SVEN-HANSEN.DK - Mit liv - Mitt liv - My life

I must remember to say it was a very special experience when I started to be able to see the Australian coast, down through the clouds in the light of the early morning sun looking out from the eastern sky. It was a magnificent sight. Believe me!

ENGLISH VERSION 4

This moment I have been waiting for for almost 1-½ years since I first contacted the Australian Embassy in Copenhagen and got all the many documents needed to fill out to get a work and residence permit in this mighty country.

Now it must be nice to discover if I could have contented myself with a tourist visa, instead of this enormous work that had to be done, to obtain a residence permit in this country. But now I will be treated like any other citizen if I find a job here. Likewise, I have sent a large box with my tools and other belongings so I am ready if everything falls into place with a job and so on.

And now it will be fun to find out if I could have settled for a Tourist Visa, instead of going through this huge work, with getting the residence permit. But now the processing is at least done, if I find work here. Likewise, I have sent a large box with all my tools and other belongings so that everything is clear if everything now falls into place with jobs and so on.

Now as the plane slid over Port Jackson, thoughts of escape came back to January 26, 1788, when the deported convicts from England landed at even the same spot in Australia for the first time. There's just the small difference that

the convicts were forced down here and I have come of my own free will. Now it must be exciting to experience being an immigrant. Anyway, at least I didn't go down without explaining myself first.

April 17, 1987 early in the morning.

Nice landing and into the gate. We were asked to stay in the seats because everything has to be disinfected before the passengers are allowed to go out. A couple of flight attendants went through the plane and opened the trunk over the seats – what now? Jojo, the first thing that happened was that a man went with a big spray can in each hand and sent a cloud of some horrible smelling "thing" out towards the contents of the room and of course the same clouds also descended over passengers and signers.

Luckily, I remembered to put a few napkins over my nose and mouth so the cloud didn’t just rumble freely into my mouth and down into my lungs. Fy for a smell, but the Australians have a pretty neat idea that there is absolutely no reason to get unauthorized "things" into the country, so everyone and everything gets "debugged" before the plane opens up to the real world.

I was the last one out of the plane and wanted to get down to find my luggage. For a long time you walk in the corridors of Sydney Airport. But suddenly everyone is stopped and something Customs staff and Police request that all hand luggage be put on the floor. And then a hash dog comes and sniffs everything and everyone for one reason or another. There was someone who apparently had a bad conscience somehow, for he quickly slipped to the nearby toilet in the hallway. All the rest of us were asked to go while Police, Customs and dog went and waited outside the toilet where the Boy was just going out now. So not what else happened, but you have a pretty good idea about it.

Had some idea that I should probably talk to someone now that I was here and was an immigrant and not a regular tourist. But the only thing that happened there were the words: "G'day mate and welcome to Australia!

So that was it! Then it was just about getting into the hotel I had booked from home. So now I just want to find a taxi somewhere in the crowd.

It succeeded in the end, even though there were many who were busy. But well planted in a taxi seat, I say "Hotel Top of Town on Kings Cross, please." You should have seen him in the head when I said Kings Cross. Just was told I had to be very careful when walking around at night in Kings Cross? Was I now also aware that there could be danger there? Naaa, I was not, but that was probably really good and well-meaning advice. For, of course, I listened to the warnings, but that now did not change anything. As he told about "Kings Cross", the neighborhood could almost only be compared to the neighborhood around Istedgade and Halmtorvet in Copenhagen, where the simple life was in the shadow of life. What could scare a happy man from Copenhagen who was just happy with life?

After a nice taxi ride, I landed at the hotel, where my room had just been ready. Just super! And with a view of the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Tower and Sydney Harbor Bridge from the window in that room, I think my room was more than perfect for me.

Got a few Coals at the hotel, with under the air cooler, before I looked out over the city and then futted over to "Kings Cross", which was only a few hundred meters away. Lots of people of all colors to say the least. Restaurants and much small shops dealing with everything and nothing.Small street vendors and others who dropped off goods of dubious origin.

I walked through "Kings Cross" and down to the water along "Elizabeth Bay" and "Woolloomooloo Bay" and then down through the Royal Botanic Gardens, which is a stunningly beautiful place. Then down to 'Farm Cove' and there was then looked at the Opera House. Wow, that's amazing. Opera House, located on "Bennelong Point", named after the first native the white immigrants got in good contact with.

The same Bennelong was the first native who came to London to be shown off and he was there for some time. When Bennelong returned home, he discovered that his wife had given birth to an illegitimate child. The consequence of this was that Bennelong beat both his wife and the child to death and burned them. And it was right here, which is why that place has been called "Bennelong Point."

Puuh, it's hot here! Well enough, it's Australian autumn, but there was really no reason to go and freeze here. I walked around the city and took the elevator up to the "Sydney Tower's" rotating top. It was really far down and there was quite a fantastic view over the city and not least out over the harbor with many ships and the many tour boats that sailed around in "Port Jackson".

Just to sink this amazing view, I sat and ate a large ham sandwich while looking west and had the view of "Blue Mountain", which got its name because of the constant blue fog that lies over the mountains. It is an oil mist from the eucalyptus trees on the mountainside. The warmer the weather, the thicker the oil vapors. the oil mists increase the risk of and cause many fires on the mountain sides.

It was behind "Blue Mountain" that the former prisoners deported from England believed that China was. A belief that made many try their luck by fleeing Port Jackson.

Some of the refugees returned for harsh punishments, but most of them simply disappeared and "appointed" themselves "Bush Rangers," as the robbers were called at the time.

But back to "Sydney Tower". The peak is 304.8 meters above street level, making it the tallest building south of the equator. As fire safety is a constant water supply with 162000 liters of water in the tower. It is built so that it can withstand an earthquake with a force that has never come in this country. And the tower can withstand hurricanes with a strength that only occurs once every 500 years. Very good to know now that you are sitting here eating the packed lunch to the gigantic prospects here are.

Saturated with impressions and calories, the trip went down again with a large elevator, which is at constant speed with guests up to the overview.

Of course, I want to see "The Opera House" – now that I was here – and it now looks more impressive in reality than it does in the pictures. A fantastic building with a nice design and a great location here by the harbor. And likewise, the Sydney Harbor Bridge is definitely worth mentioning as well. The old but beautiful steel bridge, which you can usually get the opportunity to walk on – up on the steel arches. But right now – what else – was was closed due to repairs.

There were many experiences and opportunities and not least to visit Chinatown, with the district's many restaurants and the vibrant world, we probably do not quite understand. Like everywhere in the world, the little Chinese run around doing everything possible. They are unstoppable in their zeal to conquer the world and make money. And they do it so well!

My feet brought me around some sights, such as a botanical tropical garden, where it was, if possible, even warmer than outside in the sun. There was a very high humidity so the sweat ran as soon as I got inside the garden. Here in the company of the most beautiful flowers and rainforest environment, one thinks that we must treat the real world better than we do now, where we run large-scale operations, or rather large-scale looting, of nature without thinking about the future. Well, but there are probably some who discover it in too many years. In fact, you should do something yourself, but like others, I think "tomorrow". After a few hours in the Botanical Garden, I completely forget about sweating, but actually enjoy the climate here. And when I get outside in 25 degree heat, I start to freeze.

Similarly, I was also lucky to find the Zoological Museum, where there was an amazing collection of snakes and reptiles, filled as well as alive. There are detailed descriptions of the different animals' abilities and way of life, as well as where in the country you may be lucky to encounter them. Was so lucky just to dump down to meal time where more animals are being fed. Very effective way for spiders to paralyze their victims and simply add fluid during the contact, so that it is slowly digested to later eat what has then become well-prepared food.

Today was a national holiday, "Anzac Day", which is a day of remembrance for the Australian men and women who took part in World War I and II and for the first time also for those who took part in the Vietnam War.

More than 2,000 veterans walked and drove in wheelchairs through the streets of Sydney, which were closed to normal traffic. The rest of the day, I met veterans with coffins full of medals on their chests that they have been given to participate in the war. We also met many who got the memories so close today that they drank so they blessed the streets. But that's probably not something we can afford to be a judge of, because we do not have the remotest idea of ​​what they experienced in the hell of war back then.

But enough about that. My day also included the Australian Museum in College Street. I'm not usually a museum man, but I do not regret this visit. You can find everything about Australia's wildlife and there were almost all species in the country represented, filled in of course. Kangaroos, snakes, spiders, butterflies, squid, sharks and many more. There were also a number of enlightening details from the beginning of the Australia we know today, as well as a section on the early population of Papua New Guinea, which is also governed by the Australian Government.

Well, But everything has an end and so does my stay in Sydney. I have booked a seat on the train north, with Brisbane as the next destination for the trip. I went over to Hyde Park to relax and do absolutely nothing. Otherwise, I found a nice restaurant that apparently aimed to be pretty bad as far as the food was concerned. So I stuck a bit in the food and walked over here where I enjoyed the silence around me before going back to the hotel to pick up my luggage, then find a taxi that would transport me to the main train station.

I walked around a bit to find the place, because it can be a bit difficult to find around on foot in a city that is close to Danske Fyn in size, so here are a few options to choose from. But that was right enough and the train was ready for the trip, which was to end 16 hours later in Brisbane, about 1000 kilometers to the north.

Think about what Danske DSB would take 3 delicious sandwiches, a large glass of milk and a large glass of juice? It cost me only 3 Dollars, which would be equivalent to about 13 Danish kroner. And even fresh and invitingly served!

After reading some Australian newspapers, I fell asleep and only woke up when stopped in town at the Casino, where the train was supplied with fuel and fresh food and beverages. Along the way, there were some other stops where a couple of passengers got on and off.

But it was a long night on the train, gadung-gadung. But with the relatively short stops in some cities along the way, we landed at. 10 at the railway station in Brisbane. So now it was about finding the suitcases and hopping up in them and looking out into the hot morning to find a taxi that would bring me and my luggage out to the Wacol Immigration Center in the suburb of Wacol, where I had booked a room to have a base to go from. Later, I discovered that the train actually stopped at Wacol's local station, not far from the Emigrant Center, I will honor with my visit. But you can not know that until afterwards.

It then became April 25, 1987.

I checked in and was assigned a room. A small cozy room with a bed, table, chair and refrigerator. All right with me. And it was much cheaper than hotels and the like. So now I had all the cases, a place to stay to start from my job search somewhere and then find a more permanent residence near the job. Thought it would be smarter that way, instead of maybe getting too far between things

There was also an opportunity to sign up for an Employment Service that we know in Denmark. And I could apply and receive support if I just filled out a form. It was details of the calculation of the financial support from the Australian State. You can get all fixed expenses such as housing expenses, insurance, reasonable installment plans covered without getting into debt to the state and so you got a lump sum to live on. So regardless of the size of one's expenses, an unemployed person can be covered by the support and everyone had so much to buy food, etc .. for. So it did not matter if you had a house, car or high rent, so it was covered and you have so much in your wallet for "fun" afterwards. Really nice arrangement if you ask me.

Not like in Denmark, where unemployment can mean lost homes and other financial worries, if you do not happen to live in a small space and therefore can live as a count of support, as some can. No, I clearly believe that the Danish system is deeply unfairly built and one can advantageously copy from Australia in this regard.

Unemployment support comes from the state and EVERYONE can get help with unemployment. Trade unions are something you sign up for when you start at a workplace in a relevant work area and then you sign up when you leave the place again. Cheap, efficient and then the union can concentrate on the professional instead of spending too much time paying out support and checking their own members! A control that can lead to conflicts and mistrust instead of trust.

Likewise, in the event of illness, all registered residents of Australia have the right to medical treatment and hospitalization and unlimited use of medical care. Shortly after my arrival, I received a plastic card from "Medicare" which, upon presentation, provided access to medical care.

Well, I now decided not to get into the system and get financial support. Maybe it was silly, but I now choose to be a free bird for a while yet. I had a bit of savings yet, so there was no need here and now.

Then it was in the beginning of May 1987.

But I have now visited a lot of places where there could be a possible workplace. But what I got was a nose that got longer and longer. Contrary to what I was otherwise told in Denmark at the Australian Embassy that there were plenty of jobs for a Danish mechanic, I had pretty much got the same story everywhere I went. There were cuts in all jobs and so it was a 12-14% unemployment rate on average in the country. It was not exactly the information I received at the Embassy in Denmark. If I had been given this information, I would have been able to plan and act very differently, instead of counting jobs for granted. Can not remember exactly how many places where I applied for a job, but 35-40 workplaces were honored with my visit, but the results were the same everywhere – No job for Sven – Sorry Mate!

My situation was now a little different as I had imagined. So I had to take my future up for consideration and ind out what I then have to do.

The situation was also that the single room I had booked from home in the Emigration Center could not be mine alone anymore when a large group of refugees came from El Salvador. So I was going to share my room with 5 (five) of these refugees and even worse, they were in the daytime many who visited each other right in the room here. It was just about to be too much for me, with 5-10 others constantly going in and out the door as if it were a train station.

I was the only Australian resident of the Wacol Center, except of course the staff and old "Willie". But there was apparently no immediate right to your own room, even though you paid rent. So here I was forced to look to find another solution and it like a little fast.

At the center was another Dane, Wilfred "Willie" Olsen, who had lived in the country for 38 years. It had been 18 years at Wacol and the last 3 years at retirement. Otherwise, "Willie" had been a chef at the center, as there were up to 1300 immigrants and refugees.

And then there was also a Dutch couple, Hans and Frida, who run a small shop in the center. It turned into many, a good chat with them and I often ate with them as there was too little time to eat in the center cafeteria and I was not always there at the right time.

So one day I was with Hans Hollænder, another Danskr came to the shop to pick up a film he had submitted for development here. Hans introduced us and we fell into talk. His name was Peter and he invited me home that evening to him and his lovely wife, Vibeke.

Vibeke and Peter were new and had stopped at Wacol just before I arrived. They also had no success with the many refugees and had found a "normal" home.

That evening we drove out to some other Danes who lived nearby. It was Dorthe and Henrik who had also been here a short time. And visiting them were Jette and Henrik, who had been in the country for half a year.

A really nice evening and I was confirmed in the idea of ​​getting away from Wacol and out into the real world. There was not much fun in living there now that I have to share space with 5 others in the 10 square meter room. Sure nice and nice people, but they can only speak their Spanish-Portuguese, so we were completely strangers to each other.

Had I just been informed on arrival that there was another Emigration Center, Yungabba called it, much closer to Brisbane center. There was plenty of space, but these two centers are governed by the Government of Queensland and the Central Government of Canberra respectively. These two governments apparently do not want to cooperate and do not want to refer to each other's institutions. Absolutely incredible and annoying for me right now.

It might have been good for me otherwise, but the information came too late, now that I had paid the deposit on an apartment, or rather a half house, on Lilly Street in a suburb called Stones Corner. There was no housing shortage here, where realtor Gloria Dawson on Logan Road immediately showed it to me. Old but clean and tidy.

I was now a little bound by a dwelling. Would otherwise find a job first and then a home. I had a pretty good idea to find myself a bus or truck mechanic job. But there was nothing around, but I walked many kilometers and heard myself for .. And it happened many times "Hi, do you have a job for me?" question, but no answer other than "Sorry Mate, no job here".

Thinking a bit about the conversations at the Australian Embassy in Copenhagen and the theoretical mechanic test I went through, so that everything would be ok when I came to the country "Down Under". I have gone through all possible and impossible medical examinations in Denmark, but it was apparently not enough. Everything needs to be redone here. Like the theoretical apprenticeship test at the embassy, ​​which was also repeated here. And so I had to wait for a decision in "The Local Trades Commitee", which then sent me a "Tradesman Certificate", which is equivalent to a journeyman's letter in Denmark. It took over a month, so there was not much I could show off when I applied for a job.

I spoke to several Danes here who could not understand my waiting time. Their documents had gone smoothly through the system, so maybe it's just me who's been unsuccessful.

One thing went fast and that was the driver's license. After a review of my Danish and International driving licenses, I was handed 46 written questions. A maximum of 5 mistakes had to be made and I did so. Then a vision test and to sit in front of the camera – VUPTI! And out comes my new driver's license with picture and everything. How hard can it be?

Now I had my Australian driving license but still no job. It's been over a month now, without me really accomplishing anything, other than enjoying life. But what, it's not the worst thing to do. I have never had any plan to turn my back on Denmark, to become an Australian or any other country's citizen. 37 years in Denmark, has made me very Danish. But the same 37 years have also made me very curious to see something other than the Stork Fountain in Copenhagen and hear about HC Andersen.

I think almost everyone walks around with a little "discoverer" in their stomach. I'm so lucky not to have to ask anyone for permission to do something, it's simply a matter of taking the plunge and putting the ideas into practice. And at that point, I find it hard to sit still and not just examine what is lying around the next street corner.

Considered buying a car, but I do not have the great need right now, besides a little luxury urge to have a car. But I choose to use the many buses that run around almost all of Brisbane and they cover pretty much all the suburbs that make Brisbane fill as Funen in size, so there is plenty to look at no matter where you look.

I am also very happy for the many Danish friends I have made here. There's "Willie" at Wacol who opened his door and gave many tips and stories, just like we shared a good time food on the hungry days when I visited him. There were only 22 miles out to "Willie" from Stones Corner, so I regularly went out to him from the morning and then back home in the evening. I love to walk and have seen a lot of the world that way instead of whizzing by by car.

And then I also see Vibeke and Peter, who live in Holland Park. Jette and Henrik live in Coorpaaroo, just like Dorthe and Henrik who also live in Coorpaaroo. Dorthes Henrik often said "Amateur" to me because he has been to 24 countries and I have only visited 12 so far. But just wait, Henrik, I'll probably pick you up. And Henrik has also worked in Greenland, at the US base in Søndre Strømfjord, so it just makes me dig up an old idea again – maybe I should look for a job in Greenland one day? Probably Thulebasan joking around in my head since my cousin Bent has been up there painting for a total of 19 years.

But enough about that and back to Brisbane. I had two chatty girlfriends here. One is named Louisa and is a hairdresser in a salon near where I live. She carries the scissors as my hair grows over my head as she talks and talks. She says that she will one day travel to Europe to look around a bit.

The other is named Jasmine and is from New Zealand but has worked in Australia for some years. She's the manager of a 7-Eleven on Old Cleveland Road, near where I live. We have a good talk every time I buy a soda and other things there.

And what else do I do? Well, then it happens that I go into the "Public Bar" located on the corner of Old Cleveland Road and Logan Road. Here I often get a good discussion with other visitors or the female bartender. Look, here they can donate that beer! Not like in Denmark. At home, I have often wondered why there is always a lot of useless foam in the beer glass. Serving foam to the guests will only lead to a civil war here. No, the glass is carefully filled to the brim and each time in new ice-cold glass from the ice box behind the bar. Certainly not what you can expect in Denmark, where it is normal for the servant you have to get hold of, is constantly talking elsewhere, just as you only have the same greasy glass all evening. NO! Let's get Australian bar conditions in Denmark and surrounding countries.

Here, from my "Public Bar", I have a really good view of the "Stones Corner Gym" on Logan Road. I really should go out and train, but do I? The will is there enough and I have been there 15-20 times to lift some iron, in this well-equipped center, with enough iron to build a tanker. Whole 2 floors filled with tools for the last millimeter and I have to say it was a couple of hard pumped of both sexes who lifted what they could and saw a little more.

Although I trained a couple in "Atlas Bodybuilding" in Søborg with Bruno, where I felt the spirit was high, I would probably say that you have to get up early to reach many here to the sock holders. After trying this, I would compare "Atlas" to a nursing home, although many trained seriously. Here one hardly heard speech, just the rustling of utensils and breathing, moans and a little wind from the intestines from time to time. I could not help but be a little impressed by the spirit that is here in the training rooms of the Stones Corner Gym.

Well, now 2 months have passed here in Brisbane. I now have to see to find out what I want to do to move forward. Has been a think tank the last month, so now the decision must be made before the money runs out.

And then it would probably be wise to buy a ticket to Denmark right now, so I avoid spending the money before. Then down to "Thai International" to buy. Hold up then, what high prices. It was not exactly what I had expected, for the most direct journey home without stopovers, ran up to almost 2,200 Australian dollars, which is about 10,000 Danish kroner. It was something of a wet cloth in my head. So I could see that my stay was about to expire, and quite quickly.

But the boy behind the counter turned out to be Danish and he gave really good advice. Just 100 meters away is a discount travel agency that sells the exact same ticket, just with a little uncertainty about the exact time of departure. I thanked him and went and bought a return ticket to Thailand, with floating departure date, for only $ 1100 equivalent to approx. 5000 Danish Kroner. And even better – there was also a week's stay in Bangkok included in the price. So now I was at the top again.

CONTINUES IN ENGLISH 5