linda
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~Exuberant Seachanger~
Posts: 425
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Post by linda on Jul 10, 2008 22:37:52 GMT 10
in another post you mentioned you left the US in around grade 9 --- just wondering....is that when you moved to Austrailia? (if you don't mind me asking)
Linda
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Post by braided-rug on Jul 13, 2008 11:00:20 GMT 10
 I didn't see this post.
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Post by violet on Jul 14, 2008 19:27:17 GMT 10
Sorry, ladies. Give me a yell when I miss things - I often sit down, only to be interrupted a few minutes later, and then I forget where I was up to!!
Linda, the short answer is that my father decided to start a business here, so dragged my Mom, younger (and only) sibling and I along with him.
The longer answer is that my mother was born in Australia, and her relatives still live in Queensland, a different State to where we settled.
My father was born in Tel Aviv, in what was then Palestine, to Polish parents. They lived in, I believe, France during the war as my grandfather worked with the French Embassy. I think. Although we went to my grandparents place for dinner every Sunday, they never discussed the War.
Anyhow, after WWII, my father's relatives all applied to go to the States. My father, for some reason, ended up, at 21, in Australia in the early 1950's.
He studied for an entire year before giving up and working at various jobs, meeting and marrying my mother along the way.
They moved to the States, California to be exact, where my grandparents were. I was actually born at the then Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, near West Hollywood where my grandparents lived.
By the time my sister and I were born, my father had found his niche in banking/finance, the area he eventually started his business in.
We came to Australia for a visit when I was around 4, stayed for a few months and returned to Ca. There was another trip over when I was 9, again for a few months, and then the final trip over was when I was 14, just after the big earthquake in LA in the early 1970's.
I should probably add that we moved between the two countries via P&O liner - so I spent a lot of time at sea as a child!
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Post by braided-rug on Jul 14, 2008 19:31:29 GMT 10
It is interesting about the banking/finance. Also that you had a few visits, I suppose that helped a little. It is good you are near the sea too.
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linda
Moderator
~Exuberant Seachanger~
Posts: 425
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Post by linda on Jul 14, 2008 20:22:48 GMT 10
Thanks for sharing your story, Violet.
Wow, your family had a lot of adventure moving from one continent to another continent. How did you find adjusting to a new culture? We sometimes find it challenging adjusting to some things in our new province.
I love traveling and hope to visit at least some of the places you mentioned (I would like to visit them all). I've done a bit of traveling, but most of it has been within Canada. I've done a bit into the States, once to Barbados and once to Dominican Republic.
Linda
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Post by violet on Jul 15, 2008 14:49:37 GMT 10
Linda, when we came to Australia for the final time, I loved the sky. It's still in my mind's eye when I think of the move here - the blue, blue, endless sky. I suppose I'd noticed the smog of LA without realising it.
Any move requires an adjustment. Even though the language is the same, more or less, in both countries, everything from stores to food to clothes to weather is different. Sometimes subtly, sometimes more obviously. The hardest thing was getting to used to the tribal thing here. They're very keen on pigeon-holing people in the areas we've lived in. If you don't fit, you've got a problem, and I've never quite fitted.
The marvellous thing about travelling by ship was all the stops in port. We visited Canada, Japan, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand....it was great to spend a day checking out these places, then hopping back on the ship. No unpacking!
I have suggested to dh that we take the kids to the States next year to meet the few relatives I knew who are still alive, and to show them where I grew up. It would be wonderful, but he is not keen to spend that sort of money. It's a substantial amount, but I'll be 50 shortly, and don't suppose there will be too many birthdays left.
Eldest ds is trying to do something on his phone with some new software. He is in the same room, and, as is his habit, is walking back and forwards - continually. Drives me nuts, so I'm out of here!
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Post by braided-rug on Jul 15, 2008 14:57:05 GMT 10
Aw violet, maybe you should remind him of his trip? Anyway, I hope you get to go.
Do you think pigeonholing goes even as far as things like Greenie, etc. etc. etc.? in our society here as a whole?
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Post by violet on Jul 16, 2008 12:38:13 GMT 10
I think there's an element of that, Br. If you live in Hawthorn, you're blonde, with a wealthy husband, drive a Euro 4WD, holiday overseas when you're not at your beach house in Portsea. And of course you are slim and play tennis or golf lol. (We don't live in Hawthorn!!)
If you live in Eltham, you're a tree-hugging teacher. And on it goes.
To illustrate: When we were still at primary school, someone asked me where we lived. I told them, and they asked which side of the school we were one (N,S,E or W) because some directions were considered rich and some were considered poor. When I told them, they said that they were surprised because we didn't look like one of the rich families.
Now seriously, can you believe that? I said it was ok, because we aren't in the "rich bit" and the house is ordinary anyhow, and that seemed to satisfy her.
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Post by braided-rug on Jul 16, 2008 12:54:27 GMT 10
That was bad violet.  Of her I mean. |
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Post by violet on Jul 16, 2008 15:19:10 GMT 10
Br, it was entirely predictable. I reckon some of them would like to ask for a statement of assets plus your dh's pay package before they decide whether you're worth the trouble of being friendly with!
I should add that I've always politely kept my distance from women who are like that.
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linda
Moderator
~Exuberant Seachanger~
Posts: 425
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Post by linda on Jul 16, 2008 20:30:16 GMT 10
Br, it was entirely predictable. I reckon some of them would like to ask for a statement of assets plus your dh's pay package before they decide whether you're worth the trouble of being friendly with! I should add that I've always politely kept my distance from women who are like that.  This sounds soo familiar, Violet. It was exactly like this where we lived in Ontario. I often joked with dh that people needed to know what type of job you had, house you owned etc., before they could decide if you were worthy to be their friend or not.  Linda |
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Post by braided-rug on Jul 18, 2008 15:47:30 GMT 10
I have known ladies that look rather ordinary, and later I've found out what their husband's jobs are and why they are so esteemed. I guess they deserve more than what their backgrounds or looks where, but it was amazing. One really tried very hard though. The other was a nice person once I got to know her a little.
What if they don't actually have money, just look like they do? Or what if you have money and don't show it? It is very difficult isn't it?
I got treated worse when my hubby was working in the factory, and nothing had really changed for us. We lived in the same house, drove the same car, and our finances were kind of the same. I had just adjusted our food, and a lump sum had taken care of some of the other worries. I was over scutinised by nurses, and asked if we needed help paying our kinder fees. One of the parents at kinder I think worked at the chemist and kept hassling me about those cheaper medicines, and I think mentioned the amount of people in our family.
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Of her I mean.
