[Intertitle: Motivation]

Like many Lebanese I wanted to migrate, but I wanted to migrate to an English-speaking country. So, I decided to lodge an application at the Australian Consulate, one at the American and one at the Canadian. And I told myself that whichever comes first, I will take.

I think it was more a call for adventure. It was the adventure. I wanted to go somewhere ... somewhere new, especially after the death of my brother. I wanted something totally new. A new country, new language, new environment. And Australia was the one, I mean, I was destined to come here.

[Intertitle: The journey]

Coming by plane the Australian authorities requested from every migrant to carry a new pair of shoes, a brand-new pair of shoes, and not to put them on until they are ready to board the aircraft. So I arrived at Beirut Airport. I brought a new pair of shoes with me, brand new pair. I checked-in, they checked my shoes, they asked me to put the new ones on, I did. But an hour later we were told that British Airways – at the time used to be called BOAC – the flight from London was cancelled.

So we went home. Came back a day or two later to the airport, checked in, they checked my shoes, they asked me to put the new ones on. I said, these are my new shoes. They said no there is dust on them they have been used. I said of course I had to use them because you took my old ones when I came in a couple of days ago and I had to go home so I couldn't go barefooted. I kept my shoes on. They didn't want to allow me.

So until one of the officers took pity on me. He saw how devastated I was you know. All my dream was shattered. He went beyond the counter and he started searching into other passengers bags. He came across a brand-new pair of shoes, double the size of my size of shoes, different colour. He gave them to me and he asked me to put them on and get on board the aircraft. And I landed in Australia in someone else's shoes. That was the beginning of my journey.

[Intertitle: First impressions]

I arrived in Australia in 1967 – on the 24th of October 1967.

The first port in Australia was Darwin. And I was a little bit shocked, surprised. The first time I saw people wearing shorts, but there was a tie. And ... I never saw that before. I couldn't understand why, but then I learned after that you know it was customary in Australia to wear in the summer a pair of shorts and put a shirt with a tie on.

The day after I arrived I had to wait for my friend until he finishes his work in the factory. He said let's go and have a beer. I went to the pub and that was my very first ever experience in a pub. But I was surprised that people were drinking and in a hurry. And then – soon after I arrived, my friend said 'You better order another one.' I said 'I've just started drinking this one.' He said because the pub would close at 5:30 or 5 o'clock, I can't recall. 'So you have to order it now otherwise you won't be able to have another one.' Then I realised why everybody was rushing to order another beer and another beer. That was my first experience I think with beer drinking. I still haven't become a master in beer drinking yet!

[Intertitle: Settlement]

I didn't know where to go. I didn't want to go to ... places where I would continue to rely on other people helping me with the language. So I went to Adelaide. Don't ask me why Adelaide, I mean it sounded – the name Adelaide – nice to me. Plus, I didn't know absolutely anyone there. So I took the train, and I went to Adelaide.

[Intertitle: Work and play]

When I first arrived I went and worked in a factory and I wanted to learn English. But it took me quite some time – I would say weeks – before I knew which one of the languages that I was hearing was English. Because no one spoke English in the factory. They spoke every other language. So I asked how many of these people are in the country? And at the time I was told it is about 20 percent.

In the factory there was a group from ... Ecuador speaking Spanish, there were Arabic speakers. There were some Maltese, there were Italians, there were Greeks. So I started learning a few words in Spanish to communicate with those Spanish migrants. And Maltese is very close to Lebanese - a few words in there.

This was noticed by the boss. He came to me and he said 'I saw you, speaking to these people and helping them.' I said 'Well I do what I can, learning few words to help them.'So he gave me an extra 5 dollars a week. Because he saw me, how I was helping other people. So I thought well, this is a great encouragement. I'm going to be the communicator at large with Australia.

When you have almost a quarter of the population, influenced by languages other than English and culture. Then when you communicate with them, you need to communicate in an effective way. You need to understand the culture and the language of your audience. So with my wife, we started in Australia – if not the world's first – multicultural communication agency.

While I was doing all the work with different communities, I saw how successful migrants were when they established business. Especially that they really work against the odds, and they succeed.

Joseph speaking at an awards ceremony: That dream was to recognise and celebrate the achievements of all migrants who had come here with their own empty suitcases, and who against all odds have achieved a great success.

Interview: Now the awards are the longest-running business awards in the country. And we published a book about the first 25 years of the awards.

[Intertitle: Family]

I married to an Australian born Italian. Of course my children are born here. They are Australian from Italian, Lebanese background. My son, one of them married an American. So really, our household is a multicultural life. 

[Intertitle: Challenges]

I wanted to go and find some work ... and I didn't know how to say it. And the first challenge I used to say to myself, 'I wish these people would know what I can do.' You know, the ability that I have inside. The determination, the resilience. But I can't tell them that, and of course they won't give you the job because you can't communicate. So the first challenge was how can I communicate with others?

I'd go like I say ... "job" ... and they say to me 'Go upstairs, first level and turn left, and ask about the employment office.'I went upstairs, left, employment office. The second time I would know, because when I tried the first time I know that I have to turn left and what left means. Because I asked where is it? And 'left' twice they say it. And the employment office ... I learned like that, word by word. That was a big challenge to learn. After like a week, or 2 weeks, I was able to say 'Where is the employment office?' Because I heard it a few times before.

[Intertitle: Return visits]

Yeah of course I missed my family but I felt ... I always, I knew that I will be going back regularly and I did end up going regularly back to them. But of course I changed. I came from Lebanon arrived in Australia a Lebanese. I went back as an Australian citizen, so it was a great big change too.

Between 1949 and 1999, 4 million people become Australian citizens and I was one of them. Coming to Australia, always you see people from somewhere. You hear languages from somewhere. You see people with different cultures. People with different cuisine. People with different religion. People with different thinking – artistically, socially. It's the world in Australia.

They help us to understand the meaning of diversity. That diversity brings and they generate harmony. Because harmony is the coordination of differences.