Surrendering to Melbourne: First Moments in a New Home
A Journey Through Time 🕰️ I've arrived in Melbourne. What now?
I've arrived in Melbourne. I gaze out the 15th floor window, the breeze cooling the sweat still lingering from the hot terminal, and I ask myself—what now?
My head is filled with a jumble of plans and fears, and it amuses me because this is exactly what happens every time I arrive somewhere new. Except this time, I'm not just passing through Melbourne—I'm coming to stay, or at least to try. My heart chooses to rebel right when I tell myself "there'snowhere left to run," and the only way forward is through the fears, out into the city.
📍 Melbourne, Australia | January 28, 2023
All in
"I made it to Melbourne!!!" Okay, now what?
What? What does that mean? I have so many things to do!
Find a job! Look for a permanent place! Buy a local SIM card!
Sooooo many thingssssss! Oh right, right, okay so I'll make a list because my head is a mess. One of those lists with checkboxes so I can tick off what I've done.
What?? That's not important right now!
Just start writing! Okay okay, there's a list, everything's organized, more or less, step by step, I can start. From the airport I took an Uber, with a really nice driver who wouldn't stop talking, I was surprised to find I actually understood most of what he said.
Australians have a very interesting accent, to put it mildly. I managed to catch some of the tips he gave me, like the South Melbourne Market (a nice market to visit), the bar street near me, and how to use the train. I arrived at my apartment for the upcoming week, there's a cafe/restaurant and small grocery store downstairs, already great.
I ate and went to sleep because I couldn't do anything else. One of the things on my list was to go to the nearby bank branch, the one I opened an account with before arriving, where a credit card is waiting for me. Responsible me.
But it was already late, and Friday, so the bank is closed until Monday morning.
With my last cash I decided to buy power adapters, because I was surprised to find there's yet another type in the world (why make it difficult?) Tomorrow I'll look for an exchange place and get some cash for the weekend. In Thailand, dad finally bought me a new phone so I'll be able to take normal quality photos (even amazing ones), so these days I've been fiddling with the phone's settings.
To use the same WhatsApp I need my Israeli SIM card, I have it physically, but the account is inactive.
This made me think whether it's even worth the effort to reactivate the account, or maybe it's time to part with the Israeli number since I'm planning on getting a local SIM package anyway? A significant step, so I consulted and understood I have no reason to keep my Israeli number, anyone who wants to find me can do so on Facebook or Instagram. An Australian WhatsApp, once again I'm surrendering, showing the universe I'm 'all in' on this process.
📍 Melbourne, Australia | January 31, 2023
Heading Out
I finally managed to sleep, woke up and had a hot shower, so hot I set off the smoke alarm.
Oopsie. I got ready and felt anxious. Anxious/scared/excited all over to leave the house, you have a few things to do, just start with the first one, simple.
Yes but come on.
What if it doesn't work out as planned? (You know it always works out in the end) What if I can't do it? (Find a job as a bartender?
Something you've been doing for almost ten years? Are you dense?) What if it's too good? (Oh yes, that's truly scary) Okay let's go out, bring the fear with you, let's see how long it lasts outside, worst case we'll run away from it on the train. I went out, walked the streets excitedly, smiling at the buildings, what a modern and beautiful city!
Of course, what did you think you'd see when you went out, a kangaroo? On the street you hear many languages, there are all kinds of people here, in all colors. I'm still laughing when I hear Australians speaking to each other, wishing myself luck in understanding them.
I walked to the downtown area, here it's called the CBD. I didn't really know where to go, so I just walked, saw an interesting looking street, walked down it, right, left, straight, back, exploring the city to figure out who's against who.
I came across an unfamiliar sign, with escalators going up to the second floor, don't know why, I just went up.
Walked into a store, looked around, it's a vitamin store. Okay I got the hint, no need to yell at me. I bought a multivitamin because the seller asked me what I needed and I said 'everything'.
At crosswalks, no one crosses before the designated line, on sidewalks everyone sticks to the left uniformly and those who don't notice are just the tourists. Me? I noticed the second I stuck to the right and saw a line of people walking straight at me despite the wide open sidewalk, and then I wondered why they were walking so orderly one behind the other.
That's it I'm a local. In the video: Outside a theater there are posters for the 'Phantom of the Opera' play and the theme song is playing through the surrounding speakers, how beautiful.
📍 Melbourne, Australia | February 4, 2023
Searches and Apprehensions in a New City
Melbourne looks perfect from the outside, but the first few days here are still filled with tasks and uncertainty.
After getting a bit acclimatized and starting to know the streets, it was time to tackle the really big tasks – job and home.
It's all online, I'm looking for an apartment on Facebook pages and Melbourne groups. There are various user-friendly sites like Homely. I apply for an Inspection, which is going to view the apartment, and apply to rent the place (the longest form in the world).
It continued with the apartment and job search, all online, I'm looking for a place on Facebook pages and in Melbourne groups. There are various user-friendly sites like Homely. I apply for an Inspection, which is going to view the apartment, and apply to rent the place (the longest form in the world).
As for work, I started looking up bars online, ones that interest me to work at. I found a few and went to check if they need staff, at the first two places they directed me to email my resume, so I understood that's how it works here, they don't want you to work hard, they want efficiency. I went back home to start translating my resume, which was also one of the things I wanted to do months ago already, because I knew I'd need it, but I procrastinated until the very last minute, and here I am.
I read a lot of tips on writing resumes in Australia specifically, many recommend adding a photo of myself, highlighting my military service, that I'm a non-smoker, not digging into irrelevant information, and using short straightforward sentences. I started writing briefly, I admit most of the time I invested in designing the page layout, and used software to check proper grammar of the sentences. I have good English, I just prefer getting help with formal things, to sound proper, especially in a place where it's the native language.
Today I already sent out resumes to several bars around the city, submitted a few more apartment applications, continuing with the RSA course (I'll expand on that later, it's really interesting). I feel like I'm still not "enjoying" Melbourne, I'm filled with apprehensions and uncertainty, anxious to find an apartment already, to find a job already, I don't really care what exactly anymore, I'm shooting in all directions, the main thing is to find something so I can finally relax, and maybe finally go out for a drink.
Yes I've been here over a week and haven't gone to a single bar. Not like me I know, it's just been really cold at nights, and I'm still a bit under the weather.
I do feel much better already, but I still don't feel comfortable coughing on people.
All the stress isn't helping the vibe, even though it's Saturday night and maybe that's exactly what I need.
When comparing my seventh day in Melbourne to the first, you can barely recognize the same person. From someone clinging to a task list like a lifeline in a stormy sea, I've become someone who already knows how to send resumes "Australian style", is familiar with two main streets, and can even understand (sometimes) the local accent.
Although I haven't quite "enjoyed" Melbourne yet as you'd expect from a wandering bartender, I've already started feeling the ground stabilize beneath my feet. This is the first stage of surrendering to a new place – allowing yourself to acknowledge the fears, and then heading out and doing something about them, one step at a time, at your own pace.
Your support helps me keep experiencing new worlds – and sharing them with you through my words. Sometimes, one cup of coffee can make all the difference.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
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