Profile: Olivia Klein

LOCAL PROFILE: OLIVIA KLEIN From the River to the Sea

By Jenna Crawford

Me permite pre-sentarle la Senora Olivia Klein. I cannot speak Spanish, but my interviewee is bi-lingual. Olivia's parents came to Australia separately after the Spanish authorities were recommending Australia as a possible immigration haven.

They both came independently by ship and later met in Brisbane, where they were both working. Olivia's father was working as a canecutter and her mother was working as a nurse's aid. They were both in their late 20s and neither of them spoke any English. And they both came from Navarra, which is well known to those who visit northern Spain to participate in the running of the bulls in nearby Pamplona. After they married, they moved to Echuca where her father worked at Hume Pipes and her mother became a cook at the Caledonia Hotel.

Olivia and her brother were born in Echuca and always spoke Spanish at home. When she was six years old, the family returned to Spain for a threemonth holiday and Olivia became even more proficient in the Spanish language, so much so that she had forgotten a lot of English. When she returned to school, back in Echuca, both she and her brother were forced to repeat their previous year's education. Olivia didn't mind having to repeat a year as it was a small price to pay for the opportunity she had to make unique connections with her relatives in Spain, which she still holds dear to this day. She has returned several times to Spain over the years, with her last visit gifted to her by her family for her 50th birthday. She said it was lovely to go back, but things had changed a little. Some of her family members had passed away and she had not had the chance to say ‘adios’ to them. regrets not having taught her children, Talia and Jack, to speak Spanish when they were growing up. She has a large Spanish dictionary, to which she constantly refers to enhance her

Olivia Klein with husband Peter, daughter Talia and son Jack.

communication skills, whether writing to or speaking to relatives in Spain. It is fabulous that she has retained these invaluable connections, even after the

Olivia loves being bi-lingual and death of her mother. Olivia has lived in Anglesea since 1992 and claims it was a move “from the river to the sea”. She loves the friendliness of Anglesea residents and the unique character of the town.

With the support of her family, she now fills the role of manager at the familyowned Anglesea Hotel.

Every day at work is different from the previous day, and she enjoys the variety of challenges her job has to offer. She enjoys meeting patrons for all different reasons, whether that be serving a beer or a meal or a bet at the TAB. She takes it all in her stride.

The Anglesea Hotel is presently undergoing a refurbishment, which will see a new kitchen area, a changed dining area and an enlarged outdoor dining facility. When it re-opens, be sure to take the opportunity to enjoy the new, upgraded facilities.