7 months in...

[Jasper]

It seems the Canberra community forum needs a bit of love, and I remember how useful it was for me in the planning phase to look back on people's opinions and thoughts as they've gone through it, and how things go in the initial months.

So I thought I should jump back in and give an update - mine being the last one from just a few weeks in - now over 7 months in.

My wife and I arrived at the end of January, in Canberra. Where I quickly got started at a job I found on arrival, while my wife still searched through February and most of March. She was eventually employed through meeting people at a work function of mine, who called her the next day, offered her a job and she started the following day. We have been told multiple times that that's how Canberra works. It's all about networking. And that's definitely true.

The job market is tough, particularly in Canberra where a number of public service jobs are specifically for citizens and even the ones that are open for permanent residents, are still slanted to citizens. Not for any nefarious quota system, but simply because you need Aussie work experience - to understand the culture, the market, the needs of the consumer etc. That's not to say there isn't work, there is. The private sector is bustling and it's down to what you're willing to do I guess. My wife has a major qualification, but is working as a temp admin assistant on minimum wage. I'm only a little bit higher and earn a bottom of the rung salary. And we're tremendously grateful.

I'd be happy to pick fruit in the fields, wash dishes or mow lawns - and many many people have do so to get their start, and have become incredibly successful doing so.

We have been very fortunate with our immigration in that we are employed, have all but refurnished our home after arriving with nothing, bought a car, are expecting our first child, made some wonderful friends, eaten out, travelled to the coast and the alps, and save a lot of our weekly paycheck to pay cash for our purchased and avoid all debt.

It's not because we landed with our butts in the butter, or are "just lucky" - it comes from over 2 years of planning before we immigrated, and a ton of research. We make lists of all of the things we need to buy for the house (we only recently bought a bread knife!), and we research their prices, and plan each purchase. One week we're able to get a piece of furniture, and the next is a saving week, and perhaps next it's a soup ladle and some work clothes, etc.

You make your own luck in this world, and I've had many opportunities to look back on this experience and the choice to immigrate. It's particularly difficult because we came alone... just my wife, and I and our furry kids. We have no family or friends here (well, we have friends NOW). And I wouldn't change a damn thing.

Canberra is a wonderful place, with outrageously gorgeous scenery, wonderful parks and lake fronts to walk through, it's safe, and the coffee and food culture is one of the best in the world. The drive to work takes all of 10 minutes, and maybe some mornings I have a few bumper to bumper moments at red lights - and I live 16 kms from work. The people are friendly, and helpful at every level. Whether your cashier at a local supermarket, call centre operators, doctors, nurses, tradies and everyone in between.

It's no utopia. There is some crime in places, like anywhere in the world, there are homeless, and there are problems. The government has it's issues and the Liberal Party have Tony Abbott - as South Africans, this is all laughable.

You'll hear how expensive it is to live - and some things are expensive, but if you stop converting and just live when you earn the currency, your spending power has far better than in South Africa - and if you shop clever, it can save huge amounts. And you're still able to treat yourself to niceties too.

No one is going to just make success happen, that's not how life works. You do. And you have a damn find opportunity to do so in Aus. Whether Canberra, or anywhere else.

Fortune favours the bold, and to everyone in the terrifying immigration process at the moment, it's worth every single tear. All the best.

[Mara]

Thanks for the update... it is always great to hear that people are happy and doing well :ilikeit:

[FairGo]

This is the kind of posts I like to read! Realistic and inspiring. Also feels as if it helps us mentally prepare for the big move. We are considering Canberra as my husband has friends there that he has known for years. I think it might help with settling in to have someone who is familiar in the same town and who has gone through the same process. But I hate cold weather and it seems to get quite cold in the winter in Canberra....

Thanks for the post Jasper and good luck and enjoy the journey ahead with the pregnancy and new family member.

Edited September 2, 2015 by TacticJourney

[joweni]

The weather is the weather-plan a little trip to the top end (or Bali-same price) each winter and that helps to get you through the worst.

[Kishmira]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post. It is really inspiring and shows that we can do anything we put our minds to, especially when it is well thought out.

Keep blessed Jasper and Family and may the Lord continue to guide you, protect you and keep you.

[Jasper]

Thanks folks!

Yep - The Canberra winter is something to get used to! This last one was the coldest in a decade. If you're prepared for it, you're fine. But any SA coastal dwellers may have a struggle to get used to driving to work in -5 degrees (-7 at times). Just means heaters, warm clothing and hot water bottles. We don't have central heating so our electric bill shot up a lot. But it's amazing how quickly you acclimatise. This morning, it was 9 degrees - felt like shorts weather!

Anyone living inland Karoo side, or even Pretoria and the like will be a lot more used to those kinds of temperatures so not a hassle. And yep - TONS of Aussies head off shore to break out of the cold. It's a lot more affordable when you're earning in AUD to just head off to an island for a mini break. Not quite yet for us, but it's doable.

The best thing we ever did with combating the cold was buying our snow gear (plenty stores with major marked down factory prices). We woke up a bit late through winter so could have used them about a month or two earlier, but that's helped majorly to get through the cold. It feels like you're being given one helluva warm hug.

I've been into Sydney a couple times - and it's lovely but absolutely crazy. 2 hour traffic either way and just another world in terms of pace. The beauty, I find, about Canberra is that I can pop into Sydney - and LEAVE - or head into the mountains - and back all within a day if I felt like it. Or down to the coast to the likes of Bateman's Bay etc.

I will say it definitely would help to be somewhere where you know people, we did feel quite alone at first - but everyone is so incredibly friendly in Australia that it's hard to not make friends.

No matter where in Aus you land. The things that make it all worthwhile - I've forgotten my phone and wallet in my car OFTEN, and we've forgotten to lock the car, left the front door open (like actually open) while inside it, have parcels delivered to the house that just sit on the front porch, walk through parks at night in the dark, have no walls in front of the house and a back gate that has no lock. Imagine that? No lock! Didn't occur to anyone that it would be needed! I've had people working on things at my house who just let themselves into the yard, or drop off things for me - no hassle. Everyone's your mate.

Good luck to all!

[BrendanH]

Thanks for the post Jasper. We are coming through to Canberra in January and I am already having sleepless nights about the job situation.

Even though I spent a few years living in the Eastern Freestate in Bethlehem I am also glad that we are landing in Summer.

[Jasper]

Good luck Brendan! Awesome time of year - DAMN hot... the Aussie sun is noticeably different. Also keep an eye out on the property market. January's a busier time so there are less properties available, but if you're able to cast a wide net, and aren't that fussy you should be good.

It's helpful to be able to offer a few months rent upfront to the landlord to try secure a lease - they'll often want more security in someone who is employed or a local, but if you're nice, and can sweeten the deal, they can be open to it.

It's not uncommon (even for locals) to offer higher rental to secure a property if there's high demand - could be an extra $10 or $20 a week. Everything is a negotiation.

Use sites like Domain.com.au and Allhomes.com.au as your main source - where you can find places, and then schedule / book inspection times. Agents have no real contact before and it's not like SA where you can phone up a letting agent and ask for a list of properties. Here, they direct you to these websites and say book a time and come check it out. The sites work well though and it's easy to just line them up in your calendar on your phone and go from place to place.