THREAD: 32 yrs since my family migrated to Australia. It’s quite a story as to how/why it happened. In 1984, my mother died just before my 4th birthday (pneumonia). Suddenly, my father was a widower at 26 y/o with 3 children under the age of 4 (my sister was barely 4 mths old) /1
2 yrs later my father re-married. His new wife (now my mother) was also a widow. Her first husband died of a brain tumour while she pregnant with their first child (now my sister). Both my father and new mother wanted a fresh start. It was time to leave death & darkness behind /2
They needed a fresh start and the UK was a pretty dire place in the 80s. Australian sunshine and a peaceful, outdoor lifestyle appealed greatly. 2 years later they made the move. Death and darkness left behind a new family of 6 made their way to Australia. /3
1 year after our move dad & mum, had a child of their own, cementing their new life in Australia forever. It hasn’t been all rosy. I recall certain kids from school singing “I’d rather be a Paki than a Pom”; casual racism was all the rage in 80s Australia & I wasn’t exempt. /4
My weird Notts accent apparently made me a target. But on the whole, life has been good; God has been kind to my family, and after 11 years away (2004–14), I am glad to be back raising my own family here. Perth is a more int’l city in 2020 than it was in 1988 which is good. /5
And with father’s day approaching in Aust, I’m reminded of how much my dad has endured. I can’t imagine being a widower at 26, let alone w/ 3 kids. When we moved to Australia he had to take any job he could to make ends meet. He worked hard to provide for 5 kids in a new land. /6
He started pumping petrol (gas), then worked a factory that would get to 50°C in summer. Then he drove buses and now he’s a prison officer. He made a life for all of us with blood, sweat, & tears. We didn’t always have much money. But he & mum always found a way to provide. /7
For all of this I’m eternally grateful. I’ve now spent 11 year in the UK, 8+ years in South Korea, and 21 or so years in Perth. It’s been hard at times, but I wouldn’t change a thing. That’s the legacy of a move my parents made 32 years ago. Amazing. /END
