Eleven years ago, Sara fled her home in Iran, with her young son and a heart full of uncertainty. Her journey to Australia was long and difficult, but survival taught her resilience – and motherhood gave her purpose.
A journey of courage
Sara’s path to safety began in 2014 when she arrived in Turkey, where she lived for eight years. During that time, she took on a variety of jobs to support her family.
“I was waitress. I was tailor. I even made bags to sell in the street. Cleaning – everything,” Sara recalled
It was during her time in Turkey that she made the difficult decision to divorce her husband.
“Divorce is not a shame,” she said. “If you feel being in that relationship could damage your child, I think it’s good to be brave enough to come out of a toxic relationship, make your future, hold your child and tell them it’s not the end of the world. We can have a better life. I fought for that.”
A new beginning in Australia
Three years ago, Sara and her son Parsa arrived in Australia on a humanitarian visa, carrying mixed emotions.
“I was very excited and happy – happiness, sadness …” she said. “I didn’t know what I must do, because I knew that we must stay here for the rest of our life. And I just started learning English. It was very hard.”
“No one can give us a house – we didn’t have any history for renting a house. And we didn’t know how to connect the gas, electric, water.”
Eventually, Sara and Parsa moved into a small bungalow at a house next door to her parents. It had no cooling or heating, a hole in the ceiling where mice got in, and mould everywhere. Thankfully, Sara’s father helped fix it up, and together they have made a cosy home for themselves and their pet bird.
A mother’s pride
Sara’s next priority was finding a good school for Parsa. Her eyes lit up with pride as she spoke about him.
In Year 8, he recently received an Ethical Education award at school. He plays the piano beautifully – mostly self-taught because piano lessons are too expensive – and even writes his own music and lyrics.
Finding her place
Finding employment was another major hurdle. Sara’s first job in Australia was washing dishes in a restaurant. She then delivered for Uber Eats, studied a Certificate III, and worked in aged care – until an injury forced her to stop. With support from Spectrum’s Settlement Services, she accessed employment assistance and eventually earned her Certificate IV in Motor Vehicle Driver Training.
Now, Sara is a qualified driving instructor.
“I enjoy teaching people how to drive, how to empower them to be independent and free,” she said.
“When I was in Iran, and when I was married, he didn’t allow me to learn how to drive. I had to ask him, beg him, to drive somewhere.”
Many of Sara’s clients are also migrants – new to the country, navigating unfamiliar streets and unfamiliar lives. Her ability to speak Persian, Turkish, Dari, and Hazaragi helps her connect deeply with her students.
“I understand their journey,” she said. “Many people are new, and they really need to have a patient person working with them. Especially for people who drive on the right side (of the road), like Iran. My student this morning told me ‘I had five instructors before, but you are the best because you always make me laugh and you are very confident and patient, you’re always smiling, you don’t get angry.’”
Looking ahead
Despite the challenges of her settlement journey, Sarah’s eyes are bright with optimism.
“Yeah, I had a hard time in the first year when I came here, but after that, I found myself again,” said Sara. “And I started to be grateful about what I have. When you are grateful about what you have, more good things will come to your life.”
And her hopes for the future?
“Making a good life for my son. To raise him to respect himself, other people, women – to become a good citizen, become a good human, and continue his education to reach what he wishes for.”
Sara’s story is one of strength, transformation, and hope. With every driving lesson, she offers more than just skills; she offers freedom, a path to independence, confidence, and a reminder that even the most uprooted lives can find new ground to grow.
For driving lessons, please call Sara on 0406 413 041.
Bernadette Garcia – Head of Marketing and Communications
Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre
