Contributed by Isabel Ward. This story is part of a collection of stories from the Skola Maltija’s Maltese Migration Projects From Malta to Australia.

 

Fejn kont toqghod Malta?
(Where did you live in Malta)

Victoria lived in a farm house in a village, Rabat which is in Gozo, a Maltese island.

Ghidli dwar il-hajja tieghek qabel geit l-Awstralia?
(Tell me about your life before coming to Australia.)

Before Victoria came to Australia she went to a nun’s school. She was one of five children. All seven of them shared one room in the farmhouse, which was downstairs. The upstairs rooms, were kept for storing hay for the goats and sheep, and the other room was for ladies to have babies.

 

Meta tlaqt Minn Malta?
(When did you leave Australia?)

Victoria left Malta in 1950 she remembers it was Christmas time, as it was hot in Australia.

Kemm kellek zmien Meta tlaqt Minn Malta?
(How old were you when you left Malta?)

Victoria was seven years old when she left Malta

 

X’kienet ir-raguni li emigrajt lejn l-Awstralia?
(Why did you migrate to Australia?)

Victoria migrated to Australia because her dad came here to make a better life for his family, he worked for one year, and saved enough money to buy a house, and then brought his family over. Her dad needed a sponser, to help him get his family into Australia, and would make sure he would work.

 

Kif kien il-vjagg? (How did you travel here?)

Victoria travelled here by a ship. It took her six weeks to get here.

 

Meta wasalt l-Awsrawlja, fejn kien l-ewwel post li kont toqghod?
(Where did you  live when you first arrived in Australia?) 

Victoria lived in the house her dad bought in Cornelia Road, Seven Hills. There were no other houses there when they first lived there.

 

X’kienu l-ewwel impressjonijiet tieghek meta wasalt l-Awstralja?
(What were your first impressions of Australia?)

She couldn’t believe it. It was so big and where she lived in Malta was so small.

 

X’kien l-ewwel xoghol tieghek fl-Awstralja?
(What was your first job in Australia?)

Victoria first worked in a corner shop, like a small food store, at the age of 13 getting paid 50c a week, she really enjoyed working there, it was just after school and on weekends, for pocket money.

 

Ghandek xi esperjenzi ohra li tixtieq tghidli?
(Is there anything else you would like to tell me?)

When they first arrived in Australia, all the kids helped their dad in the garden with his vegetables, which he took to markets every day. Then at night time, her dad would do night shift in a factory. Victoria got married when she was 18 and had three children. She is now 68 and lives in Greystanes with her husband.

 

Interview by by Isabel Ward
2011