Anneliese Leschnik

Story

I was the 2nd of 7 children. My mother had remarried when I was 10 years old. We lived in Vienna in a 4×4 metre flat and my Stepfather was abusive towards me, the only girl. When I was 17 years old my family migrated to Holland excluding my older Brother and me – there was no room for us. My brother applied to come to Australia and left 6 months prior to me. When the family left, the flat was empty other then my 2 suitcases. I slept for two months on the floor with my coat as a cover and begging for food from neighbors. I remember feeling alone, cold, somehow abandoned and hungry most of the time. There was no contact with my mother until I arrived in Australia in October 1961.

The Journey

I came by Qantas, leaving Austria in Autumn, where it was already very cold, arriving when Australia ‘s climate was already heating up. I was so shocked to see that none of the houses were rendered, and mostly bungalow style. I was taken to Wollongong by train from Melbourne It was hot, dusty and empty in relation to seeing people settled. When giving the taxi driver my address to take me to Oak Flats NSW he looked on a map and it took for ever to arrive at my destination. I was crying in the back of the taxi, convinced that I was kiddnapped. But I arrived safely, and paid with a 5 pound note, my only money. He gave me no change. My brother had arranged a room for me with people from Austria, but he was at work. So, there I was 17 years old, on another continent, with very little English, and no one to welcome me. The culture shock was huge and especially in relation to religion. I am and always was a practising catholic, usually going to ST Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna for Sunday Mass. I found myself in a Community Hall on Sundays, with wooden floors, dusty curtains and children playng with matchbox cars, earting chips during Mass. My first impression of the Australian Catholic was that of rabbits, coming out of their burrows on Sunday, and the rest of the week remained hidden underground. I was used to magnificant churches and hearing the bells calling to service.

I met my hubby the same month I arrived in what I called the wild country, when compared with Vienna in 1961. I was 17 years and Philipp was 24. He lived in Graz- Austria before coming as a immigrant to Australia in 1959. He was making arrangements to return home when we met. He was a handsome, rather shy, very clean looking young man, treating me with such respect, I had not experienced before. We had lots in common, such as culture, language and I had lived in Graz around the time Philipp was a teenager, yet we did not meet then.

Anyway, Philipp proposed and wanted to take me back to Austria. My response was that I would not go with anyone as a good catholic girl. So within 4 months we married on Easter Sunday 1962. This was not without a slight disaster. On that Easter Sunday morning we went to Mass as usual, I was happy and whilst swinging on a gate post like a kid, fell flat on my face. As my future husband was of Yugoslav origin living in a town where lots of single men lived some suspected that I was bashed. Fortunately, I was totally oblivious, yet with a big headache and a broken nose, which was packed in ice for hours before the wedding, we married that afternoon. The Maltese Priest could not take his eyes of me once I lifted my veil, as my face was slightly asymmetrical. I had to repeat the vows, the problem was, I could not understand him, nor could I speak English, so- only God and Philipp knew my intentions.

Philipp went on to become a licensed builder. He loved his work and was a tireless provider, loving father and totally loving husband. Once the children were older, and my English improved I entered University and completed my Master in Nursing in the early 1990. I still work in Haematology/Oncology as a registered nurse since my husband died of cancer .We were married for 43 years with 3 children and now 7 grandchildren.

I thank God and this beloved country Australia for the endless blessings I received, although it was a shaky start to my life.

I could write a book, with some funny, some sad, some unbelievable situations, but the end point is that I\’m a proud Australian, with the paper to prove it.

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