Helena Tuohino
| Town/City | Narooma |
|---|---|
| First name | Helena |
| Last name | Tuohino |
| Country of Origin | Sweden/Finland |
| Date of Birth | 30/04/54 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1958 |
| Submitted by | Helena Bettini |
Story
My parents were children during WWII and I feel they wanted to escape Europe and the farm/country life for new opportunities and a beautiful climate. My father was a cabinet maker/builder so we were accepted immediately and within 2 weeks we (my parents and 2 girls) were packed and left to travel half way across the world.
We travelled from Sweden to England by train, then we boarded the ship Orion and came through the Suez Canal to Melbourne. I didn’t like the creche so I would escape and wander around the ship looking for my mother and nearly fell overboard trying to catch a ribbon which blew out of my hair.
I was only 4 but my full memory of my life almost began on arrival in Australia. We firstly stayed at a hostel in Canberra and I had great fun playing with all the children from everywhere. We played cricket, swung across a gully on a rope, played with matchbox cars making roadways and tunnels. I was really happy and still am and often think I’m so grateful my parents decided to come to Australia.