Even though we live in a time where information is so readily available, there can still be some things that you just can’t research before you move to Australia. So here are 8 things that might surprise you about living in Australia.
If you’ve applied for citizenship recently, you might still be waiting to get your invitation to write your citizenship test. You’re likely also wondering what to expect when you write your Australian citizenship test.
Last year we were privileged to become Australian citizens. The whole process seemed to take forever thanks to the previous government’s decision to try and change the citizenship laws. Thankfully they were unsuccessful in the end, but it really did create a massive backlog for application processing.
By the time our test date came along I was super nervous! But in the end I didn’t need to be so I wanted to share our experience with you to try and put your mind at ease.
We recently spent a day up in the Perth Hills after being invited to visit a quirky South African owned cafe, Cafe Mojo, in Mundaring. Owner Jo is originally from Cape Town (but lived most of the time in Swellendam), and her husband Ronald is from The Netherlands.
Jo grew up in South Africa till she was 21 and travelled for 10 years on a Private Motor yacht working as a chef for the rich and famous. Ronald has travelled around the world as a backpacker a couple of times, and loved it.
In 1990 Jo’s sister moved to Australia, her parents followed in 2003 and Jo followed in 2011 permanently after she met Ronald.
Café Mojo Mundaring was established in 2017 and extended by the Mundaring Wellness Centre in 2019 to make a complete business.
When you’re a new migrant in Australia, there are a lot of new things to experience and become accustomed to. From new cities and where to drive, to supermarket shopping and where to buy the most mundane things that you never batted an eyelid about before, it’s a lot to take in.
Some things can be harder to adapt to than others, so here are some of the things that you might struggle to adapt to as an expat in Australia.
Exploring Western Australia is something that’s going to take heaps of time to do. This state is so vast – it takes up nearly half of the whole country by itself!
Recently we took a road trip north and spent 5 days exploring Kalbarri and the surrounds and had an amazing time. If you haven’t taken a road trip up north from Perth, you’re missing out on some amazing scenery, places, and things to do.
What would you say if I told you there was a way to completely furnish your new home in Australia for free? You’d probably think I was mad, but there is actually a way – it’s called bulk waste collection!
Also known as verge collection, bulk rubbish, or kerbside collection, this is an annual event in many suburbs across Australia, where households are allowed to put out items they no longer want. The local council then sends a truck around and picks up your waste and disposes of it. For free. Nada. Niks!
How amazing is that? Considering the cost of tipping your unwanted junk this is an awesome initiative.