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Reasons why Migrants couldn't settle in Australia?
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Robert (Bob) Taylor
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 7:11 am    Post subject: Reasons why Migrants couldn't settle in Australia? Reply with quote

Having read a good number of posts here I am intrigued to find out why and reasons for, that so many rushed back to their homelands.
I know that the change wasn't for everybody and homesick feelings would have had a lot of bearing.
If you were one of those that went home, it would be interesting ...I think to get feed back around these occurrences.
It would be also interesting to hear from those that went back and then returned to Aus after realizing that it was not that bad, after all said done!
If you were one of or part of a family that made the double or triple trip and the associated settling and resettling, please give us your story and maybe your feelings now after reflecting back on what might have been....had you not changed your mind and anticipated life ahead?
Regards, BOB.
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king of no waves
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 1:26 pm    Post subject: Why migrants could'nt settle Reply with quote

Hi Bob,
I am unfortunately one of those.
My family arrived in Sydney in 1970 and returned in 1972.
The main reason why I am not living in Australia today is because my parents felt homesick and I was too young to stay on my own.
Life has done the rest. I got married in 1977 and have two daughters.
I returned to Australia three times, 2001, 2004 and 2007.
I also tried to get the permanent visa in 2004 but was two old.
Too young to stay, too old to return.
It is quite unbelievable as these two years changed my life. I have written a short story of this time but in french. I'm going to translate it in english asap.
Do you think you would have guess I was french if I have put theses words in my profile?
Albury primary school, Randwick high , Cronulla high, Cronulla beach, Thomas Keneally, Skippy, Perth, Uluru, Bribane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, and many more.....
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Robert (Bob) Taylor
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 10:32 pm    Post subject: Settling In Australia. Reply with quote

Sad for you that they woudnt let you settle.Especially when you look at the diverse range of people that are there now.Should be taken on your character and ability to pay your way and make a contribution.
I would be keen to view your translated story of life in Australia.
We left for work related reasons for NZ, I was 13 at the time, but I still long for certain aspects of Australian living ie the weather the beaches and the attitudes.
New Zealanders are allowed in to settle but it is the same old problem of if you do go you invariably leave family and friends, and end up homesick. Friends that have made the move usually end up back in NZ sooner or later, or are constantly flying back and forth for catch ups and celebrations.....Regards, BOB
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stormfour stormfour has been starred
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 1:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Bob
When our parents got the inkling that they may wish to migrate to Australia,they were shown movie reels of the life they could expect in Australia and also of the hostels they would be expected to live in when they arrived,and let me just say that it was nothing like those visions they had planted in there heads,the hostels where a dismal out of the way slum and being kids at the time we didn't realise how horrified our parents where,because it was just a big adventure for us,but I know that my Mum was heartbroken when she arrived here and it was all my Dad sould do to stop her from crying every day,but to their credit they stayed and moved from the hostel,but never really settled and my Dad unfortunately died at an early age so my Mum went back to England,but then couldn't settle there as we were all still heres,then I went over there ,but again couldn't settle so have returned and now am torn between the 2 places,so really all I can say is,in a lot of cases,once the move is made the damage is done,either you settle or you don't,and which ever way you go there is always something pulling you one way or the other
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Robert (Bob) Taylor
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 6:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Carol, I guess Australia is not all things to all people...nowhere is!
But it took a trip back in 1998 to convince me that it was for the best that my parents made the move in the 60s.In fact before my parents died recently I made a point in openly thanking them for the sacrifice and the consideration in making the move to this end of the world.
Sorry if I ruffle any feathers or offend any one following these posts but didn't particularly like the UK I saw then and frankly don't really think I will race back there.
Sorry to hear about your Dad, and the unsettled life for Mum.I hope you can eventually settle your own issues re here and there.
Cheers, BOB?
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stormfour stormfour has been starred
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 9:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi again Bob
Please don,t misunderstand I too marvel not really at the sacrifice my parents made but the bravery in making the decision to make a move like that at a young age with 3 children I am sure a lot of us on these forums would have a problem in making a move like that,leaving all your family and every thing you know for something completely unknown,they are all to be applauded wether they stayed here or not.
Don't get me wrong though the UK is probably not the place I would like to re locate my family to either,but it still has a pull for me,we went over in Oct last year for 6 weeks and loved it,but I don't think I would live there.
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 11:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great place to visit for nostalgia etc. But could never live there again. Everything is too alien and claustrophobic, tho the chocolate is way better. Three weeks away is about my limit, then I have to get back to Oz again.
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Robert (Bob) Taylor
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think there was theory back in the early days of the programme.
That the people that uprooted themselves from home would struggle to blend in initially and that given time attrition would still result in the desired increase in population and that the next generations ie the children of the migrants would blend in,in time and hey presto mission accomplished.
It is still the case today, the kids of the Asian and European present migrants very quickly learn the language whereas the parents struggle along and tend to stick with there own peoples.
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Heather V
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 5:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We arrived in 1958 to Heathcote Road Hostel. My mother burst into tears when she saw the accommodation and was never happy in Australia. Unfortunately she died in 1966 without having had a chance to go back and realise how much better off she was here. My dad loved Australia and was immensely proud of his Australian citizenship. My mother hated the flies and the heat and living miles from anywhere (we built a home at Stanwell Tops) and she also missed her parents in law to whom she was very close, having lost her own parents very young. We knew a few people who went back - and then discovered that Australia was a better place than the UK and had to do it over again at their own expense. I think the isolation - both physical and psychological - affected some people more than others. I also think the women were more likely to miss family and friends, while the men mostly went out to work and had more outlets.
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Robert (Bob) Taylor
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 6:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes I agree with your sentiments, It was harder on the Ladies, the men had in a lot of cases roughed it during the war and were mostly able to tough it out. The discussion here always evokes sentiment to this day and I can almost smell the dust and food smells that were the experience of the Hostels
My own mother had a certain amount of stiff upper lip....very English, but it still got her down the Spartan rooms and furniture and the attitude of some of the dyed in the wool Aussies were a bit hard on settlers...not being afraid to tell them to get out and go home with a few expletives thrown in for effect and reality. Once you got over the big culture change and embraced the weather and beaches the semi classless lifestyle you became slowly but surely immersed in the new life.
I am of course speaking from a then childs perpective.The point you make re the relatives and friends left behind would have been gut wrenching for some and accepting that we are all different and not always of the same sentiment
would have been overwhelming for many.
Cheers, BOB. Laughing
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Katherine
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with all of you. I always remember arriving in Sydney and we were sent to Newcastle NSW just 2 families from the ship of migrants June 1960. It was dark and very cold when we arrived at Mayfield Hostel. The Hostel Manager took us to our 3 rooms in a Barrack Block. It was the first time I saw my Mum cry and my Dad got annoyed with her. We made our beds up never forget the dark grey blankets with the huge printed stamp saying Nelson Bay Hostel and wondering where that was. Lucky for us another kind resident who had been there for some time knocked on the door of Mum and Dads room and offered us a cup of tea as they had purchased a kettle. I am sure we all have these sort of memories I am so proud and grateful to my parents for making the move to Oz. I have been back to England many times even lived and worked there and loved every minute. It was the weather that used to get me down especially the winter.

A few months ago I watched a documentry on SBS re Vietnam Boat/ Migrants and Cabramatta Hostel and the experiences of these Migrants. These Migrants had Social Workers Psychologists etc etc to assist them re settlement. I like to believe that the process of migration improved greatly due to our parents migration experience. Cheers Katherine
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 3:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Later in the 1960's the British etc. migrants had social workers to help them also housing officers to help find accomadation outside the hostel. and also new accomadation was built on many hostels .I, too, found it very lonely for the first few years and I was a manager's wife as we came into CHL in 1954. and I cried when I arrived from NZ. I missed my family terribly. My introduction to Australia is in the Heathcote Rd. hostel forum.
I have a documentary set of DVDs about England and in the early days there were poor houses ,pretty gut wrenching, and also used nissan huts.The advent of Queen Victoria's reign stared to change things for the better as she cared about her people But it takes many years and I can't stress enough what a young country Australia was in those early days and did the best they could for the people they were housing.The history of the country was not like the UK ,centuries old..My own father was English and my mother was born in South Africa from Scottish parents so I am a first generation New Zealander with much love for the mother country as it was called then. I must say I grew to love Australia and miss it but I still missed my family so we came home when hostels started to wind down but we lived the life for 18 and a half years
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Robert (Bob) Taylor
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 6:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Phyl I was born in a Nissen hut at Vigo inland from Gravesend, My father had recently returned from the 2nd World War.
My parents were like a lot of the people at that time on the bones of their a*se! They in later years talked reminicsling of the hard but memorable experiences, having to boil snow to get water in the middle of the Winter.Cycling miles and miles to work though all weathers.Rationing books still in place at the time...1948.Walking miles to go pea picking and fruit picking to get a few extra shillings and pennies.
When we moved from England in 1960, after selling up all their worldly possessions....apart from a two trunks they arrived with the Princely sum of �300.
Katherine, you brought back more buried memories re the neighbor getting you in for a nice cup of tea. We had similar kindness and really it helped the transition meeting similarly placed people,who over the next months helped to wise you up and make the transition more bearabl
One last memory surrounding the cup of tea...do you remember most people having a china type electric jug, never having seen one before in England.I think they were a Speedy brand. We only ever metal kettles and had taken
our Swann brand electric kettle all the way...got a bit dented in transit but my parents kept that up until recently when they passed.
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You never see those old solid Speedies anymore. All the jugs are plastic.
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Katherine
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes that is the kettle we had one at Cabramatta Hostel with Speedie written on it and those funny elements that could be replaced. Another little thing me and my sister used to do when we could was open the trunks and look at some of the things Mum and Dad had packed it used to remind us of home.
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