Carmelina Agostino
“I have enjoyed every moment of my life and don’t have any regrets.” Carmelina Agostino’s life started on the 1st of September 1940. Born in the city of Calabria, Italy, Melina lived a wonderful life with many enjoyable events. Growing up in the beautiful, small town of Cinque Fronde, Reggio, Melina grew up in a big family consisting her parents, her 5 sisters and herself. She lived in a decent house and owned land nearby in which her family grew olives, wheat, corn and several other foods. To gather money, they used the olives to produce olive oil and sold it to the people in the town.
Melina was a very happy child and had many friends that she would enjoy spending time with, from going to church on weekends for mass, to having little get together at home. Sunday was a day of celebration for Melina and her friends and family. With having music playing on the record, they would dance together around the house and several young men would try and peak through the window to watch them dancing.
Melina’s parents were very kind and loving. Her mother was a typical housewife and took care of the family. She loved growing crops and Melina loved helping her cook. “My father was a very loving man and he looked after us well and was always very caring.” In the year 1951, Melina’s father traveled to Sydney, Australia on a boat. He worked very hard in damps, making money and eventually bought a house in Sydney. By the year 1956, the rest of Melina’s family came to join him.
Moving to Australia was a big shock towards Melina and her family, as they didn’t understand any English. Her mother didn’t like living in Australia and wished to go back to Italy. Melina had lots of interests and was always a busy young girl. In her spare time, she would love to go to the sewer and learn how to sow, knit and just loved being creative. She also loved to do embroidery and was taught by the nuns in the dresser. Melina has always loved fashion and clothing, and took pride in the way she looked. This led her to one of her first jobs.
One year after moving to Australia, Melina started one of her first jobs Manufacturing lingerie in a big clothing factory in Sydney, and she found it very difficult as she didn’t understand a word of English. At this time, it was also when she met her husband Giuseppe Agostino (Joe). Joe was a very loving man and took care of Melina. Within 6 months of meeting each other, they got married and moved to Perth, Australia. In 1958, they had their fist child, a daughter named Rosa, and 3 years after they had their son, Sam. With starting to settle into her new live, Melina and her family bought a business in Scarbra, near their family house in Perth, 1964.
Melina has lived a long and enjoyable life. She has experienced a lot within the 74 years of her life. She is proud of everything she has accomplished in her life. She is loved and looked up to by all her family and friends. She cares most about her family and is a very caring woman. “I want to be remembered as a kind woman and good person.”- Carmelina Agostino.
Melina and Joe- 1958