It’s been a year and a half since I arrived in Australia. Reflecting on the many challenges I’ve faced, I feel genuinely proud and give myself a well-earned pat on the back.
The Visa and Airport Hurdles
My university programme started in February last year, but even though I applied for my student visa in October the previous year, I still hadn’t received a response as the start date drew closer. Without a confirmed visa, I couldn’t book flights or accommodation. To be ready to depart as soon as possible, I packed my belongings early and spent months living next to four fully loaded suitcases in an empty apartment. During this time, I kept in regular contact with the university department. I’m genuinely grateful for the support they gave me during such a stressful and uncertain period. (Calling the Home Affairs Department to ask about my visa is another long, long story)
The visa finally came through on the last day of February. I left as soon as I could, but the hurdles didn’t end there. At the airport’s check-in counter, the airline was unable to find my valid visa and had to contact the Australian authorities for an authorisation code. Then, when I landed, I was pulled aside for a chat to confirm I was a “genuine student” before being allowed into the country.
*I later learned that both issues have happened to others with various visa types. The first might have been a system glitch, and the second was just a routine check. So it seems I was just lucky enough to collect all the challenges—and now I have a story to tell!
A Chaotic Start
After arrival, my husband and I stayed in hotels. March is a festival month in Adelaide, and hotel prices were sky-high, with rooms hard to come by, so we had to move frequently. Another issue was that we didn’t know when we could find a rental place, so we had to book hotels that allowed free cancellation and paid week by week—usually the most expensive kind. Staying in hotels also meant we consistently missed important letters. After multiple failed deliveries, we finally paid for a P.O. Box—something I’d only seen in films.
At the same time, I tried to manage uni classes, search for a rental, and handle essential admin like setting up a phone number, opening a bank account, applying for a tax file number, and creating a USI—all of which could only be done when I was in Australia.
Renting Challenges
The housing market here is incredibly competitive. With no Australian rental history or stable income, we weren’t exactly ideal applicants. We spent nine days checking out nine properties, often competing with 10-20 other groups. We also almost got scammed during the process. One of the property application links seemed to be hacked and led us to a suspicious website. Fortunately, we got an acceptance on our very first application by the end of March. The property was unfurnished, so we had to arrange everything: appliances, furniture, internet, electricity, and gas. It was another whirlwind of setup. But by early April, we moved in and finally began to settle. Looking back, we were lucky to have arrived just one week after the classes started and to have secured housing within three weeks. But at the time, the constant uncertainty—when we’d leave, where we’d sleep next, and managing coursework already in full swing—was overwhelming, especially when we were unfamiliar with how the system worked.
From Overwhelmed to Overcoming
I’m so grateful for all the support I received along the way.
The teachers at the university offered me the option to postpone the exams, allowing me to sort out housing and moving. I’m thankful for the kind real estate agent (who said he liked renting to international tenants because we follow rules), for my family who came to help with moving, and for Mark, who helped with my studies and was also my reference. Most of all, I’m grateful to my incredible partner. I’m also thankful for my resilience and a constant practice of mindfulness that got me through it all.
Life has gradually found its rhythm. I’ve now completed seven courses and three placements, and I’m near the end of my degree. I’ve progressed from needing subtitles and listening to the same lecture three times to understand the accent to now being able to watch them at 1.2x speed. I’ve made new friends, explored new places, and slowly turned our house into a home. We even bought our first car on our wedding anniversary, which has made life so much easier.
A Commendation and a Moment of Reflection
In March, I received a Chancellor’s Letter of Commendation for outstanding academic achievement. While it’s an incredible honour to be recognised for my GPA, this award means more than just the grades. It feels like a direct response to all the hurdles I’ve overcome—the visa stress, the housing hunt, and adapting to a new culture and language. Despite everything, I still managed to thrive academically.
This recognition and the cultural difference here also sparked a deeper reflection for me. I’ll be sharing more about this and the cultural differences I’ve observed in a future post.
Looking Back, Moving Forward
This past year and a half has been a real test of courage, resilience, and growth. Thank you to my past self for having the courage to begin this journey, and to everyone who supported me along the way. Whether you’re chasing a dream or navigating life in a new country, know that the struggle is real—but so is the reward.
The best is yet to come.
If you find this helpful, feel free to share it with anyone thinking of studying, living, or working here, especially as an immigrant. And I hope this can bring them some support and comfort.