Real experience
Our whole family went to Australia
Income and lifestyle
The landscape and the sunshine
Challenges and rewards
Read about Dr Waldenback’s thoughts on working and living as a doctor in Australia.
"The climate in Australia is really wonderful. For those interested in travelling there is plenty to see and experience. Working and living in another country gives so much more than just visiting as a tourist; it develops you as a person and if you go with your entire family, it is a wonderful experience that really helps to bring you closer together. "
I think that what stops a lot of people from making that “move” is the question about partners and children; people often worry about how well the whole family will adapt to a new life in a new country. For me it’s always been important to expose our children to different ways of living and different sets of values. I believe that living in a new place make my children more resilient and give them a sense of confidence that they will always carry with them, no matter what happens in their lives.
Our whole family went to Australia- my husband and our five boys!
The four youngest all went to public schools in Australia, all of which were very good and maintained a high standard. Our boys really enjoyed school and had no problem making friends. English wasn’t an issue for them. My husband and I have come to know the other parents of the boy’s hockey and football teams. The school environment was amazing with huge school courtyards, tennis courts and football fields directly adjacent to schools. I remember for example, a school that was exactly at the beach, where school children went surfing during the lunch break!
For my husband going to Australia meant that he could take a year off from his busy work as a school principal to focus on other things rather than his career. During our stay in Australia he did some temporary work as a relief teacher but more importantly he got to spend time with our kids and be there for them in a way that is hard when you are working full time. There was of course the time in the beginning when he did feel a bit isolated only socialising with the other members of the family. I imagine that in another country other than Australia say for example if he came as a new arrival to Sweden, he might have struggled a lot more to break that initial social isolation. But fortunately Australians are very welcoming by nature and it didn’t take him long until he had made his own friends and started to feel much more settled and at home in Australia.
The income and lifestyle we could afford in Australia was a big attraction
It was of course a big bonus that the salary in Australia was almost twice my salary back in Sweden and that the taxes were significantly lower. This means that you are able to support a spouse on just your salary, maintaining the same standard of living you had in Sweden. As an illustration, I can mention that on my income, we could afford to go on vacation for two weeks to the Great Barrier Reef where my husband and the four oldest boys could take their diving certificates. On Australian wages and cost of living it was possible to pay for all our living expenses plus a holiday on my salary alone. It is hard to believe, it would not have been possible in Sweden. Sure, it may be true that the cost of living in large cities is slightly higher than at home, but it still means that you get significantly more money left in the wallet at the end of the day.
The landscape and the sunshine…
The opportunities for outdoor activities in Australia are truly unlimited thanks to the unbeatable weather with sunshine for most of the time and astonishing scenery. It is a breathtaking thought that the earth's climates are all here and you can lie on the beach one day, for a few hours later go snowboarding in the mountains in some parts of the country!
It is easy to feel at home in Australia. Australians are very friendly, helpful and easy going. In the beginning I was a little surprised when complete strangers greeted us when we were out walking or jogging. Another thing that makes you feel quickly at home is that Australians are incredibly good at remembering names. And not only remember but also pronouncing them correctly, something probably due to the fact that in Australia there are so many people with foreign names from all over the world.
Challenges and rewards
"Working in another country is both challenging and enriching. It gives you the opportunity to stretch your own boundaries and feel you are achieving something outside the comfort of your own culture."
It has been a great experience to see different ways of working and to learn new and other methods. What’s been most positive about working in Australia, I think, is the high level of competence in general in the Australian medical profession, which creates a very good working environment. It is a great support to be surrounded by competent colleagues when you come new to a country. I also experienced a large acceptance of overseas trained doctors and tolerance of migrants who speak English with an accent. Generally, I think that in Australia one is valued because one’s performance instead of ethnicity, class or gender.
I think it is a personal challenge to work in a different way, in another country. If you can handle that transition, which often means that you will have to stretch your own boundaries, at the end of the day you will definitely feel that you achieved something both as a person and as a professional. You will have the experience of a life time, something money cannot buy.
I strongly recommend everyone to take time out from ordinary work at home in your country of residence and to go and see a different way of working and above all, experience life outside of work in a new country. It is not difficult to feel at home in Australia and we will definitely go back!
Read and listen to testimonies from OTD doctors who work in Australia
http://www.doctorconnect.gov.au/internet/otd/publishing.nsf/Content/work-real-experiences
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