We’ve been in Brisbane for just over a month, and as I have learned, moving countries is a very busy process. We are starting to feel more settled now as we excitedly plan for our next steps in our adventure.

After our long layover in Manila, we arrived in Brisbane on July 11 and for our first three weeks we stayed in an AirBnb by the University of Queensland. It was a great starting central location and the campus had a beautiful running path that I loved.

First Impressions

Some first impressions of Australia that I have had upon arrival have included:

• The infrastructure here is most similar to England than anywhere else I can compare to in the world. The roads, signs, direction of driving, and way that the supermarkets and communities are laid out remind me of the UK.
• The sights, sounds and smells! The sights have included tropical forests and amazing sandy beaches, and the most overwhelming sound has been that of the chirping birds every morning (and really all day). My favourite smell when walking outside is the eucalyptus that you can smell in waves as you walk by leafy areas.
• Everyone I have interacted here with in person has been super lovely. Chatty, friendly, and great at making conversation – it has been nice to feel welcomed into a new place by nice people.

Getting Settled

Our first couple of weeks here involved getting settled with phone plans, bank accounts, finding work, and buying car. We managed to set up our phone, bank and tax documents on the first day, and I got a bike off Facebook Marketplace within the first few days of arriving, which really helped with our mobility. The other remaining tasks humbled us, but were accomplished with patience and persistence.

Buying a Car and Figuring Out How To Drive It

Of the logistics we completed, the most stressful and labour intensive was buying a car. We knew that we wanted to buy a car before we arrived in Australia as I would need it for work (substitute teaching), but we also wanted it to explore and see as much as we can while we are here!

To find the car, we pored over Facebook Marketplace listings for many days. We knew we wanted a small, subcompact car, and began our research on makes and models in our price range. The nice part about buying a car in Australia is that cars must have a “roadworthy” certificate to be insured, so if you buy a car that just had its inspection, you know that the major issues that may make the car unsafe to drive would have been resolved to get a clear inspection.

We did a lot of research, and only looked at two other cars before we found one that we knew was a winner. The first car we looked at was fine but we knew it was going to cost us in some repairs in a couple of months, while the second car had no service history (and a manual for the wrong car when I looked for it in the glove box) – we didn’t even bother test driving it. The winner – our car – was what we were looking for and with very low kilometres: a Mazda 2 from 2005. We were relieved when we saw the car in person and knew it was a done deal.

After handing over the money, the next scariest thing about car buying for me was actually driving it! While George is used to driving on the wrong side of the road and similar traffic laws, this was a whole new world for me. In Canada, I am a confident driver, but I was terrified at first. I think the cycling on the “wrong” side of the road helped reorient me, though, because by the time I started driving, it was easier than anticipated. The rearview mirror and signal levers being on opposite sides of what I am used to threw me off, but I am getting used to it. The roundabouts have also been a learning process, but George has been a great coach. After a few drives in residential neighbourhoods, I am now ready for the open road.

Getting the car was a huge relief. The day we bought the car, we drove down to the Daisy Hill Koala Sanctuary as a celebration and went to look at the koalas in the centre. It was exciting to see our first koalas, though we have yet to see any in the wild. We are keeping our eyes peeled!

Finding Work

The other part of getting settled that was different than I anticipated was finding work. George got a White Card (permit to work outdoors) right away, and found a landscaping jobs on his first day of looking. I spent many hours and days waiting for my teaching qualification to be approved, and applied for other jobs in the meantime while I wasn’t sure when I’d be allowed to teach. I think I must have applied for 100 jobs and written as many cover letters in the few weeks I spent at the library looking, and only got three interviews. My teaching registration ended up coming through before I committed to anything else, which I was very happy to have. Through this process I was reminded of the difficulty and stress of finding work, and helped me appreciate my stable employment at home.

Finding Accomodation

After much deliberation and the state of the Brisbane rental market, we have decided to stay in short-term rentals rather than getting a longer lease for the time being. The convenience of living somewhere furnished, while also being able to move every couple of months had made for a situation where this setup is really working for us. Right now we are living in a suburb called The Gap, which we are enjoying for its greenery and proximity to the city and the outdoors.

First Weeks of Sightseeing

We did quite a bit of city sightseeing and day trips while we were getting sorted. Some highlights included riding the CityCat and KittyCat boats on the Brisbane River, visiting the FIFA Women’s World Cup Fan Zone, going to some FIFA soccer games and an Australian Football League (AFL) game, hiking, and taking the train down to the Gold Coast for a bike day. We’ve also done some weekend trips to Noosa and Byron Bay, but I will save those details for another post.

Here are some photos from our initial explorations:

It’s been a great first month and a bit here! We have been loving the weather and the landscapes, and have been busy working away the last few weeks, trying to make money for our travels. I am hoping to post again soon about our weekend trips, my experiences teaching here so far, and our plans we have for the next couple of months. We can’t wait – every day here so far (even the stressful ones) has been such a gift.