A Family’s Journey: Settling into Life in Australia with Kids 🇦🇺

We’ve been in Sydney for a few days, but we haven’t had the chance to fully soak in the beauty of the city because we practically brought our entire household with us. Without a car and no familiar relatives in Sydney, constantly changing hotels has been quite exhausting. We’re also hesitant to rely on Ubers all the time. Some hotels don’t even have elevators, so we end up lugging our luggage up and down the stairs. There are two crucial tasks we need to tackle first.

The first is getting a local bank card. Without one, it’s incredibly inconvenient for making subsequent purchases, like buying a car. After we arrived, we made an appointment with ANZ Bank for two days later. The efficiency here is impressive; although we had to wait until the next day, once we got there, they immediately took care of everything. Within an hour and a half, both of our accounts were set up and ready to go.

The second task is picking up our used Toyota. In Australia, Toyota is the top choice for cars. Given the high cost of car repairs here, durable Japanese cars are the preferred option, and they are also fuel-efficient. Once we pay the final installment, we can pick up the car. Then, after adding some camping gear, we can embark on our approximately two-month road trip around eastern Australia.

Why aren’t we working? For the first three months, we are on a tourist visa and do not have the right to work. After three months, we can start working (we are waiting for our PR status; you can check our previous notes, as we can switch to a bridging visa from a tourist visa and stay long-term until the green card is issued).

Additionally, since we will eventually be working hard, why rush? It’s better to travel now, find a place we love, and immerse ourselves in the local culture. After the trip, we can settle down, find a good job, and live at a more relaxed pace.

Since we decided to come to Australia, we hope to lead a less stressful lifestyle in the future.

In the first two days after landing, language was a significant challenge, and I wasn’t very comfortable with English. Surrounded by people from all over the world, with various skin colors, I felt a strong urge to go back home. By the fourth day, after sorting out the bank card and car, my heart gradually calmed down.

Fortunately, we came as a family of three, so we didn’t feel lonely. At night, the three of us sleeping together felt very comforting and stable. This experience made me realize how lonely and helpless it must be for a student to come here alone to study and live independently. But, Australians are very friendly and helpful, and after a period of adjustment, most people will gradually come to love it here.

The air quality is excellent, and my pharyngitis has improved. The weather is pleasantly stable, hovering around 20 degrees Celsius every day. Many people ask me how I feel, and I would say, if money is not a concern, it’s really quite perfect here.

Currently, we’re staying in a hotel that costs between 150-200 AUD per night for three people, which is a bit pricier than a standard room. For meals, we’ve brought along two small pots and stock up on semi-prepared food from the local supermarket, keeping our daily food expenses under 50 AUD. This way, we can even indulge in beef and shrimp without breaking the bank.

Transportation adds about 30 AUD to our daily budget. We often find ourselves converting these expenses into RMB, but if we were earning in AUD, it would feel quite manageable.

Next, we’ll be heading to Sydney city to check in. Stay tuned for more updates on our adventures in Australia!