Who are you?
My name is Sam Eltringham and I am currently working as a Platform Developer at a UK-based tech company.I will be emigrating to Australia this year.
Where, when and why did you choose to move abroad?
My Mum emigrated to Australia a few years earlier and after visiting her, with my husband, for a 3-week holiday, we decided it would be a better life for us too.
What challenges have you faced since deciding to move?
The biggest challenge I faced was securing my visa. I had to leave my job in Logistics, that I’d been in for eleven years and go back to university to re-train for a career in software development. I then had to gain two years of industry experience before I could even start my visa application.
Do you know where you will be living? If so, how did you find / choose this place?
As we have been granted sponsorship as skilled migrants for NSW we need to live and work there for at least two years. We’re not sure which part of NSW yet, that depends on jobs. We plan to spend a few months in Brisbane QLD with my mum whilst we find jobs and a home to live in.
Do you know if there are any other expats in the area?
Brisbane does have a large expat community. Since we first considered moving overseas, we followed lots of different social media groups, which have helped us throughout our emigration process and made us feel welcome, before we have even made the move!
During your visits, what is the biggest cultural difference you have experienced between your new country and the UK?
Having only been to Australia a couple of times for 3-week summer holidays, I can’t say I’ve noticed any major cultural differences between Aus and the UK. Living there will highlight contrasting aspects of day to day life that I’ll have to adjust to, but that’s only natural when moving to a new area! I think I’ll need a little more time to spot any major cultural variations.
What do you think of the food and drink in your new country? What are your particular likes or dislikes?
As I mentioned, culturally I haven’t noticed a massive difference, which I think also applies to the food and drink. I did notice that there was a lot more authentic Asian food available than in the UK, which is great!
What advice would you give to anyone following in your footsteps?
The emigration process is long, hard and gruelling. There were times when I thought about pulling out, but with the support of family, friends and my workplace, we have managed to get through it! I’d recommend anyone to use an agent to help with the process, as it is so daunting – I don’t think we could have done it without the help of our agent!
What are your plans for the future?
Not only are we leaving friends and family behind, but we are given up the security of home to take a chance at a better life. We have to find houses, cars, jobs, schools and so many other things to be settled! We aspire to build this same sense of security in our new home!
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