Maktub Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 Today is my six month anniversary in Australia! It has been a while since I have posted on this forum, but have been settling into life here and decided that I needed a bit of a break from everything to do with South Africa for a while (not forever though)...and wanted to immerse myself into Aussie life completely *Please remember that this is the perspective of a student, who came over alone I absolutely cannot believe it is six months today...to think the last time I made a post here was six WEEKS in...and how quickly the time has flown by! Some days it feels like I have lived here forever, and other days it feels like I have been here such a short while (suppose that is how it goes for everyone...not necessarily a bad thing either way, just exciting!)I have been incredibly blessed and happy in my time here, and I strongly believe that it is because I am looking at this move as a huge adventure and opportunity to learn new things, meet new people, see new places and experience new things...rather than one where I had to 'flee' from something. As I have said elsewhere, I have always wanted to live in a country other than RSA, and I grabbed this opportunity with both hands!One thing that I have to say, I am here on a student visa on a scholarship...and it is incredible to me how my quality of life is SO infinitely better than it was in RSA when I was working full-time! Things here are expensive, definitely, but your buying power allows for your money to go so much further...it is incredible to me! Won't say what my scholarship amount is...but believe me when I say it is infinitely less than a full-paying job...but I can DO so much more here with the money I do get! It still amazes me!! Granted, I do not have kids and have not bought a car or a house...but I am loving the economic (and personal) freedom that Aus has afforded me! Parents if you have any doubts that you are doing the right thing in moving here for your children I can personally attest that it is the best best best thing that you are doing for them!!! They will one day be eligible for these scholarships...and I have found that here (not sure if it is all the uni's, but I do believe so), it is the exception rather than the rule to NOT have a scholarship for post-graduate students (actually, nobody that I know is paying fees...and they all receive the scholarship stipend). What are the chances of that at RSA institutions? Best I could get there was some money off my Master's fees because I did well in my honours.The blessings in Australia just seem to keep on coming my way...and three weeks ago I started working as a sessional lecturer at the university that I am doing my PhD at. It is incredible that I am now in a country, and at an institution, that sought me out and wants to use my skills...rather than at one (in a country that you all can guess by now ) where I was told that it I was lucky that I was 'at least' female, but it would be better if I was disabled because then they could offer me a job on the spot. That comment had me crying for days!Overall, life has been fantastic for me in Australia, and I couldn't be happier! I am loving life "out in the sticks" in Ballarat, as this place has been SO good for me...but I must admit I have fallen in love with Melbourne!!! The city is the most incredible place that I have been to (and I have travelled extensively), but I absolutely love everything about Melbourne!! The culture, the coffee shops, the laneways, the international feel, the sports, the music, flinders street station...even the hipsters (although I am definitely not cool enough to fit in with that scene, haha).I absolutely love that this city is one of contrasts, and that there are soooo many surprises everywhere! Always new things to discover!The suburbs still confuse me terribly, and I am always fascinated to see the difference in culture and look as you go through different suburbs (would say do your homework carefully when choosing a suburb in Melbs). I must say that before I came here I had read a lot of less-than-flattering things about St Kilda...but wow it is one of my favourite places to go at the moment! Its so arty and edgy, with bakeries and coffee shops that are open till all hours of the night...love it! (Okay in the city this is true too...but I find there is something magical about St Kilda). Of course there are still rough areas in St Kilda...and its definitely not a family area, but I found it great! (My aussie friends say that you do not want to be walking around alone in St Kilda after all these places close at night...but then again that is true for any place in the world...shouldn't be stupid just because its a safer country, crime happens anywhere, and girls shouldn't be out alone at all hours of the night anyway).Also, I have no idea where I was (haha that sounds terrible, but just a testament to how safe I feel using public transport in Aus...as I said, still no car), but I drove from Ballarat to Melbourne with a colleague last week, and so she dropped me off at a train station at one of the outer suburbs so that I could get a train in from there to Southern Cross...was not a very nice area at all! I was shocked that such an area existed in Melbourne (and no, it was not Frankston-side). I am not sure if this is politically correct to say, but I feel like I was in an immigrant-dense area...and its sad to say but if that was my first impression of Melbourne I would have been horrified. I am not saying that I felt unsafe (although would not want to be there at night), but it was very run-down. Please do not take this as a reflection of Melbourne as a whole, but just as my advice to research suburbs properly before moving here...the vast majority are great! I have not once felt unsafe in the city, or the suburbs, or out in country Ballarat for that matter. In fact, I am strongly considering moving to Melbourne next year to experience life there for a year, and commuting to Ballarat Oh yes...before I forget: one of the funniest experiences I have had here, is trying to explain to Melbournians that in Joburg/PTA you do NOT want to be in the city centre...ever! Haha they cannot comprehend it at all...when here it is exactly where you do want to be!!Now, some other news: just thought I would share with you all the one single night in these last 6 months that I felt terribly homesick! I found out a couple of weeks ago that my sister (who is still in RSA) got engaged!! I am SO incredibly happy for her, but that night I bawled my eyes out! It is the one instance that I really felt VERY far from home...and couldn't share the experience with her. It got me thinking for a little while there that I am so far away, and that things are going so well...what if the unthinkable happens to her or my parents? I am so scared for them in RSA, especially because now I realize how rampant and sick crime is there!!! How I lived in that for so long I can never understand...and I would never be able to again!! I just pray that they are safe and look after themselves...and my sister has even spoken about moving back to NZ in the next couple of years...which would mean that my parents would move too (they are there purely because she is still there). I can only hope and pray that this happens sooner rather than later! But I came to the realization that whether I am here or there would not make a difference anyway, and we cannot live life out of fear that something will happen. Life needs to be lived while we have it, and for me right now it is having this incredible experience and being able to share it with those back in RSA.Anyway, back to my GREAT news! My sister has decided to get married this December!!! That means a totally unexpected holiday back to RSA for me this year!!! Was not planning on this at all...but I am delighted!! (And...scared out of my mind at the same time...haha nobody here understands that...but I know that you all definitely will!).My final thoughts for this post:Australia is what you make of it...for me, after all my travels, its the one country that I have been to that is very similar to RSA. If you believe with all your heart that you can make this work, and refuse to even entertain thoughts of it not working out, you can live the dream here! The vast majority of saffers that are here already are!! Immerse yourself totally, and be a citizen of the world...and life will reward you for it!"Travel is the ultimate form of rebellion"We follow our heartWe free ourselves of labelsWe lose control willinglyWe trade a role for realityWe love the unfamiliarWe trust strangersWe own only what we can carryWe search for better questions, not answersWe truly graduateWe, sometimes, never come back~ The Triprebel ManifestoPs: Meeting a hot Aussie (for those singles coming over) helps too 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rikamarie Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 Hi there. Thanks for the update. Loved reading it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bams Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 Loved reading your post and am still smiling.Congrats on your sister's engagement and good luck for that hot Aussie date... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyn Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 What a wonderful post Maktub - besides missing your family you sound like you are having the time of your life. Well done for embracing the Australian way and getting out there and making it work - all on your own.Keep us posted, we realise the hot Aussie will probably be taking up your forum time 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eva Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Grrr! My post went all wrong. Start again!..................I so enjoyed reading your lovely, happy post and am thrilled for you that you are enjoying the experiences Australia has to offer."Ps: Meeting a hot Aussie (for those singles coming over) helps too :wub:"Does that mean that there is romance in the air?All the best, I am sure with such a wonderful positive attitude plenty of good things await you! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino1 Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 (edited) Awww, the bliss in youth! Just reminds me of my careless days as a student in Pretoria. The days we could walk late at night in the city feeling safe. Often walking home to varsity residence after an art movie at the 'Trems'; philosophising about the French movie "Three Colours Blue" and arguing about the complexity of Rachmaninov piano concerto no 3 and its influence on David's life in the movie "Shine". Oh, it seems like yesterday when we walked through the art museum and analysed each sculpture and what insanities and sometimes profanities inspired such obscene exposure of one's darkest corners. Pardon my reminiscence, - a yearning for better days.Perhaps also why I am quickened to embrace this new journey... So I can afford my two girls the same beautiful memories and the carefree fun - the stimulus for brilliance and awakened passion found in a great university and among extraordinary minds.Have a blessed time and safe guard these precious times and memories. Edited August 19, 2013 by Rhino1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oosie Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 HiBly om te hoor dit gaan goed met jou en jy is gelukkig. Het gewonder hoe dit met jou gaan.Bly om te hoor van jou suster en dat jy Des SA toe kan gaan, ons gaan ook Des SA toe, ons dogter daar is swanger en die baba word in Nov gebore.Ek was Junie in SA en het dit vreeslik baie geniet, een ding wat ek gesien het is mense gaan aan met hulle lewe daar en is baie gelukkig. Ons dogter en haar gesin het 'n baie groot vriendekring en haar skoonfamilie wat hulle mee saamkuier en braai, hulle het goeie sekuriteit en is bewus van die misdaad en rig hulle lewens volgens dit in. Ons almal wat geemigreer het het nie daarmee wou saamleef nie en is in ander lande en ek stem saam, as jou kop reg is sal jy'n sukses daarvan maak maar ons moet onthou nie al die SAfrikaners voel so nie. Ek het toe ek nou daar was die tyd rerig baie geniet, die shopping in die malls, is soos jy se mens kan nie stad toe gaan nie maar ons het die Malls platgeloop, lekker uitgeeet en met die Gautrein Sandton toe gery en dit baie geniet.Ons is ook baie gelukkig in Aus en wil op geen ander plek bly nie maar ek geniet alles wat SA my kan bied wanneer ek daar is,kyk goed na my veiligheid, so goed ek kan. Jy sal okay wees wanneer jy gaan kuier, geniet jou mense en moet nie vrees nie. Ek stem saam mens wil nie altyd hier saam SAfrikaners kuier nie veral nie die wat SA slegse nie want ons is nou hier en gaan aan met ons lewe en het nie nodig om dit te regverdig om die land waarvan ons af kom sleg te se nie. Almal van ons is bewus van wat in SA aan gaan daarom is ons hier. Bly jy geniet Melbourne, ek dink ook dis 'n wonderlike stad.Alles van die beste vir jou toekoms hier in Aus. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maktub Posted August 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 @Eva, hehe yes...there has been romance in the air @Rhino...LOVED your post! I was also in res at tukkies...although much more recently than you because I can not remember a time when it was safe to walk around the city at night and feel safe. But I had a ball at varsity there...and can relate to your words "the stimulus for brilliance and awakened passion found in a great university and among extraordinary minds" ...this is why I am an still student (wow, great words!)! I find that I am experiencing this even more at the Aussie institution that I am at...the support for an academic, the encouragement, and the dedication here is incredible! I go to a Higher Degrees by Research program at the uni that I am at...and we are about 30 Masters/PhDs that started this year...and I am probably one of the youngest. I only mention that because I really love talking with this group of people, who come from diverse fields, but who all felt the yearning for what you have described, and now have the opportunity to embrace it again! It is an incredibly stimulating environment! One which I did not find while doing my masters in RSA...though not for lack of trying, the focus at institutions in RSA, in my opinion, is just slightly different at this stage (more focus on the professions, rather than academic discovery...not necessarily a bad thing, as this is what is needed there). We have these great "shut-up-and-write" circles to help get the academic writing juices flowing (google that...loving the concept)...and the university does a fantastic job at creating a supportive environment - especially for those coming from a background of full-time work for years/those who are in retirement but have decided to take up study for the enjoyment of it. Good luck with your search for/decision-making around further study! @Oosie baie dankie vir jou mooi woorde! Beteken baie! Dalk sien ek julle nog in Pretoria desember voordat ek julle weer hier in Ballarat sien! Hehe! Baie baie geluk met julle dogter se swangerskap...sjoe dit is spesiaal om te gaan kuier vir so n lekker geleentheid! So bly dit gaan so goed met julle!!!Ek stem dat ek moet onthou dat hulle daar baie bewus is van die misdaad, en dat hulle gerig is daarvoor...ek weet net nie hoe ek gaan slaap nie, haha! Maar ek glo ek sal veilig wees, en sommer n baie lekker vakansie daar gaan hou! Groete vir almal!xxx 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadEnoughofJuju Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 Hey Maktub. It's good to hear that things are going well with you and I enjoyed reading your post. I hope the trip back to RSA doesn't mean that you won't be coming to visit your forum parents. I so agree with the "making it work comment". Australia is truly what you make of it. All the unhappy Saffa's I have met so far are the ones who try to make Aus into what they had back home but it just doesn't work.Look forward to reading more about your adventures. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rikamarie Posted August 29, 2013 Report Share Posted August 29, 2013 Kom jy Pretoria toe in Desember? Ons moet beslis mekaar ontmoet!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maktub Posted September 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2013 Jip RikaMarie! Sal kyk of ons plan kan maak 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannonc4 Posted September 4, 2013 Report Share Posted September 4, 2013 Thank you for the update. Sounds like you are having an amazing time; your optimism makes the process a little more bearable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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