Nitjawan (Nang)

From Thailand to Wonthaggi

I started work when I was 19 years old after completing year 12 at high school.

I did not go to university, because my family was big with seven children and only had money for living. They are rice farmers in East Thailand – they work hard, but they don’t have much money. When times were tough, I would find leaves and forage for food like ant eggs, dung beetle grubs, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and sometimes find potatoes in the bush too.

I moved to Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, at 19. That’s where I lived until I came to Australia in my 40s.

I worked hard to earn money that could help support my mum and dad who stayed on their farm.

I was a salesperson, on the road all the time meeting with customers to stock my company’s products. I had a monthly income, and I relied on commission from the products I sold.

I needed to be on the road to sell products, but there was traffic everywhere. There were too many protests, all of the time. They would close the roads and airports because of them. This caused even worse traffic jams.

I loaned lots of money from the bank for my car and my house. I couldn’t send much money to my parents, because I had to pay my loans.

It was a hard life. I never had dinner out, never had a day off.

I was married for a short time. But my ex-husband didn’t have a job and he drank every day. All of his money came from me. If I didn’t share it, he didn’t talk to me. He’d go out with his friends and not come home for days. I stayed at home with my baby, my son. We were married for two years. I have written in my diary, ‘I loved you and I forgive you for everything you did wrong’.

I moved to Australia in December 2011 and married my Australian husband, David, in February 2012.

I wanted to marry a western man, in the hope for a better life. I met David through a mutual friend who knew we were both looking for someone to marry.

I came straight to Wonthaggi, a coastal town in southeast Victoria.

When I describe where I live to my friends in Thailand, I tell them I am in a country town not far from the beach with beautiful views. There are beautiful people here. There are farms and rolling hills, like you see in the movies. I am very happy with the new family I have. I love my husband and his three daughters.

We own a second-hand book store in Wonthaggi, where I work from Monday to Saturday. Most Sundays I go to Melbourne to buy more books to sell, to keep our stock full.

In my spare time, I go to the local neighbourhood house where friends meet, tell stories and help one another. If I want a day off, I garden and go shopping for Asian food. I cook Thai food every day. I grow a lot of vegetables and I give lots of seedlings to friends.

I haven’t found it hard to make friends here. I think it’s not hard if you want to know others and you have an open heart. You don’t need to give money, just love. To me, that means you’re always willing to help people.

My son still lives in Thailand. He is a salesperson, like me. He is happy there.

I visit Thailand every year for about three weeks to see my family, but the last two years I haven’t been able to because of COVID-19. I miss my mother and cry at night. My son is waiting to marry his girlfriend when I can visit Thailand again. I can talk to my family on the phone, but I really want to give them lots of big, tight hugs.

I have a full life in Wonthaggi. This is my home now.