From South Sudan to Australia: Thuc Bul Bior’s Story of Family, Sacrifice & Hope

In this episode of The Searchers Podcast, Atem sits down with his older brother, Thuc Bul Bior, for a deeply personal conversation about the journey from Kongor, South Sudan — where Thuc was born — all the way to resettlement in Australia.

Thuc walks through the physical and geographical path of that journey, country by country, alongside the fear, excitement, uncertainty, and hope that came with each move. The conversation also traces the role education played throughout — not just as a goal, but as a source of identity, pressure, and purpose along the way.

This episode is a tribute to community. From older sister Akec Bul Bior, who led the way and sacrificed for the family, to relative Chol Athian, who funded Thuc's schooling in Kenya — this is a story of resilience carried by the people around him as much as by Thuc himself.

This recording happened almost spontaneously, out of a simple belief: understanding where we come from is how we move forward. One day, our children will benefit from hearing what their fathers went through — the good, the bad, and the ugly — the same way we benefit today from reflecting on those who came before us.

This episode will also speak to anyone curious about the journeys South Sudanese families have taken to call Australia home. The Searchers Podcast exists as a space for understanding ourselves and each other, and for sharing experiences that connect us.

Note: due to a technical audio issue, a portion of Thuc's reflection during the second half of his time in Kenya and into Khartoum was lost. The conversation picks back up as he arrives in Egypt.

Chapters:
1:13 — Thuc introduces himself
20:52 — Sent to boarding school by a relative in 1996
24:43 — How Thuc felt about education early on — fact, responsibility, pressure, or enjoyment?
26:00 — Arriving in Egypt: another change of scenery and circumstance
37:35 — Advice for anyone waiting on their next milestone — living on hope
38:48 — Not following the crowd and going your own way
41:35 — The first resettlement interview application in Egypt
42:55 — How Thuc reacted when the application was unsuccessful, and the dream dying
49:05 — The feeling when the application was finally accepted and stepping into the unknown
52:15 — The Atari Thuc bought Atem in Egypt, and how he even afforded it
52:50 — Atem gives his older brother his flowers
56:21 — The flight to Australia and the first week of resettlement
1:00:50 — Beginning high school in Australia
1:06:19 — If you could stand in front of young Thuc the day he arrived in Australia, what would you tell him?
1:09:26 — What Thuc would tell his son about what masculinity means
1:13:30 — A question for the next guest

Available everywhere you find your podcasts — search "The Searchers Podcast" on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any platform you listen on.