In my tough early days in Melbourne, when everything still felt slightly unreal, I was introduced to Suzy through a cricket magazine editor based in London. Suzy greeted me with the warmth of someone who had known me for years. She didn’t just offer advice; she guided and helped me understand how to build a career and a life in a country that can feel overwhelming even to those born into it.
This summer Suzy finally managed to visit for lunch in Dandenong, at the food street in the Afghan bazaar. It felt symbolic that our long-awaited reunion would take place there, in a suburb that mirrors so many migrant journeys: once overlooked, now pulsing with life, colour and ambition.
We settled on the Day Light restaurant, run by an Afghan owner from the central highlands. The food arrived fragrant and generous – mantu (Afghan dumplings), shorwa (slow-cooked lamb stew with herbs and chickpeas), tender kebabs and warm naan.
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