This is story #20 in the series “Where Exactly is Home?”. The author recommends you read them in order.
Introduction:
“Where Exactly is Home?” follows the story of my parents, my two younger brothers and me, Susan, who emigrated from war-battered Britain, in the mid-late 1950’s, to Southern Rhodesia, Africa.
The effects of this move on our family were huge, as we struggled to adapt to such a different way of life. Only after further upheaval, and more long-distance travelling, did our family eventually settle in the city of Salisbury, Rhodesia.
However, we did not know then that we would not remain there for the rest of our lives, either.
When the family first went to Africa, I, Susan, was 9 years old. My two brothers, John and Peter, were almost 7 and 4, respectively.
Nowadays, as seniors, John and Peter live in England. I live in Canada. Throughout our lives, we have both benefitted from, and suffered because of, our somewhat unusual childhood.
I, for one, still sometimes ask myself which country represents home to me.
This is a series of stories under the title “Where Exactly is Home?” – I recommend you read them in order, starting with story #1.
20. Back to England Forever!
I can’t remember when we three children were told by our parents that our family was leaving Southern Rhodesia in early 1959 to go back to England. It came as a complete shock. I think I have some idea of the “why” behind their decision, though my parents didn’t share their thoughts with us three children. We were simply told at the very last minute that our family was going to be doing whatever. Our role was to comply, with no fuss.
At that time, we were still living in the bush, with very little prospect of my father’s job being transferred any time soon to a posting in a city such as Salisbury or Bulawayo. Newcomers to Rhodesia Railways were expected to work their first few years in the outlying areas, where they might stay for years on end. Yearning for a city life, I knew that my mother had not taken kindly to our rural lifestyle. She had grown accustomed to it, perhaps, because there was no other choice, and I thought that she was happier than she had been for the first year of our stay. She was working outside the home for a local accountant. She was more cheerful and more energetic than she had been previously. However, I suspect that my mother still longed for a city life.
We children didn’t know that our father was under contract to work for Rhodesia Railways for a certain number of years, and that leaving his job would mean breaking the contract and being obliged to pay for the time not fulfilled. I didn’t discover this till years later. It must have been hard to find this money and to purchase the fares for five of us to go back to the UK.
