I'm a bit intrigued to know more about how people
made such a huge move.

The reasons for leaving and why Australia?

What Expectations? How was the journey here as well
as first impressions, first home, starting work
and the difficult times and adjusting to differences.

I'm also interested in people's life today and their
feelings about Australia.

Is there a sense of belonging?

I'm grateful for any responses.

A good question Foxy, I'm looking forward to reading replies that are more interesting than this one...

My early life involved a great deal of travelling, so "new" places held no fears, or even nervousness for me. Thus the move from the UK to Australia some thirty years ago was no more of a challenge than changing my socks.

"Is there a sense of belonging?"

Unsurprisingly given the background, no, not really.

And it often worries me how much store some people put in this feeling of "belonging" to one particular grouping. It can so easily distort the reality that we are all people living on the same planet, and need to treat each other accordingly.

On reflection, I sometimes wonder about the "on the same planet" part...

Foxy,

We moved here because in South Africa we felt we were playing Russian roulette with the lives of our children. To put this in perspective, I knew four people who have been murdered.

When I say I "knew" them I do not mean I knew of them. I mean these were people I saw regularly.

How many people did you know who have been murdered?

I think the move was the right thing from the perspective of our children. They have settled down very well and love it here.

I would not have moved had we been childless. I have discovered you can take me out of Africa but it's harder taking Africa out of me.

If I can give anyone advice on emigration it's this. If you can at all avoid it don’t migrate at age 51. In fact, if you're going to migrate do it before age 35.

If I were in charge of immigration in Australia I would only in the most exceptional circumstances take anyone over age 40. My preference would be for people below age 35.

Dear Pericles,

I'm happy that your transition was an easy
one.

My parents had a bit of a culture shock,
but their circumstances were different.
They were Lithuanian refugees - part of
the wave of Baltic People that Australia
accepted after World War II. They did have
conflicting loyalties and a search for
belonging - and their life wasn't easy.

Dear Steven,

I personally don't know of anyone who was murdered.
But my parents, their family, and friends did - that's
why they fled to the West. They were not economic
migrants, seeking a richer life, they escaped
as a last resort: to save their lives from the
Communist horror. They had to put up with a great deal
too. They had to hide their tears and and laments
from the world - and learn that it's not easy to be
strangers in a strange land.

In spite of it all however, today my mother feels very
much at home - and considers Australia her home. My father
died in 1970.
I of course don't know anything else - having been born
and raised here.

foxy,
As stated my mum was a refugee at 36 from Latvia.
My adopted parents went (migrated) to PNG for the opportunities, neither had great educations. Poverty, the depression, war, POW camp for dad in Burma stifled options when younger.

I was raised between two cultures, white and indigenous(to a point), Therefore, I was inculcated with both. The latter made me acutely aware of the importance of responsibility to nature and community.

Given other factor singled me out as different amongst the 'whites'
I have evolved as an observer, when it comes to the 'tribal' (belonging) mindset.

I understand/share exactly Pericles' feelings about belong to a groups. I enjoy conversations/people etc but the idea of "my country right or wrong" leaves me ambivalent. I'd die to protect *people* but a lifestyle country per se?

Vietnam was an issue for me, I respect(ed) those who went but like Iraq/Afghanistan to me are all particularly dubious wars to me.

It was simple for me.
Service in the Royal Air Force took me to places where the sun shone every day.
Service in Cyprus in the early sixties brought me into contact with Australian Federal Police peacekeepers and I was impressed.
Back in blighty other servicemen who had been in Maralinga showed me photos of where they had been living.
At the age of 29 years I arrived with my family, got a job, settled down and was purchasing my home within three years.
Now I am totally Australianised. I don't barrack for the Poms at cricket and I love anti Pom jokes - do you remember the Bacchus Marsh Lion Park? Where the sign said Poms on bicycles admitted free? One went in and the lions ate his bicycle.
Then the British Airways Jumbo jet landing at Tullamarine? They turned the engines off but the whining didn't stop.
Better stop before Graham excludes me.

Dear Examinator,

I agree with you about "My country- right or wrong."
David F - has written so eloquently on the subject
in other threads.

As for wars ? Well again the old cliche -
"When will they ever learn?" and - "War is not
healthy for children and other living things!"

Being exposed to several cultures - and especially
one like PNG - explains a great deal about you -
and your concern about the environment.

Dear phoenix94,

It's good to be able to laugh at ourselves.
But I've got to admit I bristle a bit when
someone else does it - at my expense.

I remember when we were living and working in
the US - and all people knew about
Australia then was that it was a vast desert
with kangaroos. And when they told me jokes
about cultural barrenness and a population
of rednecks - I'd get upset.

I'm glad that things have improved.

Foxy, perhaps from your perspective its a huge move, but for people
who have travelled regularly, mixed with other cultures regularly,
its not such a big deal.

My dad was a bit of adventurer, who went exploring the Amazon jungle
etc, after WW2. So my folks were kind of gypsies, living in South
America, North America, Africa and Europe. Us kids went along.

In my late teens and early twenties, I lived in Paris and Switzerland,
Swiss being by nationality. I looked at the world map
and at first decided that Tahiti would be great to live, all those
coconuts, palm trees and cute chicks :) The French wrecked that idea,
with all their atomic bombs in Muroroa Atoll.

So I looked at the world map. Africa had no future for white skinned
people. America had too much crime, Canada was too frigging cold,
Asia was filthy and overcrowded, Europeans depended on Arab oil
to keep warm in winter, which I thought was not the best of ideas,
after the first oil shock.

The South of France was one option, but the French are some of the
most beurocratic people that I have come across, so I read a
book about Australia, which was hardly mentioned in the news in those
days.

The easy layback kind of attitude, great climate and open spaces
sounded like my kind of place. Meantime one day on tv, I saw a
movie called "Sunday too far away", which showed a farm homestead
with all this space around it, nature etc. Thats what I wanted!

So I applied for a visa, only to be told that there was virtually
no chance, as well over 1 million a year applied and they only took
a few. But after many months of health checks, I eventually had
an interview with an Australian immigration bloke and I think I kind
of convinced him that I would be an asset to the place. He was of
course correct :)

Later on, I arrived at Perth airport, suitcase in hand, knowing
nobody. Then it hit me! Oops, what now?

Dear Yabby,

For my parents - it actually was a huge step.
As it was I imagine to many thousands of
asylum seekers, most of whom had no option but
to leave their countries of origin. As well as
facing adjustment difficulties, they suffered
from a sense of guilt at having left their
people to continue the struggle against
repressive regimes. They had found a greater
physical freedom in Australia, in that their
lives were no longer in danger; but the struggle
they had with their conscience allowed them no
spiritual freedom.

My parents always remembered with nostalgia the
country they were forced to leave. And it was only
recently - after Lithuania re-gained her independence
that my mother made a visit back. On returning to
her country of origin - it was a turning point for her.
She realised she had changed - and she became far more
content, and determined to enjoy her life in Australia.

I'm happy for you that you found your sense of
belonging so quickly. The sense of potential and
openness that you describe about Australia in your
post is what I think so many people enjoy on coming
here.

I've got an announcement to make:

I've just become a grandmother for
the very first time!

My daughter-in-law has just given birth
to a son. A beautiful, strawberry-blonde,
weighing over 8 and a half pounds.

I can't even begin to describe how I feel!

Yo graaaaaaaaaany, no more foxy

Prunes and walking frame are on the way.

At least I'm just a dad. Dads are distinguished, hot, Graaaanies are old (he he he)

Seriously, Congratulations. Especially, to the mum and the dad, his work is to come.

Suggestion for a name examinatorette? no? cOLOe sounded good to me ;-)

Dear Examinator,

Thank - You!

I'm over the moon - my feet aren't touching
the ground. We've just come back from the
hospital - Bubba is just gorgeous!
Perfectly developed - and a big baby!

My daughter-in-law is amazing. A
text-book delivery - and no drugs - and
both baby and mother look so alert and
healthy! My son can't stop grinning,
neither can I.

We're truly blessed! As for gran's not being
hot? Want a bet? This particular granma will
always be a "glam-ma!" It's in the genes!

Seriously though, I'm over the moon!
Just wait until your turn comes - the emotional
feeling is overwhelming!

I have made Australia home for nearly 40 years. I was born in Canada. I have many Iranian friends who have also made Australia home and they appreciate this country even more than me. One reason for their tremendous appreciation is illustrated in the following post which I trust will be of interest to readers here at The Forum.-Ron Price, Tasmania

Nazi-like Iranian Cabal Charges Bahais With Spreading Corruption On Earth: A Historical Context

In Iran’s Goebbels-style show trial of 12 January 2010 in Teheran, a Nazi-like cabal has charged seven Bahá'ís with spreading corruption on earth. This ridiculous charge against members of a peaceful religious community lends credence to the view that Iran is in the process of intensifying its official and systematic quasi-genocidal pogrom to exterminate the Bahá'í Faith from Iran. This threat of genocide is part of a process that has been an on-again-off-again exercise in Iran for more than a century and a half.

To add a little more on that trial of 7 Baha'is in Teheran...

The charges against these seven Bahá'í leaders in Iran are so ludicrous that if it were not for the severity of the consequences related to their trial, the charges would be laughable. Yet no one is laughing. That's because the knavish Nazi-like Iranian cabal of religious clerics has charged Bahá'ís with Mofsed fel-Arz. In English this translates as spreading corruption on earth.

The penalty in Iran for this crime is death. It's not very funny when the possible consequence is murder by hanging. There are other charges against the seven according to accounts in government-sponsored news media. These charges include: espionage, propaganda activities against the Islamic order, the establishment of an illegal administration, cooperation with Israel, sending secret documents outside the country, acting against the security of the country, and Mofsed fel-Arz.

The penalty in Iran for this crime is death. It's not very funny when the possible consequence is murder by hanging. There are other charges against the seven according to accounts in government-sponsored news media. These charges include: espionage, propaganda activities against the Islamic order, the establishment of an illegal administration, cooperation with Israel, sending secret documents outside the country, acting against the security of the country, and Mofsed fel-Arz.

“The international Bahá'í community finds these charges completely outrageous given that these seven people have been held purely because of their religious beliefs. The charges are also in total denial of their legitimate human rights and in contradiction of any natural and humane community standards," said Diane Ala'i, the Baha'i International Community's representative to the United Nations in Geneva.

Dear BC,

Thank You for sharing your story.
There are so many people that make up
the rich diversity of this country who
were driven by a compulsion or necessity
to leave their home country. Each story
is compelling - yours especially so.
My heart goes out to you.

I hope that you will find happiness here.