◉ 077 | To find us a home

In early 2013,

we decided to move

to Australia.

We’d never been there.

I was 100% sure

Australia wanted me

because of my

engineering degree.

But without

engineering experience,

I couldn’t get us

a visa.

So we turned

our attention to Maja.

Her work experience

was worth more

to the Australian government

than my degree.

It makes sense now.

Back then,

it was a blow

to my ego.

But even with

her experience,

we were five points short.

We needed sixty.

I kept digging.

State sponsorship

could give us

those extra five points.

Her occupation

was listed in two places:

the Australian Capital Territory

and Western Australia.

For us, that meant

Canberra or Perth.

We researched both places.

Talked to a few people.

In our heads,

it came down to

great beaches

or a smaller city

full of politicians.

We chose Perth.

Five months later,

in August 2013,

our visa was granted.

Faster than any timeline

I’d seen on the forums.

Two months later,

I was on a plane

to Australia.

Another two months,

and the four of us

were together again.

Once the initial excitement

wore off,

we felt Perth

wasn’t for us.

But it had got us

to Oz.

After just over

a year there,

we packed again.

Drove 4,200 km.

Eight days later,

we arrived in Melbourne.

And then we drove

another 5,000 km

around the city

over the next thirty days.

To find us

a home.