What I've got from Melbourne

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Where I've struggled with getting a job and settling in Melbourne, it's hard to see what I've gained from staying here. I can easily feel like I've wasted my time here, as it didn't work out the way I thought it could and I've spent a good 2 months here now- which is a large chunk of my year-long visa.

But I don't want to think of it like that. I want to see the positives in what I've got out of staying in Melbourne, which although may be difficult to see now, will certainly come with hindsight.

Firstly, I've learnt so much about getting jobs in Australia. I've discovered that it can be much more difficult than I had originally thought it would be, meaning when I next look for a job I can better set my expectations. I've learnt the usefulness of Facebook groups for finding all sorts of work for backpackers. Speaking to other travellers about their experiences has taught me a lot about the different jobs out there and people's experiences of them. You hear so many stories, good and bad, about farm work, labouring, sales roles, and those lucky so and so's with hospitality jobs. All this knowledge is just really useful for travelling and getting a job in Australia in the future.

The other invaluable benefit I've got out of staying in Melbourne has been that I've gotten used to the Aussie lifestyle in my own way. I now know the extremely important fact of which crisps are the best (sweet chili and sour cream, hello) and I've learnt the difference between a pint and a schooner (schooner is smaller and therefore in my opinion pointless). I know I prefer the bottom bunk and that the only way to get to sleep in a hostel is with an eye mask and ear plugs. I know what I like and don't like. All these little things will now make my onward travels much easier, which if I jumped straight into my travels at the very start of my trip, perhaps I wouldn't have known right away.
Staying in one place made me settle in gradually, rather than feel like I was just on a long holiday. Perhaps if I had done all my travelling up the east coast first, then settled somewhere, I still would have felt this way but just further down the line? So at least the hard part is out of the way, and if it happened again I would know how to better handle it.

Finally, and most importantly, I've made so many incredible friends. I wouldn't have been able to bond with people the way I have if I had only been here 2 weeks, and I can safely say I will definitely see some of these people again. What's more, I've had so much fun and made some fantastic memories with them all. Even though I haven't been completely comfortable here, it's undeniable that the fun stuff has been awesome. And funnily enough, I've had the most fun here since I decided to leave, probably because I've gone back into holiday mode, plus I'm excited to finally be going on my east coast trip.

I don't like to say I regret things because however tough they were, they got me to where I am today and made me a better person.

(Or maybe this whole thing is just me justifying staying here for this long who knows)

Shepp x

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