Patrick & Helene Del Guidice

Story

As a member of the Canadian Forces living in Ottawa, Patrick became aware of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) lateral recruit program and applied to join the RAAF. With military cutbacks in the Air Force in Canada, Patrick saw this as an opportunity to continue his military professional career in the service of a like-minded country with common heritage. After his application had been accepted, Patrick signed a contract with the RAAF and he and his wife Helene departed Ottawa Ontario Canada on 15 Oct 1996 for Canberra, Patrick’s first military posting.

The journey was exciting as it was the first time either Patrick or Helene had travelled past Hawaii. The voyage was accomplished by air with a stop over in Hawaii. Patrick and Helene arrived in Sydney, Australia three days after leaving Canada. Having left Canada in the autumn, they arrived in the spring and were due for another summer.

The RAAF ensured that we had kind hosts (Brian Erdeljac and his wife Kirrilee) to meet us at the airport and to help us settle in for the next few days. Canberra proved to be exciting and comfortable. The evenings were cooler then expected but summer was on the way and we were in a new a wonderful place so far away from where we had originated.

We settled in Nicholls in Canberra into a Defence Housing Authority home which was newer than any home we had ever lived in so things seemed amazing right off from the start. Patrick went to work in the Defence Acquisition Organisation and Helene found work shortly thereafter in the public service. As part of his conditions of service, Patrick became an Australian citizen in May of 1997 and Helene followed on with citizenship 2 years later. We\’ve given up Ice Hockey and Baseball for Rugby and Cricket but apart from missing the closeness of our families, we have not regretted our decision to become Australian.

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