Antonio Masseni
Town/City | Melbourne |
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First name | Antonio |
Last name | Masseni |
Country of Origin | Italy |
Date of Birth | 1/23/1933 |
Year of Arrival in Australia | 1952 |
Submitted by | Sharon Pendal |
Story
Twice I have left my homeland; the first was in 1947, I was 14 yrs old. WW2 had ended in 1945 and Orsera (Istria) where I was born and spent my childhood was occupied by Communist Yugoslavia.
Being Italian and having strong anti-communist feelings my Father decided to leave Orsera and settle in Trieste. In those days to cross the border to Italy was not easy, if they knew you did not intend to come back they would not allow you to leave, we told them we were going to Trieste for shopping.
Not long after my Mother, took me to Trieste and left me with my Father. She and my sister Nerina stayed in Orsera. Shortly after they went back the Yugoslavs closed the border completely, nobody in nobody out. It took 12 mths before they let Mum and Nerina join us. We later moved to Monfalcone a city not far from Trieste I lived there until deciding to come to Australia.
The second time I left my homeland was to come to Australia. I was now 18 yrs old and couldn\’t get a job. There was no opportunity to learn a trade or profession not even enough money to have a fun like all young people should have. I couldn\’t see a future so I decided to leave. I always wanted to be free, to be on my own, make my own decisions, get a job and make plenty of money so that I could have a better life.
I didn\’t know any thing about Australia but that didn\’t scare me because I was ready to do any job anywhere, I was young fit and strong and if I may say soÉÉhandsome ha, ha!
It was late December 1951 when I left Italy for a long trip by train to Germany. My Father helped me carry my suitcase to the railway station, Mum and Nerina followed. At the station were some close friends waiting for me; a last few moments together. There were lots of tears and hugs, the question was ‘when will I see you again?\’ Mum was crying to see her young son leaving the family, Australia was so far away.
As the train left the platform, I could see my Mother and Sister getting smaller and smaller, until they disappeared. It was a long trip to the north part of Germany (Bremerhaven) it wasn\’t much fun in Germany until I came to know Meri – I think it was love at first sight. We came to Australia together on the ship NELLY. It was a long trip (36 days) but I could have stayed another 36 with Meri on board.
Cape Town in South Africa was the first stop, it was the 23rd of January 1952, my 19th birthday. Then another 18 days to reach Melbourne on the 9th of February, but we couldn\’t disembark until the next day because King George died at that time.
Seeing Port Melbourne from the ship and looking at those small houses, I thought that all Australia will look like that. From the ship we went straight to a train waiting for us on the pier to take us to Bonegilla Migrants Camp. The trip was long and the train had wooden seats. The train stopped not far from the camp where we waited for a bus; we were outside in the middle of nowhere with the flies eating us alive. Can you imagine the impression it gave me! When we arrived in the camp the first thing that we were told by someone already there was to not drink the water because it decayed your teeth and the food was lousy.
After a few days I was sent to work on a farm picking grapes 50 km from Swan Hill – the place was called GOOD NIGHT.
When I visited the city of Melbourne for the first time I fell in love, beautiful buildings, nice wide streets, and shops and above all I was impressed with the cinema nice thick carpets and nobody standing up like in Italy. I was happy now to live in a city like that.
We didn\’t trust the Australian Dentist because in those days even the young people had dentures. The Australian workers didn\’t impress me very much, I thought they were on the lazy side and the hair styles of the male population left something to be desired, no sideburns and the clothes and shoes were all different, you could very easily pick an Australian from a European. It was very hard to find a continental grocer or shops. Life was very hard at the beginning especially not knowing the language.
Meri and I married in 1953 and had two wonderful sons, Alex and Denis. My sister Nerina also migrated and now has a family and my brother Aldo is also here with his family.
I have three beautiful Grandsons – Tyler, Michael and Tim and Daughters-in-law Sharon and Margaret .
I call Australia home and am still in love, since that first meeting, with my wife.