Working Down Under: Beth’s Story

Bethan King moved to Brisbane from Wales in 2007; Chris Farnell tells her story.

By Chris Farnell

Deciding to move to another continent, let alone another hemisphere, is a huge step. But you’re not the first to consider it. We had a chat with Bethan King, who moved to Brisbane from Wales in 2007. Given that she’s working as a careers counselor, she seemed like the ideal person to tell us about the pros and cons of working down under.

Making the Move

Like many people, Beth and her family first fell in love with Australia after paying it a visit. She tells us, “In 2004 we visited Australia for a holiday and my husband Neil attended a conference in Brisbane where he made some contacts with people in the same area of work as him. After our return home we spoke about exploring the possibilities of spending a year in Australia and were fortunate enough to set this up. In September 2005 we arrived in Brisbane on a year of adventure. I negotiated a year-long career break with my employer as did Neil so it was a relatively risk free plan. The year progressed very quickly and towards the end of the 12 months Neil was given the opportunity to apply for a permanent position and was consequently successful.”

Looking back, Beth is very glad she got the chance to take a look at Brisbane before moving there: “We were very fortunate to be able to try the place out before we emigrated. Work contacts restricted us to Brisbane, but we also have some family here so that was another pull.”

Because the family was moving to Australia on a work visa, the paperwork was relatively straightforward.

“Neil's employer organised his temporary one year visa and I tagged on as a spouse!” Beth explains. “I was restricted in the fact that I was not able to work, but this suited us at the time as our daughter was preschool age.

“When the decision was made to emigrate, again Neil's employer organised things for us and we came here on a sponsored visa. We had to complete quite a bit of paperwork, organise the necessary medicals and police checks and then cross fingers that everything was processed in time. We had about a five month turnaround - and just made it!”

Once the paperwork was sorted and the move was made, Beth and her family found it surprisingly easy to set down roots: “I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to settle here. There are many migrant families in Brisbane, both from overseas and interstate and this fosters a feeling of camaraderie. During our very first week here whilst at a playground with our daughter another mother detected a different accent and entered into a conversation about playgroups, local places to go, the best coffee shops etc. Everyone was genuinely helpful and wanted to share snippets of useful information with us.”

What You Leave Behind

Although Beth found the move pretty straightforward, she has a few hints and tips for anyone trying to follow in her footsteps!

“I wish that I had kept some of my winter coats!” she tells us. “I falsely believed that it was always sunny and warm in Australia, and maybe it is in the North. Even here in Brisbane there are mornings when it feels really chilly.

“I also wish I had known how expensive good quality furniture is here – I would have stocked up and shipped it out on our container.”

Much as she loves Australia, there are things that she misses from the green and pleasant land.

“For the first year or so I missed the changing seasons,” Beth admits. “But I am beginning to notice the changes here – however subtle. I continue to miss certain foods and shops and have to stock up on visits home or when family come and stay here.

“Since moving away from Britain, I have a greater appreciation of the diversity of the landscape, the proximity of European destinations and the vast differences in the architecture of the buildings.”

Of course, most of all, Beth misses the friends and family she has in the UK. But being half a planet away isn’t the obstacle it once was.

“Technology makes the world feels much smaller,” Beth says. “The Internet and social media allow me to keep in contact and catch up with the goings on across the waters. I also have an Internet radio and I tune into my favourite UK radio stations and programmes, albeit that I am nine or ten hours out of sync!”

Good Times in the Sunshine State

British foodstuffs and radio stations aside, Beth and her family have found the move to be a good one, and are keen to sing the praises for Brisbane.

“Brisbane is in Queensland which is called the Sunshine State, so most days of the year the sky is blue and the sun shines!” Beth says. “This inevitably puts a smile on your face and makes you feel good. It’s just like those lovely summer days in the UK when everyone feels in a better mood because the sun is shining.”

As well as enjoying the sunny weather, Beth has also come to love the friendliness of the Australian people: “I also appreciate the family focus here. Get togethers will always involve the whole family whether that’s a breakfast at the park or an evening BBQ. A lot of socialising is done at home or a local park so the atmosphere is relaxed.”

Deciding to live and work in Australia was a huge decision, but Beth seems pretty satisfied with the way it’s turned out. It’s been good for both her and her husband’s careers, but it has also introduced them to a great place to raise their family: “The sub-tropical climate makes it a pleasant environment to bring up children as they get to experience an active outdoor lifestyle. Australians on the whole are happy, relaxed and laid back people and are very welcoming. It was easy to make friends and settle in to the local community.”

Image: Getty

Issue 8, Australia & New Zealand Outlook