Ok, so now for the big news! It’s no secret that I have had some personal changes brewing on the side-lines for some time now (3 years to be exact). And a couple of weeks ago, we received a life-changing email to say that our Australian visas had been granted! We are packing up our London lives and beginning a new adventure down under.
I feel like I may have bigged this up a little bit and some of you might be sagging in your seat thinking “is that all?”. Well for us, it’s HUGE. Most of you know that this is not the first time we have been down this road, having moved to London from South Africa at the tender age of 18 (someday I might share that Baptism of Fire with you). Truthfully, I fled my old life in South Africa. I left a very broken home, a low-paying job and an even more dead-end future behind. Mentally sticking one middle finger up as I embarked the plane (for the first time ever), I couldn’t wait to start my new adventure in London. But even after 8 years I still remember how tough it was to assimilate. I remember the big struggles such as emergency tax, visa expirations, being homeless and penniless. I even remember the little things like not knowing how to use the self-checkout, or how to put petrol in the car or that we had to pack our own grocery bags in the checkout line. Being a newbie in a big city is a scary, scary thing.
And the crazy kids we are, are doing it all over again. This time around, our move will be bittersweet as I truly love my life in London, I love the buzz of the city, the fact that Europe is on my doorstep, I love our little shoebox house, our crazy psychotic car. I love that it’s the city I ‘grew up’ in. I will leave this city with a very heavy heart but as much as I love my life here, the South African in me has never settled. I miss the beach, the sunshine and the open spaces and before moving here, I had no idea how intrinsic these things were to my existence.
If I am honest, I’m terrified. I’m scared of being homeless and jobless again and mostly I am scared that we are investing all our life savings on something that might not work out. I know there are no guarantees, and apart from being scared witless, I’m incredibly excited and determined to make this work.
And that’s the story. Obviously things have gotten crazy for me already. I’m packing and sorting and washing and drying [and crying]. I’m filling out paperwork and booking flights [and freaking out]. It’s left me with very little time to blog or visit blogs (sorry guys) but I am going to try and keep posting and updating you all on the craziness. I will be cutting down on my posts to minimise my stress levels but since blogging is cathartic to me, I won’t be far away.
Thanks for sharing in my excitement (and for reading this incredibly long and waffly post)!
Meghan, that is such exciting news! You're coming down under, you will LOVE it. The beaches, the sunshine, the shopping - where in Australia will you be living? The two of you have used your time in London sooo wisely - maximizing on location to do all that travelling. I think it's a brilliant move. Best of luck with the move, and I look forward to following your journey via your blog. x
ReplyDeleteThat's so exciting, Meghan! I grinned when I read how you mentally had the middle finger in the plane. Haha, I so get what you mean. I remember being ecstatic when the plane took off, feeling both scared and excited. I'm so happy for you. Trusting in the unknown future is scary indeed but I'm sure you'll have lots of new adventures and lots of opportunities to explore in the not so distant future.
ReplyDeletethats amazing news!!! what a huge new adventure! i was just talking to my friend from south africa the other night and i think he left under pretty similar circumstances and also spent some time in london! small world. can't wait to hear how all the moving goes and everything!
ReplyDeleteA new adventure - how exciting for you! You will I'm sure love Australia with the wonderful climate and outdoor life - certainly a contrast to London. I hope all your preparations go smoothly and look forward to your furture.
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That's huge news! I really hope things work out swimmingly well for you in Australia (and I'm sure they will). Sometimes out of the biggest risks comes the biggest rewards. Congratulations Meghan!
ReplyDeleteWhat exciting news!! I'm so happy for you guys, doing something this bold and picking up and moving. It will be the best kind of adventure and I know you will have all the luck in the world. Oh, I can't wait to read all about it as it unfolds! Do you follow Sue from A Nomadic Abode? She's an Aussie living in London and is actually building a house back in Australia with plans to move back, soon. You guys should get in touch, your lives are on the same trajectory! So exciting and this news was definitely worth the wait. xo
ReplyDeletePS. I have that plaid shirt, too! Shirt twins! :)
How exciting! And brave of you. Thank heavens for blogging. Now we'll be able to live vicariously through your new adventures. Best of luck and keep us posted.
ReplyDeleteHooray for new adventures! Best wishes on this new era for you. =)
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ReplyDeleteCongrats to you!
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful story meghan. i am glad you shared all the history to go along with your big news, it definitely makes me think you will do more than well in this new adventure. i can't imagine how scary your first trip was or adjusting to a whole new world in london (and at 18!) but hopefully in australia you won't have quite as much of a learning curve to do. i'll miss your photos of your trips around europe but i will look forward to all the ones of australia (that's a place i could imagine moving to too!). oh the sun. . . congrats!!!
ReplyDeleteWow!!! What FAB news. I know quite a few friends who left lives in the UK to move to Oz and have never looked back. They are one country who have not been hit by the recession so I don't think you should have any fear of being jobless or homeless. As the climate is similar to SA and the quality of life higher than the UK, you are going to have the best times of your life xx
ReplyDeleteSo excited for you! I follow so many Australians blogs and Instagrams. I know it's an awfully bi place, but you should follow modern mothers holy grail, and natasha in oz. Maybe they can give you some skinny!
ReplyDeleteSo excited for you!! As you may know, I moved to the UK from the US 12 years ago now and y'all, IT'S HARD. I don't think people realise how difficult it is even when you (supposedly) speak the same language. But with that experience under your belt, you'll be going into this with eyes wide open, knowing so much more now so that you can prepare yourself. The very best of luck in the planning stages and I have no doubt you'll make a success in living in such a gorgeous country. Also, I'm a little jealous ;) xxx
ReplyDeleteHuge, amazing, exciting, thrilling, bittersweet, terrifying news! But good and exciting, mostly all that. You're in the hardest part right now, leaving where you are, but not quite there. The two worlds colliding part.
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled for you, and so excited we can follow along on the journey. It's something I've longed to do. I'll enjoy it through you! (And I agree with Christine: thank you for sharing the history...makes you extra brave. XO)
Lauren @ still + life
Meghan- that's amazing news! So excited for you. And hey, you did it once, at such an early age, and look how well you managed. This time you have even more wisdom under your belt. So, onward and upward- no negative thoughts. Or...as they say Down Under, No Worries!!
ReplyDeleteHow marvelous and exciting. Being the "old" ladies that we are, we say Bravo - nothing like striking out on an adventure before it's too late to do so. We moved to Paris after college and never regretted it (one of us even married a Frenchman!) Given that we're half Aussie means we need to come visit once you've settled in. And you'll have to pen a Random Raves for us from Down Under!
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C + C
What a beautifully written (from the heart) post, thanks for sharing your past and present. CONGRATS on your new adventure ... it is going to be AMAZING!!!!
ReplyDeleteAda | www.adasinteriordesign.com/blog/
Congrats! That is super exciting to hear. It takes some nerve to pick up and move countries and you guys will have done it twice. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you and your new adventure
ReplyDeletealso in this process of moving and finally came here to check this out - CONGRATS! i am so excited for you. i can only imagine how stressful and scary it can be. the first time i travelled out of the US was to for study abroad to DK and I was so nervous about knowing where to go, how to get to my dorm, how to use public transportation. the milk i bought at the store was a special kind of sour milk - so disgusting i didn't drink any milk after that experience, haha! i can imagine that moving to AUS will be such a big change too but YAY! you guys are doing it. congrats on living out a dream - and congrats on changing your life from what it is in SA to what it is now in London. No small feat, and something you should be very proud of. If you can do it once, you can do it again!
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