Blind Faith
Why Australia? That was the famous question I was asked time and time again. Besides, God leading me there, I always had a desire to visit Australia and was actually planning to vacation there for my 30th birthday. Then in June 2018 when I was seeking God for clear direction, He led me to read an article about the “Working Holiday Visa” that Australia offered to Americans (as well as other countries). It sounded like a phenomenal (God) opportunity, so I gathered all the information required to apply (Basic info, medical info, bank account statements, passport info, ~$340usd, etc.), which took a few days, but as soon as I submitted my application I was granted the visa. Like within seconds, which is not normal AT ALL because everywhere I read it said it would take days and even weeks to get approved BUT GOD🙌🏾
Not sure if you caught it but I was granted the visa in June 2018 but didn’t arrive in Australia until March 2019. Long story short, even though I was excited about what God was doing, I was too afraid to take such a HUGE risk and on the same day I was granted the visa, I was also offered a position at a top University that I had my heart set on working for. Go figure😕 Since this job opportunity was more "secure", I decided to put Australia on hold, (you have a year to enter Australia after being granted the visa) and take the job. In the end, the job was not at all what I thought it would be and after a month on the job, I was actively planning my move to Australia!!
Looking back, I do thank God for those 9 months of “preparation” and for the push I needed to walk in all that He had for me. I am so thankful that I waited because the way God lined things up, still to this day leaves me speechless.
Pre-Departure: So once I finally accepted the “call” to move to Australia I started doing some research. I searched things like “Living in Australia”, “Experience on a WHV”, “Things to do in Sydney” and also read blogs about people, specifically Americans who lived there. I also receive weekly travel emails and in September of 2018 they highlighted an African-American woman who left everything behind in America and moved to Sydney (she was also originally from Jersey). So, I reached out to her on IG, since our stories were so similar and she actually responded back! She gave me so much great advice, encouraged me to come over and added me to 3 Facebook groups, which was a game changer. I never used FB before to connect with people but I met some of the BEST people and I am still alive to tell about it😂😂.
If I didn’t know before, from that point on I knew God’s hand was on this move. Especially when I got my one way ticket in November 2018 from LA to Sydney for only $275usd (and I got $100 back because of a major flight path change).
Even though I knew it was God, I still made sure to have accountability, because I was all in Spiritually but in the natural so many thoughts were running through my head. Also, before moving to Australia I didn’t tell everybody, just a few close to me because I just knew that Australia was where God was sending me and I had to go. I didn’t want to second guess myself, listening to people who couldn’t understand. Plus, I knew I needed people who could lift me up in prayer and give sound advice and wisdom.
So a few days after I arrived in Sydney that’s when I posted the below picture of me standing in front of Sydney’s iconic landmarks and I am so glad I did it that way!
People: From my experience, Australians are the nicest, hospitable and most trustworthy people I have ever met in my life!! I personally was always treated with respect in restaurants, shops, walking the streets and on public transportation. I might have been blind to the truth or just covered and protected by God but either way Australians are great people overall and I have made so many lifetime friends💜
Australia, also has such a chill and laid back culture. People even told me that other parts of Australia like Brisbane are even more laid back than Sydney, to the point that people go surfing on their lunch breaks!! Australians also have a healthy work/life balance and they automatically receive a month of vacation time at work no matter their level. I also love how the government really takes care of their people and there are SO many opportunities to receive help and be granted free money.
Also, to my shock Sydney was a melting pot of people from SO many different countries. I literally met somebody from every continent except Antarctica. I really expected everybody to look and act like Steve Irwin. I was completely wrong🤣🤣
Safety: In 2019 Sydney was the 5th safest city in the world, according to SCI and they are most definitely correct. I mean you still have to use wisdom but I never felt unsafe walking down the street at night, taking the train, going places by myself and the other crazy things that I would never do in America. It truly boosted my boldness and made me more confident.
I was able to explore a vast majority of Sydney that by the time I left I really didn’t have anything left that I didn’t do. The funny thing is when I told locals all I did and experienced they would be like “I lived in Sydney all of my life and haven’t done a 1/4 of what you did”😄. I will always encourage people to take advantage of where you are and get out and explore. It will teach you so much about yourself and about the country.
Church: I always planned to attend Hillsong once I moved to Sydney because that was the only church I knew. But in January of 2019 my pastors in the states preached at a conference in Australia and when my pastor’s wife found out I was moving to Australia she recommended the church and emphasized that I had to check it out. It took me about 1.5 months to visit GLOW after arriving in Sydney but I never left after that 1st Sunday. It was so community based and filled with so many young people on fire for God and the lost. I met so many phenomenal people and have so many lasting memories of game nights, hikes, after church lunches, serving and being a part of 2 amazing connect groups! It was truly a life changing experience. I love my GLOW church family!
Work: The visa I was on is designed around tourism and the reason Australia permits you to work is so you can explore Australia and sow into the economy. That is why you are not able to work for the same company for more than 6 months. It took me 3 months to land a job but it was ALL God! When I posted that I had moved to Sydney, one of the ministers at the church I attended about 5 years ago reached out to me letting me know that he stayed with a family in Sydney 20 years prior and he could give me their info if I wanted to meet people. So of course I said “Yes”!! He gave me the daughter’s information and even though it took over 2 months for us to meet up in person it was definitely God’s perfect timing!!
She asked me what I wanted to do and at the time she didn’t know of anything but that night she remembered that one of her best friends was a recruiter and told me to send over my CV (Resume). That was Monday night. I talked to the recruiter on Tuesday and had an interview that Thursday. Two weeks later I wound up securing a 9 week full time position in Human Resource. Mind you, I NEVER worked in HR a day in my life and the majority of the people on WHV’s do not get corporate jobs!! The job was definitely demanding but I met some phenomenal people, they gave us free breakfast, the commute was so relaxing, I walked to Darling Harbour almost every day, I earned more than enough money to travel to Asia for 2 weeks and it ultimately set me up in a great position to do the job that I had the remainder of my time in Sydney.
Driving: If you didn’t know, Australians drive on the opposite side. So when I moved in March I said I would NEVER drive in Australia. One thing I learned this past year is to “Never say never”. It was July 2019 and I had been taking public transportation which was cool but I didn’t like the fact that the commute time was doubled and sometimes tripled. So the last weekend of July, after reading an encouraging story of a stunt pilot conquering an impossible move multiple times, I was like if they can do what seemed “impossible” I can drive on the opposite side of the road! So I rented a car, got the top insurance coverage and drove an hour to the beach then up a mountain! I am so glad I conquered that fear head on and it really wasn’t that hard at all. I never got a car of my own but God still provided and blessed me with some phenomenal people in my life who let me use their cars and life was never the same!
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Moving to Australia was definitely one of the best decisions I have ever made and the experience was life changing. It also didn’t hurt that Sydney is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to, with breathtaking coastal walks, mountainous terrain and Australia most definitely has the BEST beaches!! As I continue to remember more and read my journals I am still in awe of what God did, how He moved and how much I grew.
I know I only touched the surface and left out so much like the other places I traveled to but I hope this was a blessing to read and a reminder that God is faithful!! He really is ordering our steps and everything that we go through serves a purpose. If you want to know more about my experience you can definitely reach out to me and I would be more than happy to expound more and answer questions!!
Here is the link to the visa I was on: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.
I have no idea when Australia will open its borders to America but this is the official Australian site with all the information you need to know about the WHV and other visas you can apply for if you want to live in Australia.
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