Done Dimov (Part 2 of story)
| First name | Done |
|---|---|
| Last name | Dimov (Part 2 of story) |
| Country of Origin | Macedonia |
| Date of Birth | 18/03/42 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1965 |
| Submitted by | Antula & Done Dimov |
Story
Part II of Done’s story.
We were very happy to receive clothes and shoes. We were especially pleased because the clothes were new and not hand-me downs. Being the youngest in my family I was particularly happy, I was very pleased. In total there were 30,000 children evacuated to the eastern countries most of them were ethnic Macedonians.
Once we were cleaned up we were placed in government boarding houses and stayed in Tulgesh for six months before travelling by train to Poland. After a long journey, travelling through Hungary and Czechoslovakia we arrived in Poland in the city of Londek Zdruy.
In 1950 we were transferred to the city of Zgorzelets near the German boarder where we were again placed in government boarding houses. Here, for the first time, we met Greek children who were also evacuated for the same reason, to avoid the Greek Civil War. Unfortunately, even though we all came from Greece we spoke different languages and were unable to communicate with each other.
In 1952 we were again transferred, this time to the city of Plakovitse for a while and then in 1953 we were sent to Police were we attended school and learned four languages, Macedonian, Greek, Polish and Russian. We spent our summer holidays in the mountains and at the seaside in tourist resort areas.
During one of our holidays we were taken to the city Krakow, a very impressive city with old architecture, museums and other things. I was especially impressed with the museum of Nicolas Copernikus, the astronomer. Nicolas Copernikus as we know him today was the scientist who discovered the earth revolved around the sun. I especially liked this city and the River Wisla.
As parents started looking for their children through the Red Cross, forty-five of us were immediately located and ordered to leave Poland. We travelled by train through Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Serbia and arrived in Skopje, in the Peoples Republic of Macedonia, in December 1955. Friends and parents along with the media were there waiting to greet us at the train. When we arrived the Red Cross moved us to the cafŽ at the cigarette factory Monopolo where we were given refreshments. My mother was there too, frantically looking for me but I had grown in my years of absence and she couldn\’t recognise me. She went from child to child asking for Done Dimov until someone pointed me out and we finally met. My mother was in tears of joy as she gave me a hug and was glad to see me.
My mother and I stayed in Skopje for a couple of days visiting relatives before we boarded a train for Bitola where she lived. I completed my schooling as an Electrical Technician; and for many years I was unable to get any work and it was for this reason we migrated to Australia. My aunty wrote to us saying that there was work for any tradesmen in Australia. In 1965 my mother and I moved again. We left Macedonia and boarded a ship from Genoa, Italy to Australia. The name of the ship was the Marconi, a brand new and impressive ship like a grand floating hotel. I was in awe of its grandeur. We arrived in Australia on September 22nd, 1965 and settled in Queanbeyan. I married Antula Doikos in June of 1969 and in 1983 with my wife and three children Susie, Robert and Philip we moved to Canberra.
I was working on construction sites till the year 1974 then started work in the old Parliament House with the Joint House Department. In 1988 we moved to the New Parliament House and I have seen many governments and Prime Minsters change till my retirement in 1996.
I was a man without a country – this was the plight confronted by many refugee children, and other issues haunted me because my mother told me my father was killed in the civil war and when I arrived in Australia I learned that my father was still alive and was living in Perth . I was 36 years old when I met my father.
Australia has offered me security, work and opportunities which I could only dream of. This is a great country which has given opportunities to immigrants to achieve their goals and live a wonderful life. I proudly became an Australian Citizen and have all the rights of a democratic country and feel safe and very happy and for the first time I feel that I have a country where my family and I can live a happy life.