AustLit

Taghred Chandab reflects on the conflicts of identity she faced during her childhood in Australia as a Lebanese Muslim girl and how these conflicts continued into her adult years. She explains her decision to relocate with her husband and children to Abu Dhabi. 'Growing up in Australia', she writes, 'I struggled with my identity. I never felt I was an Aussie kid. I was torn between my parents' culture and what I was surrounded with on a day-to-day basis. I was embarrassed to speak Arabic with my parents in public and when I tried I felt unconfortable'. She says that eventually she plans on returning to Australia, 'but at the moment we are trying to raise the girls as leaders, rich in knowledge and experience. [...] We want them to return with the confidence to tackle the stereotypes and misconceptions about people of Arabic-speaking backgrounds without feeling insecure about themselves' (108).