Kristin Tsalapatani — We are all Migrants

The dictionaries define "migrant" as a person (let's not forget migrant birds!) who moves to a different place for economic or family or forced reasons (war/politics). How many of us have moved, not even countries, but houses, suburbs, towns and cities?

With this in mind, I've been a migrant many times. I migrated within Sydney across the harbour bridge to a suburb closer to Uni. I then migrated to Europe, planning on Scotland, but stayed in Greece. More migration from a small island to Athens then back to the island full time for 20 years. After 25 years in Greece I returned to Australia for 15 years, then returned to Athens.

Each migration involves a new job, new neighbourhoods, new shops and services, new friends. If abroad, a new language and a new culture as well.

In Kalymnos I met so many locals who had either migrated to Australia and returned, or were born in Australia and were returned to the island by their families. And how welcoming they were to us, how happy and proud to show us their island. We must welcome migrants to our communities, as we have been migrants too.

Kalymnian-Australian journalist Eleni Roussos, with a statue of a Kalymnian woman, inspired by her great-grandmother, sittuated in the main mall of Darwin.