Travel, explore and work abroad in Australia with IEC

Watch Mikaela’s story about jumping into a new adventure, thanks to International Experience Canada. She had the opportunity to work, travel and learn more about Indigenous cultures in Australia. Through this international experience she gained valuable skills and lasting memories.

Travel, explore and work abroad in Australia with IEC

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Transcript: “Travel, explore and work abroad in Australia with IEC”

Video length: 2:00

Exciting music plays throughout.

Text displays: “MIKAELA”.

MIKAELA is sitting on a large set of bleachers. Some people are in the background.

MIKAELA: My name is MIKAELA. I haven't been to Australia before.

Text displays: “Sydney Australia”.

MIKAELA is standing in front of the Sydney Opera House looking out over the harbour.

MIKAELA: It was on my top 3 list for quite a while.

A medium shot of MIKAELA sitting in front of a colourful background, speaking.

MIKAELA: There was an opportunity to go to Australia, and I was like, "Let's go!"

A shot from the harbour looking back towards the Sydney Opera House with a few ferry boats in the foreground. The camera pans to the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Text displays: “International Experience Canada: Travel, Explore, Work Abroad”.

A wide shot of MIKAELA sitting in front of a colourful background, speaking.

Text displays: “MIKAELA: Working Holiday in Australia”.

MIKAELA: I grew up my whole life in Fort Providence, Northwest Territories.

Text displays: “University of Sydney, Australia”.

A shot panning across the University of Sydney.

MIKAELA: I'm in Australia because I came to work for AIME (Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience) and gain their skills.

Text displays: “Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience”.

A person wearing an AIME t-shirt is leading a class of young adults.

Students are greeting each other in the hallway.

MIKAELA: I love the people I work with.

MIKAELA is smiling and dancing with a group of students. Some of them are wearing AIME t-shirts.

MIKAELA: The energy and vibes is just so positive.

Text displays: “Work abroad”.

A close up shot of MIKAELA smiling.

MIKAELA is with another AIME leader working on their laptops in a common room and laughing.

MIKAELA is walking along a pathway to a lookout over the water.

Text displays: “Ku Ring Gai National Park, Australia”.

MIKAELA: I didn't know much about the Indigenous people of Australia before arriving here.

MIKAELA is looking at a brass plaque depicting the area in relief, with the water in the background.

MIKAELA is looking out over the water from the lookout.

MIKAELA is walking along a path in the forest, looking at old Aboriginal art on the rock formations.

We see a plaque describing the area: “Aboriginal Art Site”.

MIKAELA is pointing at the rocks.

We see a close-up of one of the pictographs, an ochre handprint.

MIKAELA: What I learned is that we are very much similar than we are different, but I also got to learn a bit of their culture and way of life.

MIKAELA is learning how to start a fire by using a hand drill, guided by a male Australian aboriginal elder. We then see a closeup of the hand drill in action, and tendrils of smoke are coming off the base plate.

MIKAELA is watching a group of Australian Aboriginal children perform a traditional dance.

Text displays: “Discover”.

A sign says: “BLAK MARKETS – NAIDOC Arts Festival”.

People are shopping amongst traditional textiles in the market.

A sign showing menu items at the market with items like: Kangaroo stuffed capsicum with salad – $10 and hibiscus finger lime cordial – $3 a cup.

Camera pans over a table with woven, traditional-design purses on it.

MIKAELA: Some other activities that I got to partake in were grass weaving, where I went and sat down with an Elder.

Medium shot of MIKAELA weaving a grass bracelet.

A close-up shot of her hands as she fashions the bracelet.

MIKAELA: It was so nice to just sit with her and connect on that level.

MIKAELA is consulting with an Australian Aboriginal Elder who is sitting beside her on how to best continue making her bracelet.

A close-up shot of the Elder’s hands as she is making her own bracelet.

MIKAELA: That was one of the best moments I had.

MIKAELA and another woman are watching the Elder as she makes her bracelet.

MIKAELA is walking along historical buildings.

Text displays: “Explore”.

MIKAELA is walking along a forest path, then along a beach, and then along another path.

A close-up shot of a joey (young kangaroo) in a zoo.

MIKAELA: Coming to Australia, it's like, "Oh, you've got to see the kangaroos!"

MIKAELA walks up to the kangaroos.

MIKAELA: I didn't really see any wild ones, but I was glad that I went to go hang out with little Joey and Skipper and feed them some food and just hang out with them.

MIKAELA stoops, holds out her hand with some food in it. One of the kangaroos eats out of her hand. MIKAELA smiles as the kangaroo eats out of her hand.

MIKAELA is taking a photo of something with her smartphone. It’s a koala in the branches of a eucalyptus tree.

MIKAELA: What you can gain from travelling abroad is meeting new people, hearing their stories, seeing how it's different from where you come from.

MIKAELA is balancing on a stone wall at a historic site.

MIKAELA is sitting on a large stone on the beach with a young man. They are looking and pointing out to the bay, and the sea.

MIKAELA is sitting beside a female Aboriginal Elder, weaving another item out of grass. There is a large open book between them.

Text displays: “Bondi Beach, Australia”.

MIKAELA is on the pathway above Bondi Beach, looking out at the sea.

MIKAELA: It's totally taught me how to be more independent.

MIKAELA is walking along a large wall covered with street art. She smiles.

MIKAELA: I'm more confident.

MIKAELA puts her hand on the wall as she walks along.

MIKAELA: You gain so much and learn so much about yourself.

Close-up of MIKAELA looking out over the sea, and smiling.

MIKAELA: I can't wait to tell my grandma about this experience.

Medium shot of MIKAELA in front of a colourful background, speaking.

MIKAELA: She's going to be so proud, and, like... it was just amazing!

MIKAELA: I just loved it (laughs).

Text displays: canada.ca/iec.

Screen fades to black.

Text displays: “International Experience Canada”.

Text displays: “Facebook: @CanadiansAbroadIEC” and “Instagram: @IEC_abroad”.

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada corporate signature is shown, along with the copyright message, “Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 2019”, followed by the Canada wordmark.

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