Dear Drab,

The question of whether the government should attempt to
increase immigration levels remains a controversial one.
Nevertheless, people continue to come from other countries
and make Australia home, and although a high percentage of
Australians are of European descent, a direct result of
Australian immigration policies, the population is slowly
becoming more representative of the region. The numbers of
new arrivals have varied, but the cultural composition of
the country is becoming more diverse.

If you do your research you'll find that migrants found it
very difficult to adapt to a new climate, environment,
culture and (often) language. Parents who brought young
children to Australia often spoke of family conflict as the
children grew up in a culture that was in many ways opposed
to traditional values. Children talked of resenting their
parents, seeing them as representing the cultural heritage
they were keen to reject in order to fit into their new
society.

Also, many of the refugees interviewed, as well as facing
adjustment difficulties, 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 commenced with their conscience allowed no
spiritual freedom.

In my research, I found that people talked about the hardships
of the first five years and the nostalgia with which they
remembered the countries thay had chosen to leave.

On returning, to them for the first time, however, they were
reminded of the reasons they had left. The first trip back
was a commmon turning point, after which many people became
more content, and determined to establish their lives in
Australia.

cont'd ...

cont'd ...

The longer term residents spoke of their commitment to the
country, which had developed over the years spent living
here. They had started families, bought homes, established
careers and made a place for themselves. Many people spoke
of Australia with gratitude, as they believed that migrating
had allowed them to change their lives and the lives of their
families for the better. Often the children of migrants,
who had previously denied their cultural heritage, talked of
their increasing interest in precisely those things they had
rejected, as they became more conifdent in their new society.
Being made to feel welcomed also helped.

One of the most unique and rewarding aspects of living in
Australia today (to me at least), and the nature of being
Australian - is to be part of this diversity. The wide
and varied gathering of "identities" is in keeping with the
sense of potential and openness so many people enjoyed on
coming here.

See you on another thread.