*Interviewee: Clemens (C)
*Interviewer: N/A
*Location:
*Date: 00/00/00
C: Hello, my name is Clemens. I am 24 years old, was born in Russia, lived in Brazil and moved to Australia with my family. I prefer to live with housemates.
I was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome on March 18, 2004 when I was 22 years old and now attend Alpha Autism, a job seeking agency for people with autism spectrum disorder.
Once a week I work on a drawing project with a man who has his own business in Werribee. Alpha helps me to make ends meet.
I did an Arts degree in languages and a Certificate III in tourism and recently started an accounting course at RMIT TAFE which did not work out. Now I work at KFC as a cook. I am participating in this program because I want my story to help other students with Asperger syndrome.
I would like to emphasise the importance of early diagnosis and to tell parents that they can help their child if they accept their child's condition, whether it is Asperger syndrome or something else.
I am searching. Searching is something that people with Asperger's do. I am searching for a future. I have studied various courses without success but I am slowly finding it now.
When I was two or three years old, I was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome by a paediatrician in Russia. My mother did not accept this diagnosis and she took me to another doctor that told her that as I grew older, my behaviour would change. This is not what happened. My behaviour did not change and my life instead became so bad that at times it was unbearable.
I was never accepted at school by my peers and my teachers couldn't understand me because I was always considered different from the other kids. My family moved to Brazil for five years where things were the same and didn't change when I moved to Australia.
I have difficulties with transitions or changes and prefer sameness. Moving was difficult for me because I prefer routines.
I found myself at university in 2000. I was studying Asian languages. I enjoyed the degree course but I found it difficult because I didn't understand why I couldn't relate to other students and why they couldn't relate to me. Even though I was lonely, I couldn't understand a lot about my peers because I had difficulty reading non-verbal cues or body language. I can't work out when people are joking, so when I think they are joking I ask them, was that a joke?
When the lessons started at university I was lonely and there was no-one to help me around the university. I remember vividly other people had their group of friends and I was always left out. I managed to complete the course because I believe I enjoyed it but university was a terrible experience for me. I went to South Korea to complete my degree as an exchange student for the last semester of 2002 and I really enjoyed it there. My mother paid for the trip and I am truly grateful to her for that.
My second attempt at studying wasn't much better. I completed a course with Jetset Training as a travel consultant in July 2003. The travel course that I embarked on was not an appropriate course for me because I do not have the interpersonal skills required for that type of work. Due to problems at work, I had a fight with my parents which led me to go to a doctor. This was back in September 2003. I talked to my doctor about my background and I told her that I was diagnosed with autism. She said that it may be Asperger syndrome and referred me to Richard Eisenmajer and made an appointment for me in March 2004. Six months later my life turned around.
Richard Eisenmajer diagnosed me in March 2004 with Asperger syndrome. That at least made me clear about why I could not understand many things. My mother still does not accept this diagnosis.
In February 2006, I decided to enrol in a VET course and decided on an accounting course at RMIT TAFE. The lessons were held at Bourke Street. The teachers and lecturers were helpful. That was all good and fine but I don't think that accounting was for me. I couldn't keep up with the class because I didn't know enough about accounting in the first place. It was a better experience this time round because I had help.
If I had been diagnosed much much earlier, it would have been better for me by at least 75% and it would've been better for me if I had known earlier about my condition and that my parents had accepted it. I used to blame God but now I don't.
Many people with Asperger syndrome that are secular blame God for tragedies that are happening to them.
I am pleased that at last I know I have a condition and from here I can work towards a better future, I am working hard towards a future with KFC and look forward to being accepted into their traineeship. I am also doing a drawing project, together with a business owner, with help from Alpha Autism. I believe this could be the beginning of my future.
All I can say is, if my mother had accepted my early diagnosis it would've made it much easier for me to understand many things about myself. I say accepting any condition that a child has, can make it a lot better for them in their future.
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