30/08/2025
《鹽與土地—遷徙者肖象》
Salt and Soil - Portraits of Migrants
第六則人物故事 Story 06：勇氣牽起的家族旅程 / A Family Journey Born of Courage
這個可愛的菲律賓家庭，由爸爸、媽媽、女兒 Mariela 和兒子組成，他們同時也是這家小小菲律賓餐館的全部工作人員。採訪當天，因為父親剛好不在，是母親 Elsie 和女兒 Mariela 一起接受訪問，分享他們從菲律賓一路來到澳洲的故事。而不得不說，Elsie 正是這段旅程的推手與主角之一。
A lovely Filipino family — father, mother, daughter Mariela, and son — runs this humble eatery together. On the day of the interview, the father happened to be away, so it was Elsie, the mother, and her daughter Mariela who spoke with me about their journey from the Philippines to Australia. And it soon became clear: Elsie was the true driving force, one of the main protagonists of their story.
一家人緊密相依，散發著滿滿的親情與溫暖。最令我印象深刻的，是 Elsie 的勇氣與果斷！在還住在菲律賓時，父親已經在海上擔任 郵輪主廚 超過十年。有一天，Elsie 偶然看到西澳南部正在徵廚師的消息，便毫不猶豫地替丈夫投遞履歷。等丈夫回家時，她才告訴他這消息：「你明天要面試喔！」這個突如其來的驚喜，讓全家人又驚又喜。隔天，父親順利錄取，他們便舉家搬遷到澳洲生活。Elsie 的一念勇氣與行動力，徹底改變了全家的命運。 而父親多年累積的專業經驗，以及對妻子夢想的全力支持，也讓這段旅程得以實現。
The family is closely bonded, radiating warmth and affection. What struck me most was Elsie’s courage and decisiveness. Back in the Philippines, the father had been working as a cruise ship chef for over a decade. One day, Elsie came across a job posting in South Western Australia for a chef. Without hesitation, she applied on her husband’s behalf. When he returned home, she simply told him, “You have an interview tomorrow!” The unexpected news filled the family with both surprise and excitement. The very next day, the father was successfully hired, and soon after, the entire family relocated to Australia. That single act of courage and determination from Elsie changed the course of their lives. Of course, it was also made possible thanks to the father’s years of culinary expertise and his unwavering support for his wife’s dream.
謝謝 Chibugan Corner 整個家庭的熱情款待，讓我拍攝並分享這麼真摯的故事與食物。Fremantle 因為有你們而更溫暖。💛
Grateful to the whole family at .corner for welcoming me, allowing me to capture and share such a genuine story — along with your wonderful food. Fremantle feels warmer with you here. 💛
#跨國家庭 #移民故事 #家庭勇
