Quest Australia has interviewed an American expat living in Australia, and gives her views on life in a new country.
Briefly introduce yourselves?
My name is Sharon Laufer, I grew up in Florida until graduating from The University of Central Florida with a degree in Business. After college I moved to New York City where I lived for just over 6 years until moving to Australia with my partner this past November 2010.
Why did you decide to move to Australia?
We moved to Australia because my partner was offered a job with a consulting firm that had us relocated to Sydney.
Do you feel like you’ve integrated well into life as an expat?
Sometimes, you would think coming from a city like NYC would make it difficult but we have really enjoyed the active, beach lifestyle that is so Sydney. Public transportation is a major means of getting around and that is something that we were very familiar with coming from Manhattan.
How does the culture differ from home?
The biggest difference between here and home would have to be the people. They are a super laid back culture. Everything takes lots of time and people just aren’t in a rush like people in New York City, but really who is?
The food is a bit different. You better like Thai food if you plan on living here and say goodbye to great Mexican.
Rent is calculated very differently here. I was used to rent being one month or 4 weeks. Here they list a per week rent price. In order to know what you will be paying in rent each month take that price/week number multiply by 52 weeks and then by 12 months. That is your actual monthly rent. This was a MAJOR surprise for us!
Do you have many friends? Is it easy or hard to make friends?
Moving here with someone was the best decision I could have made. This way you always have at least one person to eat and explore with. My partner had a job upon arrival but I did not and so meeting new people hasn’t been as easy for me as it has for him. At this point I would say we are doing pretty well as far as friends go. We meet lots of friends from friends. Best piece of advise… get a job and tell everyone you are moving to Sydney and ask if they know anyone. Be outgoing and willing to meet new people.
What has been the most challenging part of moving abroad? What has been the most rewarding?
Moving to Australia without a job has been my most challenging aspect. Understanding nuances of a new culture and a new market has put me at a disadvantage. December and January are very slow months for job recruiting so avoid them if at all possible. Keeping in touch with friends and family that are 13-16 hours behind makes communicating difficult. Send emails, send postcards, and MOST DEFINITELY get SKYPE! Traveling home is very expensive and very far away. Without lots of money and lots of vacation time you will have to say goodbye to attending all the events that you would like.
The most rewarding aspect is learning and exploring a new country and new side of the world. When all is said and done, this is one thing I will not regret. I don’t want a house or a job to hold us back from living life and exploring. There is just too much world out there.
Do you work? How do you support yourself?
I am not working right now but am actively looking for a job. Right now I am burning through my savings and getting support from my fiancé, who is working.
Did you have a problem getting a work permit/visa?
No problem getting our visa’s. My fiancé’s work sponsored both of us and we had visa’s in hand within 3 weeks of applying.
Do you have any regrets or do you have anything you wish could have changed about your move?
No regrets but I would have shipped more stuff as things are very expensive here and you can’t always find what you are looking for. I wish that my fiancé and I negotiated better and got LAFHA. Living Away From Home Agreement, a program sponsored by the government that helps contribute to rent. This is definitely something to look into before accepting any work agreement.
Would you ever consider moving back?
Yes! I love Australia but cannot image being so far from home for too long. When you are here you can sometimes forget just how far you are. Flights are just too expensive to live here permanently. We plan on living here for a few years, exploring as much as possible and then hopefully, head back closer. Not necessarily The U.S. just somewhere closer.
What advice would you give for the people out there thinking of moving to Australia?
Tell everyone you know what you are planning on doing. Get them to introduce you to people they may know here. If you can avoid it, don’t move here alone. If coming here for work, make sure to ask for LAFHA and possibly a paid flight home each year. Take advantage of living here and learn to surf, be active and just enjoy being in a part of the world that most people don’t get to in their entire life.
