Film - Huseyin Duman, 'Ithal Damat = Imported groom', Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)

[In Turkish]
It was 1977. It was a cold winter month. My sister-in-law and I were happily packing our suitcases with summer clothes. When I was about to leav Ankara I could hear my mother's sobbing which made me lose my excitement and feel emotional. I had tears in my eyes and I said to my mother, "Don't be sorry Mum, I will go and come back in a couple of months". As my sister-in-law and I were leaving in the car, they poured a bucket of water on the road as a tradition. After several metres I said to the taxi driver, "Go back, go back, I want to see my mother again".

I saw my mother sitting on the steps crying. There were people around her who were accompanying her. When they saw me they were shocked. They were very happy and smiled. I said to them, "See! I came back before the water dried". They all stopped crying and started laughing. I said to them, "This is how I always want to see you".

We took the plane from Istanbul, it was the first time I had flown. I was excited and also a little bit scared, I felt something moving inside me. Later on I found out that I was travelling with pop music group ABBA. I myself was excited because I was going to see my fiance for the first time. We knew about eachother from photos and letters.

We arrived at Melbourne airport. There was a big crowd. My fiance had seen us at the gate, but did not recognise us. My sister-in-law pointed out her sister to me. Then I confirmed, yes, yes it's her. Then my mother-in-law, my father-in-law, and my sister-in-law came and hugged us. We drove home.

The first thing I noticed was the difference in the traffic. In Turkey the steering wheel is on the left but in Australia it is on the right.  

A couple of months later we had our wedding reception. In Coburg town hall. I've been married 30 years. I have both good and bad memories. I love Australia and our family has grown to be a big family.

My son was born in 1978. In 1983 I became an Australian citizen. After a couple of years, because I loved Australia, I changed my name to Jimmy Domain. In 1986 my daughter was born.

The main places I have worked, Ford Motor Company for five years and carpet factory for four years. I worked at another textile company for three to four years. I worked as a taxi driver for eight years. I had a car accident in 2000. I have injuries in my lower back and my foot. I am now unable to work. In my spare time I go to the Alewi Gem Community House.

I now travel and see Australian cities.

[In English]
Thank you.

Film - Kenan Besiroglu, 'Yeni Hayat = New life', Australian Centre for the Moving Image

[In Turkish]

My name is Kenan Besiroglu, my family including myself, my wife, and my son, we departed from Sumsun and took a flight from Ankara to Australia. We were excited because we were going to a new country, and sad because we were leaving our loved ones.

On 12 July 1970 we arrived in Melbourne at Tullamarine Airport at 4:00 in the afternoon. They took us to Broadmeadows Hostel. We were tired. Our relative who arrived here before us took us to his home.

Before long we found jobs. We found a carer for my nine month old son. We started work, I was at General Motors in Port Melbourne. I had been here for a week. I took a train from Abbotsford to the city and then a bus. I was working at Number 11. My workmates were from other countries. I was working the day shift.

One day the boss came to me with someone who could speak Turkish. He asked me to do 4 hours overtime. I said to him I can stay but I wouldn't be able to go to the train station. The boss said, "Don't worry about it. There's also a Greek guy from Richmond. The Italian leading hand will give you a lift to the train station." I said "Ok".

When we finished work the Italian guy gave us a lift to the city. But we couldn't find the train station, it was raining. We spent an hour trying to ask people, but couldn't explain it to them.  We were not able to talk to each other either. He was new in Australia as well and couldn't speak English. I couldn't speak it either, and we didn't understand each other's languages. We were communicating through signs. I could catch a taxi home but I didn't want to leave my friend. I saw a Richmond sign on a tram, I tried to say to my friend "Take this one". He did not want to leave me, we were still communicating through signs. He took the tram and left me. I took a cab, and explained my address with difficulty, but managed to get home. It was 11 at night, my family was waiting outside the house for me. They were about to go to the Police. But when they saw me they were very happy. I told them why I had been late and we had a laugh.

In 1970 we had our first photo taken. We started living in Housing Commission flats, and started to settle into our new country. Years went by and our son started school. In 1977 we bought a house. I became involved in community activities. I served in various community associations.

In 1980 our daughter was born. We were very happy. When we have time we go for holidays and have picnics with friends. We continue to work.

When I look back it's been 37 years. I am 64. Many of our relatives in Turkey have passed away. I love my two children, and three grand-children, my daughter-in-law, and my wife and Australia very much. On behalf of the Besiroglu family I wish you all a happy and peaceful life.

Film - Sam Haddad, 'Loving Lebanon and Australia', Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)

We have a saying that only citizens who are loyal to their adopted homeland of Australia can be true to their country of origin. Lebanon is my birth place, where my roots are, where there are thousands of years of civilization and culture, where my extended family and friends are, where the towns in the mountains looks like hanging styles at night, and of course, the food. There is nothing like it in the world. My other love is for my adopted country, Australia. But it wasn't like that when I migrated in 1966.

I was working at T&G, building telephone stations for interstate and country Victoria, doing shift work. I was the only Arabic speaking person in that section. There was still a bit of that ignorance about new Australians those days. I got along with most people there very well, except one or two who were not only ignorant, they were arrogant, as well. They kept teasing me by calling me wog and saying, where are your sandals, that kind of thing.

I did not bother answering them. I kept to myself. After a while, I could not take it anymore, so I punched one of them in the jaw. I broke one of my fingers and his jaw. Everyone came to hear the story. Most of them sided with me. They were polite and understanding, and they took the man outside and said, you won't come here to work unless you apologize to Sam. And so he did. From that time on, they were fighting each other who was going to take me to the pub, and who was going to invite me to their parties and barbecues.

This accident helped me develop my values about knightship, tolerance, and understanding, and my love to Australia. Australia took me in her arms and taught me to respect others. It gave me the opportunity to grow, and prosper, and allowed my community to express its culture and heritage, and be a part of this wonderful, multicultural society.

Film - Fatma Coskun, 'New Life New Country', Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)

[In Turkish]

In a small village amongst mountains and valleys in Corum, I was born as the seventh child of poor farmers. Because my father did not have the opportunity to go to school, he sent my two older brothers to the city to go to school. With my twin sister, we went to the city to look after them.

I didn't go back to the village. I got married. We lived with my husband's family. Then we decided to move out. We were having a lot of financial hardship, because of the cost of living. We decided to migrate to Australia.

After waiting three years, we were very happy to hear, that it was our turn on the waiting list. When we went to the village to say goodbye to my family, my mother and father were very sad to hear the news. We became even more sad when my father, with tears in his eyes, said "I wish I could help you. Go work hard and be happy".

It is impossible to forget the look on his face. On the 5th August 1972, when we went to the capital city Ankara, for final visa processing, the officer said to us "I'm very sorry. By mistake we called you instead of another family with the same surname". My husband and I were shocked. Our two sons were unaware of anything and just looking at us. We thought, how can we go back? Because we had sold everything and didn't have anything other than our suitcases. We said to them, "Please don't send us back".

After waiting a couple of hours they called us in. We were told, "Your process has been completed and you are flying out tomorrow". My husband was over the moon. We were in Melbourne within 24 hours. I was very anxious. "What was going to happen in the future".

On the second day of arrival, we started to work. And our daughter was born. Because we were working we did not have any financial problems. We could afford everything we wanted. Time flew and twenty years went by. Then we invited my father, and mother to visit us in Australia. They liked it here very much. They did not want to leave. When my father was going back, he said "Daughter, I wish you had invited us 20 years ago. How beautiful this country is. We would live here, we would not go back".

We had no problems anymore. Our children got married. We have two grandchildren. We are very happy. We love Australia very much.

Film - Memet Gunes, 'My Second Home', Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)

MEMET GUNES: I was born in 1943 in the village of Dutratla. In the mountain city of Carce, I am the second child of 10 children. The summer months are hot, and the winter months are long, cold with heavy snow. The homes in my village were decorated with handmade rugs and clims. People live in harmony with nature and the elders are highly respected. I was lucky enough to be one of the few children in this village to have received an education.

My student years were very tough. This was where I met my wife. And eight years later, we graduate as teachers. My son Ashgan was born soon, and later my daughter Aishen and Hande. We decide to make an application to migrate to Australia. When our application was accepted a few years later, we were happy, excited, and scared. On Saturday, 7 November 1976, we arrived in Melbourne.

We were taken to hostel in Nanavati. A friend who had migrated to Australia prior to us arrived immediately and collected us from the hostel. We stayed with his family for 10 days. I am very grateful and hold high regards to this friend. With friendly assistance, we leased our own home and were both employed within weeks. I began working at the town tire factory. My wife also found employment in a textile factory.

My wife and I also commenced teaching Turkish to prime middle school students on the weekends. We were happy to have been able to continue as teachers, and teach the children the Turkish language and culture, and celebrate our national and religious days of significance. As the teaching profession was of great importance to me, I imitate and become involved in the Victorian Turkish Teachers Association.

Over the years, my involvement in the Turkish community has been a source of personal satisfaction and achievement. I have exhibited my oil paintings, organized cultural exhibition, discussion, forums, and social gatherings. My interest in politics has led me to be involved and to learn about Australian politics and the Australian way of life. I was honored to have met the former Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Bob Hawke, and other politicals. I have also volunteered with state and federal election campaigns in the past.

My son Ashgan become a doctor. My daughter Aishen is a social worker, and my daughter Hande become a physical therapist. Having achieved our main goal of providing a good future and education for our children, we are proud and live with joy in our adopted homeland. Our children have moved on, and now have established their own families. We now have three grandchildren. My wife and I know in joy and appreciate the things we were not able to experience and appreciate in our younger years.

We enjoyed picnics, going on camps, and engaging in the physical activities such as walking and swimming, writing and reading stories, poems, and drawing. As a Turkish Australian living in peace and harmony in this great country, I extend my sense of gratitude to Australia, and send my regards to you all.

Film - Figen Hasimoglu, 'Dad, I made it!', Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)

FIGEN HASIMOGLO: I realized that I was leaving my country that I loved so much when the houses started looking smaller, as our plane was taking off. It is so hard to explain my feelings at that time. Hesitation, excitement, sorrow, happiness, curiosity. It's the only time I have felt this way. I love my country, but I had to take this journey to keep my promise to my dad. My dad Seki was the symbol of success for me. All he wanted for his children was that they have a good education.

I will never forget the happiness in his eyes when I was placed at a university. The first thing he did was to buy me a huge Webster dictionary, which I still have. He was 48 when he passed away during my third year at university. Just before he passed, he asked me to keep my family together, even though he knew it wasn't going to be easy for me. We arrived with $300 and everything we owned packed into bags. As we were walking towards the customs officer, a tall man in traditional Australian outback clothing looked at us by saluting with his hat with a big smile, said, welcome to Australia.

I looked at my husband and said, I will love this country. On the second day, we were on Sydney road, hand in hand, so that we do not lose each other. Everything was different-- the taste of milk, the smell of shopping centers, and especially the houses, which were all single story. During the first couple years, we especially tried to find places that reminded of Turkey so we did not feel so homesick. My husband was lucky. He found a job at a mailbox producing factory.

I found it hard, but eventually, a job in a hosiery factory where I worked there for five years. My husband Ali convinced me to do further study. So when my older son Dincha was born in 1990, I started university. When my younger son Erdige was born in 1995, I was finally registered as a teacher. I now teach at Meadow Heights Primary School, and on Saturdays I teach at a local Turkish ethnic school. My sister is Sin, who is now a textile engineer, and my mother Ilqu live in Melbourne. I know that my father will be happy because we are all still together here in Australia.