Gerd Modlich

Story

Working in my parents business ever since I was a teenager resulted in developing different opinions between my parents and myself how to plan the future for the business. As I turned 30 this initiated thinking of continuing my career life in another country. The choice was between Canada, Australia, NZ and America, the only authority who replied to our application was the Australian embassy in Cologne. We obtained the permanent visa on the grounds of having 2 young children, 6 and 8 years old, as well as my professional background in the hospitality industry, which at that time was one of the developing future industries in Australia. We had 12 months to prepare our one way journey, which included improving our English language skills, preparing the transport of all personal belongings to Australia as well as selling our duplex house in Hamburg. The latter was the most difficult task as the real estate industry in Germany was in very bad shape at that time, but we managed to sell the house a week before departure. The sea container with our furniture and personal items left Hamburg harbour a week before our one way departure with Qantas from Frankfurt. Our confidence was boosted by the fact that my wife and myself had signed up already for a job in Germany for a south German development company, operating in Brisbane. Following the 36 hour flight, together with 26 (!) pieces of luggage accompanying us we arrived in Brisbane 8th November 1982. The owner of the company we worked for was about to leave for Germany next day, so he only gave me a 2 hour rest following almost 48 hours without sleep for meeting some of his business associates in order to introduce myself to them. So, during the same day of arrival we had a meeting with bank managers, solicitors and lawyers and I really wasn\’t up for it, let alone the fact that at that time I discovered that my language skills left some room for real improvement. Nevertheless, the first day in Australia concluded at a dinner table in a very high class restaurant in Brisbane, meeting those business associates again and I still can\’t believe to this very day that I managed all that without falling asleep.

As far as our children were concerned we decided to send them to school straight away and exactly that happened the day after our arrival in Australia. The teachers of both our children were extremely understanding and helpful and also remarkably the education department allocated 2 especially skilled teachers to assist our kids to settle in. From there on our kids managed very well and both finished their school careers with success and they now live with their Australian born partners and are very successful in their respective careers. We established our first family home, which we finished as owner builder in Cleveland/Brisbane a year after our arrival. As far as my job with that German company was concerned it only lasted for 6 months. Due to some business connections I approached a fine food import company and they only employed me because of my skills I brought with me into Australia from Germany. However, there were 2 reasons that they only could offer me a job in the warehouse: it was my limited language skills and also Australia was in a recession and the economic outlook wasn\’t very bright. But I was very grateful to get that job, even if it was very low paid one and very basic kind of work. The staff in the warehouse distanced themselves from me in the beginning, simply because of the reputation of my country of origin. I considered that as a challenge and fulfilled all odd jobs in the warehouse with enthusiasm, so the resentment of the warehouse staff lasted for only app. 3 months and after that it all turned around. The same staff was extremely helpful in finding my way into higher positions. I stayed with the company for 10 years and successfully occupied positions within customer service and later in marketing management. My wife\’s major function during those years was to be there for our children as we had no relatives or other family members to look after them when there was a need for it. All 4 of us applied successfully for the Australian citizenship 18 months after arrival.

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