@jcrdream said:
Planning to migrate, pero medyo natatakot. Most of my acquaintances kasi na nasa Australia ay nandun dahil may family/relatives, or at least friends or connections. So curious to know if merong super solo talaga na nag-migrate, independent sa finances, housing, job hunt at lahat. And what your experience was like, and how it was acclimatizing.
Salamat po sa mga makakapag-share! Fyi I'm in my 20s and no responsibilities, just myself to look after.
Although I did have distant relatives who picked me up at the airport and let me crash at their place for a few weeks, I was starting from scratch as well. It was quite nerve-wrecking to have to find my own place (on Flatmates), learning to budget, and finding friends.
As I was on a student visa (I still am at the moment), it took time for me to find real and good friends from among my classmates. Not all of your first set of friends will be the best ones, sadly, but you'll find good ones eventually. I met more friends through volunteering (even the short-term ones), both local Australians and foreigners (kasi mostly foreigners ang mga classmates ko sa uni). Don't be afraid to attend local events and activities (check out Eventbrite, Meetup, Seek Volunteer, etc.), as there are tons of people who are just like you and me---people who are new to the city and looking for acquaintances. Attend events organized by your professional organization (if meron for your profession), get to know people (and let them get to know you). Connections matter a lot in Australia (please just don't ask for a job the first time you meet them).
For housing, you can look to rent your own place at Realestate, Flatmates, or Domain. Pwede rin sa Gumtree, but there are fewer listings than Realestate and Flatmates. You'll only get a feel of how far things are from where you live once you get here. Sa Google Maps, sasabihin sayo walkable ang isang lugar, pero pagdating mo dito hindi pala. I would advise you to look for places that are within 10 mins walk to the train station or bus stop that would take you to where to work or where you can do grocery. Sometimes we underestimate how important access to facilities and services are. Transpo is Sydney is not too bad (def better than Manila), but they are always delays and trackwork, so ideally you have several transpo options (like bus if the train tracks are in repair).
Yung access to grocery stores is important, especially since you will be doing your own shopping and won't have a car to drive on your first few months. Imagine having to carry the canned goods, fresh produce, and other pantry stuff all the way home. Kung may madadaanan ka on the way home from work, you can do your grocery bit by bit (every other day). For me, the grocery was so out of the way from my route to uni, so kailangan sadyain ang pagpunta.