I grew up in the US, but after graduating from college, I decided I wanted to live abroad.
I’d traveled to Europe numerous times in my teens and 20s and was curious about what it might be like to actually live there.
So, in 1996, I moved to London, a city I loved for its cultural diversity, vibrant arts scene, and rich history. I also had friends and family there who provided a good support system during this period of change.
However, after living there for a year, I felt stuck in my career and grew tired of the gray skies. I wasn’t ready to return to the US, though, so I decided to try a new country (and continent) altogether: Australia.
Many of my Australian friends in London raved about their quality of life back home, and I was eager to try living somewhere new. Plus, since my mother was born in Queensland, I held Australian citizenship and could live and work there.
So, I packed my bags and headed to Melbourne.
Moving to Australia immediately felt like a breath of fresh air
After spending a year in London’s endless gray skies and gloomy weather, I enjoyed feeling the sun on my skin in Australia.
Melbourne had so many of the things I liked about London, like fresh food markets and a diverse dining scene with a range of cuisines from Greek to Thai.
In my free time, I explored Melbourne’s thriving arts and literary scene, attended festivals, visited one of many local parks, and subscribed to several theatre companies.
I loved getting to ride my bike to work along the river. On days I didn’t, I took advantage of Melbourne’s affordable and extensive public transit system, which made it easy to travel around the city.
I was also quickly blown away by the country’s healthcare system. Australia provides high-quality public healthcare, offering subsidized medical services to citizens and permanent residents.
This was a stark — but pleasant — contrast to the pricey private healthcare system I was used to in the US.
I was surprised how quickly the country started to feel like home
I felt at home in Australia within the first year, which is something I didn’t feel back in London.
This time, building a community felt easier. Here, I found that the people I met were friendly — and they really seemed like they cared to look out for each other.
For example, during a citywide natural gas shortage, residents with all-electric homes invited neighbors and strangers in to cook and shower. I loved the community spirit of this.
Even though I was still fairly new to the area, I felt inspired to open up my all-electric flat as a hub for friends and colleagues, too. In many ways, this only seemed to accelerate my acceptance in the community.
Over time, I’ve built a network of friends across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Brisbane.
Still, moving to an entirely new country wasn’t without a learning curve.
After spending some time living in Australia, I noticed many of the locals I met tended to avoid conflict in favor of group harmony. This was a harsh contrast to my more assertive American nature.
My Australian friends often asked me to handle returns at stores or mediate disputes, leveraging my directness. In turn, I toned down my individualism and learned different ways to communicate.
I can confidently say the move was the best decision I’ve made
In recent years, I got tired of Melbourne and wanted to live in a smaller city with similar perks but fewer people. So, I moved to Adelaide.
It’s just as charming, and I’m glad I was still able to find what I was looking for in the same country I’d fallen in love with.
Even now, after 28 years across two cities in Australia, I’m still so happy to call the country home.
From the quality of life to the community I’ve built here, I have no plans to leave. And, truth be told, the more affordable healthcare here is definitely a big factor that solidified my decision not to return to the US.
These days, I don’t plan to return to the US unless I’m visiting friends and family.
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