Migrant Stories Australian Capital Territory

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8 weeks in…

8 weeks in, and what’s it like now we’ve been through this intense period of time?

It’s not just 8 weeks though, it’s more like a year to get to this point!

All I can say is that individuals must have layers of resilience that build over time, and mine is thick with layers.

I’ve been through it all. What a mad mix of emotions and heaven and hell!

8 weeks since landing to follow our dream and, well I just know Aussie life is for us. I feel at home here. I love it.

It’s simpler. It’s easier. It’s friendlier. Yes, in some respects you feel like you have stepped back in time, but I always hated how full on the U.K. was.

The kids get to be kids. In school and out. They climb trees at school. They pet chickens. They don’t get bombarded with homework.

The food isn’t so expensive if you buy in season. It’s a different way of shopping here. Cucumbers can be 90c one day, $2 the next.

The outdoor lifestyle! Cook most things on the bbq. Pack a picnic or take some food to cook on the free public bbqs.

Every day I wake up excited for life. So many things to do.

Every weekend is a holiday and an adventure.

I won’t let life become mundane. I’ve made a decision that every weekend we will do something new.

If you come here with your eyes wide open and just allow yourself to experience things and work through your doubts, then another layer will build.

That layer is happiness.

Lisa

Christmas!

This will be our fourth Christmas in Australia, and although still learning, feel more educated about what to expect this year.

The Christmas period falls within the school summer holidays, which this year, in SA are 7 weeks long (?!).

A lot of people wind down over this time, and most take multiple weeks holidays.

Therefore, Christmas isn’t such a big deal here. It just kind of creeps up on you. There isn’t the build up like in the U.K.

In fact, if it wasn’t for the odd bit of tinsel in shops, the few hanging lights here and there, or the small section in the supermarket dedicated to roses, quality street etc and decorations you wouldn’t even notice it!

Christmas also comes around our longest day here. Meaning the lights on don’t have the same effect when the sun is blaring.

Rather than an opportunity to spend two weeks eating and watching tv, it’s an opportunity to have fun, relax, and take holiday.

It’s quite a common thing for people to go on holiday from Boxing Day till New Years.

Christmas dinner can be whatever you want, wherever you want it. Some people do the whole U.K. thing at home, some bbq, others do a bit of both.

We eat lighter over Xmas here compared to the U.K. I don’t feel the need to stuff the fridge full of heavy food. Instead we take it day by day as we get out a lot.

Our first Christmas, we tried being too U.K. and that didn’t work well.

Last year and the year before, we packed too much in. We tried having Xmas lunch at home, then rushed to the beach for the afternoon and eve.

This year will be a little more slow. We will bbq at lunch, but lots of seafood, and have a picky buffet type thing with pavlova of course.

The fact is, part of settling is finding your own rhythm.

Lisa

4th Year

We are now in our fourth year in Australia and I can honestly say it took me about 3 years to ‘settle’.

The price is just in dollars now.

The weather is just in Australia now.

My mind has stopped comparing, thinking. That door back to to the U.K. is firmly closed in my mind.

I’m too ‘Australian’ now. I want the wide open spaces, the easy lifestyle, the friendliness I have found here.

No longer need to prove the reason for being here. No longer feel guilty about any of it.

Both pretty much always working from home, kids settled and growing the work life balance we craved is here. The stress of juggling everything feels non existent. Lunch time walks and time to talk without kids around is amazing.

Yeah, feel we have made it!