There are times when, as a newcomer to Australia, a topic of hot debate is brought up and, while others raise voices, all you can do is raise your eyebrows.
Wholly unremarkable
One of the things that took us by surprise when we arrived in Australia was how unremarkable our tale seemed to be to others.
Compared to our arrival in Denmark as new migrants, which was greeted with interest and more than a little puzzlement, our arrival in Australia was largely treated with, well disinterest.
Blink and you’ll miss it
I often have cause to reflect on the serendipity that has brought us to Canberra and how, if our timings had been just a little bit different, we may never have made it here at all.
It’s three years now since our Australian residency visas were granted. Back then, after a couple of years of getting our documentation in order, gaining all the right evidence of Mrs CBRbound’s professional skills, and securing state-sponsorship from the ACT government, everything aligned in a wonderful post-Australia Day email which told us that we could start planning a life down under. Continue reading
Putting down roots
It all happened very quickly, but last week we bought a house in Canberra.
So, we bought a house. There’s no way of tip-toeing around that one, so there it is. We bought a house.
As a new migrant, this is no small undertaking. There are the exchange rates to consider… are you cashing in your foreign currency at a rate that won’t make you fume in a few years time? There’s the fact that you have little credit history with which to support any mortgage application. You also have to familiarise yourself with a buying process that is rather alien, particularly if you buy in an auction. And then there’s the psychological question of: what does this really mean? Continue reading
The international connection
The ‘hopper’ flight from Canberra has been a feature of every international trip from the city until now.
There was big news in Canberra this week as Singapore Airlines announced it would begin operating international flights in and out of Canberra Airport.
I’ve written before about what a great facility Canberra Airport is, but the addition of international flights really will make a big difference to the region as a whole and to the CBRbound family personally.
Postcard from Murramarang
The view from our holiday cabin at Murramarang.
In years to come, I think I will be able to pinpoint the moment when I finally got it. The moment when I stopped agonising and analysing our move and just relaxed into it.
Snakes, spiders and sharks
Snakes, spiders and sharks probably represent the unholy trinity of creatures that new migrants fear the most (notwithstanding those spoof stories about drop bears – and they are spoofs). But what’s the reality of living cheek by jowl with Australia’s deadliest animals, and how much do they actually figure in our everyday lives? In reality, not much. Continue reading
An education
Moving to a new country is a giant juggling act. You can’t know everything about your new home from the moment you arrive but you strive to gather enough information about the essentials so that nothing critical falls to the ground and smashes.
Occasionally, you miss something – like when using the wrong type of tick treatment cost Mr Pup an extra three weeks in quarantine. And a few weeks ago, we missed something else that we probably should have known about, but didn’t.
2015 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
This blog was viewed about 11,000 times in 2015. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
Strangely for a blog all about starting a new life in Canberra, the most popular post continues to be my farewell tribute to Scandinavia: ‘The five best things about living in Denmark’. But no matter. Thank you for visiting, commenting and taking an interest in our adventure down under, and a very happy new year to you from the CBRbound family.
Being un-Australian
I have a small confession to make. Well, actually, quite a big one, and one that I fear may result in our Australian visas being cancelled and see us ushered onto the first flight out of the country by clench-teethed officials.
You see, despite living here for more than a year. Despite our professed love of the Aussie way of life. Despite our attempts to assimilate into the Canberra community, there’s one thing that marks us out as not quite belonging.
We don’t actually own a barbecue.
CBR bound 