RITA SILVESTRI
My husband and I left Italy in 1969 and arrived in Melbourne the same year. I was 22 years old. We came here thinking we were going to stay one or two years – like a long honeymoon – and then we’d go back to Italy. But we loved it and stayed forever.
I got married in a little red miniskirt and jacket – it was the only thing I had that day, because I eloped. I didn’t tell my parents that I was getting married; nobody knew. I wore the suit with a white shirt, white shoes and a bag. I told my parents I was going to a girlfriend’s party and then I went out the door, off to city council to get married. And then at night I came back home, took my wedding ring off and didn’t wear it until we came to Australia months later. My father would have killed me if he’d known I was getting married and coming to Australia, so everything was hush hush until we left Italy. I was a very naughty girl, but I have no regrets.
I was a hairdresser for years in Melbourne. My mum was a hairdresser back
