Settling in to Life in Brunswick

I have now been living in Brunswick for just over three weeks, and I can’t believe how quickly it has begun to feel like home. The location of the house is great, situated very close to the main streets where all the pubs, bars, and restaurants are, and only a short walk from the supermarkets. There is a library down the road which I have become very well acquainted with, what with the arduous task of still having to sort out paperwork for my nursing registration, and the gym is just across the road from the library. I’ve gone as far as going for a tour at the gym and looking into classes I’d like to join, but have decided to leave joining up until I start work and can manage the extra outgoing costs and will have more of a routine.

I’ve tried to say yes where possible and make the most of opportunities to meet people. One day I decided to get out of the house and find a pub to read my book. I googled the nearest pub and sat myself at the bar and had a few drinks. Before the night was out I’d got to know a couple of people who are regulars at the pub, who have gone on to be people I have met quite regularly since, and the pub has very quickly become my ‘regular’! It’s nice to have a place I can pop into any evening and bump into a familiar face. 

Through the powers of Facebook, I also found a regular pub quiz team at the pub round the corner from my house, and we all meet every Tuesday. I can’t  honestly that I am contributing much to the quiz, but it’s nice to have a regular social event!

I spent the first two weeks wondering whether I’d made the right decision in leaving everything behind to move to Australia, but I can safely say now that it is one of the best decisions I could have possibly made. I miss home, friends, and family terribly, and I even miss my job. However, I’ve realised that you can’t have everything in life and that you need to compromise on some things. Life is about pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, and life really is too short to hold back on the things you dream of doing on account of the things you don’t want to leave behind. I’m a stickler for routine and home comforts, but I have taken comfort from developing new routines and finding new safety blankets. I used to listen to podcasts every single drive to and from work, and surprisingly have found it a great comfort to continue to listen to the same podcasts here. Thankfully the power of the internet and WhatsApp chats means I have no problem keeping in touch with people at home, despite the time difference!

Finally, last week I received some good news. On the Wednesday of last week my 4-year sponsorship visa was granted, meaning I am no longer on the Working Holiday Visa and therefore farm work is definitely not something I have to worry about anymore - woohoo! I can stay in Aus until July 2022! Just two days later, I received my ‘offer in principle’ for my nursing registration with AHPRA. After six months of stress, worry, and repeated back and forth with both immigration and AHPRA, to get both things sorted within the same week was the biggest relief. There were numerous times at which I felt like giving up as I couldn’t handle any more stress of chasing of documents or employers, but I am so pleased now that I persevered. All I need to do now is present my ID documents in person at an AHPRA office and I am good to go.

Now that I have a timeline and am able to budget my finances accordingly; I have agreed a start date for work of the 10th September. I’ve booked to go to Bali for two weeks in August, and am hopeful to find a few weekend breaks too. I am heading away this weekend for a short break to a town in Victoria called Bright, with three other girls, which I’m looking forward to. It’ll be my first ‘road trip’ in Australia and hopefully the first of many.