From Resettling Doubts to Rebuilding Dreams: Afzal's Journey to Belonging. In this episode, Afzal Ali shares what it really feels like to leave a successful life behind and start over in a new country. He speaks candidly about growing up in a huge, tight-knit family in India, his early struggles studying in London, and why he ultimately chose Australia for a fresh start.

From food delivery jobs to job rejections, housing challenges to school enrollment battles, Afzal walks us through the highs andheavy lows of migration.

At his lowest, he almost gave up.

But with patience, faith, and resilience, his story took a powerful turn and today, he’s building a new life in Newcastle, Australia.

This is a story of hope, hardship, and the light at the endof the tunnel.

In this episode of A Stranger, A Suitcase & A Story, Anton and Ben continue their personal migration stories—sharing what happened after they arrived in Australia. From emotional goodbyes and missed funerals to flat batteries, rugby injuries, and shoe-stuffed suitcases, they reflect on the realities of starting over in a new country.

They unpack what it means to plant new roots while holding onto your past, how sport and community help build belonging, and what they miss most about South Africa. It's a heartfelt conversation about emotional baggage, resilience, and finding connection in unfamiliar places.

🎧 Whether you've migrated, are thinking about it, or simply want to hear honest, relatable stories—this episode is for you.

In this first episode of A Stranger, A Suitcase, and A Story, Anton and Ben share their personal journeys—before the suitcases were packed and the planes were boarded. They reflect on who they were back home in South Africa, the careers they had built, and the lives they lived before making the life-changing decision to migrate to Australia. It’s a conversation about identity, courage, and the emotional turning points that lead us to leave everything familiar behind.

This is where their suitcase stories begin.