I
realised last week that I have now been in Australia for just over two years.
When I can so clearly remember the chaos of leaving London and the wave of fatigue that hit me when I arrived in Brisbane it seems
incredible that two entire years have passed. Read on for an idea of what two
years in Australia feels like.
The
plan
When I came to Australia the plan was to spend a year here and travel around the country.
The
reality
Rather
unexpectedly, due to a job opportunity, I ended up in rural
Western Australia, just about as far away from family and friends as possible while
remaining in the country. This new location, thousands of
kilometres from everyone meant starting again entirely.
People
I
think the hardest thing about moving away is not the differences in routine,
language and behaviour, it is the gaping hole in your life that was once
occupied by friends and family.
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| Celebrating my birthday with friends in London |
I miss my friends a lot. Photos help. I
definitely recommend people take photos of loved ones with them when they
relocate, or a small photobook. Skype and even email help too. I regularly
field questions from friends about when I will next be in Europe, and fondly-meant
guilt trips from Grandma.
Time
The
most difficult period for any expat is probably the period after the initial
excitement fades and before the established feeling kicks in, probably between
months 6 and 12. I would say it took about six months to establish a circle
of friends here. During those first six months I accepted every invite received in an effort to integrate, even to random events like a
Tupperware-party-style evening about baby clothes (I have no children) and a
Disney-themed tea party (I'm in my 30s – enough said). Some events were a
bit random but I appreciated all the invites received; each introduced me
to new people. On the quiet weekends I went out exploring locally. It is also
worth adding that being employed full-time, and being busy at work, has made
time pass quickly too.
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| Celebrating my birthday in Australia (We're in fancy dress, not just mad!) |
Here
and now
Two
years on, with one quick visit home under my belt, I still miss my friends and
family but now we also have friends here who we would miss were we to leave. It
is one of the never-ending dilemmas you face when you choose an expat
lifestyle. Just when you get used to the people in your life either you or they
move away.
I'm definitely out of the uneasy ‘new in town no mates’ phase now, which is a
relief, and know enough people in town to feel accepted as a local face.
Locals joke that you only attain ‘local’ status after living here for about 20
years, so I don’t quite dare to make that bold statement! But for now, life is
good. I have a fulfilling job and have been given opportunities
that I’m not sure I would have had in Europe. Financially, things seem a bit
easier. I have lots of social connections and some amazing local beaches to
enjoy.
I don’t feel like this is my ‘forever home’ simply because I have no
roots here, (who knows if I will ever have a forever home anyway, I am so nomadic!) but I'm happy here at the moment. The view after two years in
Australia is not looking bad at all.
Are
you an expat? What have your experiences been like?
