Who are you?
I’m Katie, I’m a travel blogger living in Melbourne and originally from Manchester UK.
Where, when and why did you move abroad?
I moved to Melbourne in April 2015.I actually left the UK in October 2014 to do a few months travelling South East Asia and Australia before I got offered a job in Melbourne.
What challenges did you face during the move?
It was hard settling back into the 9-5 routine after travelling for so long, especially without having my friends and family around me.
Are there many other expats in your area?
There’s lots of British expats at work and some I know from my travels that also settled in Melbourne.
What do you like about life where you are?
I love the fact that you are guaranteed a summer here! Summer is so good in Australia – the weather is blazing hot and you don’t have to travel too far to find a beach.
What do you dislike about your expat life?
Being so far away from home. If Australia was in Europe I would never move back to England! It can get really tough being so far away from family and friends sometimes.
What is the biggest cultural difference you have experienced between your new country and life back home?
That’s a tough question! I think it’s some of the words people use over here. A lot of words are abbreviated and some pronounced differently!
What do you think of the food and drink in your new country? What are your particular likes or dislikes?
The food is great here. You can eat out quite cheaply and the quality is awesome. It’s also really diverse – lots of Asian, Greek and Italian cuisine. The only thing I hate is Vegemite!
What advice would you give to anyone following in your footsteps?
Make sure you make time to travel the country you move to, especially in Australia as there’s so much to see.
What are your plans for the future?
I’ll definitely do some more travelling – South America is my next destination. I’d also like to live somewhere else for a couple of years, either Barcelona or Berlin.
You can keep up to date with Katie's adventures on her blog, Half A World Away.
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