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Sapna Upadhyay, a Master of Public Health student, interviews an international postgraduate student in Brisbane to explore their experience with social inclusion and belonging. The student initially felt homesick and isolated but gradually formed friendships, got involved in university support services, and engaged in clubs and events to connect with others. They found support from lecturers, tutors, and peers, and highlighted the importance of taking initiative to build relationships. Participation in study groups, social events, and volunteer activities positively impacted their well-being and motivation, contributing to a sense of belonging in both academic and community settings. Hello, thank you very much for taking your time to meet with me today. I'm Sapna Upadhyay, a Master of Public Health student at the University of Queensland. This interview is part of my assessment for public health and I'm exploring how international postgraduate students experience social inclusion and belonging in Brisbane. Hi Sapna, thank you for inviting me. It's nice to be here and I'm really happy to share my experience. Yeah, that sounds good. I'll ask you some open questions about your experience at university with friends and in the community, mainly what what helps you feel included and supported. There are no right or wrong answers. I'm just interested in your own experience and opinion. Yeah, that sounds good. I'm happy to help. Your participation is voluntary and you can skip any question or stop at any time. Everything you share will remain confidential. I will use a pseudonymous name so your name won't appear anywhere. The recordings will be stored securely and deleted after the assignment is marked. Do I have your permission to record this interview so I can make sure I captured your word accurately? Yes, of course. Go ahead. Okay, let us start with the interview questions. Could you please tell me a little about yourself, what you're studying and how long you have been in Brisbane? Sure. I'm from India and I came to Brisbane earlier this year to do my Master's of Public Health at University of Queensland. My background is in dentistry. I finished my Bachelor's of Dental Surgery in 2030, 2023 and worked for about five to six months and then decided to continue studying because I wanted to move into a broader health policy and public health space. Okay. When I first arrived, everything was new, the weather, the transport and even how people greeted each other. I remember getting lost trying to find the hostel campus because all the buildings looked the same. But over time, I got used to it. I live near campus now, so that's convenient. Okay. So, how has your overall experience been as an international postgraduate student so far? Honestly, it's been kind of mixed. In the beginning, I felt homesick and bit isolated. I didn't know anyone here and even though everyone was friendly, it still took time to form a real friendship. But after a few months, things started improving. I met some amazing classmates and started working part-time as a dental assistant, which helped me connect with people outside university too. Now, I would say I feel settled and quite comfortable in Brisbane. I still miss home food though. Nothing beats proper Indian chai. I can understand that. So, what kind of university support or activities have helped you feel included or supported? UQ actually has a lot of support if you know where to look. The orientation week was really helpful because we introduced all the student services like Student Hub, Student Employability Centre and the counselling services. I think the staff at the International Student Centre were very kind. They answered even the smallest question without making me feel silly. One thing that really stood out was the UQ Welcome Hub. They had coffee, snacks and volunteers from different countries. Talking to them made me realise everyone goes through similar adjustments. I also liked how approachable the lecturers were. In India, the relationship between the teachers and students is more formal, but here it's more open. You can email them or even chat after class and they genuinely listen. Nice to hear that. So, can you give an example of something that really made a difference for you? Yeah, there was a time during one of my assignments of the public health, I was struggling to understand how to reference properly in APA 7 because it was totally new for me. I emailed the course coordinator expecting maybe a short reply, but they actually scheduled a quick Zoom call and explained it step by step. That moment really made me feel supported because they didn't have to do that. Also, the UQ Union Street Breakfast at one of the campuses was another thing that helped me feel included. It's a small event, but it's social. You grab a coffee and chat with whoever is there. I met some students from different other courses like dentistry. It sounds minor, but those informal conversations make a big difference when you are new and trying to fit in. Okay. So, let's have your lecturers or tutors or supervisors influence your sense of belonging at the university? To be true, my lecturers are really amazing. They treat us as a future professional rather than just students. For instance, in one of my epidemiology classes, the tutor often asked us to share the examples from our home countries. I remember explaining how oral health surveillance works in India and she said, that's really valuable. We don't usually get that perspective. It made me feel like my background added and something to the class rather than being something to hide. Okay. So, what do you think made those interactions positive or challenging? The thing is, everything has its own bone and a con kind of thing. Like, speaking out to new people is a bit challenging. Like, taking and initiating, approaching people, approaching lecturers and getting out of your comfort zone is a bit of a challenge. But it does increase your self-confidence and it motivates you and makes things a bit more interesting to talk and have this oral conversation with other people and know their culture as well. Yeah. Okay. So, have you used any university services like clubs or programs that help you connect with others? In one of our market day events, I did join a few of the clubs. But I could only keep my ties with the Public Health Association Club and UQ Union. It's a student club kind of thing. It organizes small talks and small events. I attended a few of the sessions on career pathways and after public health, which were spoken by alumni from our college who got jobs in the different sectors. That event motivated me because it connected what we learned to real-world possibilities. I've also gone to a cultural event which was organized by UQ Union and various APS kind of thing and some international food festivals. They're vibrant and you feel proud sharing your culture. Still, I think UQ could encourage more mixed participation. Many of these events are mostly attended by international students. It would be nice if domestic students joined more so we could have more cultural exchange. Okay. So, can you describe your experiences making friends here with both international and domestic students? Making friends has been easier with other international students because we share similar experience. Things like navigating rent, cooking and or missing family. My closest friends are from Nepal, China and other different parts of India. We bonded over late night study sessions and complaining about the deadlines. On the other part, with domestic students, it's a bit slower. The Australians are friendly but more reserved initially. We'll chat during group work but it doesn't always go beyond that. My mother was one of my Australian classmates once invited me to the barbecue at one of their park or new farm kind of thing. That was such a fun day. I tried pavalova for the first time. It made me realize they are open. It just takes time to build trust. Okay. So, like what do you think what helped you to build those relationships? I learned to take initiative. At first, I was shy. Thinking people might not be interested but then I started conversations like asking for help with an assignment or sharing snacks after class. Food is a great icebreaker. Over time, I noticed that when you show genuine interest, people respond warmly. Okay. Also, group project helped me a lot. During our project management course, we had to collaborate closely over several weeks. Working together towards a common goal really builds relationships because you see each other's strengths and personalities. Are there any particular study groups or social events or online communities that make you feel you belong? Absolutely. We do have one or two WhatsApp group chats in which we can always put up a question or vent about our deadlines. We used to use it to clarify doubts and share our commander quotes and remind each other of deadlines. Eventually, it became more personal. We started sending memes, celebrated birthdays, and planning lunch after workshops. Those small things created a sense of belonging. Okay. I also joined a small study circle with two classmates and we met at Hurston Library on Fridays after lectures. We studied for an hour and then just talked about life, rent, prizes, travel, even relationships sometimes. Those sessions really helped with mental well-being. Okay. So, how do those interactions affect your well-being or motivations? They keep me grounded. When I feel overwhelmed, just knowing that others are going through similar challenges makes me feel less alone. It boosts motivation because you are accountable to each other. We even remind each other to drink water and take breaks. Honestly, these friendships are one of the main reasons I enjoy studying here. Okay. Outside of university, have you taken part in any community, cultural, or volunteer activities? Yes, a few. I volunteered once for a group in Brisbane City. We collected rubbish around the riverbank. It felt nice giving back even in a small way. I also joined a health awareness event organized by a local NGO about oral health promotion. It connected me back to my dental background and reminded me why I came into public health in the first place. Okay. Culturally, I attended the Diwali event and Navratri event organized by Indian Students Association. I wore traditional clothes and even danced a bit. It was nostalgic. You meet people who speak your language and understand your jokes. So, it feels like you're home for a few hours and the food was amazing in this event. Okay. So, how did this experience make you feel connected or included in Brisbane life? They made me realize that Brisbane is a multicultural city that actually values diversity. When I volunteered and the locals thanked us genuinely, it wasn't a performative. When I attend cultural events, there are Australians who just join out of curiosity. That mix of openness and respect makes you feel like you belong here. Okay. How do you keep connections with your home culture while living and studying here? I cook Indian food almost daily. That's my main connection. I make dal, roti and some other biryani kind of thing when I miss home. Also, I talk to my parents on video call every day almost and Sundays are for long family calls. I keep up with Indian news, watch Bollywood movies and follow cricket. Maintaining that connection helps me stay emotionally balanced and I have my friends. I usually like to connect to them with even a smallest insecurity or even a smallest thing happening in my life. I like to update them with that. Okay. Has this balance between cultures influenced your feelings of belonging? Definitely. At first, I thought I had to choose either adapt completely or stick to my roots but now I realize it's about integration. I can be an Indian and still belong in Australia. I have become more confident about my identity. I now celebrate both Diwali and Christmas. It's taught me that belonging doesn't mean closing who you are. It's about feeling comfortable in multiple spaces. Nice to hear that. Looking back, what has been the biggest factor that helped you feel you belong in Brisbane? It has to be people. 100% people. Whether it's a kind lecturer, a classmate who saves a seat for you or a flatmate who checks in after a long day. Those human connections matter the most. My part-time job has also helped me because I interact with local patients and colleagues daily. It improved my communication and gave me a sense of being part of community rather than just a student. Also, learning to be independent played a big role. Managing rent, budgeting, cooking, these things taught me resilience. Once I started feeling competent in handling daily life, I began to feel that I actually belong here and I can live confidently. What advice or suggestion would you give to universities or local communities to make international students feel more included? I would suggest universities create structured mentorship programs where new students are paired with senior students and ideally one domestic and one international. It helps break the initial hesitation. Also, workshops on Australian workspace culture or communication style would really help, especially for students who plan to work part-time. Sometimes misunderstandings happen just because we don't know local expression or a humour. For local communities, I think there would be more volunteering platforms that especially invite international students. Many of us want to contribute but don't know where to start. Even sometimes like neighborhood welcome events would go a long way. Okay, so like is there anything else about your experience or inclusion of inclusion or belonging that would you like to share? I think belonging is not automatic. You build it. I think you get that, right? Yeah. At first, I expected that once I reached Australia, I would instantly feel included but it doesn't work like that. You have to participate, show up and be open to new experience. At the same time, institutions need to also create a space where students from different backgrounds can interact naturally. For instance, group projects that mix domestic and international students intentionally or social events tied to learning activities can help. On a personal level, I learned so much about empathy and diversity. When you live abroad, you understand that it feels like to be outside of your comfort zone and that makes you more understanding towards others. I think that's the biggest gift this experience has given me. Okay, so let's bring us to the end of the interview. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and insight. They are very valuable for my project. If you have any question later or if you would like me to remove anything you said, please let me know. Thank you so much again for your time. I really appreciate it. Sure, I'll do that. Thank you and it really was a thoughtful conversation.