AUSTRALIA DAY CONCERT JANUARY 26th 2023
they arrived with just
the clothes on their backs
happy to be here
chose australia
because it was the furthest
away from war torn europe
imaginable
with no family
no friends
no english
they taught themselves
by reading a daily newspaper
which became a life long ritual
and listening to ABC radio
as a child i remember them in their rimless specs
hunched over the newspaper in the evening
deciphering this strange language
or listening to opera on 78 records
played on an old phonograph
thus planting the seeds of their granddaughter's future career
i adored both of them
this was one of their favourites
FOR
Paul Frederic and Adele Alexandrine Ludivine
We owe a lot to our migrants! My late second husband, Bill Nissen, arrived from Holland at 15 with no English and taught himself by going to the movies and watching the same cowboy film over and over.
ReplyDeleteYep.....There were no English classes for immigrants in those days....They did it tough. A lot of them from that generation put a great value on education and made sacrifices to ensure their children would never be in that position.
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely. I can SEE them, in their specs, poring over the newspaper. So many wonderful stories in our lineage. And they shared with you the gift of music, such a blessing.
ReplyDeleteIndeed ! They bought a piano before they bought good furniture:) .
DeleteThis is a lovely tribute yet the sad truth still persists - and to think that beyond economics or war or violence, now there are expected to be climate refugees seeking homes in strange, faraway places ... sigh.
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful. I could have been reading about today's war torn Europe as well.
ReplyDeleteI could never get tired of listening to this!
ReplyDeleteEmigration used to be an exchange of gifts: foreign talents planted in native soil. My country once was built with it, so too Australia. So much has changed. Lovely tribute here.
ReplyDeleteLovely tribute. :)
ReplyDelete