In 1986, my parents decided to escape from Poland. They didn’t tell my sister and I we were leaving forever, because they didn’t want to risk us saying something at the border, but I remember when we left – I saw my aunty and my grandmother standing there, and felt like I was never going to see them again. I was six years old.
Poland at that time was under martial law and communist rule. It was a hard life there. All food was bought with tickets, and if they ran out of food, they ran out. We had one small room for the four of us, and on our floor were 2 other families in rooms like that, who we shared a kitchen and a bathroom with.
My father worked as a mechanic, and my mother worked for an import / export company. She actually travelled abroad and would sometimes bring back stuff that we couldn’t get in Poland, so we were lucky.
Everyone was aware it could be better outside, but not many were willing to take the risk of leaving.
We ended up in Italy, in a refugee camp which was just a big hall, so there was no privacy. It was pretty bad there. There were open sewers, so you could see everything flowing through the camp, and you also saw a lot of other things. For example, one day, I saw a 9 year old girl being sexually assaulted in the playground by a 13 year old boy. And pornography was everywhere – people would watch it on the communal TV. Also, sometimes you saw people being really badly mistreated by their families, but nobody said anything about it, because you’d be seen as causing trouble. We weren’t allowed to leave that place. You couldn’t even go to the perimeter because people didn’t like refugees, and they would throw stuff over the fence. After about 5 months, we got transferred to another place where we had our own room, which we were allowed to leave. My father started work picking olives, and my mother worked as a cleaner. And after six more months, we were approved to come to Australia, because of a friend of my great uncle’s who lived here, in Gawler.
My first memory of arriving was leaning against the seatbelt to sleep, and someone saying, ‘This is Adelaide,’ and my parents saying, ‘The outskirts, you mean?’ We’re from Central Warsaw, so it seemed quite small to us.
I was put into English school for about a year, and then into a primary school which had a really good program for migrants. My sister picked up English quickly but it took me a lot longer, as I was relatively shy, and I got teased because I had a strong accent.
All through my life, from primary school onwards, my parents were at work every day after school, so we’d come home to an empty house, do our homework, sweep the floor, and prepare the potatoes for dinner by ourselves. Then, when my father started working the night shift, we only saw him on weekends. At the same time, they didn’t like us to have friends visit. My sister and I both deal with that differently. She feels they made a big sacrifice for us, but I find it hard not to feel sad – that we were taken away from our extended family, and that we had to grow up feeling lonely.
After high school, I studied to become a graphic designer, but Adelaide is very small and I was worried about getting enough work as a freelancer. So after a while, I went back to uni and studied Quantitative Finance, and I now work at Bendigo Bank. It’s very different to graphic design! But I enjoy my work here.
Now I have some amazing friends, and I love having people visit me, whether it’s people popping in without notice, or visits planned weeks in advance.
My kids always ask me, ‘Who’s coming over tonight Mum?’
Kasia
Poland
Arrived 1987
Thank you so much to everyone who has signed up as a patron – I am now at 70% of my goal! If you would like to join the wonderful supporters of the New Humans of Australia project, please visit: https://www.patreon.com/nicolagray?ty=h
#migration #migrants #refugees #Australia #Australians #Poland
What a tough start. But great outcome. Hope she got back to Poland to visit her family since
Kasia. Most polish people I have met are simply wonderful and your story matches theirs. Your parents story is sad, but your are making sure your kids are living the dream your parents imagined
Kasia I can so relate to your story. We came from Poland in 1982 and I can also remember the hardships of those time in Poland. I can also relate to your bittersweet memories of your early life in Australia but as a parent now I’m so grateful that I don’t have to make those hard decisions. Immigration is certainly a double edged sword. Thanks for sharing your story Kasia.
Wow Kasia I had no idea of your back story. What an incredible journey you and your family have been through! It’s clearly made you the strong person and great role model for your kids that you are. Thanks for sharing!
That’s amazing! It makes me think about some of the children I went to school with but never knew their back story.. It would have helped immensely with understanding and connection with them x thank you for sharing
I used to work Saturdays in the ROH factory. One guy I got work with occasional was Bogdan, an engineer from Poland who’d not been able to get work in his field but worked hard in the factory to support his family. A lovely guy and wonderful to work with.
You keep on amazing me Kasia. I’m so lucky to have you as a friend
Alexandra Rajch, made me think of you x
Kasia I had no idea about your background – what an amazing journey you have had X
i arrived here with my mum and brother in 1986. dad had escaped poland after matrial law was imposed. your story is my story ♡
Jessica
Remind me to tell you about my Polish parents’ adventures? During the war when next we meet. X
A lot of Polish people can to Tasmania after the war and made a huge difference to Tasmania especially working on the Hydro schemes
Wow amazing life story Kasia!! I had no idea about your past. You’ve gone through a lot and you’re such a strong person. I’m lucky to have you in my like ????????????????????
Patrycja Zielinski you might enjoy reading Kasia’s story.
Great story, thanks for sharing. Glad u made it regardless to the lucky country x
In the 80s, my mother use to sell second-hand dresses for 20cents on a church trading table. Ladies use to buy them and send them to their families in Poland. I hope they received them.
Kasia! You are an amazing contribution to Australia x
Another powerful story. Australia is lucky your parents chose to come here.
My cousins escaped around the same time but they were sent to camps in Austria. My grandmothers sister had a mental and nervous break down whilst there. They speak German and she was thrown back into German occupied Poland. My family is all based in Adelaide and there is a large community to offer support. I have a very wide number of friends and families who have experienced all sorts of trauma relocating. Congratulations on your
Kasiu we arrived June 1986 via Latina Italy to Sydney. Your story is so similar to mine
Well done for sharing
Kasia, what an amazing story, thank you for sharing it with us. Have you been back to Poland to visit your family there?
Kasiu- I’m also from Poland . We came here in Dec’61. With no money or knowledge of English . Everyday I’m very grateful to be here and thankful for this country that we live in.
I do miss and think about my early childhood in Poland.Im also very grateful that my children and grandchildren have peaceful lives here.
In total honesty Kasia, as an Australian born man in my 60’s I and collectively we, have only the merest hint of knowledge on the hardships that people such as yourself, sister and your Mum and Dad have Had to Do to achieve what so many of us take for granted. Glad you folks decided Australia was the place you wanted to be.
We had a lady work with us in my former office with the govt back in 1985 She had made it out here from Poland and was waiting for her husband to escape and get here as well. He finally got here after 2 years, that was how long it was since they saw each other… sadly, only a few short months later, she was killed in a car accident at an intersection inner Sydney. A truck did not stop at the red light and kept going, she was killed instantly… she was so nice to work with. It was tragic and i will always remember her for the trials she went through to escape that persecution in Poland.
Kasia, we were in Italy at the same time as your parents, you and your sister Magda. We were lucky to meet your family and even spend some time going to the park together with you and our then 3 years old son Marcin. I’m one of those parents who made same sacrifice leaving Poland in 1986 to look for a better life. We ended up in Canada in 1988. Still to this day I have a mixed feelings about this decision, we have a decent life here but I can’t help thinking what if we stayed in Poland, was it worth making our son growing up without any family, grandparents, uncles etc? I wish things were different then but I know we have to make the best of what we have now. Greetings from Canada????????❤️
Hello Kasia. I was also a Polish refugee in Italy in 1986 at the age of 5. We were in a refugee camp first and then lived in a refugee hotel – both in Latina. I live in Canada now. I’m going to Italy this summer and would like to visit the camp and hotel we stayed in. If you have any information (ie location) about either, id love to know.
Magdalena
We lived in Latina refugee camp in 1986. Our son was only 2 years old at that time. We live in USA now.I am so grateful to be here and so thankful for this country we live now. Will never forget Poland and all my family who lives there but I found my home here .