Meet Silvio
He came from Sicily in 1965. He was 18, planning to be a ship's captain but he dropped out of school and decided to take up the offer from his godfather to come to Australia in search of a better life. He had a smattering of English at the time, which was a big help.
He made this first trip with his father. His mother and some of his siblings joined later on. The formalities were swift and within a month he was on his way. The trip took 22 days and they landed in Fremantle and then made their way round to Sydney where he took the train up to Brisbane. He was travelling with his father and hoping to meet his godfather who was sponsoring him. He did eventually.
They were housed in a boarding house near Fortitude Valley for about four months and in that time he tells me of the Italian community that came to support them in the area but also the lovely things he did for his compatriots. He cooked for them and ironed their shirts and trousers by feeding the electricity meter with 5 cents. On Friday nights they would go to the valley for a coffee and some food but he also helped out and washed dishes for Italian cafes so he could improve his English. He worked hard and met a girl and settled down here in Brisbane and raised four kids. His parents went back to Sicily but visit as often as they can. They lived in New Farm for many years an area known for its Italian community. It was a pleasure to talk to him and to see him with his "Love Italia" cap on and up the ladder working away at his craft. We are the same age peu pret. Stories of inclusivity and struggle. Stories of diversity and difference. All of us under the warm and welcoming Brisbane sun.
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