She wished for the ship to sink, so it wouldn’t take her to Australia

“Don’t speak, or we’ll get into trouble,” warned Eleni Giannopoulos’ father, urging his children not to mingle with their fellow villagers in Kafou, Messinia. The years of the Greek Civil War were merciless, and the period of uncertainty that followed was equally harsh. From a young age, Eleni was toughened by working on farms and in fields, helping her family make ends meet. But the fear of a potential war drove her and her husband to Australia. Nothing could have prepared her for what awaited her at the port: the tin houses, the dimly lit streets, the absence of her compatriots. Slowly but surely, however, the Greek woman found her footing, raised her voice, and claimed the life she deserved.