Solange Lipcin
“You may encounter new versions of yourself while navigating a foreign culture”
Solange Lipcin
Country of origin: Argentina
Occupation: Professional singer, co-founder and director of LatinOz QLD and spanish teacher.
State of Residency: Queensland
Favourite place in Australia: Binalong Bay, Tasmania
Upon arrival: Surprised by the healthy lifestyle and laid-back working culture. Some people wake up super early to exercise and finish work at 4 p.m. to be with family or friends.
Photo by Martin Cervantes during the recording of Naranjo en Flor video with Mendoza Tango Quartet
Edited by Cristina Abela. Socials by Juan Camilo.
Solange is the co-founder and Director of Lazos LatinOz where she is always looking for opportunities to provide the community with a space to connect, belong and have a voice; aiming to develop programs to respond to the needs that we face as migrants in Australia. Through her singing, she brings an authentic Argentinian flavour to the tango scene in Australia. She is very proud to have represented her country by performing the Argentinian National Anthem at Los Pumas vs. The Wallabies rugby matches. She is also a Spanish teacher whose vision is to create awareness of the global world we live in. She achieves this by encouraging her students to develop multicultural and multilingual identities.
Tell us your story
I arrived in Australia in 2016 with my partner. We were looking for opportunities to grow professionally in a place that would allow us to achieve balance in our lives, and Brisbane welcomed us. We were so grateful to see a friendly face at the airport when we arrived - an old school friend and his wife hosted us for the first two weeks. We then visited other Australian cities and lived in several Brisbane suburbs, but concluded that Redlands would be our home. It has the perfect balance between nature, culture, work opportunities and social life.
I began working as a piano and singing tutor at a private music school. I also continued my musical theatre journey as a performer and a teacher. Because of my own connection with my culture through singing tango, I realised that coming from a diverse background made me unique. In Australia there is a great appreciation for multiculturalism. It was with surprise that I encountered a community of tango dancers and amazing musicians passionate about tango music. I joined the Mendoza Tango Quartet and toured with them around Australia while sharing my passion for tango.
Although I was surrounded by people, I found myself still searching for the feeling of belonging. So I studied Community Services to be more involved with the local community. At this time, I became pregnant which increased my desire to be surrounded by a loving community. As a part of my studies, I wrote a project that I later called Lazos LatinOz: a cultural immersion program for children to develop strong multicultural identities, a passion for the Spanish language and a love for Latin American culture.
MC for the Launch Event of QWinBiz Queensland Women in Business organised by LatinOz QLD, August 2023
The vision of belonging to a strong united community stemmed from my own feelings of loneliness and disconnection. I realised that there was a huge need in the Latin American community to get together, to build strong bonds and to support each other. This led to co-founding LatinOz QLD, with an incredible group of Latin women who continue to inspire me. Having successfully co-created an organisation has empowered me to get involved in the community and to take responsibility for what can be done to generate a positive impact in Australian society.
Challenges
Building a network - When you migrate to a new country, you have to build your whole life all over again. From simple details to big decisions related to your identity, professional development and social life. You might be around people all the time, however, it takes time to feel that you’re not alone. Connecting with others by finding things in common is key, and the deeper those things are, the stronger the bond will become. When it comes to shared values, it can even enable you to connect with a whole community of like-minded people.
Being away from family and friends - While it is expected to feel homesick when facing hardship, I discovered that what challenges me the most is missing all those happy moments, family gatherings, weddings, celebrations, and the opportunity to share the upbringing of our children with my dearest friends from Argentina. While social media and video calls make it bearable, sometimes I wish that virtual reality could enable us to spend a whole day together and feel closer to home.
Cultural differences and communication styles - I always try to learn from other’s communication styles, however, when it comes to communicating feelings, it’s hard to do it in a different language that’s not your emotional or affective language. I always empathised with other people’s feelings, but it took me a while to get to that level of connection with people from different cultural backgrounds.
SOLANGe
She has been part of a number of music groups over the years, here a photo from her time with Las Chimilitas
Contrasts and Similarities
Real opportunities for growth - When I lived in Argentina I felt that my efforts were never enough and I struggled to find opportunities for growth even when I was truly committed to my goals. In Australia, I find that if you are invested in what you do, it is only a matter of time to be surrounded by amazing people, who will guide you and lead you in the right direction for you to continue moving forward.
Stress - Since day one I have noticed how relaxed people are here. I believe this lifestyle can only be achieved when you stop stressing on a regular basis. There might be external factors contributing to your sense of well-being (health, overall sense of safety, financial stability, etc.), but when you are in a context in which people are optimistic, it becomes easier to navigate your challenges with a positive mindset.
People are passionate about what they do - I connected in Australia with diverse people who are very motivated and passionate. We, as Latin Americans, are used to high levels of energy and excitement. It is lovely to feel valued for who we are. I want to see more people sharing their passion and their love through what they do!
Piece of advice
Embrace the beauty of diversity - Migration can be a transformative experience. It can bring about feelings of being lost, but it can also provide an opportunity for self-discovery and personal growth. You may encounter new versions of yourself while navigating a foreign culture. It is a journey that requires resilience and adaptability, but it can ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of who you are and a greater sense of connection to the world around you. It is a profound opportunity to stay connected to your essence while embracing diversity in all its forms.
Dream big - Start by dreaming big, work hard to achieve your goals and stay in tune for those signs along the way telling you that you are on the right track! Be aware of your own beliefs, as they can be limiting or enabling. You don’t know if you are good at something until you try doing it consistently. Take every challenge as an opportunity for learning and growing. Sometimes you might feel like the obstacles are too big, but the bigger the obstacles, the greater the reward. Never give up!
Performing the National Anthem for Argentina at the Commbank Stadium, Parramatta during The Wallabies vs. Los Pumas rugby match, July 2023. Source ESPN
Open your heart, and connect with others - You are not alone. There are probably many others who need the same things that you need now or who have been there before. Open up, show others who you really are, and dare to be vulnerable around people. Everyone is on a different journey. When I meet people I often ask them what brought them into Australia. There are such interesting stories behind each person that I have never encountered in any other countries I have visited. And we all have one thing in common: we are deeply grateful for being here, and we are all here for a reason. Let's get together and create amazing opportunities for true connections.
In the next few years…
Solange feels grateful for the goal she has set to stay connected with her culture through artistic projects and she is excited to see how this will manifest in the coming years. Exploring the country with her family as her children develop their bicultural identities is also something that fills her with purpose. This plan reflects her understanding of the importance of cultural diversity and her desire to pass it on to the next generation. She will continue embracing diversity and staying connected to her essence, knowing that this will fuel her personal and professional growth.
If you want to know more about Solange, find her contact details here:
Website, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn
Youtube and Soundcloud
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With love and gratitude - Latin Stories Australia team