Student Essay on Assimilation to Australian Culture in the Eyes on Raimond Gaita

During the years between 1950 and 1960 there was a significant emigration from war-torn countries such as: Italy, Yugoslavia and Romania. A mass number from each country arrived to America, Canada or Australia. Those who migrated to Australia were known as `New Australians'; along with these `New Australians' was Romulus Gaita. Romulus had migrated from Germany, despite being originally of

Yugoslavian-Romanian origin, with his wife Christine Anna Dörr and four-year-old son Raimond. Upon the immediate arrival at Port Melbourne, April 1950, Romulus was separated from his family and "was sent to Baringhup in Victoria to work on construction of Cairn Curran. (A reservoir being built to dam the Loddon River." It was government policy that "migrants who came on assisted passages were required to work for two years wherever they were sent, on jobs of the governments choosing."

After Romulus's arrival to Australia he sought out those who of Romanian nationality. He found two brothers who escaped communist rule in Yugoslavia. Dimitru (Mitru) Hora and his brother Pantemilion became close friends with Romulus. Foreigners trying to communicate to `English speaking' Australians was one of the many hardships for migrants. Raimond Gaita explains the communicational problems of migrants, with reference to Mitru, "who knew virtually no English." The two "managed without language until they were able to converse in a halting English." Romulus could not incorporate the Australian standard of work; in fact "he noted how incompetent some the Australian tradesmen were"

Hard though it was to adapt to Australian standards of living, it was harder to adapt to the volatile Australian climate. "He [Romulus] had been cutting hay with a scythe when he saw a snake go under a stook." As a foreigner, and without thinking of the dry Australian terrain, Romulus had set fire to the stock and within minutes the fire raged out of control. Although the community reprimanded him for his imperceptive behavior, Romulus had managed to redeem himself in their eyes. Whilst helping Neil Mikkelsen fabricate a haystack, Mikkelsen (upon an elevated ladder) fell and was bleeding from the mouth. Romulus's quick-witted instincts saved Mikkelsen.

Throughout the biographical account the use of the term `European shows the adaptation, or lack thereof, to Australian customs. Raimond explains how the men and women of central Victoria were oblivious to the fact that foreigners "in their midst might live their lives and judge their surroundings in the light of standards which were equal and sometimes superior to theirs. This is why the Australian people never pondered to call Romulus by his real name. Instead they called him Jack."

Soon after the divorce of Christine and Romulus, Mitru had developed a love affair with Christine, fathering two of her children, Barbara and Susan. After the birth of their first child, Susan, Mitru worked firstly at the ironworks and later obtained another job to pay the rent. This was the circumstance for most immigrants. But Christine would sometimes spend Mitru's wages (which were approximately eight pounds) on dresses costing twenty or thirty pounds. Finally unable to retain Christine's neglect for Susan and her infidelities, Mitru committed suicide. Leaving behind an unfaithful wife and an unborn child, Barbara.

In Contrast to the immigration of my grandfather Orlando Luciano in 1953 unlike Romulus, my grandfather did not voyage to Australia with his family. Instead a boy of only fifteen years of age came to Australia without even a pair of shoes. His uncle had already migrated to Australia some years previously and for the remainder of his wasted childhood, my grandfather spent most of his time toiling on his uncle's farm. During the war years my grandfather helped his parents at a young age to provide for his two brothers and three sisters. His grandmother had put him on a boat to Australia in fear he would be captured by the Germans who had immediately hostile to the Italians at the time.

Similarly to Christine, in her time of desperation and poverty, my grandfather lived in a smaller room behind his uncle's house. At the age of eighteen, after being forced from his uncle's home, my grandfather lived with friends, most of which were Italian, or in various rooming house throughout Ferntree Gully. During his young adult years my grandfather spent his free time carrying out favors for people. It was mostly for people from whom my grandfather could receive something in return. This is how my grandfather was renowned as a formidable opponent in the Fruit and Vegetable Markets of Footscray. Whilst working in Footscray he, like Romulus, learnt of the laziness and incompetence of Australian workers.

My grandfather did not adapt to Australian culture as he had anticipated. As much as he spent his childhood with Australian children, as many times as he would greet everyday people, he was still discriminated for his dark complexion and his struggle to pronounce fundamental words. However these complications did not alter his plans for assimilation in Australia. In 1959 my grandfather had completed his duty for acceptance in Australia, he had been made an official Australian citizen. And with an Australian wife and two children my grandfather had been accepted by Australia.

Our choices determine our behavior in a foreign country. My grandfather who had tried for so long to become an Australian had prevailed; as for Romulus he had been accepted in Australia for his quick-wit in the face of peril. Both my grandfather and Romulus Gaita, although faced with hardships had truly become assimilate to the Australian way of life.