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!