I came from a multicultural family and lived in several different countries in Europe before comming to Australia from Germany.

Before I left, my father told me; "You are going to a new country, you know little about. You will have to learn the language, their laws and customs and even get used to different foods. Join a group like CWA or a Mothers Club. Having young children, encourage them to make friends with neighbours children and in School. Don't ever expect anyone to change to your ways. You want a new life, make sure you change to fit in and are accepted as one of them."

I took my fathers words to heart and tried my best. To learn english was hard for me, because my first home here in 1958 was in St. Kilda where every shop I went to had german speaking ownwers or staff. When they realised that I was struggling with english, they did not help correct me but just spoke german to me.

My children did make friends whom I welcomed into our home. The first real english sentence I learned was; "What did she say?" The little friends asked my children when I spoke to them.

Now I live in a small country town with a large population of Italians. For all the 45 years I have been here, not one of the Italian women has ever joined a group, and some of them still can not hold a conversation in english. In their culture the men won't allow their women to mix company for fear they may get ideas that the husband is not always right. Cultural differences, but I am glad to see the younger generation don't take much notice of the oldies lifestyle.

Integration takes time, but a migrant has to be willing to integrate.

Erica