This poem clearly tells the readers how the migrant woman is unfamiliar with her surroundings, and are unfamiliar with the English language, confused on how to begin her new life in Australia. The poet expresses this in the line: "Where voices not understood, Echo, Confusing directions ". It can be said that this poem written by Jennifer Strauss is agreeing with the statement above, that is migrants have had difficulty fitting in with Australian society.
When a group of "new comers " is living in a new society, their sense of belonging will be challenged because of the lack of relationships and understanding of the new place that they have just begun to experience. "Migrant Hostel " a poem written by Peter Skrzynecki shows us what migrants face in a new environment where their past experience signifies their heritage, and where they truly belong, but may conflict with the needs of their new lives. The use of simile in "Nationalities sought Each other out instinctively " Like a homing pigeon Circling to get its bearing " creates a sense of the moving migrant seeking for compatriots to get support. This also represents that they are finding people with the same experience who thus have the same degree of belonging to a group. This is a problem migrants face in Australia, the sense of being an "outsider " relative to the place is brought out in "A barrier at the main gate ". Here symbolism is used; the "barrier " is a metaphor for their separation from the host society and implies the chance of belonging is limited. What we can see from this poem by Peter Skrzynecki is that there are a number of important elements flowing around the idea of belonging identity, acceptance, relationship and understanding. It also shows us a strong will to belong and we can see that the ways people achieve belonging emerge from all these elements.
Although we've heard many stories about how Australians give migrants a hard time fitting in by judging and disrespecting them for their religion culture etc.
