My job at a suit shop helped me understand Australian life — and forget my worries as a refugee

‘These little encounters — helping young men getting ready for weddings of women buying shirts for their husbands — are very enriching.’ Photograph: Wendell Teodoro/Getty Images

I skipped the Australian summer’s club cricket this year for a weekend stint at a Melbourne shopping centre. It was meant for earning some money, but it opened the door to a whole new world that my curious heart is still exploring.

As a refugee living in Australia I have been separated from my loved ones for more than a year. I have come to realise that facing this reality is the only option for survival and a new beginning in this country. In a way I’m following the Stockdale paradox.