Danijela Hlis

Story

In Slovenia, I had obtained qualifications in agriculture and worked there for a year, but I wanted to study languages. So on my 18th birthday I was able to obtain a passport; I went to London, Paris, Rome, Geneva, Barcelona for study and work. While I was working as an interpretor at the Sierra Leone Embassy in Rome, the then Australian Ambassador offered me a job in Sydney, with Transfield Pty Ltd, who needed me in their Recruitment section to conduct interviews in various languages of the migrants. I was a bit scared to go so far on my own, but I thought for a free air fare, and a good job offer, it was worth a try! They also told me that there were two and a half men to each women (!) and so that if I wanted to get married, it should be easy. My Italian boyfriend was not too happy about this.

I I flew from Rome to Sydney. I was met at the airport and taken to a Young Women’s Hostel in the city. I was very sad to meet many young women there – teachers, nurses, with no English who had migrated for better life but found themselves working as process workers while they had to learn English. They were all very homesick. I was not, I loved the botanical gardens, the harbour, Manly. My Managing Directors, Franco Belgiorno Nettis and Mr Salteri were very kind and helpful. Neverthless, originally, at first, I was disappointed. I was accustomed to Paris and Rome, London, its fashion, arts, architecture and culture. I felt I came to some country & western place where everything was about 20 years behind Europe. Men were rough, women were lound, I was wearing a maxi here they were still into mini skirts…people ate lunch on the streets, spaghetti on toast! Unfortunately , I was very immature and silly; instead of getting to know my new country, I kept comparing it to Europe…But very soon I met Peter Andren, who at the time was Channel 9 news director, (and later became a potitician)and he introduced me to Australian bush, to the Aboriginals in Northern Territory, to the BBQ and fishing! Having been very discriminated against in Paris, I felt accepted and welcomed as a migrant in Australia. I did go back to Europe in 1976, but came back from Paris with my French husband, and since then I call Australia home. I have become a published writer, I have climbed the ladder of success in career of Human Resource Management, settling industrial disputes on construction sites, I have had my own tourism business in Tasmania, and much much more. I was able to work, study, travel, AUSTRALIA HAS GIVEN ME SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR A BEAUTIFUL LIFE, AND HAS ALSO WELCOMED ALL MY FAMILY MEMBERS. I am so grateful, and so proud to be a part of this heaven on earth.

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