Home- back home

Richard, 65-year-old immigrant from South Africa is a construction worker in a five-storied building in the north of Perth city and there are many others who are in his league from all parts of the world to make few more dollars and a good life.

35 years ago, Richard came to Australia for a better life, which he has now (better than he would have in SA). He was 25 then. Today he has a job that fetches him AUD $ 37 an hour. He lives in a rented house.

“I have another four to five years to work” he says, you can’t go on working in a work like this, it would have been easier if I were a teacher or any work that would not require physical strength.” He adds in his accent with a trace of South African and Aussie in most stances.

Richard is an Indian by root, but one tends to forget as you start to converse with him. His English is good, most of the time with proper intonation and careful use of words. He is now a permanent resident of Australia.

I asked him if it was easy for him to come and settle down in Australia. He did not even hesitate to say life was better here, then and now. He is right, this is great country because it is possible to own a 50 plus inch plasma Television even for someone who have not been to school. He is planning to buy a house and settle down in an area where he lives now- the Northern suburb of the city.

“ It would probably cost me three hundred thousand dollar plus,” and referring to the building he was working on he added, “ you know, the top floor of this building would cost million dollars and prices falls as you come down on the floors.”

He is currently working on a building being constructed as a part of existing retirement village of the RSL care centre. It is located next to the Edith Cowan University in Perth, WA. The residents of the centre have all the facilities that one could dream off on their retirement plans. Most of the residents drive convertible BMWs, Audi, Mercedes etc. They have gardeners, cleaners, and fresh bread delivery every morning and other utilities one requires for a life during perfect holidays.

“ This life is possible for us if we won a multi-million dollar jack pot,” a New Zealander shouted when we saw a gray haired man pulling from a corner with a bright green Lamborghini.

Everyone laughed out loud and swearing the most famous word among workers, which qualify as any tenses in grammar.

A 32-year-old New Zealander, Brodie is one of the many among his countrymen to make some Australian dollars. He was a chef for the last ten years working in restaurants around the country and his own. In the past, he had come to Australia and worked through recruitment agencies, where major part of his earnings had to be shared between agency and him. It gave him one advantage in this visit; he used the personal relations he had made then to get a job without having to go through recruitment agency. 

“I also had restaurant jobs lined up,” he informed us. “ I called Frank (supervisor) and he had a job for me and took it,” he added, “ restaurants demand odd hours of work and this is good.”

Brodie is here with his wife and his two daughters are back home. He has his plans too. He sends few dollars back home and save the rest to buy a house in New Zealand. The interesting part of his current work is he gets to cook too.

Every Saturday, workers collect five dollars each and Frank tops up a bit for barbeque. Brodie does shopping with the money and enjoy barbequing to serve heaps of food for his mates at 9:30 am. He is good with his hands as he chop tomatoes and mushrooms with a skill of pro. He makes it look simple as he spreads olive oil on the stove and bacon over it. Ten years have taught him how to treat food for good taste. It becomes evident when Smoko shed becomes quieter than ever when workers work on their share of barbeque, omelettes, salad and sausages for another fifteen minutes. Quiet a food for five dollars.

Fifty to sixty thousand dollars is a fair amount of income in a year- construction workers are expected to make it. They can afford to spend on goods that have brand and style. Paul comes to work riding a Harley Davidson, which he bought as a second-hand ride for thirty seven thousand dollars. There are others who spend money in private parties, casinos, booze and women (this is a whole lot of another story).

Australia is a land of opportunity for those who have skills and willing to leave home for a new home. Settlers and Immigrants usually have a look of disbelief when you inform them that you want to go back home than stay here. I can understand them; they have come with an intention of staying here with all their gears. For some one like me why do I call home, if I wanted to stay away from it.