Stories, stories, stories. Theyre all around us and in Kurilpa the diversity of stories seems endlessly amazing if not bewildering.

Yoav is here with us for his second time now. Israel born and raised, Yoav was living in Chicago when he and his wife and child decided to come and join us in Kurilpa. At the age of 31 it was time to follow his dream by adding a physiotherapy degree to the exercise physiology qualification hed already achieved. It was also a time for bad news.

He opened the letter while sitting in a lecture at our University of Queensland, the one confirming that the growing weakness in his legs was in fact due to a rare form of muscular dystrophy (Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy or LGMD2A). That was three years ago.

But you have to just get on with it, Yoav says.

And he did; completing his course work and then going back to Chicago in 2019 for one of his practical placements. Then in January this year, with impeccable timing, he returned to Kurilpa.

As we sat together talking at The Jacaranda Coffee Lane I could see the enthusiasm in his eyes as he told me there was no question about where to complete his final placement.

It had to be West End. This is such a great place. Its a real community and the people here seem to really care about each other.

Where we lived in Chicago it was like that, although you dont get the gang violence that we do over there.

It had to be West End even though the news last time wasnt so good. And it still has to be West End even though the bad news has kept coming. This time the Covid-19 crisis hit and we know how that has left our international student guests. But to make matters worse Yoav received word from his wife that she wants a divorce.

So, armed with exactly $1,012 to his name, Yoav is facing a difficult future being part of our community. Yoavs four housemates cant carry him for much longer as they all are students as well, and their financial circumstances arent all that much better than his. International students are falling through the cracks of Government support and the logistics of getting back to Chicago, finding employment, avoiding Covid-19, and transferring a course of study that is a 5 weeks placement away from completion, is a bridge too far.

This Kurilpa story comes to you care of a number of connections and chance meetings. Yoav queues up for help at Wednesdays Food Bank on Boundary Street. Sandi Trembath, one of our local Police officers, helps him and his wheelchair to the front of the queue (Sandi is an angel at a time when my trust in people was shattered, Sandy helped me regain some trust in people around me.). Sandi hears his story and thinks of me because Ive tried to arrange help for international students in the past. I call Jan at The Westender to tee up this article and here we are after a chat with Yoav at The Jac. Thats community!

So, if there are folks amongst us who can help Yoav take some good news with him when he finally makes it back to Chicago heres what he might need:

Offers of help can be sent to Yoav via the author at buzolica@ozemail.com.au

Image by Jan Bowman Yoav with Adrian Buzilic

Original post:
NEARLY THERE BUT NOT QUITE: International Guest Falls on Hard Times - The Westender