As part of our Make a Move, Make a Difference campaign, we’re thrilled to spotlight Susie’s incredible story.
When Susie arrived in Melbourne from Nepal at just ten years old, everything felt unfamiliar. Among the biggest challenges was something many take for granted—learning to swim. What began as a source of fear slowly became a pathway to confidence, belonging, and self-discovery.
Through her story, Susie shows us that movement can mean much more than exercise—it can be a lifeline.
Susie’s story:
If someone had told me when I was a little girl in rural Nepal that one day I would find freedom in water, I would have laughed. Back then, water was something to be respected, not played in. It rushed past our village in cold, thunderous rivers that carved paths through the mountains. We used it for cooking, cleaning, and survival—but never for joy.
Swimming, in my childhood, was not a sport. It was a foreign concept. We crossed water, we didn’t float in it.
When I moved to Melbourne at the age of ten, I carried with me the weight of that difference. Everything here moved fast—people, buses, even time. At school, I often sat quietly, trying to catch up to a language that moved quicker than my thoughts. I smiled when I didn’t understand. I nodded when I felt left behind.
Then came the swimming lessons. A pale blue permission slip. One line that stopped me in my tracks. “We’ll be attending the local pool every Friday this term”. My stomach dropped. I had never worn a swimsuit, never put my head under chlorinated water, never dared to dream of floating. I almost didn’t go. I almost let my difference become my limit. But something in me—perhaps the same part that crossed oceans to come here—refused to say no.
That first lesson, I didn’t swim. I sat on the edge of the pool, feet dangling in the water, heart pounding like a drum. The instructor, Jess, knelt beside me and said something I’ll never forget: “Fear doesn’t mean you can’t do it. It just means you’re about to do something brave.” So, I started. Small. One toe, then both. Holding the wall. Floating like a starfish. Swallowing water and coughing through tears. But I kept coming back. And then one day—I swam. It was only across the shallow end, but for me, it felt like crossing a border, like stepping into a new life. Swimming didn’t just teach me how to move through water. It taught me how to belong. In a new country, in a strange school, in my own body. It reminded me that we are all learners, all afraid at some point, and all capable of more than we believe.
Now, I often return to the pool—not just to swim, but to remember. Every time I stretch my arms forward and kick my legs behind me, I’m moving through more than water. I’m moving through fear. Through change. Through the story of a girl who left the hills of Nepal and found her strength floating in a pool in Melbourne.
Swimming became my language before English did. It taught me that I don’t need to erase where I come from to learn where I’m going. And it all started with one brave step into the water.
Susie’s Advice for New Swimmers
- Start small. Even dipping your feet in is progress.
- Find support. A kind instructor or welcoming class can make all the difference.
- Don’t compare. Everyone learns at their own speed. Focus on your growth.
- Feel, don’t overthink. Forget how you look—focus on how swimming makes you feel.
- Make it yours. Swimming can be more than a skill—it can be your space to breathe, build confidence, and reset.
- You belong. No matter where you’re from or how old you are—it’s never too late to start.
This story is proudly shared as part of our Make a Move, Make a Difference campaign, in partnership with Monash Health’s Health Promotion team.
