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Pop the kettle on, make a brew and settle in for a read so I can walk you through what the site is all about and how I can support you on your adventures.
Smart Steps to Australia is broken down into three categories: Migration, Lifestyle and Travel.
MIGRATION: Are you in the throws of migrating to Australia?
Visit the Migration section of the site here.
If you're still in the process of making the move (or even in the early days of deciding if the move to Australia is right for you and your family) you can figure out if you need an agent, what insurance you might need, how to move your money over and decide whether to ship a few bags or ship a whole container of furniture in the migration area of the blog.
Do you need to use a migration agent and how do you find a reliable one?
Which English test is easier: the PTE or the IELTS?
LIFESTYLE: Are you living in Australia?
Have you moved to Australia already, or are you getting ready to move and want some inspiration about the lifestyle opportunities available? The lifestyle section is for you.
Visit the Lifestyle section of the site here.
Even if you're moving from another English speaking country like the UK, Australia has so many differences. There are new brands, new shops, new habits to get into (sunscreen, hats, rash vests…), new skills to learn (do you know how to look after a swimming pool or what to consider when buying a house with air conditioning?) The pace of living is different – my kids rarely wear shoes and, if I'm being honest, they don't often wear many clothes either! We don't own coats anymore or boots. Everything has changed. In the most awesome way.
This section of my site is new and I have so many ideas to develop it to help you get settled in your new life here. I love writing in-depth buying guides to help you find products that make your new lifestyle easier. I also love how passionate Australians are about supporting Australian brands – and there are brands out there with some really inspiring stories to tell so I'm excited to be able to share some of these with you.
There are real, scientific reasons why you feel better when you visit the beach!
TRAVEL: Do you want to explore Australia?
It doesn't matter if you've made the move to Australia yet or not – if you're anything like me, you love dreaming about travel experiences. I love to travel and really enjoy sharing our travel adventures with you in the travel section. I'm a freelance travel writer for Australia and New Zealand magazine which means I get to take some amazing trips. I also keep up with travel news in Australia so I can share the latest Australia travel information with you.
Be sure to check out my travel and migration articles that have appeared in Australia and New Zealand Magazine here.
Who is behind the Smart Steps to Australia blog?
Hi, I'm Karen Bleakley and I'm the founder and editor of Smart Steps to Australia.
My husband, three kids and I moved to Brisbane in 2014 and life here is just as awesome as we'd hoped.
Nobody can guarantee you'll love it over here like I do. Nobody can guarantee jobs and houses and schools will be perfect – there are always compromises to be made wherever you live. It takes hard work to make it happen and to get settled. But I will be honest when I say I'm so thankful that we took action and decided to give it a go, otherwise I know we'd have spent our whole lives wondering if we'd made the right decision for our kids. We pushed ourselves to follow our dreams and ended up with a life that exceeds anything we could have imagined.
You want to know the best part? Making the move to Australia is only the beginning of your new, exciting life. Because once you make the move, your comfort zone expands and you become more open to new opportunities, new friendships and new adventures. It all starts with a big dream and the willingness to give it a go.
I really hope this site inspires you to follow your dreams and create your best life.
Shoot me an email [email protected].
Want to find out more about me? Check out this About Me blog post.
Join me in the Move to Australia community on Facebook.