Brisbane, Bungendore and Melbourne, Australia
When I arrived in Australia in 2017, I didn’t just go for the beaches (although that was a huge bonus) - I went because I wanted a different perspective on life so far. Over the next 2 years I lived in Brisbane (QLD), Bungendore (NSW) and Melbourne (VIC) whilst taking on a variety of roles that challenged me and shaped how I approach work today.
After two months of exploring, it is now April and looking for employment when summer hiring takes a steady decline, was let’s just say difficult. Three months later and accepting door to door sales were not my thing - I jetted off to Bungendore (NSW) to become a live in nanny for a family with 3 boys under 7.
Building on the exposure from working in childcare, I was now tasked with school runs & playgroups, meal prep, playtime and the constant “what now?” moments that come with looking after tiny humans. I handled bath time like a pro, organised adventures outside and was forced to show up whenever chaos decided to make a guest appearance. Not only that, I also provided overnight care when parents needed support and I was trusted to handle difficult situations with a consistent calm and care.
At the same time, I worked nearby as a farm hand and egg collector to qualify for a second working holiday visa. This isn’t a thing now for UK citizens, but we’re in the year 2017 where every ‘working holiday maker’ is looking for a farm role and its dog eat dog out here. I worked alongside a small team collecting 9000 eggs per day, learning how to work with animals, my hands, machinery and the overall pulse of farm life. It was hard, messy and incredibly dirty work, but it was just as rewarding and grounding. This is still my favourite job to date.
Six months later, my contract was finished and it was time to move onto another area, Melbourne, the intended end goal. Did I mention this visa type only permits you to work with one employer for 6 months? This means you constantly have to think a few steps ahead, prepare for the end and be ready to start anew.
A seven hour drive later to Melbourne in my Toyota RAV4 and i’m back to the city life! I was fortunate to land back into events and hospitality, initially as a freelancer however, I ended up working at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) on a contract basis supporting event coordination and catering. Now that you understand that you have to move on from your job every six months and with those exact same months left on my visa, I decided to slow down and travel more whilst keeping a part time job within hospitality to support the final chapter of my time in Australia.
Australia wasn’t just a place I worked hard, it was truly a place where I lived just as much. I visited every state (although I feel like I have barely scratched the surface) and met so many interesting people from all over the world.. It wasn’t just about the sunshine for me in Australia, but instead the history of the Indigenous people who once owned these lands. Just before my visa expired, I embarked on a 5 day solo trip to Uluru (NT) in the dead of summer to hike and camp whilst learning the sacred teachings of Uluru. Due to the 45 degree heat, we had to finish all our hikes before midday and I will never forget the 4:30am sunrises, with the starry sky to say goodnight.
Along comes January 2019 and I am now returning back to the UK, filled with memories, a whole load of new skills and a new found confidence that only comes when you successfully survive the unexpected.