By CASEY NEILL
Dee Insaro is a mum who means business.
She’s the co-ordinator for the Keysborough-based Thai Language School of Melbourne and Sivalai Thai Dance.
“I can’t read and write Thai. I wanted my kids to be able to speak and read and write and just know about their cultural background,” she said.
“My intention was to study with them.”
But she’s now too busy managing teachers, volunteers and 80-plus students to go to classes.
“My kids know more about the language than I do!”
Ms Insaro was part of the Mothers Mean Business Expo at Dandenong Market on Sunday 15 May.
The event showcased migrant women and their businesses, many started at kitchen tables.
Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Coalition (VIRWC) organised the event with help from the Multicultural Women’s Friendship Network, City of Greater Dandenong, Dandenong Market and ERMHA.
Many exhibitors were administrators, nurses and academics in their homeland and found themselves in a new country, still driven to succeed but unable to continue their original career.
The event was designed to offer inspiration and advice to other migrant women about how to succeed.
“I met a lot of new people. I made some friends,” Ms Insaro said.
Thai Language School of Melbourne started at a Forest Hill temple in 2001 and has since grown enormously.
Its Sunday classes relocated to Keysborough College this year.
Ms Insaro moved to Australia from Thailand when she was four years old.
“Every day after school we had to write the alphabet.
“I was never allowed to speak English at home to my mum and dad, I had to speak Thai.
“It’s very tonal. That’s where I find it hard. There’s about 44 letters in the alphabet and you’ve got another 20 or so accents.”
She said it wasn’t just people with Thai backgrounds who attended classes.
“Some of our adult students, they’ve just been to Thailand and they enjoy it there so much they want to learn the language so they can communicate in Thai,” she said.
“We have a few people, their businesses send them. They want their staff to learn Thai because they have business relations with Thailand.”
Sivalai Thai Dance is part of the language school.
“We dance for events, weddings … ” Ms Insaro said.
“It’s very elegant, classical.
“It’s theatrical. Certain songs you’re actually portraying a story from the song.
“I’m quite shy so it makes me open up and I just feel very graceful, very elegant.
“It just takes me out of my comfort zone, I think.”
For more information, visit thaimelbourne.com.au.
