Diary Entry #1 Back in Italy:

It was 1948 and the world was still recovering from The Second World War. My family, Mom, Dad, Brother and I we’re very poor as the rest of the population. We had millions if not billions of Euros and yet they were all worth a trip to the market. The country was starving and the economy was dying. There was nothing left for us in Italy and we needed a way out. One day my brother and I were walking around the streets of our town and as we walked by our local notice board I saw a poster that looked new and undamaged to the rest. It read “Populate or Perish” “WE WANT YOU! Are you looking for a new start at life? In a undamaged, free country that promises work, land and shelter? Do you want to live by the beach? And not worry about anything but how to enjoy yourself? Well if this sounds like a lifestyle for you sail across the ocean to Australia where all our questions are answered. And why not bring the family? The more the merrier” Come to think about it, these posters actually filled the streets and were quite popular among our community. Seems like a lot of the locals felt like there was nothing left for them. Anyway, I went home and took it to my parents. “Mom, I have an idea” I said handing her the paper. “Australia!” She seemed sceptical at first but when she asked my father and they spoke for a bit it seemed like there was a high chance of us moving to the land down under. 2 Weeks later and my parents had packed everything and we were on our way to the docks.

Diary Entry #2 The Transit:

I must admit I was very nervous about leaving Italy. I’ve never been overseas, on a boat, migrating, leaving so much of myself behind. However the main thing was that now at least we have each other in a safer country, better economical country, with jobs… or at least that’s what the poster said. The ship we stayed in was quite big and quite nice. Well at least in comparison to our lives before, where there were craters in the roads, houses obliterated to dust, no food, hard beds and just all round depression in our lives. The first few days we were all sea sick, vomiting and nauseous. I was starting to re-think if giving that poster was a good idea but after about the first week we were generally better. But something that poster didn’t advertise was the journey. It was amazing to wake up to a sunrise and go to sleep after the sunset under the stars with the waves calmly crashing against the hull in a calm silence. It was a great experience for all of us. No stress for my parents in particular, not having to worry about feeding us or bombs going off or anything to dangerous happening. However with that being said it did get boring for my brother and I on the boat. So we would go exploring around the boat. Gong to restricted areas and looking around. We made friends as well but my brother and I were close so we mainly stayed together.

 The days seemed to bleed into each other, weeks passed and finally after 4-5 months later, 4 Major Storms, countless memories, new friends made and old ones lost we arrived in Australia. Our new home. Which was very different to Italy. Very different.

Diary Entry #3 The Land Down Under:

As we stepped off the ship for the last time as it had stopped off on the African Coast for refuelling and supplies we were greeted by a sea of busses. We found our way onto one and soon enough we were entering an Army barracks that were reserved for us as the new inhabitants. This wasn’t anything close to what was advertised I panicked. “Mom what’s happening!?’ “Don’t worry Sweetheart, we are all okay.” She ever so calmly replied. “They’re just keeping us here for a short time while they find us jobs, land, and check our records.”

The busses parked and let us collect our belongings and then they allocated us our half-cylinder, barrack houses. There were about 4-6 families in a single barrack and there were heaps of them. Going for probably a kilometre of barracks. It was amazing to see. But it looked like we would be staying here a while, I mean why let a family unpack everything and keep them in a contained area. However that wasn’t my problem to worry about, all I had to do was make new friends and find out where everything in the base was located. Not such a tough task. Eventually I found some kids my age from Italy too. In fact they were only two suburbs away from my home town so we had a lot in common. From supporting soccer teams, to similar leisure activities and we even had some mutual friends between us. Another group of friends I made wasn’t actually in the camp, they were “Aussies” and they had funny accents but had similar interests to us, which is funny to think as we are the same age but live on other ends of the world. We all hung out every day together collectively after English lessons, where we migrants learned how to speak, read and write English. We also learned the traditions and history of Australia.

Finally after around 3 months we left the camp to Sydney, apparently our camp was in Adelaide and it was a long transit for us to get there but an enjoyable one as we drove for about 5 days, taking our time and enjoying our new homeland, with white beaches, blue skies, and crystal oceans. Incredible.

Diary Entry #4 True Blue Aussie:

Life is great. We have lived in Australia for little over a year now. I attend a high school called St. Allosios with my brother and I have made lots of friends. My parents love their jobs and we live in a suburb called Neutral Bay which is right next to the water overlooking the Opera house and Sydney Harbour Bridge. The icons of our country. Even in our close community we have Italians and what’s great is that even some of my friends from the barracks living close by. This is the happiest any of us have been individually and as a family collectively. It’s so great to see us all like this. Healthy, free, wealthy, happy and loved. I believe it was destiny for me to find that poster back in Italy and lead us here. We had some hardships along the way but it was all worth it in the end. To arrive in such a great country with a real community of people who are here to support everyone from all walks of life, through thick and thin. I thank God every day for the 2^nd chance at life he has given us and I am proud to call myself an Australian, an “Aussie”.