With so much of our time now spent on devices,
it can be easy to form online communities and
not prioritise getting to know those around us
face to face.

Online connections don't replace real world
networking, building friendships face to face
or connecting local communities.

I recently received a copy of our suburb's local
newsletter - reminding us that "Neighbour Day" is
on Sunday 31 March and that is a great time to
connect with your neighbours and build a healthy
and vibrant community.

Getting to know those in your community can help:

People look out for each other and keep our community
safer.

They keep an eye on your home when you are away
(putting out your bins or collecting mail).

They include those who are isolated or more vulnerable
within our neighbourhood.

They create social connection resulting in better health and
increased happiness.

A connected community takes time to grow and needs
repeated interactions over time such as greeting your
neighbours and giving them a wave when you see each other
in the street.

In our street the families have grown up together and shared
birthdays, Christmas, and welcomed new additions. The
friendships built over barbeques and street parties have
been life-long.

Our community is home to a diverse community with residents
from a range of cultural groups and backgrounds. We love
being a part of these cultures and celebrating our different
customs and festivities.

Recently we honoured both the Chinese and Persian New Year
and look forward to joining in many more occasions that enrich
our diverse and vibrant culture.

One of the world's most recognisable television theme songs,
"Neighbours" reminds us that everybody needs good
neighbours.

The federal election is coming in May. It will be the party
that considers multicultural issues and has a greater
and more ethnically diverse choice of
candidate representatives that has a greater
chance of winning the election.
Party's should be able to recognise that state and
federal parliaments should reflect contemporary Australians.
As the recent win in NSW has shown.

Thank you, Foxy. That's beautiful.

I'm in a singing group and we do gigs at old people's homes. We were at the Italian Village (old people's home) last week for Harmony Day and I noticed up on their Honour Board a list of about a hundred families who have donated land. I said to my 'neighbour' "Now, THAT's a community." And mentioned that the hundred people who we were singing with, represented thousands of years of hard work building our country.

Love,

Joe

Dear Joe,

Thank You!

I volunteer part-time in a nursing home (where mum used
to be). The residents there are from diverse backgrounds
(as are the staff). The sheer sharing of the residents,
staff, and families, is quite wonderful. They look out
for each other. They also
have a singing group - that manages to bring tears to my
eyes every Christmas with their songs. Mum's last days
were so happy there

Foxy/Loudmouth well done
In small towns many from both sexs have found the one, while serving in fire brigades hall committees and just about every community group
Funny some friendship came about only after the community came under threat from bush fire or floods
Been part of many groups too old now for the bushfire one still in radio based service group

Dear Belly,

Connecting with others in the same situation can
help to make things a little bit easier. I remember
Barbara - whose husband had Parkinson's. He was
in mum's nursing home. For Barbara - it was a daunting
experience facing Parkinson's on her own. She was persuaded
to join the Parkinson's Peer Support Group in
her community. She learned more about living with the
disease and the group gave her hope and support.

The group met on the first Friday of each month to
hear from guest speakers on a range of interesting
topics not always related to Parkinson's. Barbara
learned from their special program how to assist with
breathing control and speech therapy. Her son would
regularly take his dad for long walks. Community
involvement helped them a great deal.

Dear Belly,

We've got a new candidate running for office
opposite Kevin Andrews at the federal
election in May. Mr Andrews has held this
electorate for 29 years and the Liberal Party
chooses not to pre-select a younger member to
run despite so many requests from residents.
Our electorate is a safe Liberal seat.

However what's suddenly become interesting is
that we've now got a female - Stella Yee who's
chosen to run. She's a Labor candidate.
Her family has lived in the area for the
past 15 years and been part of our community.
She and her husband have raised their three children
and have run a small web-marketing business.

She was born in Malaysia and lived in several
countries before deciding to move to Australia.
She studied in the US and obtained a Bachelor's
in Social Work and a Master's in Public Policy.

Since living here she's been involved in various
community groups including volunteering with
the Vinnies Soup Van for over a decade, and through -
Co.As.It., visiting elderly Italians in their homes.
In that time she also started an innovative after-school
Mandarin program at a local primary school in the
electorate.

Hopefully her community involvement will make a
difference - come election time.

I found it interesting that Foxy's ancestral homeland Lithuania appear to be very monocultural. I think it's a good thing- maybe I'll move to Lithuania when I can't live in Australia anymore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuania

Foxy having thought long and hard, asked myself are you biased? I have to say some neighbors can not be friends
I am told I have a kind heart, give till it hurts, but enjoy doing it
So new neighbor had no lawn mower, lent them mine, and my fuel, for two years
They needed a paling fence, to have Foster kids, but no cash
Bought them those palings, and mine to do the same
Got very very sick one winter, they mowed my lawn ,for 60 dollars a time
No longer my neighbors, no longer my friends, see two American pitbulls jumped my fence, often, and tried to kill my foxys
And me
Gone now, the pit bulls mauled a child in their big city new home, so yes we should all be friends but it is not always possible

Canem Malum,

Lithuanian monoculture?

Hardly. There's Poles, Russians, Belarussians, Ukrainians,
Jews, Germans, Tatars, Latvians, Romani, Estonians,
Crimean Karaites, Scandinavians - but of course they all
identify as - Lithuanians. (smile).

Mulsims have lived (and served in the military) since the
15th century.

Today, the largest proportion of the planet is multicultural.

Dear Belly,

Well you at least tried.

That's all anybody can do. It's their loss.

We also have lived in neighbourhoods where the
neighbours were not neighbourly. But now we've
been lucky to find a neighbourhood where our
neighbours are simply great

Our current neighbours are from various
ethnic backgounds - unlike the previous neighbourhoods
both in Sydney and Melbourne that were typically
Ocker. We ended up moving.

Canem Malum,

I forgot to add that the Lithuania of today is
so very different from the one that my parents
came from. Today's Lithuania is only just
beginning to regain its traditions, re-learn its
history and try to regain its identity. Over 60 years
of Russification has taken its toll.

According to the Wikipedia article... (not that it's a definitive source) ...

Ethnic Lithuanians make up about five-sixths of the country's population and Lithuania has the most homogeneous population in the Baltic States. In 2015, the population of Lithuania stands at 2,921,262, 84.2% of whom are ethnic Lithuanians who speak Lithuanian, which is the official language of the country. Several sizeable minorities exist, such as Poles (6.6%), Russians (5.8%), Belarusians (1.2%) and Ukrainians (0.5%).[1]

Poles in Lithuania are the largest minority, concentrated in southeast Lithuania (the Vilnius region). Russians in Lithuania are the second largest minority, concentrated mostly in two cities. They constitute sizeable minorities in Vilnius (12%)[323] and Klaipėda (19.6%),[324] and a majority in the town of Visaginas (52%).[325] About 3,000 Roma live in Lithuania, mostly in Vilnius, Kaunas and Panevėžys; their organizations are supported by the National Minority and Emigration Department.[326] For centuries a small Tatar community has flourished in Lithuania.[327]

both sides of where I live have people who have done time for drugs. One is Indigeneous family and one is white. Do my best to help them but must admit with small grandkids living with me I am cautious. Police visit the area very often and have witnessed women being beaten in my front yard, blood splattered on my front door, windscreens smashed and a lot of very anti social behaviour. I think what Foxy suggests is a good idea but not always practicable. Thought of moving many times however prefer to to take out another loan after having paid off mortgage. House a couple of doors up gets completely trashed about everyn 2 years the inhabtitants usually get evicted. Price you pay for having a little scots blood and doing things of the cheap. r u allowed say that or am I being racist to myself.

There are such things as cultural traits Runner. I think you're fine as you are. I know you are not saying that the white and indigenous drug issues are cultural in the normal sense of the word. Drug addiction is a difficult problem. A little tough love is sometimes required. Ayn Rand believed that if the leaders in the community act in their own self interest this will create opportunities for other parts of the social structure (including those attracted to drug culture). I'm not an acolyte of Ayn Rand but she makes some interesting points. She indicates the "looters" and "moochers" are the scum of society. It's very sad to see potentially productive people perhaps losing confidence in the system and going down a destructive path. I believe perhaps wrongly that good strong healthy families and communities can make a difference in the path people follow. Patrick Deneen says that the church used to be the centre of the community and guided and supported it- there were some issues with the church as there are with contemporary liberal communities- but the majority of the community were happier.

Canem Malum,

It's very deceptive to say that Lithuania is
made up of a homogenous group of people.
Sovietization of imported Russian colonists
has taken its toll and the populations of cities like
Vilnius and Klaipeda still reflect this today
where more than 50 % of the population is made up of
imported Russian colonists.

The population of Lithuania is falling and will continue
to do so as people flee to the West for a better life.

runner,

I'm sorry that you have such unfortunate experiences
in the area where you life. Hopefully you will be
able to move sooner rather than later.

We have been very lucky with our choice of
suburb here in Melbourne.

Our experiences have all been positive.
Even the recent open day that was held at our nearby
mosque - where over 1,000 Victorians joined in
reflection, conversation and solidarity after the
Christchurch massacres. The tremendous outpouring of
love and compassion - gave hope to everyone during
these deeply troubling times.

People's spirits were lifted by the mateship and shared
humanity displayed.

Thanks needs to go out to the Victorian State Government,
Victorian Police, Islamic Council of Victoria,
The Interfaith Network, Victorian Multicultural
Commission and various faith leaders whose leadership
and ongoing support was instrumental in the success of
the Mosque Open Day.

This open day now promises to be an annual event.

We've just received our local newspaper and
it features the results of a massive project
that was undertaken. They asked every year 12
school captain in Melbourne to tell them how they
and their generation can make a difference to
the community in the future.

I've been reading their responses to one question
that was put to them all: "What difference can
your generation make to the world?"

The answers - like the students themselves - are
insightful.

Students from local schools were featured, but more
than 160 responses were listed online.

This weeks cover of the newspaper featured the
captains from 26 schools across Melbourne to the city.

According to the editor in chief - the whole thing
was an uplifting experience as they watched how the students
interacted. Just minutes after meeting for the first time
they were chatting like they had known each other all their
lives, comparing stories.

And when quizzed as a group on issues such as mental health,
or social media, bullying, they were measured and thoughtful
in their answers.

The editor said they all showed a maturity well beyond their
years. It seems that our future is in very good hands.

Hello there FOXY...

We're very fortunate with our neighbours; we get on with them very well indeed. One needs to understand and forgive their little failings and foibles too I guess, as they just importantly, need to do so, with us as well. Having repaired the glitches, it should all be smooth sailing, thereafter, hopefully.

As a former copper, I should say there are more troubles with neighborhood disputes than anything else within the domestic scene. For this reason, one must try to get on with them for the sake of neighbourly peace. It gives you a far better chance of not falling out, over issues that might otherwise, mean nothing to you, but are essential to them. Good topic FOXY.

runner nothing racist in that
Sadly some truths are unavoidable
Rather say it like it is than wimper on about poor start in life, no doubt however that is what the children in those houses are getting
We, far too often, water down bad things by claiming upbringing is the reason, truth is some are useless

Dear O Sung Wu.,

Good to hear that you have good neighbours.

When we first moved into our neighbourhood in
the Western suburbs of Sydney many decades
ago - my parents were the first refugees in
our street and to put it politely the
neighbourhood back then was not very welcoming
at first.

Our neighbours had surnames like - Kelty,
Tierney, Riley, Robinson, McLean, well you get
the picture. Our surname was hard to pronounce.
However, with time - and effort - close friendships
developed and I remember our immediate next-door
neighbours standing by and helping mum when dad
suddenly died of a massive coronary at the age of 52.
Those friendships have lasted right up to today - even
though we now live in Melbourne. We still keep in
touch.

Here in Melbourne we have a wider ethnic mix in our
neighbourhood. Times have certainly changed. There
are many surnames that are hard to pronounce around us.
Yet with time - we've again built up friendships - and
we look out for each other. It's amazing how times have
changed over the years. Now, speaking different languages
is taken for granted - no on tells you to "Speak English"
in public places any more.

Most of us value our privacy - however, it is good to
know that if you ever need any help - there are good
neighbours around who will be more than willing to
assist.

Dear Belly,

I agree with you - not everybody is interested in being
a good neighbour - for whatever reason. But it makes
for a safer neighbourhood if neighbours do inter-act and
watch out for each other.

Foxy I am no saint, but truly go out of my way to be a good neighbor
Mow lawn [on street] in front of 4 homes
Keep highway vegetation in front of 6 blocks under control [roundup]
Bring 6 some times seven wheelie bins down the lane [tourists fill them if not]
Better to ignore the wrong types than fight fools

Dear Belly,

I always take your advice on board because
what you say makes sense and it's from the
heart. In all the years I've known you -
you have never done anything to offend or hurt
anyone. I wish there were more people like
you on this earth.

Hi there FOXY...

Concerning our mutual friend BELLY. I don't always agree with him, but one thing is for sure, he speaks from the heart, not like some of the oily, slippery creatures I've had to deal with over time.

FOXY, concerning your early days in Australia. When I was young 6 - 10 you, my uncle urged me not to talk or mix with the kids two doors down from our place in Concord, Sydney. His only explanation, they were Italians and likely, a former enemy of ours from, WWll.

I think your unpleasant experiences in Western Sydney years ago, can be attributed to just plain old fear. I'm nearly eighty, and I can recall how insular we Aussies were, and some, still so.

None of us could be described as being world holidaymakers in those days, or exposed to other cultures, save for those who've settled here of course — or well-traveled at all for that matter! My first overseas trip was to a place called South Vietnam, which was not rated all that high in the travel catalogs at the time. And Air Travel was so prohibitively expensive the only option was by sea. Therefore many of us were relatively ignorant to most Europeans, especially those who couldn't speak any English; in fact, we were suspicious of anyone who was not an 'Aussie.'

FOXY, you and your family, have certainly proved what fantastic citizens you are, and how much you've enriched our own culture exponentially, with your extended family's presence here.

Dear O Sung Wu,

I remember growing up as a kid in Sydney -
I so wanted to just fit in. I used to trade my
sandwiches at school for more "Aussie" ones. I
would refuse to wear my European style cardigans
that mum would knit for me with rein-deer on them
and my pom-pom beanies. I even cut off my long plaits
at one stage so I could have short hair like every one
else.

However, that changed with time of course - as I made
closer friendships - and being accepted made all the
difference in the world.

cont'd ...

Those were different times then - but looking
back they were also "golden times." There
was genuine love around to be shared. Once
people got to know you - you were accepted
unconditionally. I remembering working at
David Jones in the city as a student - and the
help I got from my Scottish female boss. She
was so understanding and patient with me.
I heard her telling someone - that I was
a "lovely young girl who spoke such beautiful
English!" It made my day!

Foxy loved my dad still do, he worked himself to death for his kids, at 54 years of age
However on the railway station at Bowral [his birth place] I was about nine, he told a Greek migrant, in very bad words, to speak English
Also said he knew he understood
Got a clip over the ear for asking dad could he speak Greek
It happened your story is one of thousands like it
My youthful time working in Sydney taught me much, love those friendly Italians
BUT youthful Greeks and Italians informed me, often our women in their minds, had low morals
We have come a long way from those days and are better for it

Dear Belly,

Yes we have come a long way.

However - there's still some who have not
progressed very far. I still cringe at Canem
Malum telling me that I was merely a "guest"
in this country and that I could work on the
land - but it was not my land because I was
not of British ancestry.

So you so - for some, I shall always be a
"foreigner" even though I was born and raised
here. Imagine if I didn't speak English very
well - or spoke it with an accent, or even
looked different - how the heck would I be expected
to ever fit in and be accepted?

The funny thing is - there were other owners of the
land before the arrival of the British. And the
British are in themselves a mixture. So what the
heck?

cont'd ...

Dear Belly,

I'm sorry that your dad died at such a young age.
My dad worked himself to death as well. He died
at age 52. But they left us with a rich heritage
that we have passed on to our children. And that's
what matters the most.

We live in the best country in the world - and
we're certainly happier than most.

Foxy my dad was a worker, he told me to live my own life, not get a home for him mum and my siblings
Yet after his death that was the only thing to do
And many eldest did that
I am confronted by comments and commentators like CMs
Ask myself how did this section of a place set up for freedom to hold a view, become home to an over representation of far right people
Has this country turned right
Some have, the election will prove it
But hopefully it will underline, not in the numbers we see here

Dear Belly,

You're amazing. And your family is very lucky.

I also helped my mum after dad died. We paid
for dad's funeral - because my brothers were
in no position to help. And mum could not
access their money - as dad had not left a will.
So we helped out. And we did that all along
until the day mum died. That's how it was in our
family as well - and I imagine in many others.

Talking about people's views regarding ethnicity.
We hear frequently that Australia is the most
successful multicultural society in the world.
Possibly it is. But of course there are groups
that still yearn for the "White Australia" policy
and days of old.

In the most recent 2016 Census 7.8 million or
36.1% of respondents identified as "English."
According to the 2016 Census about 50% of
Australians were born overseas or had a parent
born overseas. Census data also indicates that
about one quarter of Australians speak a language
other than English in their homes.

State and federal parliaments should really reflect
contemporary Australians - yet fewer than 20
of the 226 currently serving in our federal
parliament have a non-English speaking background.

Diverse parliamentarians are crucial as they possess
a lived experience and in some cases life as a
refugee and other issues unique to multicultural
communities and can therefore serve as a voice for those
Australians.

We talk about quotas for women in parliament - perhaps
we should also include quotas for multicultural
Australians as well - to fully reflect Australia's
highly ethnically diverse people.

Anyway, we shall have to wait and see what happens at
not only the next election - but in the future elections.
Will we be given more choices in the pre-selection of
party candidates?

I imagine that changes will inevitably happen with time.

Foxy indeed the whole world will change
It is my view the mass migration/Refugee flow will bring about a closer world
Just maybe pain and all, the says a better world

Hi there FOXY & BELLY...

I was fortunate, my Dad was in his late eighties when he died. However, for most of our lives, we never really got on very well together, only doing so in my later life when I had more sense.

Both my Mother & my Dad resented immensely that I choose to join the police force, after my discharge from the Military. Saying I was bringing shame down on the family. They even wanted me to remain in, and make the Armed Services my life's career?

Like most offspring, I always thought I knew best, more so than anyone else in the family. However as I aged, what Dad might not have known on specific matters, he possessed worldly wisdom, much like your two Dad's, FOXY & BELLY.

All three would've had to battle through the Great Depression of the 1930s. Even your Dad as well FOXY, back in your original country of birth? No one escaped the deprivation occasioned by this economic disaster. And while immersed in all its privation & impoverishment, they would've learned those hard, albeit valuable lessons of life. Lessons we were spared from learning, first hand?

I guess the only way most families managed to survive, is through the generous aid and support, rendered from their neighbours. There was no other option really, other than stealing?

Dear Belly, and O Sung Wu.,

Yes - my dad did have it tough. I don't know
about in his old country - but certainly in
Sydney. He worked in a rubber factory - did
double shifts to pay off the house - and pay
the bill's (mum worked as well).

I'm ashamed to say that I still remember as a young
kid waiting for a bus to go home from school
- when I saw my dad
walking towards the bus stop - he was coming home
from a shift at his factory . He hadn't had
time to shower and was still covered in black grime
from his job - well I pretended not to see him.
He didn't say a word to me - nor I to him about that
incident. But today - I'd give anything to re-live
that moment - and say sorry to him. My heart still
does flip - flops at that memory. The selfishness,
self-absorption of the young.

One thing I was happy about was the fact that dad did
manage to do something for himself before he died.
He bought a family car six months before his death.
It gave him so much joy to get his licence and then
go for drives into the country on week-ends. It
opened up a whole new world for him. God Bless him!

cont'd ...

I'm sure that both your dad's loved you guys
very much and were proud of you. How could they
not be. You're both such amazing men.

I think it's so important for all of us to
listen to the voices of each other - to help
us learn the true story of our shared histories
and to understand how it's still impacting on us
today.

Yes Belly, a brighter future is possible in our
communities if we build it together.

I'm not too sure getting to know your neighbours is always a good idea.

I have a new one, just moved in yesterday. A single lady, about late 30s, with a couple of kids about 11 & 13, a couple of dogs & a couple of ponies, an expensive horse float, & 4WD wagon to tow it.

She certainly can't be one of those poor single mothers, as a 12 acre hobby farm with river frontage & a nice house & sheds would not have come cheaply, but perhaps she is in the wrong neighbourhood. Only time will tell. We see a lot of people who follow a dream of country living, are gone with in a year or so. Like anywhere else, there are a lot of hassles come with that dream.

She came over to introduce herself, & seems a nice lady, but has no idea of country living. She is worried about snakes attacking her kids or horses & dogs. I pointed out that snakes don't attack trees, fence posts or other non threatening bits of the land scape, so leave them alone, & they will treat you as more landscape. The dogs may be a problem.

I have a feeling I am going to be called on regularly for help & advice. I have great neighbours. We help each other clean up after a blow nocks down trees & stuff, we share a friendly wave, & see each other occasionally at bush fire brigade fundraising barbeques, local markets & the like, Invite each other to parties that might get a little noisy, but otherwise mind our own business. I hope this lady is not lonely out here in the sticks.

Dear Hassie,

She just may surprise you. Give her the benefit
of the doubt. Many females have started lives
for themselves on their own and succeeded.
Who knows
a young farmer may come by and just find her to
be his cup of tea and vice versa. Or maybe
she's already got someone in mind.

I'm glad to hear that you've got good neighbours.
I imagine that it's even more important for that
to happen out in the country. People there get
involved in their schools, churches, clubs,
and communities in general. My brothers are
country lads - and would not live in any city for
quids.

It looks like this discussion may have run
it course. I'd like to Thank all who participated.
I look forward to our next one.

I hope it works for her Foxy. We see far too many come out here, build their dream on an acre or two, & find it doesn't work for them. The isolation, distance from family & kids, creepy crawlies or just the long drive to work takes the gloss off the picture for many.

The fact that despite having 5 ambulance depots all with in less than 23 kilometres of us, it always takes over an hour to get one here, frightens a lot of older folk.

I was pretty impressed when I saw her back a large horse float about 50 yards between 2 reasonably close together buildings. Not too many drivers could have done it in one go, so apart from her fear of snakes, she may do well.

Dear Hassie,

She sounds like she knows what she's doing.
And isn't the type of city folk that want
to try country living for a bit. The fact that
she knows her way around horses is also a good sign -
don't you think?

Anyway, Thanks again for joining in this discussion.
Enjoy talking to you.

cont'd ...

Dear Hassie,

I forgot to add that we're thinking of eventually
moving to the mid-North Coast of NSW one day.
I've got family out that way so it would be nice
to be closer to them.

Anyway we'll see - it's still a way off.