The history of Muscovite, moved to Australia

Фото: Depositphotos

ForumDaily continues to tell the stories of Russian-speaking immigrants from different countries. Next in line is Olga's story from Moscow, which went to the “country of antipodes” to get a higher education, and so it remained there, prepared by the publication "Lenta.ru". More stories of our immigrants read. here.

Decision and relocation

I was born and grew up in Moscow, after graduating from undergraduate I decided to enroll in a magistracy in a foreign university. Since English was the only language in which I could somehow communicate, I took the path of least resistance and drew attention to English-speaking countries.

After analyzing the situation in the education market, I learned that Australia and New Zealand allow graduates to stay for a period of two to four years after graduation. These countries are interested in attracting specialists. In the UK, there are no such opportunities, I have never considered Canada and America at all, and New Zealand is very far away. So the choice fell on Australia. To move, I had to pretty much pull up the language, but, fortunately, I did it (if I had not passed the language exam, I would not have been allowed to study at the selected university).

I arrived in the city of Brisbane in early March, when it was already autumn in Australia. It was not hot. The water is cold, you can not swim - jellyfish are attacking. At first glance, Australia did not seem to me a heavenly place.

Education matters

In 2017, I finished my studies. Now I have a permanent job, but, having received a diploma, I can consider more highly paid positions.

Salaries generally depend on the category in the profession, and this, in turn, is determined by a combination of factors: what kind of diploma a person has, what experience, did he improve his qualifications. Each has hourly pay, but there is a minimum set by the state, less than which you can not pay. This is 740 rubles per hour if translated into Russian money at the rate. So much can earn a janitor and high school student.

Taxation is also interesting - progressive: the more you earn, the more you pay. Someone thinks it's unfair. But it is necessary to take into account that pension accruals are different. The retirement age is higher than ours (65 years, regardless of gender). But you can, without waiting for the right age, at once to take the entire accumulated pension amount and withdraw from the business ahead of schedule. Pension savings can be quite significant: some start investing, some fulfill some of their dreams.

Modern but calm city

I live in Queensland, in the city of Brisbane. He does not look like Moscow. The population is a little over a million. The city is very green, and it is constantly being improved, good conditions allow it: palm trees, rubber figs grow on the streets, and with incredible sizes.

Brisbane is young, it was originally planned with a view to the future, and the entire infrastructure is quite developed, including transport. Rush hour happens, but this is not our Moscow rush hour, if you know what I mean.

There is an application that combines three modes of transportation: commuter trains, buses and river transport. The river goes through the city bends. It does not freeze in winter, transport is always on the move, sometimes it is really more convenient to swim across to the other shore. The cost is the same for all types of urban transport, calculated by zone. Sometimes the drivers themselves are allowed free: for example, if there is no cash, but they do not accept the card. A couple of stops can be transported in vain. For the disabled and the elderly there is an interesting system: the bus descends to the curb, on the front platform there is a special pallet, which the driver throws on the road. It turns out very smooth ramp.

The fact that there is snow in Australia was a shock for me. There was a pattern: Australia - red continent, kangaroo, drought. Now, in July, it is winter here. In the state of Victoria, in 20 kilometers from Melbourne, there is snow, and you can ski. In Australia, there are no ski resorts in the usual sense - the highest mountain is about 2000 meters, but still!

In the summer in the cities is very hot, and without a pool you will not survive. Swimming culture is very developed, almost every house has its own pool. For example, this summer, the temperature rose to 38 degrees, and north to 42.

In Australia, there are a lot of insects and snakes. I did not specifically choose the state, but it turned out that it turned out to be the safest. Although we have poisonous little neighbors. For example, small invisible spiders, which are called redback: children often suffer from their bites, but they constantly play outside, among greenery. And the poison of these spiders is deadly.

There are also flying foxes that contain toxic substances in their saliva. For example, they chew berries, lick, and then once - and the child pulls them into his mouth. There are jellyfish that look like ice cubes. If they swim to the shore - and they do it when the water is crystal clear and calm - a clear indication is given: swim only in a wetsuit, otherwise you can go to the hospital for several weeks.

But everything needs to get used to, and most importantly - adapt. All foreign students are taught: do not do what you would not do in your own country. That's all science.

Price comfort

I rent an apartment in Brisbane (having something of my own is still an incredible dream). I pay about 13000 rubles a week, including utilities. Only internet is paid separately. You can buy an apartment for the same money as a house with land. But these apartments are large, at least 100 square meters; no one here would think of designing an apartment of 30 meters.

Apartment buildings are serviced by a management company. For example, you have your own plumber, who doesn’t have to wait all day - he will come within 10 minutes and will fix everything, because he is always there. And if you still need to leave, you can leave the keys to the employee - no one will steal anything, and when you return home, everything will be ready.

Closer to the center of Brisbane, such an apartment will cost about 500 thousand Australian dollars (about 23 million rubles), and that is a lot of money.

Фото: Depositphotos

I would not say that food prices are higher than in Moscow. Sometimes some fruits and vegetables are even cheaper. A kilogram of chicken costs 220 rubles, beef costs 400 rubles (expensive parts are 800-2000). Vegetables can be bought at the supermarket or in the markets (cheaper there). For some reason, there are terribly expensive tomatoes, although everything is tasteless.

In Australia, the following product policy: to import less of a stranger and use more of their own. They try to eat everything seasonal: in the strawberry season, you need to eat strawberries, in the avocado season - avocado. For example, in the winter one mango costs 130 rubles, and in the summer a box of twenty pieces is about 450!

By myself, I noticed that the percentage of spending on food on the total amount of salary is less than ours.

The origins of law abiding

I have a rather heterogeneous social circle. Starting with students from different countries and ending with my employers, who are Australians, but in different generations. Someone's grandparents - Europeans, or parents. Almost all Australians are law-abiding, responsible, patriotic. They love their country, thank her for all the benefits.

There are more differences by class attribute. For example, the social support provided by the state to the unemployed is strong. For these payments you can live and never work. Some do. This is a kind of class: they use slang, they can throw a cigarette butt in the wrong place, or shout after it. But you can not call them marginal or bandits. Everyone clearly knows that there will be severe punishment for the offense.

What is the basis of local law? For example, imagine: an empty track, no cameras, no police either: go, I don’t want to. But if you are caught, then everything will not pay. One time is enough to no longer break the law.

Accordingly, the crime rate is low. Of course, they report about the disappearance of children, and about murders, but much less often than in Russia. Well, then, Australia is not such a big country, and it is a separate continent, so it’s not easy to escape from here. It makes no sense to steal a car, because there’s nowhere to go.

Фото: Depositphotos

Another deterrent is a lot of visitors who want to stay. The punishment for any violations is deportation from the country for several years or forever. If a person wants to stay, then nothing will break again. But the police are loyal enough: they fully consider the incident.

Once I and a colleague went to another city for a conference. We didn’t calculate a bit and got to the place early in the morning, somewhere in the 7: 15 area. Slipped, without noticing, guest parking and put the car in the parking lot for employees, where each place is painted. They went literally to 10 minutes, take the materials and find out where the parking is. These 10 minutes were enough for me to be made out by a security officer. I explained the situation: that we came from another city, just did not know where to leave the car, so we stopped at 10 minutes. He understood everything, but the coupon just can not be thrown out. “I will send it, and you write to the head office that you didn’t know where to put the car, that the organization did not provide you with the scheme and you left immediately,” he advised me. I went to the central office, and they forgave me this fine. I had no offenses before that, besides, I am a foreigner. That's how 170 dollars I managed to save.

Mysterious Russians

As I said, about a million people live in the city. Of the visitors most of all are Chinese and Indians. There are about 10 thousand immigrants from Senegal, and only about one and a half thousand Russians.

Our compatriots here are a very different audience. Many of those whose roots go back to the wave of emigration of the revolutionary period. Their ancestors fled from the Reds, first to China, and then to Australia. There are those who left for 90's, when Australia needed specialists from any field. Today, most come for education.

This is a country of visitors. There is no nationalism at all in any way. Sometimes they may ask what I think about politics in our country. But not in order to find out some views, but to keep the conversation going. Since there are not so many Russians, the locals just wonder what kind of people who have gotten this far. They know little about us.

I have never experienced any negative attitude towards myself. We must not forget how a multicultural society: everyone is equal, there is no tension.

Not the last move?

I come to Russia once a year in the summer for a couple of months. This is nice because it allows me to see family, friends, and family places. My parents supported me in my decision to go abroad to study. But no one took it as a move forever, even me.

About the plans I can not say anything for sure. I have everything like ordinary people: I want to find a good job and realize myself. I do not exclude the possibility that I will work somewhere in Asia or Europe later. I do not see myself in any particular country. I like both there and here, everywhere there are pros and cons. As long as there are strengths and opportunities, I like living in two countries.

Attitude to the place where you live creates comfort, which, in turn, depends on quite basic things. For example, a sense of security. There, I am not afraid to leave my bag in the car and have already forgotten what an alarm is. I think people go for peace and stability.

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“Can you not come to the USA? Do not come. Immigrant from Russia - about life in America

Do immigrants in the United States become real Americans

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