Few countries in the world see the sort of tourism that Australia does annually. Some travelers who spend an extended period either living or working in Australia take a significant interest in turning the country into their adopted home. But for those looking to turn the lifestyle into a 24/7 vibe, there’s a lot of planning and research to consider before packing your bags, jumping on a plane, and becoming an adopted Aussie.
If you’re from a Western country, you’ll find a lot of similarities with the lifestyle, and it’s one of the reasons that there are hundreds of thousands of immigrants who have traveled from England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, and the US to see what life is like Down Under.
General Points to Consider
Those who travel Down Under are often met with warmness and friendliness from the locals. There’s a reason so many of the top actors, sportspeople, and poker players have hailed from Australia: it seems to be a natural setting where the people are laid back and collected in the face of adversity. Multiple vocations require a strong and capable mindset that is risk-averse and measured in the heat of battle. Still, for Aussies who specialize in poker, these characteristics are brought even more into focus.
However, if you’re a poker player, having a rock-solid mentality and balancing being affable and knowing when to be serious and put your foot on the gas is a crucial balance to strike. Australian poker players punch above their weight pound for pound, and there are several who have got to the latter stages of the world’s premier poker tournament – the WSOP (World Series Of Poker), which further embellishes this point.
The WSOP is the pinnacle of professional poker and continues to appeal to fans worldwide, and the 2023 WSOP has several fun facts that you can read about here. The poker tournament has had its own Oceania that didn’t entirely take off compared to the main event in America.
Positive Components to Consider
Australia ranks high in almost every desirable measuring tool, including healthcare, living standards, the world’s highest minimum wage, and sunshine for large chunks of the year. Many people associate the cool, laidback, and easy-free lifestyle with many of the natives, who are renowned for their carefree and relaxed character.
The beach lifestyle is a dream for many people who crave living in a sunny climate. Given that Australia is one of the top 10 largest countries in the world by land mass, the enormity of the country isn’t apparent until you’re physically there and driving up and down the thousands of miles of non-stop sunny coastlines on the West and East. Australia is over 30 times bigger than the UK, with half the population, so the population density outside the major cities isn’t crowded. There’s a lot more for people to see and for those who live there to move around and explore.
The sporting culture is something that many people cite as a critical reason for the move. In the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, football (soccer) dominates the culture. It becomes tribal and can be the reason for many resentments and emotions. However, Australia has a great mix of rugby league, cricket, Aussie rules, and soccer.
Hence, sporting fandom and hysteria balance themselves across several sports, resulting in a passionate but reasonable approach to supporting your team and not the sort of tribalism and overt tensions that infect the sporting culture in other nations.
The Counter Point
Despite the several positives that draw people to Australia, many don’t look at some of the pros in such a positive light. What might be a vast, uncompromising terrain full of adventure for some might be a daunting and unforgiving landscape for others. For those who aren’t too keen on flying and would rather go from coast to coast via the outback roads, you should set aside at least seven days for your travel.
Unfortunately, some people have got lost in the outback, completely underestimating the sheer amount of land it covers, and have placed themselves in grave danger, so it is a journey that should never be taken lightly. Many tourists and Aussies would recommend a shorter coastal drive before embarking on a mega coast-to-coast quest stretching thousands of miles.
Final Thoughts
Traveling across any new country is an incredibly exciting experience. If you’re looking to do it on your gap year before University or you have adopted some simple financial tricks in your twenties so that you can take a couple of years out in your thirties and see what’s on offer. There’s something for everybody, every demographic, and the same applies if you’re looking to call it your permanent home, too.
Once you’ve compiled your list of pros and cons, everything should become clearer, and then you’re less likely to rush into the wrong decision. In today’s age, where everybody back home is contactable via mobile phone, and you can fly back home within the same week, there aren’t as many barriers in the way as there may have been in the 20th century.
