Yeah, it's so much fun wearing a raincoat from head-to-toe and doing some gardening, going to the park to exercise, or going to the beach, for example.
Lived in Australia my entire life. I'm middle-aged and have NEVER seen this much rain here my entire life as in the last few months. It's very strange.
Seriously you never seen this much rain??? Where are you living - I'm 50yrs old - lived in Sydney all my life & I've seen my fair share of rain down-pours worse than the last few months same goes for Bushfires - we are a dry country we have our wet seasons just like our droughts.
I think you will have to listen to a bit of Paul Kelly. "To her Door" , " Dumb Things" "Who's gonna make the Gravy" " From Little things, big things grow" , and many more
I've lived on the East Coast for my whole long life (72 years). What you have seen here over the past 6 months has been really unusual weather. La Nina has caused all those East Coast lows with the wind and rain. I had never seen anything like it until this year.
I also came on a fiancee visa nearly 14 years ago. The first year is the hardest and add on top of that COVID. Life is what you make it and do your best not to have regrets. It's easy to look back, but you really need to look forward. Take the initiative to do what you want to do and give it your best shot. Following my heart and moving to Australia was the best decision I ever made. Good luck with everything!
Start with the three sisters and sit and just watch the sunset over govetts leap. You will get the best sense of the bush. The valley with oil rising over the gums is ethereal against the scarps.
Hi Kaitlyn, watching your video gave me an opportunity to relive my first few months in Australia after arriving in Brisbane in 1997 and although it was difficult for the first few months, now after many years I am very proud to be an Australian citizen. Thank’s for sharing your story, one of the millions like it that make Australia such an amazing country.
Yes, it's good to get away from Aussie stereotypes for a more balanced view. Almost With You ua-cam.com/video/LlEZHwqbN-s/v-deo.html Myrrh ua-cam.com/video/folO1U5PkjA/v-deo.html Tear It All Away ua-cam.com/video/GLyAHy_ZPAk/v-deo.html
You should try indoor rock climbing. Climb oz is in Blacktown. Everything can be done on your own. (Auto belay and bouldering). It’s really good for fitness.
The east coast of Australia gets a weather cycle known as La Nina around every seven years. We're currently experiencing one which meant we didn't have a Summer this time. The Summer of '19-'20 was bloody hot....this was when we had all those fires.
19 and 20 were El Niño. Hot and Windy makes fire. Yes, we are in La Niña now and we are being told it could go into a 3rd year. I am in the sub tropics North of Bundaberg and my feet are freezing. We did discover our AC has a heating cycle that has never been used before. We haven’t worn long sleeves in over 5 years but I am now. Tomorrow our temperature starts rising again. I was born in Sydney, we are waterproof and I don’t know any Aussie that stays home for rain. I have lived in every State except the NT. Melbourne has the worst rep for wet and rainy but Sydney gets two and half times more rain.I moved to Melbourne years ago to get cooler. Just after we got there they had a 2 week heat wave. No night went under 28C or 82.4F. No day went under 44C or 111.2F. The elderly were sleeping on the beach at night an the Council changed the law so they couldn’t. Instead they were dying in their homes and no store had a fan left for sale. That was a fun welcome to Melbourne. A few years later we had a 14 year drought.they had to take The Garden State off our number plates. Australia is never predictable.
14:17 Fresh food is easy to find here. You can't control the weather so take a bin bag in your pocket it is the most compact easy raincoat if needed. Walking is for free.
It's interesting you mention the weather this past summer. It seems the really consistent, and heavy, rain was limited to the coast, east of the Blue Mountains. I'm just west of the Blue Mountains, not too far from Jenolan Caves in fact, and though it was somewhat wetter and cooler (thankfully) than is usual, we got nowhere near the levels you guys near the coast did. Be grateful you missed those 45 degree days that western Sydney had in the 2019/20 summer.
Don't be so hard on yourself girl. Coming to a new country can be a daunting experience. You are very lucky that you have no language difficulties (aside from the Aussie slang). You have a lot to take in, now you have settled after 6 months, you see things you wish you had done, but guess what, you can still do these things as you get organised. Gyms are now all open. I would strongly suggest that walking for any distance on your own is a personal risk, especially if you have the same route and times each way. Get a gym mebership, you will get a social circle and fitness at the same time. Sadly, we have all had travel plans ruined by Covid, my wife and I would spend 4 weeks driving around the states each year till that hit.
Once a week you can get a great insight into Australian issues at the moment by watching Q and A at 9:30 Monday nights on the ABC. The panel brings in a new variety of politicians and experts every week, and audience members get to ask them questions for an hour. Its truly a great resource if you don't feel up to watching a nightly news program. And honestly, a lot of Australians don't watch nightly news programs any more either, just for mental health protection. Things aren't as bad here as in the US, politics wise, but a lot of Australians are frustrated with politicians not throwing effort into saving us from Climate Change, or the slow erosion of funds for healthcare and education. Things may be better on that front given the last election results. We shall see.
Been here 15 years. It’s normal to tune into home media. Eventually you become a two nation citizen It’s cold but make use of days like you’ve had this long weekend … 18 degrees and sunshine !! And winter!
Sometimes Kaitlyn you just gotta say stuff it, the weather apps like weather forecasts are always best guess. Sometimes just you gotta go out, but always have a couple of back up plans just in case. Just never know what you are going to get, that's half the fun.
For some nice weather make a trip to WA, particularly the SW corner, late spring - early summer. Before it gets too hot🌞😓 Or a little earlier for the best wildflower diplays
Definitely. I grew up in the area and there are few places like it in the world, let alone Australia. Just being able to sit at the beach with fish and chips while you watch the sun sink into the ocean will make the trip worth it, but theres also wineries, distilleries, locally made cheeses and chocolates, most productive black truffle harvesting in the world, orchards for everything from oranges and olives to apples and cherries. Other locations may call themselves Australia's food bowl, but South West WA is it's snack bowl.
I used to be a writer, and once interviewed a pole instructor for a fitness article. It sounded like a really vigorous workout! As for getting into shape generally, maybe start by walking around your local neighbourhood for 45 min? It's a great way to see your surroundings as well as get fitter and say hi to ppl along the way. Walking is something I've really missed since becoming virtually housebound with chronic illness. Hope you get to see your family next year as planned 😊
It depends on where abouts in the area she lives in. I know theres a nice quiet area very close to her where she can park her car and go for a walk and see a lake/reservoir and some kangaroos plus a few historic buildings but i'm not certain if she know that the place exists. I live on the south side of that place i mentioned and i only realized it was open to the public about 5 years ago and i've lived in Sydney all my life
Just one thing, if "too American" to say "hi" to everyone, ( I know the "New York rush" ( not that you are from NY ) makes it uncomfortable to make eye contact with strangers ), A quick look and a equally quick nod will work most of the time until you can progress to a "hi".
55 years old, on the South coast of NSW and I have never seen rain like we have had any season. Looks like a week trip to Darwin may be in order to get rid of the winter blues.
It's interesting hearing you mention not letting the weather dictate if you go and see things or not. Our first year in Christchurch in NZ we did a similar thing till someone said to us that we should go regardless of the weather. Truth be told, it would be a miserable day in Christchurch and then we would head an hour out of town to see something and it would be a beautiful clear day! I can't tell you the amount of days we wasted because we were waiting for the weather to improve!
It takes a minimum of one year to begin to adjust to new surroundings, even if you are just moving a few hours away from where you were. Give yourself the time to adjust, you will get there. Half the battle is having an open mind and you already have that.
1:14 I charged into the surf 2 times carrying my surf ski only to be thrown back on the beach by the waves. I said it might not be a good day to go out there. Don't let the weather get you down but the forces of nature are another thing.
Kaitlyn, I think you are being far too hard on yourself, and actually you are doing really well. Nobody expects you to be across everything, and in fact you'd lose a lot of your appeal (as a friend, and more broadly) if you were always trying to show how much you know. The fact that you are aware of gaps in your knowledge, and are self-aware enough to want to do something about it, shows what a genuine person you are. Moving countries is tough, and I remember when I went on exchange that the teachers advised us that the students who were the most homesick were those who visited the United States; the reason being that it looked superficially similar to Australia, and so the gap between what people expected and what they found was largest. As such, it makes sense that you are likewise struggling with these things in the opposite direction. And then you've got all of the relationship stuff on top of that. And the weather is off-beat this year. Down here in Canberra, it's usually cold in winter, but this year it's gone to frigid. Those Antarctic fronts coming off the Southern Ocean are even colder when they cross the snow on the Alps. On the plus side, when spring comes, we always appreciate it. You'll see them in Sydney before I see them here, but watch for the wattle blossoms coming out in mid- August....they will lift your spirits to see. BTW, maybe your cat can sense you are a bit unsettled and wants to show you some love ;)
You’ll be in Chicago in Summer any of the pop up restaurants that appear along the riverwalk on Chicago River. We had the best meal and wine just sitting by the river on a lazy afternoon
I’m Australian BTW. Live near you but I hope you have explored Sydney walks around opera house, the rocks, Mrs Macquarie's Chair, or the South Coast, highly recommend Kiama or Currarong for a weekend or more away
12:45 My Kelvin cat doesn't like handling much but he is getting snuggly in Winter. He is just a snuggly my old cat was a woo he could slither under blankets in the night to get a cuddle. I found this bloke as a kitten abandoned on the beach.
You could try the local city council or a local library for info on stuff to do nearby be flexible about what activity; After all there are many things and events we do to that are fun and or interesting. We all need to be with other people have a hand full of casual friends
Oh my dear girl, never ever have regrets on things that you should have but didn’t do. Life is way to short! The unpacked boxes were possibly your subconscious thinking if anything didn’t work out , you could pickup and leave without to many hassles. You have to remember that your whole world and lifestyle you were living is now changed completely and adjustments need to be made. Not if but, when you go back to see your family you will take in so many things and go I really have done the right thing in moving to the land down under 😅. Joining a club (pole, or CrossFit ) will give you new friends and open up a whole new chapter in your life. Speak to Mark about your thoughts so you are both on the same page. He sounds like a bloke that would understand and help you out. Cheers and lots of hugs 🤗🤗
I am concerned that you refer to this as "things i regret about my first six months here." My wife and I came here from NZ in 1981 and our experience of homesickness was very different. I had a job to come to so I had to learn to speak Australian quickly, I had to learn to "get on the team". Francie, on the other hand had lots of time to mope about the friends she left behind and her family still in NZ. It took her YEARS to get over homesickness. I tell you that because you've had a huge upheaval. You might not see the enormity of what you've acomplished yet, but it is enormous. You must NOT allow yourself to regret not doing things. You've been busy as hell learning to live in another country. Jeez you even speak like an Aussie (sort of )!! You should think of each of those things as "now i've been here 6 months and settled in with Mark, here's what i really want to get going on for the next 6 months ..." That's a far more positive way to think of it. It's very easy to tell yourself that life is terrible and you'll start to believe it But just as easy to say "life here is wonderful" and you'll fool your brain into thinking that instead. Not changing things in the house early on: I think you were right not to change things around all around the house. Yes you want to make some of the house 'yours' so it's the home of both of you, and I agree with that, but on the other hand you dont want Mark saying to himself, "my God!!! she's come all this way and in five minutes she's changed everything! What have i done!? I shouldn't have encouraged her to come here!" BLoody hell you're living with Mark. Not exactly my ideal housemate but he obviously appeals to you so that's a very big accomplishment. You might not have done your pole exercies, but you moved in with Mark. I reckon the Mark thing outranks the pole exercising thing by a long way. And there's nothing stopping you from doing any of those things in the next six months, is there?
You want rain, try Western Washington, the Puget Sound is damp nine months of each year. I had twenty boxes that were shipped over and after a few days, had everything unpacked. Been living here six years and slowly been transforming our apartment into a home. We are considering moving but it may wait another year while we get money saved more.
ps its friggin freezing in Melbourne.. cant do much about the weather luv.. its winter... might get a bit too hot in summer... wait the weather will change.. Ginger looks gorgeous
If you haven't done it yet check out Nurragingy Reserve in Doonside, it's a great place for walks and a really nice park. Now that the pandemic has calmed down a bit they've returned the Medieval Fair which is held in May each year.
high again this is my nannas pav cream mixture, take a medium size container of Greek yogurt, put the contents into a desert bowl,you will now need cinnamon and a desert spoon, place two heaped spoons into the bowl with the yogurt and stir in, taste, the flavor you are trying to get is cinnamon with a little tart taste, if it is still sower add some more, when you reach the flavor you like, reach for the honey and sweeten to your own taste, cover and place in fridge. place the pav on a large serving platter add the cream with a spoon on top and spread all over, now take your salad fork and spoon and stir up your fruit mix in the bowl, when you have done this lift the fruit up draining the juice and place on top of the cream when you have added all the fruit, pour the the juice all over the pav . P.S. my nanna would say that life was like her cream, it starts off sour but you change it with a little cinnamon, though it will always be a little tart taste, honey will sweeten your life, and the finished product will be yours always.
Katie K, actually I reckon you DID THE RIGHT THING, by NOT changing everything in the home around, Mark I'm sure is terrific BUT no-one wants their home and life upset the moment you move in, letting a little time go by, feeling, and BOTH of you adjusting to having each other around happily and learning all about living together & how you both adjust to that. 3-6 Months down the track you both have routines and acceptance of each other and the way you see/do "stuff" so strike that one off your list and accept that everything new takes a little time and adjustment.
Australia really is a land of extremes especially with weather for sure but it sounds like you're working everything out just fine . Don't beat yourself up to much because you have your mates who will love to do that ..I speak a bit of cat and that one knows the weather is changing .
Good video. I'm an American who moved to Sydney last July. Is there a meetup group for American expats? I haven't looked yet. I don't have any regrets, except it's been such a whirlwind at work learning how to get things done in Australia that I haven't even had time to visit the beach (though it was raining a lot). I figured the first two years would be the hardest adjusting, exacerbated by the pandemic, and it's definitely been that. But all in all happy to be here.
19:31 Reminds me of our old labourer Bob. He met a girl from England and to have her here he had to put up a $30 000 dollar surety so she could stay here beyond her visa.
The year I moved to Australia it rained all summer with flooding. I was astounded that the 1st place in the world where I needed a raincoat was Sydney and that no one had warned me of this. i had to go out and buy a Driazobone coat almost immediately I arrived and I have never needed to use it anywhere else as it is too heavy duty. So much for all those Aussies who winge about London being rainy, it just doesn't compare.
Fiji is awesome. It's warm and close by. Get your parents to come over and visit. Also, get married at the Aussie consulate, it helps give the visa legitimacy for some silly reason. My eldest son's father did this when marrying his stepmum.
what you are experiancing is an east coast low the weather usually is very unsettle this time of year around june and july but come august which is refereed to the windy month but come september the winter eases off and you have a nice warm september spring winter and summer are not my favorite seasons but spring and autumn are defently are the best time of the year
I've been right around the US three times 10 weeks, 6 weeks, and 4 weeks (all on paid holiday time - I like to get that in every chance I get but pretty soon, you'll be doing the same) and could tell you a thousand things to see on your next trip. Most are the general 'tourist' things but I'm sure you know what they are. On my last trip, I didn't see a single one of those. Rather, I did and saw things that are purely of interest to me. Railroads and railroad museums (I'm an engineer or 'train driver' as we say), hot rod shops, car museums, bike museums, stuff like that. Actually, the only tourist thing I saw was Mt Rushmore but only because it's near Sturgis and I went to the bike rally, which was the main point of the trip. So, this might sound odd but if Mark has more than a passing interest in trucks, go to Truck Stop 76 in LA (in Pomona, I think) or even better, Iowa 80 in Walcott, Iowa on your way over to PA. Either one will blow his mind. You might be bored out of your brain like my wife was at the Railway Museum in York, UK but it's something to see. If you go to Iowa 80, do the museum as well. Las Vegas is always worth a visit purely because we have nothing like it here (and I have no interest in gambling).
Are your parents able to travel to Australia? They may enjoy a holiday here with you & Mark, it may also ease some of the visa issues. Just a suggestion. Hope you catch up with them soon.😺
My thoughts exactly. And it would probably ease their minds to see for themselves where Kaitlyn is living and that she's looked after and doing well. Plus it might be fun to play tour guide or maybe even go somewhere in Oz together that you haven't been. My friend went to Far north Queensland recently and it's was still pretty much summer temperatures lol. I type that as I'm sitting rugged up and cold. Lol
Personally I've never been to America. But I hear you Kaitlyn, about how planning a trip back to where you came from helps. I lived in Brisy (Brisbane) from Birth until I was 13. One day in grade 7 Mum came to school and said "Grab your stuff, We're moving!" Grandma had a Stoke, She lived in The Atherton Tablelands, Far North Queensland which is up a Mountain Range behind Cairns. Although it took a couple of years I grew to Love it up here. It got us away from my Abusive Father. I found a wonderful Father Figure in My Mum's Sister's Husband. He was one of the Sweetest, Kindest Gentleman you'd ever meet and he took me under his wing. You could talk to Him about anything without judgement. I Love that feeling of belonging I have up here with Mum's large extended family members and family friends. Not to mention the friends I made of my own. But I'd describe myself as being both part a City and Country Girl. I need at least 1 or 2 weeks in my old home city including my old neighbourhood at least every 2 years. I call it "A Sanity Trip" and I was long overdue for one when Covid hit. I recently booked flights and accommodation for September, the excitement and planning is definitely helping me unwind a bit.
Radio maybe try triple J, for new music they cover a lot of genre's. Maybe an Austereo station, maybe mark can help you there. As for TV you've 3 commercial stations, as well as 2 independent government owned stations to check out.
Do you like listening to classical music? ABC Classic FM is a much loved Australian radio station which plays recordings from Australian orchestras such as Sydney Symphony, Australian Chamber Orchestra and many more.
I grew up in Sydney and moved out in 1974 (yes, I'm an old goat). I could no sooner move back there than fly to the moon. In my opinion it is too big, too dirty, too noisy and not as welcoming to newcomers as regional areas.
Mate, it may be raining a lot, but you’re not up to your bellybutton in SNOW!!!!!. Try living in Minnesota, Michigan and other northern states during your northern winters. All you have to wait for is some really hot summers and you’ll appreciate a summer somewhat cooler. Grüße aus Australien.
Ive been to hawaii and new york and dc but not philly,kaitlyn you need to have look around our lovely country we are going to Darwin in 2 weeks,5 hour flight from sydney,but you need to make the effort,if your homesick go home for a while and com back.when you have seen your family or get them to visit you say october wsrmer time.
Lol if you know absolutely nothing about Australia, the why are you here? I'm here from Oklahoma because i know about Australia. I'm here because of it's true freedom, i'm here because it's an actual secular country and not a bigotry filled theocracy like back home. I've even gotten into john farnham and jimmy barnes music lol.
I think you said you're near Blacktown? Some things to check out Lake Parramatta and Parramatta park. Scenic areas and a lot of history, you can cycle or walk around the park and there are music events in the park too.
I’ve lived in Sydney for over 30 years and since November the La Niña pattern has been the worst I can remember. Weather bureau data backs this up, with the early 2022 rainfall being the most ever recorded in the start of the year. It’s been bad for all of us. So you’re just unlucky with your timing! But you know what I love about Australia? I feel I can walk pretty much anywhere at any time of the day or night in complete personal safety and I don’t need a gun in my bedside drawer to protect myself.
I was a little confused when I started reading since you were expressing remorse at not going to the beach.......it's now June so you are 5 months too late but I kind of got with the program and realised that you were including wishes from you whole stay here. Bondi, and other beaches, are out of the question at the moment. The waves were predicted to hit 5 metres (15 feet) and most beaches will be closed and, from what i saw on the news ast night, maybe even dangerous to walk on the sand. The News...sadly, cable media (Netflix, Prime & others) have taken the money out of local content so, pretty much all that's left IS the news. It still keeps you informed about day to day events, locally and internationally, so they are worth watching. You can watch the three major channels from about 4pm (Ch7) weekdays, 5pm (CH10 and 6pm (Channel 9. That would give you a good coverage and a balanced view based on their corporate bias, ABC, 7pm (CH2) is a Federal Government funded station that fights fiercely to be impartial and has the most unbiased views followed by SBS, also Government owned but with advertising so, external influence, finally, the post news editorials like A Current Affair, (CH9, 7pm) pick several social issues and give hard hitting analyses and reports.. Steer clear of SKY, it's owned by FOX, Rupert Murdoch.' I hope I've given you an accurate perspective there. I'll steer clear of the pole dancing !!! You may not be up to date on current affairs but, for everything you do comment on, I get the impression you do a lot of research heck, even I've learnt from you and I've been around a while. When you learn how to psych yourself up for a healthier lifestyle, please educate us. I wasn't a fitness freak in the first place but I've gone downhill since Coved. I managed to score a treadmill to ry and get back into it but all I did was give myself Bursitis so I've been out of action for 3 weeks.
ABC still has lots of good content, four corners for current affairs issues for example. I love Gruen and Hard Quiz which have been running for a while, and there are plenty of other good shows. I get most of my Australian news from podcasts and the ABC news website
Please don’t beat yourself up for not exploring more, or unpacking sooner, or adopting a healthier lifestyle straight after arrival. The fact is that no matter how happy you are in your new country or how positive your attitude is, migrating comes with a process of grieving - and grief must run its own course.
Life in the USA has been deteriorating so much in recent years, and now has accelerated. I think it's only a matter of time before the violence, Political Discourse, unaffordable housing and food shortages etc etc, will literally cause a collapse. I think many of us in the states, wish we only had the problems you feel your having in Australia. Be thankful your in a much more caring country. Australia is a much more civil country, that would never tolerate becoming the disgrace the USA has become. Make the most of Living in Australia. You could be far worse off over here in the states.
Never mind you can start today. Blame La Niña for the big wet. Must agree the news is depressing. Keeping fit is a struggle - you are not alone. Home chores are a chore it is true. Seems like your upcoming travels will give you a lift.
Watching (Binging) Stranger Things this week, relatable as I was that age at that time. But school system so different in USA, is it like all those movies like Animal House and Revenge or the Nerds? Here we do Primary school Secondary school then Tertiary or Uni. Just rock up and learn or bludge in Secondary (High school) bludging is wandering shop centers and beaches or other stuff.
Spending extended time living beyond a holiday, I found the lustre soon lost it's shine in USA. I really only had work friends both Aussie & American but I had to learn to find the Aussie foods or ingredients I needed to get a decent feed - love the fast food but I needed vegetables & fruit (yes hard to believe). Nothing worse than when the weather is bad & you don't know all the options you have around you.
This has been a record run of wet weather. Note that Sydney can have five to seven years without rain. Listen to the ABC chanels. And Tripple J for local music . Note that the most horrible of news in USA was formed and owned by an Australian, Rupert Murdoch.
The weather is just the way goes sometimes that's a no worries one, the news aspect I watch ABC-24 news channel for national, one of my local (commercial) channels for state and the net. Someone below gave a contact for a writers group. Pole workouts, sorry I only know about Icey Poles lol (flavoured ice block), a bike can be a fun way to exercise and see some more of your local surroundings at a leisurely pace. Have fun on your holiday, aloha.
Hey Kaitlyn, I have some suggestions for Hawaii. I'm a history nerd🤓 and an ex travel consultant so forgive me if I prattle on a bit 😂🙈 # 'Iolani Palace in downtown Honolulu on the Island of Oahu. ~It is the only royal palace in the United States and is an enduring symbol of Hawaiian independence. It was the official residence and capitol of the last ruling monarchs of the Kingdom of Hawai'i - King Kalakaua and his sister Queen Lili'uokalani. ~ I visited there many years ago. Found it really interesting. Ended up reading a book about her later. #I also visited the Polynesian Cultural Centre which I really enjoyed. Its quite interactive. And I went to a few locations spots for old Shows like Magnum Pi, Jurassic park, Hawaii 50 etc. did the obligatory Diamond Head trail and I swear when I looked at the coastline from the top, it reminded me of the gold coast 😆. And of course Pearl Harbour. Darwin was also bombed(severely and for months) during WW2 by the same group and commander that bombed Pearl Harbour. But that's a whole other story that not many outside of Australia know about. I also really enjoyed visiting the Big Island to see the active volcanos, black sand beaches etc. I visited Kilauea, which is located within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. There's also Hawaiian temples, petroglyphs fields, museums, national parks etc. Kona coffee ☕. # Lastly, and I think I've mentioned this to you before, there's a very unique history tying Hawaii and Australia, specifically Sydney together. Through surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku. There is a statue of him at Waikiki beach. And there is statue of him at Freshwater beach in Sydney. It'd be cool of you could maybe visit both and include in a vlog or something. Here's an old video from the history channel which delves into the connection and history a bit. 🙂👇 m.ua-cam.com/video/yD9rtpPuppY/v-deo.html
Hi There...May I say that after you have done the family thing you should try to find places to visit which are new to both of you so you can discover things together rather than the places that one of you know...Technology is on your Side too...My parents moved here in 1958, I was 7, and back then there wasn't even phones to call the UK let alone the internet etc!
I've been to Arizona so far but wouldn't mind checking out other states 😁 Locally have you plans to check out other states in Australia? Its weird how 50 years ago chatting to family overseas was via letter or the rare phone call costing heaps, an now days we can get online an bug family & friends quicker, but the need for physical face to face is stronger 🤔 i guess thats why i find it hard when I leave my friend when I visit. ... anywho 😊 how bout that weather huh? 🙄
Despite the weather, go out & mingle. Would of, should of, could of are just excuses for didn't. Love can blind you..so open yourself up & live, stop dreaming & get on with it. Good or bad, experiences make for better content. The reality of living in australia is not a bed of roses even for some Australians, but it is one of the best countries to be in.
Every day i wake up i think about how lucky i am for living here in Australia 💖 such a great country!
There is no such thing as bad weather, it's just wearing the wrong clothes
Yeah, it's so much fun wearing a raincoat from head-to-toe and doing some gardening, going to the park to exercise, or going to the beach, for example.
Given how bad the weather was over there, the right clothes who have been a SCUBA suit
I've worn hoodies in summer and just t-shirts in winter...
Lived in Australia my entire life. I'm middle-aged and have NEVER seen this much rain here my entire life as in the last few months. It's very strange.
Try Grafton
Oh by the way thanx to murdoch we know theres no greenhouse lol.
Poor reef.
Poor nemo.
Seriously you never seen this much rain??? Where are you living - I'm 50yrs old - lived in Sydney all my life & I've seen my fair share of rain down-pours worse than the last few months same goes for Bushfires - we are a dry country we have our wet seasons just like our droughts.
I think you will have to listen to a bit of Paul Kelly. "To her Door" , " Dumb Things" "Who's gonna make the Gravy" " From Little things, big things grow" , and many more
In my 62 year's i've never seen rain like we have had any season. Hope we get proper Sydney weather from now on ☀️
Melbourne was bone dry during the same period.
Too late, flooded again lol
I've lived on the East Coast for my whole long life (72 years). What you have seen here over the past 6 months has been really unusual weather. La Nina has caused all those East Coast lows with the wind and rain. I had never seen anything like it until this year.
This is the second consecutive La Nina year, and the BOM is reporting we might get a 3rd year
I also came on a fiancee visa nearly 14 years ago. The first year is the hardest and add on top of that COVID. Life is what you make it and do your best not to have regrets. It's easy to look back, but you really need to look forward. Take the initiative to do what you want to do and give it your best shot. Following my heart and moving to Australia was the best decision I ever made. Good luck with everything!
Start with the three sisters and sit and just watch the sunset over govetts leap. You will get the best sense of the bush. The valley with oil rising over the gums is ethereal against the scarps.
I would heartily recommend the SBS network (radio, television, website). As far as I know, it doesn't really have any equivalent outside Australia.
Hi Kaitlyn, watching your video gave me an opportunity to relive my first few months in Australia after arriving in Brisbane in 1997 and although it was difficult for the first few months, now after many years I am very proud to be an Australian citizen. Thank’s for sharing your story, one of the millions like it that make Australia such an amazing country.
For some Australian music, may I suggest the Australian band, The Church. They are great and the songs can be sublime.
Good call!
Unguarded Moment and Under The Milky Way
Great suggestion. Never got the recognition they deserved
Yes, it's good to get away from Aussie stereotypes for a more balanced view. Almost With You ua-cam.com/video/LlEZHwqbN-s/v-deo.html Myrrh ua-cam.com/video/folO1U5PkjA/v-deo.html Tear It All Away ua-cam.com/video/GLyAHy_ZPAk/v-deo.html
Australia punches way above our weight when it comes to music and musicians. In all genres.
You should try indoor rock climbing. Climb oz is in Blacktown. Everything can be done on your own. (Auto belay and bouldering).
It’s really good for fitness.
The east coast of Australia gets a weather cycle known as La Nina around every seven years. We're currently experiencing one which meant we didn't have a Summer this time. The Summer of '19-'20 was bloody hot....this was when we had all those fires.
19 and 20 were El Niño. Hot and Windy makes fire. Yes, we are in La Niña now and we are being told it could go into a 3rd year. I am in the sub tropics North of Bundaberg and my feet are freezing. We did discover our AC has a heating cycle that has never been used before. We haven’t worn long sleeves in over 5 years but I am now. Tomorrow our temperature starts rising again.
I was born in Sydney, we are waterproof and I don’t know any Aussie that stays home for rain. I have lived in every State except the NT. Melbourne has the worst rep for wet and rainy but Sydney gets two and half times more rain.I moved to Melbourne years ago to get cooler. Just after we got there they had a 2 week heat wave. No night went under 28C or 82.4F. No day went under 44C or 111.2F. The elderly were sleeping on the beach at night an the Council changed the law so they couldn’t. Instead they were dying in their homes and no store had a fan left for sale. That was a fun welcome to Melbourne. A few years later we had a 14 year drought.they had to take The Garden State off our number plates. Australia is never predictable.
Yep my aircon was broken In '19-'20. Worst fucking summer ever.
14:17 Fresh food is easy to find here. You can't control the weather so take a bin bag in your pocket it is the most compact easy raincoat if needed. Walking is for free.
The good thing about this list of regrets is that none of them can’t be turned around whenever you are ready to.
It's interesting you mention the weather this past summer. It seems the really consistent, and heavy, rain was limited to the coast, east of the Blue Mountains. I'm just west of the Blue Mountains, not too far from Jenolan Caves in fact, and though it was somewhat wetter and cooler (thankfully) than is usual, we got nowhere near the levels you guys near the coast did. Be grateful you missed those 45 degree days that western Sydney had in the 2019/20 summer.
Don't be so hard on yourself girl. Coming to a new country can be a daunting experience. You are very lucky that you have no language difficulties (aside from the Aussie slang). You have a lot to take in, now you have settled after 6 months, you see things you wish you had done, but guess what, you can still do these things as you get organised. Gyms are now all open. I would strongly suggest that walking for any distance on your own is a personal risk, especially if you have the same route and times each way. Get a gym mebership, you will get a social circle and fitness at the same time. Sadly, we have all had travel plans ruined by Covid, my wife and I would spend 4 weeks driving around the states each year till that hit.
Once a week you can get a great insight into Australian issues at the moment by watching Q and A at 9:30 Monday nights on the ABC. The panel brings in a new variety of politicians and experts every week, and audience members get to ask them questions for an hour. Its truly a great resource if you don't feel up to watching a nightly news program. And honestly, a lot of Australians don't watch nightly news programs any more either, just for mental health protection.
Things aren't as bad here as in the US, politics wise, but a lot of Australians are frustrated with politicians not throwing effort into saving us from Climate Change, or the slow erosion of funds for healthcare and education. Things may be better on that front given the last election results. We shall see.
you're joking right ABC Q & A? Most leftwing garbage there is on TV.
Been here 15 years. It’s normal to tune into home media. Eventually you become a two nation citizen
It’s cold but make use of days like you’ve had this long weekend … 18 degrees and sunshine !! And winter!
Sydney got the whole years worth of rain within the first quarter. Hopefully the rest of the year is better for you.
Sometimes Kaitlyn you just gotta say stuff it, the weather apps like weather forecasts are always best guess. Sometimes just you gotta go out, but always have a couple of back up plans just in case. Just never know what you are going to get, that's half the fun.
For some nice weather make a trip to WA, particularly the SW corner, late spring - early summer.
Before it gets too hot🌞😓
Or a little earlier for the best wildflower diplays
Definitely. I grew up in the area and there are few places like it in the world, let alone Australia. Just being able to sit at the beach with fish and chips while you watch the sun sink into the ocean will make the trip worth it, but theres also wineries, distilleries, locally made cheeses and chocolates, most productive black truffle harvesting in the world, orchards for everything from oranges and olives to apples and cherries.
Other locations may call themselves Australia's food bowl, but South West WA is it's snack bowl.
I used to be a writer, and once interviewed a pole instructor for a fitness article. It sounded like a really vigorous workout! As for getting into shape generally, maybe start by walking around your local neighbourhood for 45 min? It's a great way to see your surroundings as well as get fitter and say hi to ppl along the way. Walking is something I've really missed since becoming virtually housebound with chronic illness. Hope you get to see your family next year as planned 😊
It depends on where abouts in the area she lives in. I know theres a nice quiet area very close to her where she can park her car and go for a walk and see a lake/reservoir and some kangaroos plus a few historic buildings but i'm not certain if she know that the place exists. I live on the south side of that place i mentioned and i only realized it was open to the public about 5 years ago and i've lived in Sydney all my life
Just one thing, if "too American" to say "hi" to everyone, ( I know the "New York rush" ( not that you are from NY ) makes it uncomfortable to make eye contact with strangers ), A quick look and a equally quick nod will work most of the time until you can progress to a "hi".
55 years old, on the South coast of NSW and I have never seen rain like we have had any season. Looks like a week trip to Darwin may be in order to get rid of the winter blues.
was a nice Summer here in Victoria not as hot as i would like but not wet either only NSW and QLD got the rain
It's interesting hearing you mention not letting the weather dictate if you go and see things or not. Our first year in Christchurch in NZ we did a similar thing till someone said to us that we should go regardless of the weather. Truth be told, it would be a miserable day in Christchurch and then we would head an hour out of town to see something and it would be a beautiful clear day! I can't tell you the amount of days we wasted because we were waiting for the weather to improve!
15:18 Cook your potatoes then put them in the fridge. Potatoes are better the second time around. It is resistant starch.
It's never easy making such a big change as you have. Sounds like you are doing better though. Keep at it. :)
It takes a minimum of one year to begin to adjust to new surroundings, even if you are just moving a few hours away from where you were. Give yourself the time to adjust, you will get there. Half the battle is having an open mind and you already have that.
1:14 I charged into the surf 2 times carrying my surf ski only to be thrown back on the beach by the waves. I said it might not be a good day to go out there. Don't let the weather get you down but the forces of nature are another thing.
Kaitlyn, I think you are being far too hard on yourself, and actually you are doing really well. Nobody expects you to be across everything, and in fact you'd lose a lot of your appeal (as a friend, and more broadly) if you were always trying to show how much you know. The fact that you are aware of gaps in your knowledge, and are self-aware enough to want to do something about it, shows what a genuine person you are.
Moving countries is tough, and I remember when I went on exchange that the teachers advised us that the students who were the most homesick were those who visited the United States; the reason being that it looked superficially similar to Australia, and so the gap between what people expected and what they found was largest. As such, it makes sense that you are likewise struggling with these things in the opposite direction. And then you've got all of the relationship stuff on top of that.
And the weather is off-beat this year. Down here in Canberra, it's usually cold in winter, but this year it's gone to frigid. Those Antarctic fronts coming off the Southern Ocean are even colder when they cross the snow on the Alps. On the plus side, when spring comes, we always appreciate it. You'll see them in Sydney before I see them here, but watch for the wattle blossoms coming out in mid- August....they will lift your spirits to see.
BTW, maybe your cat can sense you are a bit unsettled and wants to show you some love ;)
You’ll be in Chicago in Summer any of the pop up restaurants that appear along the riverwalk on Chicago River. We had the best meal and wine just sitting by the river on a lazy afternoon
I’m Australian BTW. Live near you but I hope you have explored Sydney walks around opera house, the rocks, Mrs Macquarie's Chair, or the South Coast, highly recommend Kiama or Currarong for a weekend or more away
12:45 My Kelvin cat doesn't like handling much but he is getting snuggly in Winter. He is just a snuggly my old cat was a woo he could slither under blankets in the night to get a cuddle. I found this bloke as a kitten abandoned on the beach.
You could try the local city council or a local library for info on stuff to do nearby be flexible about what activity; After all there are many things and events we do to that are fun and or interesting.
We all need to be with other people have a hand full of casual friends
It is always extremes here - waiting till you get a dry hot one!!!
Oh my dear girl, never ever have regrets on things that you should have but didn’t do. Life is way to short! The unpacked boxes were possibly your subconscious thinking if anything didn’t work out , you could pickup and leave without to many hassles. You have to remember that your whole world and lifestyle you were living is now changed completely and adjustments need to be made. Not if but, when you go back to see your family you will take in so many things and go I really have done the right thing in moving to the land down under 😅. Joining a club (pole, or CrossFit ) will give you new friends and open up a whole new chapter in your life. Speak to Mark about your thoughts so you are both on the same page. He sounds like a bloke that would understand and help you out. Cheers and lots of hugs 🤗🤗
I am concerned that you refer to this as "things i regret about my first six months here." My wife and I came here from NZ in 1981 and our experience of homesickness was very different. I had a job to come to so I had to learn to speak Australian quickly, I had to learn to "get on the team". Francie, on the other hand had lots of time to mope about the friends she left behind and her family still in NZ. It took her YEARS to get over homesickness. I tell you that because you've had a huge upheaval. You might not see the enormity of what you've acomplished yet, but it is enormous. You must NOT allow yourself to regret not doing things. You've been busy as hell learning to live in another country. Jeez you even speak like an Aussie (sort of )!! You should think of each of those things as "now i've been here 6 months and settled in with Mark, here's what i really want to get going on for the next 6 months ..." That's a far more positive way to think of it. It's very easy to tell yourself that life is terrible and you'll start to believe it But just as easy to say "life here is wonderful" and you'll fool your brain into thinking that instead.
Not changing things in the house early on: I think you were right not to change things around all around the house. Yes you want to make some of the house 'yours' so it's the home of both of you, and I agree with that, but on the other hand you dont want Mark saying to himself, "my God!!! she's come all this way and in five minutes she's changed everything! What have i done!? I shouldn't have encouraged her to come here!" BLoody hell you're living with Mark. Not exactly my ideal housemate but he obviously appeals to you so that's a very big accomplishment. You might not have done your pole exercies, but you moved in with Mark. I reckon the Mark thing outranks the pole exercising thing by a long way. And there's nothing stopping you from doing any of those things in the next six months, is there?
3:04 Triple M. I laughed when I heard that in Texas they cut off the Divinyls when they played I touch myself.
You want rain, try Western Washington, the Puget Sound is damp nine months of each year. I had twenty boxes that were shipped over and after a few days, had everything unpacked. Been living here six years and slowly been transforming our apartment into a home. We are considering moving but it may wait another year while we get money saved more.
have a great holiday in August you deserve it .im having holidays late August taking my eldery parents to the gold coast cannot wait 😊😊
We are getting really good weather now . Winter in Sydney was quite sunny this year
ps its friggin freezing in Melbourne.. cant do much about the weather luv.. its winter... might get a bit too hot in summer... wait the weather will change.. Ginger looks gorgeous
Awesome as always, keep up the fantastic work kiddo
This year weather was crap in the east coast. It’s not always like that. Hope next year will be better.
If you haven't done it yet check out Nurragingy Reserve in Doonside, it's a great place for walks and a really nice park. Now that the pandemic has calmed down a bit they've returned the Medieval Fair which is held in May each year.
Could even go for a walk around Prospect Reservoir. There's nice walking trails and picnic areas there, not to mention some wildlife hanging about too
high again this is my nannas pav cream mixture, take a medium size container of Greek yogurt, put the contents into a desert bowl,you will now need cinnamon and a desert spoon, place two heaped spoons into the bowl with the yogurt and stir in, taste, the flavor you are trying to get is cinnamon with a little tart taste, if it is still sower add some more, when you reach the flavor you like, reach for the honey and sweeten to your own taste, cover and place in fridge. place the pav on a large serving platter add the cream with a spoon on top and spread all over, now take your salad fork and spoon and stir up your fruit mix in the bowl, when you have done this lift the fruit up draining the juice and place on top of the cream when you have added all the fruit, pour the the juice all over the pav . P.S.
my nanna would say that life was like her cream, it starts off sour but you change it with a little cinnamon, though it will always be a little tart taste, honey will sweeten your life, and the finished product will be yours always.
My dad moved to Australia from Wales back in the 60s, and you can already say "g'day" better than he can.
Not too late to start listening to some great aussie music...Unfortunately the La Nina system hit us hard...beautiful day today though! 😎😎
Katie K, actually I reckon you DID THE RIGHT THING, by NOT changing everything in the home around, Mark I'm sure is terrific BUT no-one wants their home and life upset the moment you move in, letting a little time go by, feeling, and BOTH of you adjusting to having each other around happily and learning all about living together & how you both adjust to that.
3-6 Months down the track you both have routines and acceptance of each other and the way you see/do "stuff" so strike that one off your list and accept that everything new takes a little time and adjustment.
2:10 I use Willy weather. Nothing wrong with searching Willy but if you get the BOM wrong then Feds at the door.
Australia really is a land of extremes especially with weather for sure but it sounds like you're working everything out just fine . Don't beat yourself up to much because you have your mates who will love to do that ..I speak a bit of cat and that one knows the weather is changing .
Good video. I'm an American who moved to Sydney last July. Is there a meetup group for American expats? I haven't looked yet. I don't have any regrets, except it's been such a whirlwind at work learning how to get things done in Australia that I haven't even had time to visit the beach (though it was raining a lot). I figured the first two years would be the hardest adjusting, exacerbated by the pandemic, and it's definitely been that. But all in all happy to be here.
I didn't see one on Meetup, but there's a Facebook group from Americans in Sydney 😊
@@KindaAustralian I'd love to meet up with people and show them around but I am a terrible tour guide.
19:31 Reminds me of our old labourer Bob. He met a girl from England and to have her here he had to put up a $30 000 dollar surety so she could stay here beyond her visa.
Thredbo is Awesome at the moment…if you’re going to be cold anyway may as well enjoy some powder
The year I moved to Australia it rained all summer with flooding. I was astounded that the 1st place in the world where I needed a raincoat was Sydney and that no one had warned me of this. i had to go out and buy a Driazobone coat almost immediately I arrived and I have never needed to use it anywhere else as it is too heavy duty. So much for all those Aussies who winge about London being rainy, it just doesn't compare.
Fiji is awesome. It's warm and close by. Get your parents to come over and visit. Also, get married at the Aussie consulate, it helps give the visa legitimacy for some silly reason. My eldest son's father did this when marrying his stepmum.
what you are experiancing is an east coast low the weather usually is very unsettle this time of year around june and july but come august which is refereed to the windy month but come september the winter eases off and you have a nice warm september spring winter and summer are not my favorite seasons but spring and autumn are defently are the best time of the year
I've been right around the US three times 10 weeks, 6 weeks, and 4 weeks (all on paid holiday time - I like to get that in every chance I get but pretty soon, you'll be doing the same) and could tell you a thousand things to see on your next trip. Most are the general 'tourist' things but I'm sure you know what they are. On my last trip, I didn't see a single one of those. Rather, I did and saw things that are purely of interest to me. Railroads and railroad museums (I'm an engineer or 'train driver' as we say), hot rod shops, car museums, bike museums, stuff like that. Actually, the only tourist thing I saw was Mt Rushmore but only because it's near Sturgis and I went to the bike rally, which was the main point of the trip. So, this might sound odd but if Mark has more than a passing interest in trucks, go to Truck Stop 76 in LA (in Pomona, I think) or even better, Iowa 80 in Walcott, Iowa on your way over to PA. Either one will blow his mind. You might be bored out of your brain like my wife was at the Railway Museum in York, UK but it's something to see. If you go to Iowa 80, do the museum as well. Las Vegas is always worth a visit purely because we have nothing like it here (and I have no interest in gambling).
Are your parents able to travel to Australia? They may enjoy a holiday here with you & Mark, it may also ease some of the visa issues. Just a suggestion. Hope you catch up with them soon.😺
My thoughts exactly. And it would probably ease their minds to see for themselves where Kaitlyn is living and that she's looked after and doing well.
Plus it might be fun to play tour guide or maybe even go somewhere in Oz together that you haven't been. My friend went to Far north Queensland recently and it's was still pretty much summer temperatures lol. I type that as I'm sitting rugged up and cold. Lol
@@Teagirl009 Good thought, let them experience Kaitlyn's life here in Australia.👍
Even in NY I get UA-cam of daily Australia issues from sky news, channel 7, 10 or 9 direct from various cities. It is quick and easy.
Personally I've never been to America. But I hear you Kaitlyn, about how planning a trip back to where you came from helps. I lived in Brisy (Brisbane) from Birth until I was 13. One day in grade 7 Mum came to school and said "Grab your stuff, We're moving!" Grandma had a Stoke, She lived in The Atherton Tablelands, Far North Queensland which is up a Mountain Range behind Cairns. Although it took a couple of years I grew to Love it up here. It got us away from my Abusive Father. I found a wonderful Father Figure in My Mum's Sister's Husband. He was one of the Sweetest, Kindest Gentleman you'd ever meet and he took me under his wing. You could talk to Him about anything without judgement. I Love that feeling of belonging I have up here with Mum's large extended family members and family friends. Not to mention the friends I made of my own. But I'd describe myself as being both part a City and Country Girl. I need at least 1 or 2 weeks in my old home city including my old neighbourhood at least every 2 years. I call it "A Sanity Trip" and I was long overdue for one when Covid hit. I recently booked flights and accommodation for September, the excitement and planning is definitely helping me unwind a bit.
Radio maybe try triple J, for new music they cover a lot of genre's. Maybe an Austereo station, maybe mark can help you there. As for TV you've 3 commercial stations, as well as 2 independent government owned stations to check out.
Do you like listening to classical music? ABC Classic FM is a much loved Australian radio station which plays recordings from Australian orchestras such as Sydney Symphony, Australian Chamber Orchestra and many more.
I forgot to mention that if you're driving, it's 92.9 on FM. The frequencies differ in certain areas.
As a reader/writer, contact the NSW Writers' Centre. They have an excellent list of writers' groups.
By the way, good luck with settling in to Sydney.
Great idea! Thanks 🙂
I grew up in Sydney and moved out in 1974 (yes, I'm an old goat). I could no sooner move back there than fly to the moon. In my opinion it is too big, too dirty, too noisy and not as welcoming to newcomers as regional areas.
Mate, it may be raining a lot, but you’re not up to your bellybutton in SNOW!!!!!. Try living in Minnesota, Michigan and other northern states during your northern winters. All you have to wait for is some really hot summers and you’ll appreciate a summer somewhat cooler. Grüße aus Australien.
Gruen and Hard Quiz are great shows on the ABC (I am biased because I was a contestant and won the mug on hard quiz)
Ive been to hawaii and new york and dc but not philly,kaitlyn you need to have look around our lovely country we are going to Darwin in 2 weeks,5 hour flight from sydney,but you need to make the effort,if your homesick go home for a while and com back.when you have seen your family or get them to visit you say october wsrmer time.
Lol if you know absolutely nothing about Australia, the why are you here? I'm here from Oklahoma because i know about Australia. I'm here because of it's true freedom, i'm here because it's an actual secular country and not a bigotry filled theocracy like back home.
I've even gotten into john farnham and jimmy barnes music lol.
Good point on the theocracy
You're a legend mate
She came for love by the sounds of it, which is a good enough excuse
The other points you make are more than enough as well👍
Are you staying mate?
I think you said you're near Blacktown? Some things to check out Lake Parramatta and Parramatta park. Scenic areas and a lot of history, you can cycle or walk around the park and there are music events in the park too.
Rain in Sydney. Who'd have thought?
If you only know acdc then you definitely need to look up John farnham, Jimmy Barnes, inxs, hilltop hoods, midnight oil the list goes on
Know how you feel about the weather this Summer, Autumn.
I agree with you. This has been the wettest summer I can remember. I’m 65. It’s been awful.
I’ve lived in Sydney for over 30 years and since November the La Niña pattern has been the worst I can remember. Weather bureau data backs this up, with the early 2022 rainfall being the most ever recorded in the start of the year. It’s been bad for all of us. So you’re just unlucky with your timing! But you know what I love about Australia? I feel I can walk pretty much anywhere at any time of the day or night in complete personal safety and I don’t need a gun in my bedside drawer to protect myself.
I was a little confused when I started reading since you were expressing remorse at not going to the beach.......it's now June so you are 5 months too late but I kind of got with the program and realised that you were including wishes from you whole stay here.
Bondi, and other beaches, are out of the question at the moment. The waves were predicted to hit 5 metres (15 feet) and most beaches will be closed and, from what i saw on the news ast night, maybe even dangerous to walk on the sand.
The News...sadly, cable media (Netflix, Prime & others) have taken the money out of local content so, pretty much all that's left IS the news. It still keeps you informed about day to day events, locally and internationally, so they are worth watching. You can watch the three major channels from about 4pm (Ch7) weekdays, 5pm (CH10 and 6pm (Channel 9. That would give you a good coverage and a balanced view based on their corporate bias, ABC, 7pm (CH2) is a Federal Government funded station that fights fiercely to be impartial and has the most unbiased views followed by SBS, also Government owned but with advertising so, external influence, finally, the post news editorials like A Current Affair, (CH9, 7pm) pick several social issues and give hard hitting analyses and reports.. Steer clear of SKY, it's owned by FOX, Rupert Murdoch.' I hope I've given you an accurate perspective there.
I'll steer clear of the pole dancing !!!
You may not be up to date on current affairs but, for everything you do comment on, I get the impression you do a lot of research heck, even I've learnt from you and I've been around a while.
When you learn how to psych yourself up for a healthier lifestyle, please educate us. I wasn't a fitness freak in the first place but I've gone downhill since Coved. I managed to score a treadmill to ry and get back into it but all I did was give myself Bursitis so I've been out of action for 3 weeks.
ABC still has lots of good content, four corners for current affairs issues for example. I love Gruen and Hard Quiz which have been running for a while, and there are plenty of other good shows.
I get most of my Australian news from podcasts and the ABC news website
Please don’t beat yourself up for not exploring more, or unpacking sooner, or adopting a healthier lifestyle straight after arrival. The fact is that no matter how happy you are in your new country or how positive your attitude is, migrating comes with a process of grieving - and grief must run its own course.
Life in the USA has been deteriorating so much in recent years, and now has accelerated. I think it's only a matter of time before the violence, Political Discourse, unaffordable housing and food shortages etc etc, will literally cause a collapse. I think many of us in the states, wish we only had the problems you feel your having in Australia. Be thankful your in a much more caring country. Australia is a much more civil country, that would never tolerate becoming the disgrace the USA has become. Make the most of Living in Australia. You could be far worse off over here in the states.
Never mind you can start today. Blame La Niña for the big wet. Must agree the news is depressing. Keeping fit is a struggle - you are not alone. Home chores are a chore it is true. Seems like your upcoming travels will give you a lift.
Don't forget its 80% of rain, not rain 80% of the time. Just do what do in Melbourne, dress and prepare for 4 seasons
Sounds like everything was overwhelming for you, take it one day at a time and try doing a couple of the things you listed.
it only rained twice last summer, once for 45 days then again for 30
The Butterfly Effect, Dead Letter Circus, Spiderbait, The Amity Affliction, Hilltop Hoods, Waax...
There's a few bands to get you started😉
You want to experience Oz & its music, look up Mundi Mundi bash or the Big Red Bash & make some plans 😉
Come to the Philippines. We have much more beautiful beaches. You can go out everyday, even if it is raining, you will love the warm showers.
You could do a blog about the Australian Electoral Commission and compare the way elections are managed in Australia and the US ...
Watching (Binging) Stranger Things this week, relatable as I was that age at that time. But school system so different in USA, is it like all those movies like Animal House and Revenge or the Nerds? Here we do Primary school Secondary school then Tertiary or Uni.
Just rock up and learn or bludge in Secondary (High school) bludging is wandering shop centers and beaches or other stuff.
Spending extended time living beyond a holiday, I found the lustre soon lost it's shine in USA. I really only had work friends both Aussie & American but I had to learn to find the Aussie foods or ingredients I needed to get a decent feed - love the fast food but I needed vegetables & fruit (yes hard to believe). Nothing worse than when the weather is bad & you don't know all the options you have around you.
In DC visit the Smithsonian, especially the Air and Space Museum. Mind blowing!
‘Everyone complains about the weather….but no one does anything about it’………..’Mark Twain’.
This has been a record run of wet weather.
Note that Sydney can have five to seven years without rain.
Listen to the ABC chanels. And Tripple J for local music .
Note that the most horrible of news in USA was formed and owned by an Australian, Rupert Murdoch.
Seeing Ginger was an unexpected pleasure 😀🐱
The weather is just the way goes sometimes that's a no worries one, the news aspect I watch ABC-24 news channel for national, one of my local (commercial) channels for state and the net. Someone below gave a contact for a writers group. Pole workouts, sorry I only know about Icey Poles lol (flavoured ice block), a bike can be a fun way to exercise and see some more of your local surroundings at a leisurely pace. Have fun on your holiday, aloha.
Hey Kaitlyn,
I have some suggestions for Hawaii. I'm a history nerd🤓 and an ex travel consultant so forgive me if I prattle on a bit 😂🙈
# 'Iolani Palace in downtown Honolulu on the Island of Oahu. ~It is the only royal palace in the United States and is an enduring symbol of Hawaiian independence. It was the official residence and capitol of the last ruling monarchs of the Kingdom of Hawai'i - King Kalakaua and his sister Queen Lili'uokalani. ~
I visited there many years ago. Found it really interesting. Ended up reading a book about her later.
#I also visited the Polynesian Cultural Centre which I really enjoyed. Its quite interactive. And I went to a few locations spots for old Shows like Magnum Pi, Jurassic park, Hawaii 50 etc.
did the obligatory Diamond Head trail and I swear when I looked at the coastline from the top, it reminded me of the gold coast 😆.
And of course Pearl Harbour. Darwin was also bombed(severely and for months) during WW2 by the same group and commander that bombed Pearl Harbour. But that's a whole other story that not many outside of Australia know about.
I also really enjoyed visiting the Big Island to see the active volcanos, black sand beaches etc.
I visited Kilauea, which is located within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
There's also Hawaiian temples, petroglyphs fields, museums, national parks etc. Kona coffee ☕.
# Lastly, and I think I've mentioned this to you before, there's a very unique history tying Hawaii and Australia, specifically Sydney together. Through surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku. There is a statue of him at Waikiki beach. And there is statue of him at Freshwater beach in Sydney. It'd be cool of you could maybe visit both and include in a vlog or something.
Here's an old video from the history channel which delves into the connection and history a bit. 🙂👇
m.ua-cam.com/video/yD9rtpPuppY/v-deo.html
Can you please make more videos of your cat Ginger. She looks really cute.
Enjoy your first winter :D
Hi There...May I say that after you have done the family thing you should try to find places to visit which are new to both of you so you can discover things together rather than the places that one of you know...Technology is on your Side too...My parents moved here in 1958, I was 7, and back then there wasn't even phones to call the UK let alone the internet etc!
Hi Kaitlin,
I hope we make it a little easier for you.
I’m from Philly dating an Aussie! How did you guys meet?
Lol small world 😆 We met on Tinder 😉
@@KindaAustralian Cool! We met on reddit lol
I've been to Arizona so far but wouldn't mind checking out other states 😁
Locally have you plans to check out other states in Australia?
Its weird how 50 years ago chatting to family overseas was via letter or the rare phone call costing heaps, an now days we can get online an bug family & friends quicker, but the need for physical face to face is stronger 🤔 i guess thats why i find it hard when I leave my friend when I visit. ... anywho 😊 how bout that weather huh? 🙄
Melbourne is good. it has a great coffee scene and pretty much rivals sydney.
Despite the weather, go out & mingle. Would of, should of, could of are just excuses for didn't. Love can blind you..so open yourself up & live, stop dreaming & get on with it. Good or bad, experiences make for better content. The reality of living in australia is not a bed of roses even for some Australians, but it is one of the best countries to be in.