The experience of Natalia in Australia

Travelling, working, studying and living in different cities in Australia is one of a lifetime experience you need to do! Read the experience of Natalia in Australia, one of our students who decided to make the most of this country and is now living in Adelaide. Read it till the end mate!

Tell us about yourself

My name is Natalia, I’m 36 years old and I just arrived a few weeks ago to Adelaide, in South Australia. I lived in Sydney for four years and was already in need of a change of air, so I decided to move to this new city. I love being close to nature, yoga and meditation. My family, composed of my younger brothers José Francisco and Nicole, and my parents, José and Margarita, live in Santiago, Chile, our hometown.

I am the only fan of travelling in the family, and they always support me in everything I do. From a very young age, I have always liked to travel and I was lucky to have an adventurous grandfather like me, who accompanied me on my first trips around the country. I met a lot of southern Chile with him and those beautiful experiences marked me forever. I loved getting to a new place to explore cities, beaches or forests, and also to meet new people, know their stories and what it was like to live in those places so far away for me. Always very questioning and wanting to walk more, says my grandfather to this day. Despite the distance, I maintain a close relationship with all my family, helped by technology, we have even been celebrating birthdays and Christmas by video call. I don’t know if I could take the distance without the current comfort of being able to call them at any time and even, before any emergency, to be in with them in less than 24 hours, if necessary.

I have not lived in Chile permanently for quite some time: I arrived in Australia in 2015 and before that, I lived in Buenos Aires for five years. Since leaving Chile I have travelled through South America, Asia, Europe and Oceania. In Chile, I studied journalism and in Argentina, I became a yoga teacher, and I am fortunate to have worked in both countries on both careers. Now in Australia I continue discovering new things that I like and perfecting myself in those areas, always maintaining my love for yoga and communications.

When I just arrived in Australia, I only thought to come for a year and then continue travelling, but here I am, four years later very happy in Adelaide, full of countless life experiences and many new projects ahead, the main one, for now, is to get my permanent residence after finishing my studies. I have been fortunate to travel and explore many places in Australia, meet people from all over the world and most importantly, I have known myself as I never thought I could do. Australia opens the head and heart in many ways and I am very grateful to continue making dreams come true on this island of kangaroos and koalas.

 

¿Why did you decide to study in Australia?

As I mentioned before, Australia opens your mind in many ways and discovering new skills that I didn’t think I had, doing new things every day, with so many possibilities to learn and continue interacting with different people from all over the world, made me make the decision to stay studying here.

Australia also has a wide range of courses so you can change your learning area or continue studies related to what you have done before, it all depends on the turn we are giving our lives here.

Along with the wide range of studies, the quality of life in Australia is very good, very different from what we are used to as Latinos and, although there is no perfect country, Australia is quite close! Many opportunities, places that leave you speechless, basic quality services, and so many interesting and diverse people to meet and from which you can learn a lot. In Australia, we all have a different history and it is very entertaining and enriching to get to know so many worlds in one place.

¿What did you study in Sydney and why?

In Sydney I studied the Certificate IV of Marketing and Communication and the Diploma of Social Media Marketing, the two very good courses that have helped me to complement the journalism career I had a little abandoned. I really like communications and it is very interesting what is happening with social networks today. The impact it has on an individual and professional level, being a very important platform for any company in these times, is undeniable.

Although for now, I do not want to devote myself fully to the area of ​​social media, studying the certificate and the diploma has undoubtedly opened many doors, in addition to expanding my knowledge. Because studying in Australia not only matters the marks or the degree you get at the end of your studies, it also shows your level of English, your ability to interact with the rest, helps you create work connections and make good friends during the process. All this has led me to get better jobs and feel more professionally safe, I can use all the tools and knowledge obtained in different ways and that makes me a better professional with very diverse skills.

¿Why did you decide to move to Adelaide? ¿What are you studying there?

After studying in Sydney, which is a beautiful city, full of tourist attractions and many things to do, I began to feel the need for a change, for a new challenge. Australia is such a beautiful country and it made me want to experiment in a new city. Also, when thinking about establishing myself permanently in Australia, moving to a smaller city, especially if it is in a regional area, helps a lot when you want to apply for a new visa after finishing your studies.

I thought about several alternatives, including Darwin, Tasmania and finally Adelaide, all of them with particular characteristics that appealed to me, but I chose Adelaide because, although it is smaller than Sydney, it is still an important city in Australia, with an excellent quality of life, many nearby beaches (indispensable for me), quality public transport, varied student offer, festivals, vineyards and lot of nature.

So with all these good features on my side, I decided to come to Adelaide to study a Diploma in Leadership and Management, which will certainly help me obtain key tools to apply in my current area of ​​work. At the end of this diploma, I will continue with an Advanced Diploma in Marketing and Communications, to continue improving and being able to apply in the future for positions in the area of ​​communications.

Tell us how is it like to live in Adelaide, what are you working on, and how is your lifestyle there.

For me Adelaide is a very pleasant mix between city and region life, the difference in the rhythm of life is noticeable, people really are much calmer and more relaxed than in Sydney. I have been in Adelaide for a little over a month and every time I can, I take the tram and I will get to know some new beach, because Adelaide, like Sydney, has many beautiful beaches, all very different.

For now, I divide my time between my studies in the city and my work as Assistant Manager in a Coffee Shop in the Hyde Park area, known for being one of the main avenues of the city with a lot of commercial activity. In my free time, I continue to visit because I certainly have a lot to explore. Adelaide and all of South Australia is known for being a wine-producing area of ​​excellence, full of world-renowned wineries, so I am already planning my first trip to the vineyards.

Adelaide is also a place of very easy access by public transport, which makes my life much easier than in Sydney, where travel times were sometimes excessive. In Adelaide the tram service, the train and buses basically reach everywhere, including beaches, parks, hills, and even more remote areas where you can find waterfalls, rivers, etc. One of the reasons Adelaide convinced me was because of all the nature that is so close to the city, so I am waiting for the sunniest days to start exploring everything!

¿Which are the main differences between studying in Adelaide vs Sydney?

As in Australia all courses are regulated to ensure their quality, I could not say that there is a big difference between studying in Sydney and Adelaide. However, I think that here (for the same more relaxed lifestyle) the teacher/student relationship is more personal and direct. A friend is studying the same diploma in Leadership and Management in Sydney and comparing with her the truth is all is very similar. Here I have felt that the professors and staff working at my college, Ironwood, are much more open to helping in non-academic aspects and for those who come to Australia for the first time or who are younger, that extra help is highly valued.

¿What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of coming to Australia to study?

I would tell you not to doubt it for a moment, it is a very enriching experience that not only allows you to learn a new language or start a new career, but it is a life experience, which enriches you and challenges you every day. Being out of your country learning, creating, knowing, opens many doors and invites you to look at your life from a different perspective.

So do not hesitate but also plan before coming, organize well from Chile or wherever you are, both what you want to study, where and why. Researching a little before coming always helps and, at the same time, get advice from student agencies that know more than us and thank god! They make the procedure and all the paperwork much easier.

In the whole process that led me to study in Adelaide, and of course before while living in Sydney, I always felt very supported by Pura Vida. Luis accompanies you at all times and at the same time because he was Chilean, he made me feel much more comfortable and safe to get my student visa. Being able to express my expectations regarding the course I wanted to study, along with my long-term plans and know that my agent understands me completely and that he tries to give me the best alternatives at all times, really makes an important difference.

Australia is a wonderful country in so many ways, and whatever plan you have, come with your head and heart open to experience new things, to look at other perspectives, to learn and know this beautiful and incredible country.

Thanks FB: Lucca Amorin / IG: @foodforsquirrels for the picture!

 

Would you like to experience the same adventures as Natalia? If you are thinking of taking a course in Australia, there are heaps of possibilities to choose from, and plenty of places as well. Contact us today ay info@puravidastudy.com.au to give you free advice on your course and visa. Also, you can send us a WhatsApp to +61 410 827 945.

If you want to read some more stories of our students check out the experience of Fede and Pame from Argentina, and Fernanda from Chile as well!

See you in Australia mate! 🙂