Name
Marisa Cano

Birthplace
Madrid, Spain

Lives
Sydney, Australia

Profile

I was born in Madrid, Spain, in 1959. In 1962 my family migrated to Australia, so my first memories are of this country. We settled in Geelong, where industry demanded workers, and lived there for almost five years. We lived in a lovely weatherboard house with a huge backyard, very close to the first school I ever went to.

When I was 7 my parents decided to return to Spain. It was very exciting meeting my “enormously” extended family – so many, many cousins. I settled very nicely into the Spanish lifestyle, but mental pictures of Geelong and Australia were never to be erased. I always knew I would return one day.

I started University when I was 16. I did Communication Sciences for 5 years, obtaining a BA in Journalism. In the evenings I went to the Language School, to maintain / improve my English, and at night worked as a baby-sitter for English and American families. On my final year at University I met an Australian young man, whose parents were Spanish. Amazingly, he had been born in Geelong, and both our families had been living in this town at the same time but never met each other. Our relationship grew stronger. We decided that, once I finished Uni, we would both go back to Australia and get married. In 1981 that’s exactly what we did.

Life here was very difficult at first. It was very hard for me to find a job. For many years we lived on one wage only, while we had two children and bought our first home – a townhouse. In the meantime I studied hard and got my NAATI Interpreters’ and Translators’ Certificates. Then, ten years ago I began to work as a Community Writer for Spanish-speakers first, then for multicultural groups – a job that kept me busy until now.

I now work almost full time for TAFE Outreach, teaching -mainly, but not exclusively- English to migrants. Teaching is something I always wanted to do, it’s been a vocation since childhood, and now I am finally devoting my time to it. I know I am helping those who need it most, and knowing this gives meaning to my life. Now I can see how my family living in Australia for a few years during my early childhood made possible my life and work in this country so many years later.