chapter 8

On arrival in Sydney, we received a telegram from Pop telling us to stay in Sydney because he was joining us. We had difficulty in obtaining accommodation in Sydney because there was a chronic shortage following the war. We found children were unpopular with landlords because it was legally difficult for them to evict troublesome tenants if they had children.

We managed to rent one room in Forest Lodge, a rundown area near the University of Sydney. When Pop arrived, we rented elsewhere and eventually rented a house at West Ryde. Unfortunately Pop did not bring the belongings from our Tsingtao home that mum would have chosen to bring. For instance, he brought only the knives from an 1835 cutlery set and left the rest of the set in China. He chose other articles that mum thought were inappropriate.

Pop had brought enough money from China to buy a house and soon found a large brick bungalow at 1165 Victoria Road, West Ryde, about 11 miles [18 kilo-metres] from Sydney's central business district. After paying for the house and becoming the legal owner he found that the former owner's tenant refused to leave. It took some three years of litigation before the tenant moved out. During that time we lived in cramped accommodation nearby and became very frustrated.

Pop had some difficulty in obtaining employment because he was close to 50 years of age. He tried importing goods but because he did not know the local markets and trading conditions well, he was not successful. He eventually obtained employment as a tally clerk on the Sydney waterfront and settled down. My mother was not happy in Sydney but she got a job working with a pottery. She missed her former life and found it difficult to make new friends. My young brother Eddie continued his schooling, made many friends and did well.

I had no difficulty in obtaining employment. I worked at the New South Wales Government's Department of Labour as a secretary. Once, when my turn came to make the morning tea, I made it with water that was not boiling because I had never had to make it before and did not know it had to be boiling to brew properly. After a couple of months with the government, I got a job with an insurance company as a secretary. I then worked with a shipping company. Each time I changed jobs I received higher pay. Although I was happy in my work I did not like Sydney because I had difficulty meeting new friends.

I aimed to return to Asia, so I saved every bit of money I could. I met a number of young men and went out with them but I did not really enjoy their company. Unlike the Americans, I found the Australian men were often not good communicators or attentive. I was too intent on leaving Sydney to become interested in them. It took me four years to save enough money to buy a shipping ticket to Singapore.

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