As an eight-year-old living in Britain, Pauline Howes often dreamt about escaping the country’s overcast, dreary skies.
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Even back then I always wondered if there was some place in the world which was warm, Pauline said.
That dream was realised back in 1966 when Pauline travelled and settled in Australia along with her then husband as a 10 pound pom.
After arriving Down Under Pauline moved to Sydney’s Sutherland Shire, became a mum, worked for the CBC bank for 20 years before returning to study as a librarian.
She then worked for a quarter of a century with Sutherland Shire Library, and now volunteers her skills at the Forster library as a literacy tutor.
In between, she and her late (second) husband journeyed to the United States where they ran a restaurant for three years.
Today, she is happily ensconced in the Great Lakes, but how did she get here.
Five years ago, a ‘financial disaster’ as Pauline described it, forced her hand.
“I looked on the Internet and Forster was the cheapest place to live,” she said.
The magnificent waterways and sunny skies were all that was needed to lure Pauline to the Great Lakes.
“This has been the happiest time of my life,” she said, almost thanking her unfortunate turn of events for the outcome.
I would never have come to Forster, she said.
“I had a lot of friends in Sydney, and now I have a network of friends in Forster.”
Pauline described the Great Lakes as an amazing place, not only for its physical beauty but for the friendships and the residents.
“Overall it is the people here; people say hello.”
Three years ago Pauline joined Quota International, a non-profit organisation which assists members of the community to overcome the many challenges of modern life.
Pauline has had a long association with service clubs and was a member of Rotary for 15 years – Quota was a natural progression.
The serving vice-president, organised this year’s successful International Women’s Day brunch which included an informative talk from Ronald McDonald House fund-raiser and marketing manager, Donna Horsey.
Pauline easily identified with the families featured in Donna’s talk; her 43-year-old only daughter and child has cystic fibrosis (CF) and had a double lung transplant in 2002.
She blamed this condition on her family heritage.
A DNA test revealed her background was 60 per cent Viking and 30 per cent British.
“The Vikings brought CF to the north of England more than 10000 years ago.”
Pauline assumes the president’s role of quota next month.
Jeanene Duncan
Jeanene has more than 40 years experience as a regional and rural journalist starting at The Land Newspaper. She also worked for Stock Journal Newspaper (SA), McPherson, Fairfax newspapers and Rural Press, and contributed to various magazines.
Jeanene has more than 40 years experience as a regional and rural journalist starting at The Land Newspaper. She also worked for Stock Journal Newspaper (SA), McPherson, Fairfax newspapers and Rural Press, and contributed to various magazines.
