Our Journey from Singapore to Sydney: A Leap of Faith
We had very comfortable lives in Singapore and we left it. I’m Edwin. If you don’t already know, both of us are professional actors in Singapore. We’ve established ourselves for 14 years and six years respectively. Recently, we made the huge move to Sydney, Australia. Here’s why.
Why We Left Singapore
In Singapore, we would not die but we were not fully living. Singapore’s fast-paced lifestyle really kind of burnt me out. I lost my dad and one of my best friends in a span of two months, and that really opened my eyes to how I’m spending my time on Earth. What’s the point of hustling so much if there’s no balance to it? So, I felt like I had to get out of that fast-paced environment and just breathe a little.
I’ve been an actor for my whole life, so I really want to seek new experiences to add to my life. You must be wondering, why Australia?
Why Australia?
Here we have cooler weather. Both of us have never experienced seasons before, so we really wanted to try that. There’s also a good balance of city life and natural landscapes. Just yesterday, we took a transport slightly out and walked this amazing trail. There was a cliffside, and you could see the ocean. It’s so accessible and it’s just right there. And there’s great coffee. I love coffee so much, so it’s enough of a reason for me to try life here.
The pace of life here is slightly slower than in Singapore, which is very nice. There’s also a better work-life balance here. We’ve met some Australians, and they said if they end work at five, by five o’clock there wouldn’t really be anyone in the office. If you stay past that, people will come up to you and ask if you’re okay.
Experiencing Sydney
It’s very diverse and vibrant. You could walk the street and someone would just smile at you and say “Good day, how are you?” and it’s not a crazy thing to do here. I’ve been to Sydney before, and when we tried the veggies, I remember that Australian veggies are so much fresher. I just forgot how much more fresh they are. This is how veggies are supposed to taste. You just want to eat veggies more because they are so fresh.
If you have this cucumber with your chicken, oh my God! And last but not least, there is no lack of Asian food, which is a huge important factor for us. We are already smelling all the Asian flavors in the cold weather.
How to Start Your Own Journey
For those who want to go on the same journey as us, here’s how. We are currently on the Work Holiday Visa (subclass 462), which is a visa that legally allows you to work for up to 12 months. To apply, here are the criteria:
You must prove to have at least $5,000 in your bank account to show that you can take care of yourself while you’re here. This visa is actually renewable for up to three years. When you want to renew for your second year, you need to do 88 days of specified work, and in your third year, you need to do at least six months of specified work.
Here’s a cost breakdown of what we paid so far. If you have any questions, please comment them below. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you guys have.
Saying Goodbye to Singapore
It wasn’t easy saying goodbye to all our friends and family in Singapore. It was really emotional at the start because I’ve never left a job before. This is the first time. Thankfully, everyone around me has been so supportive. It is nerve-wracking, I must say, but we are taking a leap of faith. Life is short; you’ve got to make the big decisions now.
The moral of this leap of faith is to get out of our own comfort zone, expand our worlds a little bit, and learn new things.
Packing for a Year
So how does one pack for a year, maybe more? I overestimated myself and packed only the night before, thinking it was like packing for any other trip. But I was wrong. I didn’t sleep the entire night. It was actually very liberating being forced to choose what to keep and what to let go. It was such a challenge packing for one whole year. It’s not like packing just for two weeks. What do I bring? What do I leave behind?
I’ve been deciding whether or not I should bring this pair of jeans. I like them and they’re easy to pair, but the only thing is they give me no ass. But then I realized I’m in a healthy relationship and I’m with the man that’s supposed to love me no matter how I look, right? I don’t know why at a point in my life I thought I was going to be Kim Possible. Should I bring these or not? Do I want to be Kim Possible in Australia? I have the black top for it.
The Move
It is time to move. I didn’t sleep the whole night because I was packing. This is it. I don’t think it’s hit me yet that it’s the start of a brand new chapter for us and that we’re going to be leading very different lives from today onwards.
First Impressions
I browned myself. How do you feel? Exhausted. It’s been crazy. It’s like the reverse; this is like the storm before the calm. He had to return a few things. Luckily, his family was there. I just checked in with almost empty luggage. Finally, out of immigration. I’ve sold too much.
It’s something that we don’t have in Singapore. We have a nice spicy here as well, so let’s see which one is better. Yo, this just bought me maybe 100 Aussie RSPCA approved chicken. Something is going to be delicious.
It’s so weird. It’s definitely not as spicy as Singapore’s McSpicy, but the chicken is less oily and actually fresher. You can taste the difference, and I’m just in McDonald’s yesterday.
It feels so nice to have the cold breeze on my face. This is the first time that we are experiencing the cold together. I love you so much. We are from Singapore, we say hi.
Tastes like wine. Ew. Oh, I actually haven’t tried kitchen sets before. Sue me. Seriously, Australians are just so nice. How is it that he could leave this place unlocked for like two days? He had to go to Shanghai two days before we arrived. He just left the door unlocked and told us to just let ourselves in.
That’s the end of day one in Sydney. We’ve been awake for more than 24 hours. That’s it for today. We’re going to rest and see you guys on day two.