18 May 2014

Hello everyone,

Today is my mother's birthday (18 May 1920) and tomorrow my father's (19 May 1912), so you will understand my feeling of nostalgia at this time.

Potted family history

On 21 January 1951 Akos and Traudi Olah arrived in Australia.  Their worldly possessions comprised three little nippers Alex (4), Angie (3) and Andy (2) and 3 small battered suitcases.  New country, new culture; no family, no friends. Must have been daunting, to say the least.

Akos was originally from Hungary.  At the end of the Second World War he was a ‘Displaced Person’ in Germany.  He met Traudi Goerner and they started a family. 

Europe was in ruins, and the future looked bleak.  They decided to try their luck elsewhere and applied to several countries.  Australia was looking for immigrants and was the first country to respond with a positive offer.  The Olah family was part of the influx of millions of people from war-torn Europe who came to Australia in search of a new, secure life. 

Their adventure did not start well.  They came out on an ex-troop carrier, the Fairsea.  The passengers were packed into the hold like sardines.  Sanitary conditions on the ship were awful. The voyage was a nightmare for Mum as everyone was constantly sick (Dad was in the "Mens & Boys" section of the hold and fared a little better).

 

After that inauspicious start things slowly improved.  In 1954 Akos got a job, as did many other migrants, working for the Snowy Mountains Authority in Cooma NSW and that is where the family grew up.  In 1955 their 4^th child, Aniko, was born. 

In 1974 they moved to Canberra.  Akos died in 1990 and Traudi in 2011.  

Not easy, to start from scratch in strange surroundings in The Land Down Under, on the other side of the world.  Tough for them - the first settlers - but their offspring had an easier time adjusting and grew up in a time of prosperity. 

We usually called Dad "Apu" which is father in Hungarian, and Mum later became "Omi" which is grandmother in German.  Below are some photos of Mum (unfortunately Dad is not featured - he was BDP - Before Digital Photos).

Omi was an avid reader of books and newspapers. Every week she sent Andy (in Rarotonga) a bunch of news clippings.

January 2009, Omi in her usual animated way proposing a toast at Andy's 60th birthday celebrations.  Granddaughter Adrienne is on Omi's right, while Andy and Sean are on her left (Sean flew over from Perth).

Omi with granddaughter Britt.  They had a close relationship.

Omi with grandson Andrew (November 2008).

Omi's 90th birthday, May 2010. From Left: Vera, Ghislaine, Richard, Ankio, Adrienne, Alex, Sasha, Omi, Angie, Peter, Britt, Lani, Dejon, and Bonnie.

The 3 women in my life (I was a willing victim): Jennifer (daughter), Vera (wife) & Omi (mother).

Mother & Son at the Indonesian Embassy National Day celebrations, August 2010.

My sister Angie (lives in Narooma NSW) sent the following email to the family this morning:

Dear Loved Ones,  With loving memories and laughter let us reflect on our parents, grandparents at this time of their birthdays. Omi - 18 May and Apu 19 May. Their legacy of love, respect, community, family bonds and PEACE above all!!! A Prayer -May all people be well; May all people be happy. A red cyclamen flower has been put at their grave - both Omi and Apu gave each other a cyclamen (red) every birthday! Also, a beautiful rose with little red rosebuds has also been planted and the Englein is watching over them. With love and viele Bussis, Anga


And my other sister Aniko (in Canberra) responded:

Beautiful sentiments Anga – there were lots of flowers and little buds on both the cyclamen and rose when I visited Omi and Apu yesterday. Have planted pretty pansies all around them too. Would we have gone to a Chinese restaurant to celebrate their Birthday’s? Or maybe just a lovely afternoon tea at home with Omi’s special layered rum cake (sometimes heavy handed with the bottle J). Always something special. Aniko

Aren't my brother and I lucky to have such two wonderful, caring sisters who are taking care of things while Andy is gallivanting around Spain (which I'm sure Mum would have approved of wholeheartedly) and I continue my mission of bring the beauty of Strine to China.

The dedication in my book It's all about the students which the university published last year reads "This book is dedicated to my mother, Traudi Olah, who had a great interest in people and places.  She enjoyed reading about our life in China and always made comments and asked questions.  She was a very special person."

Enough said.

...

Another blast from the past

Last week good mate Ian Loiterton told me that Burton & Garran Hall at the Australian National University are planning to celebrate their 50th anniversary in January 2015.  Burton Hall opened in 1965 and Garran Hall in 1966.  Originally they were administered as two separate entities, but later they were amalgamated into one residential complex. Ian and I were part of the first intake of residents in Garran Hall in 1966.  He majored in Geology and I did Economics, but we were both 'from the country' and quickly became close friends.

The organising committee has asked for photos and memorabilia. Ian found the following photo, of the rugby team which represented Garran Hall in the inter-hall competition.  Wonder what has happened to all these likely-looking lads?  There will be a reunion weekend in early January 2015, but sadly we won't be back in Canberra at that time.

ANU's Garran Hall rugby team, 1966.  Ian is at the far right, looking very fit.  I am centre, at the back. wearing a black guernsey. 

...

Student

I received the following email on 13 May 2014 from a former student who I bumped into the other day.

Dear Alex,

This is Super One.

Glad to see you again yesterday in the print shop. You still look so kind.  As I remember, It is about 3 years since you teach us Oral English for our second major.

Maybe you could remember all the faces of the students you have taught before, but I guess, it is extremely difficult for you to memorize all their names. But I am lucky! Every time seeing me on campus, you could say "Hi, Super " immediately to me. Ha-ha- That really makes me feel proud. Maybe it is because my name is memorable.

My real name is Han Chaoyi (韩超一). Super One is just my nickname which has the same meaning of my real name. My major is Chemical Engineering. Now it is my first year in the graduate school, and I still have two years here before I get my master's degree.

Alex, you are a good teacher and  you are also my good friend.  I find a picture in my computer. It was taken on 18 November 2011 after the dinner which we had together after Mr. Michael Kramer and his daughter's lecture. Really good memory!

Dinner, 18 November 2011. Left to right: Alex, Ma Qin (Mashine), Vera, Elizabeth Kramer, Barbara Crammer, Han Chao Yi (Super One), Liu Hong Fei (Carson), Michael Kramer.

What a nice gesture that he made the effort to write to me and send the photo.  The campus isn't that big, and one would expect to see former students regularly, but in fact it is quite rare.  I guess everyone is busy - it must be 12 months or more since I last spoke to Super One.

Anyway, these are the little things which make teaching here so worthwhile.

Han Chao Yi came to a lecture on 25 May 2014, and we took this photo. He is an impressive young man.

...

I wanted to include a couple of other events in this post (like the passing of Reg Gasnier aka Puff the Magic Dragon), but have run out of time.  Got to prepare Lesson Plans for tomorrow.  Anyway, they'll keep until my post next Sunday.

Best wishes, and keep smiling.

Alex & Vera Olah
English teachers at China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
www.upc.edu.cn
Sunday 18 May 2014