10. Migration, Borders, Inequality: Interview someone who moved to Australia from another place. Why did they move? What were the major surprises for them? What do they think it means to be Australian in 2012?

Migration, Borders and Inequality: Interview someone who moved to Australia form another place.

Interviewer: David Connolly

Interviewee: Marissa

Why did you move? Migrating to Australia as a young child in the early 70's; my parents made the decision to leave our birthplace (Chile) due to political conflict.

As a child I saw this move as a big adventure, for my parents it was a very scary and uncertain move. They questioned themselves many times over.

What were major surprises for you?

The cultural difference. Back then Australia was very much an Anglo-Saxon society. The food was very different, very bland and school was an all day affair.

We migrated to Australia so we had to stay in a hostel for 12 months. This was at the back of Liverpool in the Suburb called East Hills. Back then the Hostel was in the middle of bushland, where in the early morning and dusk you could see Kangaroos hoping down the main road there.

What do you think it means to be Australian in 2012?

It is very multi cultural society now the fact that now we can eat/buy any type of food from all over the world.

Couples are so mixed now that children today have a very diverse background. People are proud of our mixed cultures.