» Read the Greek version of this story

Author: Marcus Drivas
Storyteller: Kosmas Drivas
Community Language School: St Nektarios Burwood
Main School: Putney Public School

The story of my Pappau’s experiences of migration.

LIFE in GREECE
My pappou’s name is Kosmas Drivas. He was born on the 1st of December 1929. That makes him 73 years old. My pappou adores his homeland of Greece. He is very patriotic about his country and his Greek Orthodox Religion.

Pappou comes from Southern Greece, from Peloponisos. The name of his village is Rihea, which is close to the city of Sparti in Lakonia. This is where the famous Greek warrior Leonidas hails from. His village is at the foot of a mountain range. His parents were poor farmers and they had herds of sheep and goats. They also looked after olive trees.

His family home comprised of three bedrooms where he grew up with his eight brothers and sisters. My pappou went to school till the age of eleven. During the 2nd World War they had a very difficult time. He had to help his father raise the family since he was the oldest of the children.

MIGRATION
Soon after he left his village and family and migrated to Australia in 1956. He spent his early days in Whyalla in South Australia picking fruit and grapes. Later on he moved to Sydney with several friends who had come out with him from Greece. They rented a house in Glebe. In 1957 he brought my yiayia over from Greece and they got married. Their first child was my dad and he was born in 1959. My aunty was born in 1960. During the 60′s my pappou found it very hard with the language and the new surroundings he was in.

LEARNING ENGLISH
His recollections of certain experiences bring tears and laughter. One funny experience was when he went to the grocery to get tea. The grocer asked him what he wanted. As his English was very poor he did not understand. He commented <>, i.e WHAT! And the grocer brought him a packet of tea. At the time pappou was baffled as to how the grocer got it right. Another time he wanted to buy honey. Unable to say honey, when the grocer asked him what he wanted, he put his finger in his mouth and then buzzed his finger in the air whispering bbzzzzzzzzzzz. To buy eggs he flapped his hands and made chicken noises ka ka ka ki ki ki ki.

TODAY
Today pappou feels at home here in Australia. He looks forward to going to Greece for a holiday and having the opportunity to meet up with his family and old friends.