It's been almost 2 years since I moved from my small town in Northern Michigan all the way to the Far South Coast of Australia. My partner and I were in a long distance relationship and decided to close the gap. I thought Australia and America would have many similarities because they are, after all, both westernized countries. I was wrong. Not all of the changes I have made to my life have been difficult or negative but they have taken me awhile to get used to. Here are three things that happened when I moved away from America.
1. I lost weight. This is something that happened within two weeks of arriving in Australia. I lost about 10 pounds without any significant diet changes and better yet the weight stayed off. I'm assuming this is because Australia has stricter guidelines to the food they allow their citizens and residents to consume. It also has to do with the change of culture. In America it was common to eat out at least three times a week, but here many people opt for a picnic made at home. Cooking your own food is usually a lot healthier and cheaper.
2. Became environmentally conscious. I cringe at the thought of myself lugging my pop cans to the store to earn a few dollars. Or throwing anything, and everything away to fill up more landfills. I can't say that I'm perfect now but I have come a LONG way. In Australia the trash services are "free" and they also give you a bin for recycling and outdoor waste such as branches. All of the toilets here save water by having the two options, you can imagine what they are for. People here are just generally more conscious about the environment and the little things that you can do to have a positive impact.
3. Pay attention to American politics. I am ashamed to admit it but honestly while I lived in America I tuned out all news stations. Patriotism was ingrained in me since I was a child and I also grew up in a very conservative family. By the time I was a teen I only wanted to escape the voice of Bill O'Reilly. I never knew how much other countries payed attention to what America is doing and why shouldn't they... Their decisions effect us all. It wasn't until I moved overseas that I started understanding politics/policies and also realizing how wrong many of them are.
I'm still changing as person and I expect to find many more differences as I transition into a permanent resident. But here are the biggest three changes I have seen since moving, I hope this post provided some insight for you!
