It’s me people!
Didn’t want to sound like a Nike advert but can’t think of anything more eye catching or appropriate. Some of you know how my fiancee and I planned a trip to Australia in serach of a, how do I put this?..better life (sorry, that sounds so wanky, but it’s true). Well, I’m very pleased to say that we have been sucessful!
I was lucky to work briefly in Oz in 2001 and then take a working holiday from the UK in 2002-2003. I really enjoyed my time but wanted to experience life in Taiwan (where I met some great people!) we worked hard and saved for the big day to return to Melbourne and look for work.
I applied for twenty-seven jobs over the course of two months, and have been granted a four year resident visa based on my employment with an audio-visual company. I saw an advert for a job I wasn’t suitable for on a website, but decided to drop in my resume on the of chance that I might get a call. The call came in two days, and the offer in a week - they even put up the $75,000NT for the visa ( Yes! they must have been desperate, hahahaha). The worst part was the month long wait for the visa - we couldn’t commit to anything because of not knowing whether I’d be granted a visa or not.
Anyway, the point -----------What ever it is you want to do in your life -------- just do it; don’t let nerves, money or other people force you NOT to do what you want. Colleagues, family and a few friends looked at us as if we were INSANE when we told them our plan to give up our house, two decent incomes and (to be honest) an easy life in Taiwan, and try something different. But we took the gamble and it paid off. There has been stress, tears, money worries, but we are now looking at Melbourne as home for the foreseeable future.
It has taken five years to get back here, but it is worth every penny and scacrifice (even the hiking!) and we couldn’t be happier. It is a selfish move - we are leaving two families in two countries, but they can understand why we left and what we want from our lives, and couldn’t be more supportive about our move. I know I am so lucky - my fiancee’s parents are (thankfully) not conservative Taiwanese!
We should be back in summer to be married in Taiwan. I’ll drop in occasionally and say ‘hi’ from Down Under.
L.
