I was up at the shops today, only to realise this: The Christmas decorations are up already.

Now I’m in Australia at the moment, and Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated here, but isn’t it too early? While I love Christmas (in fact it’s my favourite holiday of the year), I think that every year the holiday seems to be drawn out a little further. Now seeming to last over two months long, you start to wonder why…?

I personally think Christmas has been extended as long as it has because it has become a retail holiday. Apparently it’s all about giving gifts and spending money on each other. And while I love giving (and, I admit getting them too) gifts, we’ve lost track of what the holiday is all about. I’m not going to sit and preach about how one should appreciate the true value of Christmas, but I wonder this:

Do you believe that the Christmas season has been over extended?

Australians have always been considered some of the more relaxed and friendly people that you’ll ever meet as you travel throughout the world. But is this changing?

Continue reading “Are Australians really all that friendly?” »

So you’ve made it. You were happily greeted by the friendly Customs beagle and you gave up your bunch of bananas, and now you find yourself breathing the fresh airport air. Never mind that, you’re in Australia. Where are you going? Where are you staying? Unless you’ve got friends and family already in Australia, finding a place to live, even temporarily can be difficult. The rental market, especially in Sydney has an almost 0% vacancy rate at the moment, and when you do find something, the rental prices are usually fairly high. It’s not fun.

Continue reading “Immigrating to Australia: My story” »

Have you got that urge to just get up and go and experience a new part of the country? Or even the world? How about that far end of the local mall that you’ve never been before? It’s not uncommon for one to seek out the unknown, leave your comfort zone, and see what’s out there.

For many the journey stops almost as quick as it begins, staying in a fancy hotel room, ordering room service, and watching TV. For others, it’s getting your hands dirty and feeling what it’s like to not just see the culture that surrounds you, but experience it.

Wanderlust (Middle High German: wandern, to wander, and Lust, desire) is a German loanword. It is commonly defined as a strong desire to travel, or, of having a strong desire to explore the world.

Think you’ve got it? Most immigrants do. There’s a “push and pull factor” that affects the human population.

Continue reading “Have wanderlust, will travel” »