40 years in Australia

 40 years ago, on 8th February 1983 we landed in Australia...

Visa issued in Kuwait?

Yes, in 1981 I commenced a 2 years work contract in Kuwait University Computer Centre.

 My wife and children joined me soon.

We felt quite comfortable living in Poland and my plan was to work 2 years, maybe a bit more in Kuwait to earn some "hard currency" and get some experience with modern computer technology and then return to Poland to our spacious 66 m2 flat, safe jobs etc.

The history changed our plans, in December 1981 a martial law was introduced in Poland as a response to social unrest under Solidarity banner.
Officials in Polish Consulate in Kuwait advised - do not go back to Poland. There is total paralysis of economy, social life, everything. Stay in Kuwait as long as you can.
On the other hand - staying in Kuwait did not look like a safe option, just across the border there was a war between Iraq and Iran, we could hear bomb explosions quite frequently.

So where to go?
There were 3 main migration destinations - USA, Canada, Australia.
First two looked as easiest options - not so far from Poland, similar climate, we had some friends or relatives there.
I visited US Consulate and asked about migration procedure.
The official in the Consulate was very frank - you realise that getting permanent residency in US is the greatest privilege in the world. No wonder the process will be long, you may feel humiliated sometimes, but remember - you must be honest and humble because at the end there is the greatest reward.
I felt to small to apply.

Canadian Consulate.
The official was quite friendly, he introduced Canada as most open, multicultural country, encouraged me to apply for permanent residency visa...then whispered - may I ask you few unofficial questions?
- Go on.
- How old are you?
- 40.
- How much money will you bring to Canada?
- Few thousand dollars (my salary in Kuwait was heavily taxed by Polish government).
- Do you have any close family in Canada?
- No.
- Well, as I said before, we are extremely open country and you are most welcome here, but privately... if you are so old, so poor and so lonely... better stay where you are.
I thanked him heartfully for such honest advice.

Australian Consulate.
First question was - what is your profession?
- Computer analyst programmer.
The official grabbed me by arm - you are position one on our country demands list, I will not let you leave unless you give me you details and contact information.
I filled application forms.

To get some idea what can we expect in new place, I looked around to find some Australian professional in Kuwait. It took quite some time before I found one.
I considered it a good sign.
There were many professionals from USA, Great Britain, from European countries. So employment conditions in Australia must be so good, they do not need to look for better options.
We invited the special one for dinner and explained him our curiosity.
- What a pity my wife is not here, she would have told you everything you need. One thing is certain - Australia is extremely friendly country with the best medical and education systems in the world.
Your kids will love Australian school, it is so multicultural. Take the languages, there are 3 terms in a school year. In term 1 kids learn French, in term 2 - Italian, in term 3 they have swimming.
- How old are your kids? - I asked.
- Boy is 8, our daughter is... I think she is 6. If my wife was here...

After the dinner I drove our guest to his hotel.
There was a long line of cars on the traffic lights. We moved slowly forward. someone was pressing on the horn.
- What happened? - asked my passenger - a police?
- No, just someone overslept the green light.
- Missed green light and such a noise? In Australia they may honk on you, but not earlier then after you missed 3 green lights. 
I returned home in good spirit.
- I think we will manage there - I announced.
- And it looks like women enjoy high respect there - added Sylvia

An official in Australian Consulate reinforced my positive look.
- On what day of the week will you arrive in Australia?
- Tuesday, 8 February.
- Excellent, just on Tuesday, The Age - the main Melbourne paper, publishes a list of vacant computer jobs. If you ring them from the airport you may start working same day after lunch.
Impressive.

January 1983 meant packing and clearing up all issues in Kuwait.
I visited Bank of Kuwait and enquired about exchange of my savings to Australian dollars.
- Sorry, we do not keep Australian dollars.
So I exchanged all my savings yo US dollars.
My boss organised a farewell party..

My contract provided for a free return flight to my home country or any flight with Kuwait Airways.
We chose Manila, Philippines.

Almost a week in a paradise...

... and we boarded a Qantas plane.

Morning sun woke us up, I looked down thru the window - unending slightly undulated terrain covered by sand or dried out grass.
We are back in Kuwait - was the first thought.
Few hours later we landed in Melbourne, pilot announced a hot day.
Some strange figures in white overalls sprayed passengers with some fluid and we touched Australian soil.

Sylvia had some relatives living in Melbourne and they (Barbara and John) offered us an accommodation for the first weeks, Barbara was also to pick us up from the airport but we had to wait a bit, until the morning traffic will ease.
I bought The Age - the Consulate official was right, there was a special section with advertisements of computer jobs. I decided to try them next day.
I visited currency exchange.
The price of 1 AU$ was close to 1.18 US$.
That was a big surprize, on the other hand it probably meant that the economy was very strong. For the beginning I exchanged some 200 US$.

Soon Sylvia's cousin arrived and drove us to their home.
Surroundings of Tullamarine airport did not look too encouraging, small industry area, poor road surface, lots of small workshops or warehouses. 
- Like in Kuwait - I thought.
Sylvia's cousin must have noticed our disappointment.
- Do not worry, it is just an industrial area, Melbourne is a beautiful city and our home is in a very nice, green suburb with many parks and trees.
Finally we got to Hawthorn East - looked very nice, lots of nice homes and residences, but lawns and trees... they looked like drying out.
- Oh, I did not warn you, We are in a long period of drought. Our council forbade watering plants and gardens.

Eventually we reached the home.
Very spacious, with nice garden, swimming pool and tennis court.
This was Australia of our dreams.

In the late afternoon we felt in the air some smoke, the sky darkened, there was a strong wind.

Next day we could see in newspapers this photo...

Details HERE.

My plan for this day was to look for a job.
I looked at list of job offers in yesterday's The Age and rang. Got an interview in the afternoon.

People in the agency were very friendly and nice, they looked quite impressed with variety of my job experiences.
Then came a question:
- Do you have any Australian job experience?
- But I think I told you - we arrived in Australia yesterday.
- Oh, yes, of course, of course. It does not matter at all.
The agent looked quite worried, he flipped over my job certificates without much enthusiasm.
- We are sure we find something for you soon. We will ring you. Bye.

The Australian experience started!

USA - 1982 - New York

 Direction New York.

Soon we could see the skyscrapers at the horizon, less that 2 hours drive and we are on the city entrance road.

The sign read: Harlem.

I got paralysed.
I do not exactly know why, there was not so much negative much propaganda in Communist Poland showing USA in a bad light.
Of course there were reports about homelessness, poverty, crime, racism etc, but it was so remote.

And here, out of sudden, we are at the gate to Harlem - panic, panic.

Lock the door - I commanded - and avoid looking at anybody.
In few minutes time we got stuck in a traffic jam. In the distance I could see young Afro-American men washing front screens of the coming cars.

Prepare some change for me - I commanded to Sylwia - and do not look anybody into eyes.

After next few minutes we were in the front line. Young, massively built man, smiled friendly to me

- Screen wash, sir?
I nodded approvingly.
In few seconds the windscreen was clean, I lower the window glass slightly
- How much do we owe you?
- It is up to you, sir. Welcome to New York!
I handed him probably $2, he waved friendly to my passengers and we moved on.
I felt relaxed and rather embarrassed with my previous precautions.

Our American friend from Kuwait, Joe K. booked for us room in hotel in 88th Street. It was very close to the main attraction in the city centre.

The first attraction was an open air concert in the Central Park.
It was something new for us. We were lovers of classical music, but we experienced it only in official concert halls.
And here it was - free for all and in beautiful surrounding.
Of course there were some conversations around us, some cracking of serviettes or food containers, clink of wine glasses, but this was a part of the parcel.
After the concert we went for a shot walk in alleys around the big lawn and there was a mounted police, some loud commands, noises.
- Do not walk this way - warned us some passerby, there was attempted robbery there.

Next day, maybe even two, were filled with visiting many popular New York attractions.

We also rang Wanda, who we met at the camping camp few days earlier.
She told us that she will be in the city next day and will be very happy to visit some not so well known attraction.

It was a small castle brought from Europe to New York.

Wanda also told us about her current occupation.
We remembered that her husband was employed by Mr Potamkin, as a manager of cars depo and occasionally as a limo driver, to pick up from the airport most important quests of his boss.
One of them was a director of Canadian Railways.
He was so enchanted with Stan's small talk that he made a proposal:
My wife has a luxurious apartment in New York and once a year, at the beginning of art season, she organises a series of events for her friends.
She needs a manager for this apartment - all year it stays empty, but for these 2 weeks of high season it comes to life - sumptuous parties everyday, visits of distinguished guests etc.
Of course all services, catering of the best quality are paid.
A very reliable manager is needed to order, control and coordinate all these activities.
And this is her job for the last few years.

Same day in the evening, we met Joe K American of Polish origin and his girlfriend and visited Lincoln Centre.
There was a performance of Dvorak's Cello concerto.

There was one more point in our program for New York - to visit my aunt who lived in an old-age care home in Long Island.
I rang a car hire.
- What credit card should we charge?
- I do not have a credit card, I will pay in cash.
A moment of silence and then - you must be joking, you will pay us few dollars and we will not see neither you nor our car.
They hang up.

Now I understood dilemmas of car hire in Washington.
Stan and Wanda were the only chance.
I rang them suggesting that they will hire a car and pay with their credit card and we will return them all in cash. Stan burst in laughter - don't you remember that I am running a car depo?
Come there and you will get a car of your choice for free.
Next morning we packed and went there by taxi.
Soon we passed poor residential suburbs and found ourselves in some industrial desert.
Miles and miles of empty streets filled with neglected stores and used cars depos.
Finally we got there. A smart minibus was waiting for us.
- We hope it will serve you well.
It did.

Meeting with my aunt was very touching and memorable.

Our arrangement for car return was, that we bring it to Stan and Wanda home in the morning, spend all day there and in the evening they will drop us to the airport.
They lived in Greenpoint, the area dominated by Polish community.
We felt like in Poland, not the one we remembered, it was Poland of previous generation.

Evening, we sat at the meal and then phone rang, and then again and again.

Stan turned to us with radiant face.
President Reagan declared that due to martial law in Poland, no Polish visitor can be expelled from United States.
Bring your luggage inside, you are not going anywhere.
You can stay with us a month or two, we will enroll your children to a school nearby.
You will find jobs and settle down for good!

Somehow he did not convince us.
We noticed disappointment in their faces

We boarded Kuwait Airways flight.

Previous Post - Niagara Falls - Click.     

 END

USA 1982 Niagara Falls

 Our initial idea of summer holidays in USA was to cross it from South to North with longer stays in Florida, Washington, Niagara Falls and New York.
We were told, that the best view on the falls is from Canadian side, people told us that there is practically no control on the border. On the other side - we got single entry visa. We did not try.

Now was the longest leg.
Firstly I enjoyed driving the car.
Generally I am not an enthusiast of cars and driving, but my only experience was driving a miniscule Fiat 600 in Poland and some better car on absolutely flat Kuwait deserts and here I got a power and a feeling of rolling green hills.

Secondly, we drove barely few hours and... Niagara was there...

The photo does not show it but there was a big display - Niagara Falls Information Office.
We entered.
- Are you travelling to Niagara Falls? - asked a young guy.
- We are.
- You are extremely lucky, this is a last point you can easily book accommodation  and organize some exciting tour.
Do you know what happens now in Niagara Falls?

-???

- There is a massive baptism of newcomers to the Baptist Church, Thousands of people will be submerged. On top of it there is big motorboats competition. 
There is only a handful of vacant places and we are the last place you can book them.

We booked in a haste.
- I suppose you will arrive in Niagara Falls in the afternoon?
- Yes.
- I suggest you wait till night and then see the Falls with all the lights over and around and then visit it again next day, walk around, take a boat trip and so on.
- Sounds a good idea.
- Here I have a very special information, only for you.
- ???
- There will be unimaginable crowd and traffic jam around the Falls. You will get stuck in the car and there is a very small chance you will get a parking space and watch the Falls close and freely
But there is a secret...
On your way to the Falls you will be passing a solid gate - Water Authority - No Entry.
Stop there and push the gate. It is open. Drive in and there you will see the concrete path. Drive there, switch off the lights and in a couple of minutes you will notice a bridge over your heads and big crowds on it.
Here it is!

Sounded exciting.
In appreciation we bought also ticket for some historical show.

I do not remember how long was the ride, definitely few days.
All the way we were surrounded by unending wonderful green hills and forests.
It exceeded all expectations.

Finally Niagara Falls.
Very nice, sleeping city, no crowds, Vacancy notices every second home.
We reached out accommodation, I asked about the massive baptism, they never heard about it.
Still, the accommodation was very nice and we were happy with it.

Evening came, time to see the Falls.
Everything went according to the instruction
There was a gate with a No Entry note, it was open, we drove in and noticed concrete paving down, drove there...
There was a big sign - Danger, this is a canal, may be flushed at any time, do not enter.

It brought memories of R. Polanski's movie Chinatown, there was a plot of illegal water flush from state owned water reserves. It gave me some idea where we are.
Now I look back with disbelief - I decided to drive, just warned family to be ready for jumping out from the car.
I switched off the lights, soon we reached the bridge. We were noticed, some people directed torches at us. We left the car and climbed up.

The light show was impressive but I was tortured with question - is our car still there?
It was.

Next day morning visit was long and more relaxed.
We had a boat ride but the visibility was very limited.

We walked a bridge under the falls, a narrow path and a curtain of roaring waters, finally view from the top.

It was great but probably view from Canadian site is better.
Historical show was very good but we had no knowledge to appreciate all historical aspects of it.

Time for New York, we drove down to Finger Lakes and there we really felt that we are losing something.
We found there lakes and waterfalls much more impressive than Niagara and what more important - there were touchable...

It was best demonstrated by Michael, at one stage he ran away from us on some narrow path, to the bush. We found him holding branch of some bush
- I am not going from here!
It ended with big tears.

We got accommodation at some camping site.
Walking around we noticed some lady slicing tomatoes into thin sliced and putting slices of onion on them.
- Look, like in Poland - noticed Sylwia loudly.
- Because we are from Poland - was the answer.

We stopped for a chat.
Stanisław and Wanda. They lived already few years in USA.
Stan came first looking for a job as a physiotherapist.
It ended with driving a taxi.
One day he picked up a passenger at the airport.
Stan was very talkative person so he entertained his passenger during a long drive to the city centre.
At the end, the passenger gave him his card
- I liked your talk, contact me, I may have an offer for you.
The name on the card was Potamkin.
This one - CLICK.

After a short interview Potamkin offered Stan a position of his personal driver mentioning that it is only temporary, after few weeks he may have a better offer.

He had.
He found that Stan got much more potential than just driving his boss.
He offered him position of a manager of some used vehicles depo. He will learn from the accountant what are the tricks of this position. He will be expected to deliver each month some well defined profit, if he will make more profit.. it is his own business.
Still he can call Stan for an occasional drive if there are some important visitors coming, he is sure Stan will entertain them with his smart talk.

Amazing!

Stan gave us his phone no - ring, it would be nice to meet, maybe we can help in something.

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