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My Grandfather's Life Story

One day I decided to record a series of conversations with my Grandfather about his life story. Here is the result...

My Grandfather, Anton Joury, was a man from truly interesting beginnings. This is his story. In this first episode, he touches on…

How he was raised a Catholic in what is now Palestine.
His orphan Lebanese father Joseph Zachariah from Lebanon.
His father’s work as the manager of an Italian Hospital outside the Old City of Jerusalem.
His sweet French mother who took care of the family.
His experience as a 5 years old at the beginning of World War II
His time at the Christian Brothers school inside the Holy City of Jerusalem.
How he learned Hebrew through his Jewish friends.
His memories of the governance and politics of Palestine - how it has always governed by foreign countries. First the Ottomans, then the Turks and then finally the British.
His amusement that he still has his British Passport from Palestine to this day. It reads “The British Government of Palestine” and his birth certificate stamped with “Government of Palestine”.

In this second episode, My Grandfather discusses the beginning of the Second World War and …

How He didn’t really know about it due to his tender age
1941, the year Italy sided with the Germans and how it impacted his family
Living in a house attached to a hospital managed by Italian Nuns
He illustrates the abhorrence of the Italians by the British army
His aunt and her family who were sent to Australia, against their will, as prisoners
His sisters who became engaged to two British Captains, both named Frank.
His adoration for his uncle who managed to run a business and keep his family afloat
His childhood crush he accidentally punched.

In this third episode, My Grandfather discusses his early school years and ….

His father new job as the manager for a bakery.
His attendance at The Christian Brothers school in the Old City of Jerusalem.
His study of subjects such as Arithmetic, Science, and Geography and a surprisingly wide variety of languages like English, Arabic, French, Italian, and German.
His adoration for Music and how he was also a part of the Choir
How he sang so well that one day he was asked to become a Christian Brother
His travels to Lebanon in 1947,
His journey to Italy to begin his duties as a Christian Brother.
His journey to France to Obtain his Baccalaureate

In this fourth episode, My Grandfather discusses…

His identity as he and others spoke Arabic, but were not considered Arabs. He was a Palestinian, with Italian and French descent, speaking the Arabic language.
Palestine and it’s diverse demographic makeup and culture
The history of the creation of Israel at the end of World War I - displacing Palestinians from their homeland

In this fifth episode, My Grandfather discusses…

How, at the age of 25, he left the Christian Brotherhood.
How, by 1960, he was living in Lebanon working as a secondary school teacher teaching French, English, Arabic, and Math.
How he brought the rest of the family to live with him.
How, by 25, he had never had a girlfriend. He was only worried about finding a job and starting a new life in order to care for his family.
His courtship of my Grandmother whom he met when he was was 26 years old.
How he married the love of his life, Wendy, on July 9th, 1961 and at the time of this podcast, had been married for 54 years.
My Grandmother was recently diagnosed with dementia. However, my Grandfather recalls how she was such a humble person, lovable, and kind.
How understanding and compromising are the key to long-lasting love.
How they decided to move to Australia after 7-8 years of marriage.

In this sixth episode, My Grandfather discusses…

His tumultuous journey to Australia and the luck it took to reach and stay in the country
His arrival with his family on November 4, 1969 in Melbourne with only $400 in his pocket and began work at Woolworths.
His struggles to renew his vista every year to stay in the country
How his family and the Christian Brothers helped him immigrate
How his education, and knowledge of languages, helped him get a visa due to the shortage of teachers in Australia.
His brother, who in 1966 was stopped at the Syrian border
The Six Day’s War that began in 1967 when the Zionists took over the rest of Palestine which included Jerusalem, Ramallah, Nablus, Gaza, and everything else.
The Lebanese Civil War that began in 1973 and how his brother back home ran into an Israeli Captain turned out to be his old buddy from before war.

In this seventh episode, My Grandfather discusses…

His first few years in Australia
His kids, like my mom, who adapted quickly to life in Melbourne. His daughter, (my mother) learned the English language very quickly because she spoke French and Arabic.
His struggles trying to maintain his family and their lifestyle since he had to build everything from scratch.
His career at Trinity College where he taught a multitude of subjects such as English, Art, Music and Math.
How his students and coworkers were like a second family.
The story of how his wife Wendy got a job at a Lebanese factory.
How a nice man helped him buy his first house for only $12,500.
His wife Wendy getting her driver’s license and saving his life by driving him to the hospital when he got a kidney stone.

In this eighth episode, My Grandfather discusses…

How he and his family got sued
Some of the good friends he made who became very close to our family.
How he and a family friend agreed to split the lottery if either of them won - and how his friends won big and refused to split it!
The story of how his Daughter, Maggie (my mom) met her husband Richard (my dad)
How my Mom got married when she was 18 and I was born a year after.
How and why they moved to Brisbane and began their life there.

In this ninth episode, My Grandfather discusses…

The time he tried to transport his beloved caravan and how it was wrecked in transit
His very kind muslim friends who asked him and his family to move into their home so they didn’t have to stay in the caravan anymore.
My parents early years as a couple and some of their struggles.
His sadness when the doctor told him he could no longer teach due to health issues.
His brothers, their lives and their affections towards me.
The pain of nearly losing his brother, Eddie, who had an aneurysm
Losing his brother Eddie from the hospital that was caring for him and the aftermath of trying to find his brother.

In this tenth episode, My Grandfather discusses…

Spending time with me (his first grandson) in my early childhood. Taking me to school, looking out for me when my parents were not home.
How people used to try and abduct little boys and how scared he was all the time for me. That's why he always used to walk me to school and was always there to take me back after.
His fear for my health when I would suddenly feel nauseous at school. I couldn't do things that the other children used to do due to that sudden feeling that used to happen.
His Daughter, Maggie (my mother), being diagnosed with MS (Multiple Sclerosis).
My parents divorce and how they always stayed friends and still are now.
How his upbringing was different that my Grandmother Wendy and so he and her disagreed on certain things.
How Michael (my step father) helped my mom with her MS and joined our family.