Anna Belle

Hello, my name is Anna Belle, I am from a small beachside town in the panhandle of Florida, called Destin. It’s on the Gulf of Mexico and is locally known as “the world’s luckiest fishing village”, mostly because the majority of the town has never been anywhere else in the world. Growing up I couldn’t wait to leave small town U.S.A. and explore. Since I left Florida I’ve lived and worked in Switzerland, South America, Bali and Australia.

I came to Sydney in March 2019 as a backpacker. At that time, I was working as a digital nomad from my laptop and working part time jobs to meet people. Australia was very welcoming, and I grew into myself pretty quick in the sunburnt country. A year into my time here COVID-19 broke loose on the world and in the face of a global pandemic I decided to stay put and study in Australia.

I began studying a Bachelor of Arts focusing on digital media and communications in New South Wales. After a year of balancing work, study, and the housing crisis in regional NSW due to COVID, my partner and I decided to move to the NT for work opportunities. A lot had happened in the first year of my studies. Going through the pandemic here, witnessing the extraordinary spirit of community in Australia, working in a remote NT community, and developing an interest in public policy, I saw transferring to Charles Darwin University as a perfect storm of opportunity.

The past two years has changed me, as it has changed many of us. My interests had shifted from being a backpacker taking photos and updating a blog, to someone who wanted to take part in meaningful discourse. COVID-19 made me see the world with new eyes and I decided to change the focus of my study to Indigenous policy and governance. The Northern Territory and Darwin gave me the opportunity to work in this field and now study alongside. As a student looking to build a career, this is an invaluable opportunity.

The multicultural community that makes up Darwin is the most diverse place I have ever lived. Every day I learn something new about different cultures. Studying and working with people from so many different backgrounds has helped me imagine the world in ways. My favourite thing about Darwin is it’s “choose your own adventure” vibe. To me it’s the luckiest fishing village in the world.