Our home in Australia was to be on Banach Street in Maddington, a four bedroom brick home built by Jennings, (or at least I think that is the name of the company), it was one of a standard of 10 variations that were being done at the time, in every street in every new suburb in the late 60's you would find a copy of this house. It had jarrah wood flooring, a fire place a pink bathroom.
My parents did their best to make this the best of homes, a place where we all felt safe and secure and happy.
Our first years were probably extremely difficult - but in my naivety I was blissfully unaware. Unnur secured the smallest room - that way ensuring that she did not have to share with me - my brothers each got a room of their own, so mum and dad had a single bed in the big room where I slept.
Eventually my siblings started to move out one by one. First was Himmi - he joined the army at the age of 16. Unnur and Thor moved out together, first I think to his folks home in Marmion and later to a flat in Claremont. Unnur was doing a teachers degree at Claremont. Lóa who was to become my brother Jon's wife moved in to Hilmars room so it was a few years before a I got a room of my own. Once they all left, got married etc. I had the run of the house - I think that I lived in every room in that house. Ending with the biggest room.... as one does as the youngest of the house hold.
As you can see this rendition of the past is all about me - I won't go into the love and romantics of my siblings - that's their job to do. I can only say that from my point of view I was happy with all their choices... I was ofcourse happiest in knowing that the castle that was our home - was becoming in time - all mine..
My first two years of school in Aus were at Gosnells primary school a full 5k walk from our home. My poor brother Hilmar had to drag me to school in the first year. In the second year - he had a bike and either I got a dinky or was left to make it on my own. I can not say that these were the happiest years of my life. No, I think I can safely say they were the most miserable. I did make some friends there though - one girl in particular - Jacky was quite nice to me and tried to be a friend... but I never fitted in. So, when the time came and the boundaries were changed and I was moved to Maddington I was very very happy... It was a new start - I could start afresh and find my own friends on my own terms... no longer the eskimo from Iceland with the name that no one could pronounce.
My years at Maddington were excellent... I found a friend that would be my friend for ever - Tracy Lee, she lived down the road from me and she also started as a newby in Maddington in that same year. To her and her family I owe a great deal of debt - they were my door to Australian society - to understand or at least get to know Australian culture - so different from ours. Through them I got a better understanding of what it was to be a "digger", both of Tracy's grandfathers had served in the War, one in the Pacific the other in Europe, her Gag was taken prisoner in Crete and her Gramps was on the Kokoda Trail. As an Icelander we had no real understanding of the war nor did we understand Anzac Day - through them I sort of got an understanding of why this day was so important to them, the family and Australians as a whole. I will never pretend that I truely understand it - but I got an idea and I learnt to respect it.
Tracy´s dad had a motor bike shop and he sponsored and helped some up and coming motorcross stars - that was always fun - going away on weekend trips with them in the caravan - to Southern Cross, Manjimup and other places where motorcross rallies were being held - such fun - so different. I never became a petrol head - nor did I ever want to ride a motorcycle - but wow what fun and what an experience.
At Maddington I would also meet the people that would remain my friends for life, Jeff, Dom and Guy, we weren´t the best of friends then, but through the years our friendship would cement into one of those where you know that should you see each other again - it would be just like yesterday.... At Maddington I would also encounter the one person that I would always be disdainful of... a cheat at the age of 12 and would remain so forever. Funny that he would marry the only girl that I had ever bullied - not a happy memory - am still disgusted in myself for what I did to her and yet...
Ah primary school years - when you really shouldn't have worry in the world... yet I did. It was then that I first became aware of the raciscm inherent in our society. I had a number of friends that were Aboriginals, I liked them a lot - but did we stay in touch - nah - did our friendship extend to high school - nah, the system in it's way helped to ensure that we the "white" kids started to look at them as inferior - or trouble makers or something... I still haven't gotten my head around how or what the changes were - they just were.... Not a nice thing to remember..................
1 comment:
I must say that year one was probably one of the worst years of my childhood, and most of the primary school years sucked, except the one in Iceland. Kids can be such jerks, really, myself as a kid included!
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