Before moving to Australia, Flora worked as a make-up artist in China. After arriving with her family on a temporary skilled work visa, she quickly realised that learning English would be essential to building a life in her new country. She began attending free community English classes wherever she could find them. 

“My English [was] zero…oh, it [was] difficult,” she recalls.  

After gaining permanent residency in 2017, Flora began formally studying English through the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) at a local TAFE. Over the years, she balanced work and study while steadily building her language skills and confidence. 

After completing her initial 510 hours of free English tuition, Flora was no longer eligible to continue studying through AMEP under the rules that applied at the time. However, a major reform to the program in 2020 removed the 510-hour cap, allowing eligible students to continue learning English until they reached a vocational level. 

For Flora, these changes provided an opportunity to continue developing her English language skills and move closer to her goal of becoming an Australian citizen. 

Around the same time, a long-time classmate and friend who was studying at Prace encouraged Flora to enrol at the Reservoir campus. 

“She told me Prace is a small class…and [the] teacher Belinda is a very good teacher…”, Flora recounts. 

Inspired by her friend’s recommendation, Flora joined Prace’s Certificate III in EAL stream through the AMEP program in 2023. The decision marked an important new chapter in her learning journey. 

“When I first start[ed] in this class, I’m very shy…The teacher asked me questions and I was very shy,” Flora says. 

Despite travelling from Lower Templestowe and catching two buses to class, Flora’s commitment to improving her English never wavered. Her teacher, Belinda, describes her as an extremely diligent and motivated student who has made significant progress in all areas of her English.  

Belinda continually encouraged her to step outside her comfort zone and practice speaking whenever possible. 

“Belinda is a very good teacher to us…[she] always push me up, push me, you know? Just speaking, speaking. Gave me a lot of practice…[she] told me: you can do it!”. 

As Flora’s confidence grew, so too did her belief that she could achieve becoming an Australian citizen, a goal she had been working towards for many years. 

“It’s big improve[ment]. When I started in Prace in 2023 to now, it’s different totally for me. I changed.” 

For a long time, the citizenship test had felt out of reach. However, with stronger English skills and the support of her teacher and classmates, she decided it was now time to try! 

To prepare, Flora enrolled in Prace’s Living and Working in Australia course. The eight-week program helped her to build her knowledge of Australian history, culture, values and citizenship, while also providing practical preparation for the test itself. 

Flora approached the challenge with the same determination she had brought to her English studies. Each evening, she read the citizenship materials, wrote down unfamiliar words, and brought questions back to class. 

“It [was] difficult for me,” she says. “But, I don’t give up.” 

Her hard work and dedication paid off, successfully passing the citizenship test and officially becoming an Australian citizen in May this year. 

Alongside improving her English and gaining citizenship, Flora says one of the best parts of studying at Prace has been learning from her classmates and practising real-life conversations that help her navigate everyday situations at work and in the community. She has been able to practise not only in the classroom, but during incursions and excursions as part of the EAL course’s curriculum.