Lake Macquarie History

Sonia Gonzalez - Interview transcription

Date Recorded: March 2015

Place: Lake Macquarie

Sonia: My name is Sonia Gonzalez and I come from Chile

Interviewer: Thank you Sonia for participating in this project. To begin with can you tell me something about what your childhood was like, how you spent your time?

Sonia: In Chile? Oh was good, it was good. I in the countryside, yes with my family, all relatives, lot of family. Yes, was really good.

Interviewer: And when you weren't at school? How did, what games did you play? Did you, were you allowed to play on the street with other friends, children?

Sonia: Yes with the neighbours. We play a lot with the neighbours, on the street too.

Interviewer: Before you moved to Australia, did you study?

Sonia: Over there? I just finish my high school and I got married and we came here

Interviewer: And were you working in Chile?

Sonia: No

Interviewer: And how has the experience been when you moved to Australia finding work?

Sonia: Ahhh, was a little bit hard at the beginning, because I had three small children, one was four the other was three and one and a half.

Interviewer: That would keep you very busy

Sonia: Mmm huh

Interviewer: Can you tell me how your children's childhood is different to your childhood growing up in Chile?

Sonia: Ahhh we keep more together with the family, my husband and my childrens. Yeah, we didn't have many friends here, yes.

Interviewer: So back in Chile it was all cousins and like all family living close by?

Sonia: Yes

Interviewer: So how did you find, how did your children then make friends here? Were they able to play on the street or …

Sonia: At the school, yes, but they didn't play on the street, no.

Interviewer: Can you tell me about your decision to leave Chile?

Sonia: Well my [hubby?] decided to come here because, eh becausee we did have a communist president at that time. We didn't have any political, but my hubby says it better to go

Interviewer: Who was the president at the time?

Sonia: Allende

Interviewer: So it… were your family affected by any[thing] political …

Sonia: Yes a little bit. Yes both Allende and Pinochet

Interviewer: And who came with you when you came, immigrated to Australia

Sonia: My husband and my three childrens

Interviewer: And do you still have ties back in Chile?

Sonia: Yes I have two brothers and a lot of relatives there

Interviewer: And have you been able to visit them

Sonia: Yes

Interviewer: And what are the changes in that country that you've noticed from when you left to now?

Sonia: A lot of change, good changes, yes.

Interviewer: Can you elaborate?

Sonia: pardon?

Interviewer: Can you tell me what those changes might be

Sonia: Oh … The people is more, em, like there is more em … hard to say .. [unable to translate] I don't know… oh, sorry

Interviewer: more freedom?

Sonia: more freedom yes, yes

Interviewer: So the changes have been a result of political change?

Sonia: yes political change, yes that's right.

Interviewer: So y ou would say the Chilean people are happier with their government?

Sonia: yes, yes, we have a lady now, a president, for the second time

Interviewer: Wow! And can you tell me how you came to move to Lake Macquarie?

Sonia: Well my daughter, the eldest one came to live here, and we used to visit her. And we love it. And my husband says we have to

Interviewer: So how long have you been living in Lake Macquarie?

Sonia: Ahh sixteen years

Interviewer: That's quite a long time

Sonia: yes

Interviewer: Where were you before that?

Sonia: We used to live in Sydney, in Kensington

Interviewer: What part of Sydney?

Sonia: Kensington

Interviewer: Ahh Kensington. What is it about Lake Macquarie that you enjoy?

Sonia: Peaceful here, it's beautiful, it's beautiful

Interviewer: When you first moved to Australia, what stood out? What did you notice the most? Your first impressions of Australia?

Sonia: Ahhh , freedom, yes I say, yes ___

Interviewer: political freedom?

Sonia: yes political freedom, when to, how to vote for the Prime Minister Here that was easy to do it, In my country wasn't

Interviewer: What about finding work compared to back in Chile?

Sonia: was a little bit hard for my husband, because he came here with a job, but in Perth. He already have a job, but in Perth. But they told him not to go there because you have a young family, Would be hard to leave them in Sydney and travel. So for my husband was very hard to find a job.

Interviewer: Perth is such a long way from here

Sonia: Yes, lucky we have a little money so we could stay right, you know, all the time my husband didn't find a job

Interviewer: What did you hope and wish for by moving to Australia?

Sonia: A better education for my children, yes

Interviewer: And do you think that has come true?

Sonia: Yes, yes, I'm very happy with my three children, yes

Interviewer: So would you say immigrating has been a good experience

Sonia: Oh yes definitely

Interviewer: And do you know of other people in Lake Macquarie or this area who are also from Chile?

Sonia: Ahh, not really, no.

Interviewer: So is there a South American Association in this area?

Sonia: No, I don't know.

Interviewer: So you fairly well cut ties with …

Sonia: Yes, oh yes, yes

Interviewer: Do you still celebrate any Chilean anniversaries, any special holidays, special occasions?

Sonia: Sometimes

Interviewer: And what are those special occasions?

Sonia: We have um, September, is anniversary, Chile anniversary, independence anniversary. Sometime we celebrate it, sometime.

Interviewer: And how do you celebrate?

Sonia: Ahh, the food, yeah in Chile is a special thing, they go for three days

Interviewer: Wow

Sonia: hmm and they have dancing and is really nice

Interviewer: So you do that on a small scale?

Sonia: yes, yes just a dinner

Interviewer: Can you tell me a little bit about the differences in food between what's normally eaten in Chile and what would be a traditional Australian

Sonia: Well, in the beginning I used to cook Chilean food, but now I cook Australian food

Interviewer: Did you struggle finding ingredients for Chilean food?

Sonia: no, no

Interviewer: So they're easily obtainable?

Sonia: Yes

Interviewer: Can you tell me a little bit about how your holidays back in Chile were compared to how you would take a holiday here in Australia, Lake Macquarie?

Sonia: Yes ah, in Chile most the time we would visit relative, because they live in the countryside or near the sea, no, different places but here we didn't go much holiday here with the children, just around Sydney, because we couldn't afford. Three children, you know ..

Interviewer: It is a lot to pack up as well

Sonia: yes

Interviewer: I think we are wrapped up. Thank you very much for participating

Sonia: You're welcome.

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