My father Panagiotis Liogas travelled to Australia by the free passage being offered by the Australia Goverment for the promise of a better life. He departed by ship from Piraeus on 5 December 1955. His passport is stamped arriving at Fremantle 30th December 1955. My mother Paraskevo Valis Liogas travelled to Australia  in 1957 on the naval ship USS W.C Langfitt on a trip that lasted 23 days. The ship was originally used as an army ship taking soldiers to the Korean war. They slept in soldiers’ dormitories that fit over 50 women at a time

Growing up in a multicultural country has given me the right to chose which aspects of the Greek culture I keep and which of the Australian Culture. It enables me to formulate an identity that suits me. Overall it has given me a richness and allowed me to appreciated all cultures that make up this country. As a child growing up  in the late ‘50s I resisted  against the Greek culture. Finding the ways of my migrant parents old fashion and restrictive. However, after visiting Greece at an older age it allowed me to appreciate the ways of my parents and to understand them.

I now feel proud of my background and have passed this on to my children. I have passed on the Greek sense of a  strong family unit that is prevalent to all Greeks.  A deep love of my ancestors, their history and their contribution to the world at large. However it has also given me the love of this country that has given me  opportunities that would never been afforded to me if my parents had remained in Greece. Finally I have come to terms that if asked what is my culture I would say Australian with a Greek background. Being Australian comes first.