. They left the country when Indira was a baby to seek a better l… -
Getting fired from a job in accounting was Dilruk Jayasinha's ticket to a career in comedy in Australia
Sri Lankan-born comedian Dilruk Jayasinha moved to Australia to study accounting. After discovering partying and the uni lifestyle, Dilruk was less than successful in that field. But getting fired from his first accounting job may have been a blessin… -
Comedian AJ Lamarque on his British, Chinese, Indian, South African and Jamaican heritage
We're back for a second season with a host of new guests sharing the highs and lows of their first months in Australia. Born and raised in North London, comedian AJ Lamarque experienced his first taste of culture shock when he moved to the quiet coun… -
Comedian Peter Meisel came to Australia on a two year teaching contract and never left
Jewish comedian Peter Meisel arrived in Australia in the 1970's on a two year teaching contract. He never expected to still be here decades later. -
Everyone deserves a second chance: Former child soldier Grace Arach finds solace in helping others
Grace Arach grew up in the northern part of Uganda. When her parents separated, Grace's father took custody and her step mum treated her very poorly. In 1995 Grace's dad was killed by Joseph Kony's rebel group. A year later she was kidnapped by the g… -
When Mack Okine migrated from Ghana, 1970s Townsville wasn't how he had imagined Australia
Mack Okine was born in Ghana and raised on cocoa farm. As a young man he studied chemical engineering, but on a whim applied for a dentistry scholarship to Australia. Expecting a city that looked like those he'd seen in the movies, Mack was instead g… -
Rough landing: Nine year old Julia arrived in Australia speaking no English
When Julia Mawande moved from Italy to Australia as a child she spoke absolutely no English. She was greeted by a very close-knit extended Australian Italian family, but couldn’t speak to anyone her own age. It made school incredibly challenging. Jul…
