Something about my life in Australia just feels off...
Posted by PowderedKoala@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 99 comments
I've been living in Australia for just under a year, it's my first time living abroad (moved from Ireland). It might purely just be me but something about life here just feels off?
Objectively the country is great, I'm earning way more money than did in Ireland doing a much easier job, for the most part weather is always amazing, it's a very safe country with a lot of beautiful nature. Life here is objectively very good.
Despite all that there's something I can't really put my finger on that makes it feel like Australia will never be a place I feel at home in. Maybe it's because I have very few (like 1, maybe 2) actual close friends here, maybe I just don't vibe with the culture?
Has anyone else felt this? It's like there's not really anything I can point to and say "yeah that's why I feel so down down under", yet I'm not really loving my life here either.
paddlepopkid@reddit
I am Australian and have just returned from the UK, and have already started planning how to get back to London in a way that works. That's despite living in London not making that much sense in terms of finances, childcare etc.
In Australia I feel a sort of depression. I always felt it, and since I left I was overall happier. Since returning I have felt it all again.
I find it too small, too isolating. I don't like suburban life. It could possibly be different if I moved to the inner city, but I can't afford that and am not sure I even want to. I want to be able to leave my house and walk to a cafe, and to have political discussions in the pub. I miss London parks. I don't care for the beach.
I think some places suit different personalities more, and here I feel exactly as some posters below have said: that it is boring, repetitive etc. What's the point of having more money if day to day I am bored?
ProfessionSavings792@reddit
Australia isn't walkable and full of third spaces? It is like the USA? Very capitalistic mindset?
paddlepopkid@reddit
It is walkable in the sense that the air is fresh, there are sidewalks etc. But you need a car to get anywhere. You can't live in the suburbs without a car.
I don't think it's like the USA in the capitalist sense really. Sydney does have that problem moreso than other cities though.
Aus is a very nice place, but I don't think the lifestyle suits everyone. Perhaps it's like Scandinavia - I am sure it's amazing in terms of social care, but I don't think I would want to live there.
NDAussie@reddit
Seeing your cultural identity reflected in a sufficient number of people you interact with, and having the ability and desire to connect with said people (IRL) are what's missing.
ProfessionSavings792@reddit
I think that's huge indeed
maston69@reddit
I found the insular thing to vary a lot depending on location. Sydney, for example, is not a friendly city at all, while Brisbane is far more open and easier to make friends in.
Objective_Paint_5210@reddit
This surprises me as a poc who grew up in Brisbane, it's pretty hostile to me. While my short visit to Sydney seemed really friendly, welcoming and inclusive.
tuileisu@reddit
Oh interesting why do you think that is?
No_Recording1088@reddit
Di you think they're kind reader?!
Foxtrot-0scar@reddit
I disagree. Sydney is one of the best cities in the world for networking and meeting people with real connections. In Brisbane and other cities you just meet nobodies.
ThatMsAnthrope@reddit
European migrant here.
It's lonely.
I've been here close to two decades but the distance globally from everything and your family will always feel odd and a challenge.
It ebbs and flows. I have my partners family now and would never go back as it's objectively a bad financial decision but a part of me will always feel a bit lonely out here.
You have to throw yourself into making friends and starting your own family to mitigate it as best as possible but even then, life in the suburbs is just lonely, especially as everyone starts their own families. Culturally life is also just way less family oriented and social compared to many southern European countries in particular.
It's a beautiful but lonely place.
Aphorism89@reddit
How exactly is it far from other places tho?
In Europe you are about as far from anywhere else too. All the countries in Europe are nearly the same, just drawing a weather and economical line which splits it in 3/4 zones, really.
Want to fly to Africa? Asia? USA? fly over 10 hours. Forget about trips like Hawaii, from Denmark it did take me a huge time travel to get there of 3 flights, one of 3 hours, two of 9 and 12 hours, all in a row.
Australia is relatively close to all of the Polynesian isles, it´s near all of Asia, New Zealand ofc, Australia itself is large on its own to explore. Surely tho, the USA is far away and so is Europe but is not like you ever need to see Europe again, I mean, you can easily replace all the nature there from what is closer to Australia.
Family and friends? I guess if you have many of those then it´s harder. If you think Australia is "lonely", try Scandinavia, where people don´t seem to have a soul other than the 1 or 2 months of summer lol.
ThatMsAnthrope@reddit
I meant far from my family and childhood friends who are all in Europe... Obviously I don't have family in Asia since I emigrated from Europe. If I emigrated from say Italy to UK (as many ppl do) this would not be anywhere near as much of an issue...
Aphorism89@reddit
I get that yeah. I am already living away for 12 years, so I guess I am over that already and it´s hard to imagine it being a thing. I would imagine that it depends on the person too: someone socially active will factor this vs someone who doens´t care much about socializing.
But I think that often times we forget that the world is pretty small. Today, in one day, you travel from one side to the other. It´s of course a matter of money more than anything else. So that is a positive thinking there :)
Careful_Ad5394@reddit
It's far from everywhere boofhead
Aphorism89@reddit
No need to be disrespectful.
And no, is not far from "everywhere", it is closer to the asian part of the world, to NZ, to the polynesian isles...some people care more about those places than Europe or even the USA East coast.
rainbaron@reddit
My mate has been living over there for 20+ years and says it's the SSDC same shit, different country.
Clearly the climate is better but the routine of life in his words has nothing to do with location. It's the same ole, same ole.
He doesn't miss the UK but does miss his friends. Says he has friends there but it's not the same, the relationships lack depth.
I guess it is, what it is.
_TTYN@reddit
All my friendships with people over there lack depth too
rainbaron@reddit
Yer I get it.
Wherever you originate from you'll have one or two old friends that you went through school, college or university with.
Then you move abroad and it's only work friends. Most people try to keep away from their colleagues not invite them over to meet the wife. So it's a catch 22.
Living in a different country is what you make it.
dallyan@reddit
As I’ve gotten older and lived in many different countries I’ve realized that it’s mostly about people. I just want to be around family and good friends. If I have that I can be fine most places.
rainbaron@reddit
Absolutely you nailed it. The biggest challenge when you move abroad, you leave behind your friend network. So the good friends bit becomes increasingly difficult.
That_Quality_8957@reddit
This
PappaOftwoKids@reddit
I think a lot of people experience this during their 1st year abroad. Even if everything looks great on paper - better salary, weather, safety - there’s still a feeling of not quite belonging yet.
When I first moved cities I noticed the same thing. It wasn’t one big issue, it was more about missing familiar culture and having fewer close connections.
Usually things start to improve once you build a small circle of friends or routines.
PappaOftwoKids@reddit
I think a lot of people experience this during their 1st year abroad. Even if everything looks great on paper - better salary, weather, safety - there’s still a feeling of not quite belonging yet.
When I first moved cities I noticed the same thing. It wasn’t one big issue, it was more about missing familiar culture and having fewer close connections.
Usually things start to improve once you build a small circle of friends or routines.
PappaOftwoKids@reddit
I think a lot of people experience this during their 1st year abroad. Even if everything looks great on paper - better salary, weather, safety - there’s still a feeling of not quite belonging yet.
When I first moved cities I noticed the same thing. It wasn’t one big issue, it was more about missing familiar culture and having fewer close connections.
Usually things start to improve once you build a small circle of friends or routines.
Zealousideal-You6712@reddit
It takes a while. I emigrated from the UK to the US 36 years ago. I must say it took a few years to fit in. The language may be English, but I didn't understand half the things people were saying, especially with all the sports references in slang.
After I got my Green Card I felt more settled. Now I cannot imagine anything else but being American, regardless of what the government does. I finally feel at home, I ended up remarrying an American lady. My children are American, my step children are American, and the UK is but a distant memory I came to happily forget about.
Yes, being far from family, especially when my parents passed away, was difficult but now that's just life. I went from being an expat to being an immigrant to being a citizen, but it took a while. To those in my neighborhood I'm still the old, deaf, British guy, but it doesn't bother me anymore. It's a fun nickname almost, they mean nothing by it and I'm finally happy and content where I am.
Mr_Lumbergh@reddit
Aussies seem to have their friend group from primary school and aren’t necessarily looking to add more. I’ve found it harder to meet new folks here, but once you do get through I find them to be solid friends.
slappingactors@reddit
Foreigners say this exact thing of other countries, too, I noticed, that the [insert demonym] have their old friends groups and aren’t looking to add more…. It suggests that it’s a universal feeling that foreigners who are trying to integrate into another country experience.
JoshWestNOLA@reddit
I even hear it when I talk about moving to other cities within the US (I live in New Orleans, not really looking to leave but I think about it). Keep getting told people in a certain city are very “cliquish.” I think they just have enough friends, don’t need more.
iiamiami@reddit
Hear me out, but I think a lot of it (for Europeans at least) is the lack of real, old history. Even if you aren't into history or don't particularly notice it Europe is teeming with history everywhere, even in the most mundane places, which somehow makes it feel more real (as opposed to places like Dubai and relatively young cities which just feel artificial and somewhat shallow). Almost like you're part of a shared history rather than being part of building it. Idk if that even makes sense.
You can walk into a mini-mart in London and it's in a 200 year old building, offices in Paris in converted 300 year old buildings, the stone wall you lean against while waiting for the bus is hundreds of years old and has seen many things.
Europeaninoz@reddit
I agree with you. I didn’t even realise that this was important for me, history was just a backdrop, something I took for granted. I’ve been living in Australia for nearly 14 years now and desperately miss old castles, palaces, museums on every corner…
ohakeyhowlovely@reddit
I recommend some deep reading on indigenous history. It won’t solve this, but it might change your perspective a little.
syddyke@reddit
This is a fair bit of it for me. Australia is a great place to live, but I really long for a sense of history which is so easily satisfied in England, my birth country. History, architecture, easy access to Europe and the way of life - I just think I'm more suited to England than Australia. It's been this way since I last had to move here in 1981, and subsequent trips back confirm this.
Hopey_Lilliput@reddit
Returnee here.
I lived 3 years in Australia and 8 years in NZ, before returning to Italy one year ago. OP, your feelings are legit and no one can tell you otherwise. Many people love living there, adjust well and so on. I did too - had a great and very well paid career, traveled as much as I could, made many friends, did lots of sport and left way healthier than I arrived. And yet, I knew two weeks in that NZ wasn't my place and that never changed. I felt bored by the lack of complexity and unchallenged, especially culturally.
If it can be helpful, coming back to Italy after so long has been a challenge in many ways (it's taking ages to adjust) but one year in, I feel inside it was the right thing to do. And for those who say that workwise it's a downgrade, I earn even more than I did in NZ (and this is Italy, we all know salaries here suck!)
Only you can decide what to do. Just be prepared that with more complexity come bigger challenges. Be sure you're equipped.
ohakeyhowlovely@reddit
Thanks for this. I’m doing the reverse shortly, moving from Spain back to New Zealand, post divorce and think it’s time to be closer to family. However, I am very concerned about monolingualism, the lack of cultural depth, and the early to bed mentality that has restaurants closing at 8:00pm. However, the pull for home has finally come so I guess I’ll have to see how it all works out!
Far-Tourist-3233@reddit
I felt the same about NZ
CisLynn@reddit
The Irish are the most welcoming kind people. It’s a special place. You know they say if the Irish didn’t drink they’d rule the world. Ireland other than weather is a special world. Sorry you’re missing the joy of friendly folks. Unfortunately the US has gotten the same way. Covid changed the world. Hugs
yes_its_me_alright@reddit
Are you Irish? Have you been there?
U_feel_Me@reddit
A similar statement was made about the Italians by (I think) Bill Bryson. Their design and creativity was so remarkable to him. He said something like “If they just had the Japanese ability to get things to be in the right place at the right time, they’d rule the world.”
Accaracca@reddit
Completely anecdotal, but someone described Australia as boring. A lot of go home, go to work sort of living with little room for much else. That could be totally wrong of course
verveine_yoga@reddit
Welcome to adulting. Expecting life to be a great party from your 20's onwards is total delulu. A lot of people don't have realistic expectations about life. You will work and go home and if you have a little free time you can use towards going to the beach, exercise, dinner, cultural stuff, etc but the day will continue to have only 24hrs. If you don't change your mindset your life will be boring. Appreciate it more.
RoundAd4247@reddit
"Adulting", "delulu". Jesus.
meron_meron@reddit
I will never understand why people say this, I'm in my 30s and my life is "a great party". I've prioritised friends, fun, growth and as a result my life is super exciting. Your life is what you make of it.
Particular_Bother309@reddit
The norm of living to work is baked into the Anglo sphere mentality and is, of course, much different in most European countries.
thishappensnow@reddit
Do you work at a bank? Adulting? You’re in an expat forum describing a dull life as being normal. You sound like the delusional one. Maybe you should move
Accaracca@reddit
I appreciate life plenty, but thanks for the diatribe
CuriousLands@reddit
Yeah I thought the same lol, I thought that was adult life pretty much everywhere. You spend most of your time working, commuting, and taking care of yourself and your home; you cram in some time with friends and family around that. Maybe it'd be ideal to have more time with people and activities we care about, sure, but also it's just how life is.
Professional_Elk_489@reddit
Surely it depends on where you live. I found Dublin boring compared to Melbourne and I would just die if I had to live in Athlone, Leitrim, Tipperary Town, Dundalk etc
PowderedKoala@reddit (OP)
That's probably true, but I didn't notice because Ireland is exactly the same. Both are very car-centric countries. Go to work then hop in your car and commute to your home then wake up and do it again tomorrow.
DeeHarperLewis@reddit
I’ve never been to Australia but I can relate to the feeling of moving to another country and feeling that things are off. All the tiny things that make life comfortable and familiar are gone. In time, you will establish a new rhythm but it will not be the same. I guarantee there are many, many expats like you who are feeling exactly the same. You have to find the expat community. I’m sure Meetup or Internations or online organizations like that can help you find a group of like-minded people.
I ended up going back to my home country (after 22 years lol) but if I had to do it all over again I would do things differently. I had the false expectation that I would meet locals and integrate into their circles. Wrong. Once people have a nice friend group it’s pretty closed unless you are attracted in some way.
You have to be very proactive when it comes to meeting friends and because the expat community can be very transient, you have to meet lots of people.
Lucky_Sport_8280@reddit
IMO never underestimate how big an impact weather can play on your adjustment to a new country! Also, the equator can take a LONG tome to get used to. I'm 16 years on the other side of the equator and still haven't adjusted to having Christmas in the summer and cold July's. The local friend factor can take some time.
Have you tried volunteering? Have you travelled within the country? It may be the city and not the country that's not sitting well with you. Hope you find your stride!
No_Recording1088@reddit
Few years ago the Ceo of Harvey Norman chain of shops in Ireland did an interview on one of the r
Charming-Secret-928@reddit
You are more evol when you hacker up you chance are close to none.
Melodic-Finger-4337@reddit
I’m from Australia, and I always always felt that way there. I’ve moved the Canada and have lived here since May 2025, and feel so much more at home here, like I belong here.
Sometimes you just belong to certain places, the land. Others you don’t. Maybe that’s why? A new friend of mine here said my astrogeography places me here, and there may be something to that. People like me more here, too. Like I just….fit. But yeah, I can resonate with your feelings on Australia. It’s also a very isolated country. Hope you find some peace whatever you do!
Bonz07@reddit
Lived there for 5 years, beautiful country, beautiful people. But it is just too isolated, being far away from good tourism destinations, friends, family. It just gets boring. I know there are great spots in Australia for holidays. But it just become repetitive after a certain point. At least I felt that way, even though I had plenty of local and international friends thanks to my school and work. Ended up going to a country where I dont speak the language but since I am in the middle of Europe, it feels much better. At least this works for me this way, of course there are plenty of people who just want to have PR and live there forever
Green-Size-7475@reddit
Where in Australia did you live? I lived there for a year. Six months Tamborine Mtn, six months on the Gold Coast. So much tourism in that area.
Bav1to@reddit
Not too relevant, but do you come across a lot of big spiders?
Previous_Rip_9351@reddit
You've only been here a year. Not long at all. Give it 5 years before you know how you feel
Nze-Agbalaku@reddit
I guess it's the same dissatisfaction that made you move on the same place. If it is, then it's nothing to do with the place rather the self. In that case, You'll need some serious introspection to discover the self within. Once you do, fulfillment follows
EmploymentOk2028@reddit
I feel the exact same way. I’m moving back to the USA hopefully in less than 2 years. I hope I survive the 2 years waiting period
DanBennettDJB@reddit
Yes I had that so I came back to Europe...
Now I'm already planning another trip to Oz (years 2 3 of my work holiday).
I had the exact same feeling a year in
Most Australians are quite close minded and honestly it felt a bit like a weird dream livingthere , but I'm not sure how much of that was COVID
I plan to go back to do it properly but I don't think for me it will ever be a forever home .
Mustardly@reddit
Yeah they can be close minded. There is still racism there (pretty bad) but it is way less violent than American racism (as a comparison). The place is more insular than it realizes- although a lot depends on where you live.
I liked is there but I don't really miss it after leaving.
BoshMachine@reddit
Funny, I've just moved to the UK from aus and have seen more open racism in my 6 months here than I ever did in Melbourne.
Mustardly@reddit
Oh its a very different kind of racism in the UK. Much more overt for sure.
I did spend most of my time out in the countryside - I would guess it's alot worse there.
BoshMachine@reddit
Racism is definitely worse in the country, that's for sure. But it's disappointing to me that quitw a few British working holiday makers seem to come away with the impression that every Australian is racist and close-minded and dumb because they worked on a banana farm in rural Queensland for 6 months.
I've found a disappointing number of people in the UK to be insular and close-minded as well. For example, people who have lived there whole lives in England without visiting London once because it's apparently a 'shithole', using racist and outdated terminology to refer to indigenous Australians ect.
It cuts both ways really.
Picklepicklezz@reddit
Some of the most racist people I met in Oz were ex pat Brits!( im a brit too btw)!
Mustardly@reddit
Ah dude, you misunderstand me - I never said they were stupid and close minded. That is your interpretation.
Also - didn't say the UK was any better - just different. I don't live there now either.
PowderedKoala@reddit (OP)
Yeah funny enough I was talking to a French backpacker and I said to him "who knows, maybe I'll move back to Ireland and after a few months say 'nah fuck this I'm going back to Australia'".
I've met a few close minded Australians, but mostly to me it just seems they're only interested in being mates with other Aussies - that's not unique to Australia though I've heard that about every country on this subreddit. I get along very well with other European backpackers here but I'm sure if I moved to any European country I'd struggle to connect with the local population.
I considered moving to continental Europe after Australia as well, but as you say Europe doesn't seem as prosperous as it once was.
DanBennettDJB@reddit
Yes be careful with a return to Europe.
I'm English living in Paris and its pretty ropey compared to Sydney.
Australians are famous for keeping a close circle but it reflects the country.
Have you tried branching out a bit with meetup.com or Facebook groups?
PowderedKoala@reddit (OP)
Nah, to be honest I haven't been that outgoing so that's on me. I'm planning to travel a bit more and meet some more people before I leave though.
What's so ropey about Paris? It was on my list of places I was considering in Europe but affording to live in Paris on a French salary seemed hard, then trying to do it when my French is on the level of a toddler seems almost impossible.
Is it purely cost of living you struggle with or something else?
DanBennettDJB@reddit
Cost of living is fine, I have a London salary in paris.
It's just the lack of space, greenery, how many crazies and homeless everywhere. It's a pretty overwhelming city (more so than London) and french people are impossible to work with.
BoshMachine@reddit
London is 10x more overwhelming than Paris. Paris is relaxed in comparison.
DanBennettDJB@reddit
Its individual perception
To me Paris is way more overwhelming it's impossible to avoid the dense bits
Is Oxford street super overwhelming? Yes but you could live in Stoke Newington, Hampstead, crouch end, west hampstead, Greenwich, Dulwich, crystal palace , richmond etc
Paris has very few relevant boroughs that aren't rammed af
ballsack-vinaigrette@reddit
You can't find greenery in Paris?
DanBennettDJB@reddit
Not to the same scale as London, and famously so. The few parks it has are mega rammed on sunny days as Bois de Vincennes/ Boulogne lack the charm and car free nature of Londons parks
Sosolidclaws@reddit
London is way more overwhelming and shitty than Paris, in my experience.
DanBennettDJB@reddit
Eh London feels like a collection of villages to me, and you can go like weeks without going to 'central' London as it's super decentralised.
Everything in Paris runs through Chatelet and during busy periods it's way more dense than London.
Also London's green spaces (Richmond, Hampstead, the parks) are much bigger and more impressive
explosivekyushu@reddit
It's not really wanting to only be friends with other Aussies, it's that Australia is so heavily centralised- most of us live in the capital cities. And not just that, most of us live in the capital city that we were either born in, or closest to where we were born. There's not a huge amount of mobility. Most of us are friends with the people we went to primary and high school with, we add a few newcomers during university. But in any case, when you arrive off the plane, in most occasions you're trying to break into social circles that have been settled for a decade.
Picklepicklezz@reddit
Spent 6 months travelling round Oz years ago( im a Brit) and loved the nature but the whole lack kf history and culture put me off There was something badly missing it just felt there was no substance.I also found a lot od underlying racism and misogny even in some big cities
Phocaea1@reddit
Just a suggestion; I’ve had time working/living away and it can be hard. Any clubs you can join? I’m in a TTRPG group and its great for newcomers. Any interests?
U_feel_Me@reddit
OP, being born in a place and growing up in that place gives you a lot of social connections that we just take for granted.
You are sensing that lack of shared society.
I moved across the ocean to live in a very different culture, and rebuilding social connections is essentially a second job. I have to invest in A LOT of people, and watch most “potential friendships” kind of drift into nothingness. In other words, if I am friendly to 100 people, 10 return the friendliness, and 1 becomes a person I find a common interest with.
CuriosTiger@reddit
Are you sure this isn’t just homesickness?
raininggumleaves@reddit
I'm Aussie and it's more difficult making friends here than anywhere else I've visited or lived.
Curious-Candle4509@reddit
It's difficult living abroad because we don't have those long-term friendships we have back home. However one benefit of being an expat is that when you meet other expats it can be easier to connect as you share a common ground and identity of being an expat. That's something that you can harness by joining expat communities. It's also good to join a hobbie where you go to frequently and it usually takes maybe 6-8 months to build friendships from it. I would also say it's good to have friends that you can co-regulate with, so choose friends who are active listeners who you can go to for talking about how you're feeling, knowing they will listen without judgement as that will help and the more friends that you feel emotionally close with and have shared experiences with the more you will feel belonging. It can be difficult at first to socialise when we feel lonely and less secure than living in our home country but it can get easier. Also, it may be worth exploring the parts of you that you're struggling with in therapy so you can put yourself out more and feel more socially connected.. I talk about this on my blog which you can read if it resonates :) https://innerchildwork.co.uk/somatic-online-therapy-for-expats/
Abject_Ad_923@reddit
From my own experience — I've lived in Australia most of my life and only got my first real taste of relocation recently. I have a very tight circle that stems from high school, which I think is actually really common here. And I agree — whilst I'm genuinely grateful for everything Australia offers, it's the small things that set off that feeling. Hard to name but you feel it.
Did you find it hit you gradually or did it creep up on you all at once?
Soulnomad1955@reddit
Find yourself a good Irish bar, and you'll feel at home.
rosstafarien@reddit
It's that the sun is on the wrong side. Always felt that way.
DanBennettDJB@reddit
Lol I had not even considered this
HVP2019@reddit
I am curious, did you expect that foreign country will have “fits like a glove” feel?
Europeaninoz@reddit
Sometimes it does. I felt at home when I moved to England. Naively expected that the move to Australia will be the same. 14 years later and it still doesn’t feel like home!
nurseynurseygander@reddit
I’m an Australian by birth, and love the country, but I don’t really vibe with a lot of the culture either TBH. I am much more comfortable in many ways in other places I’ve been in APAC even though I will always be an outsider there. (I also don’t vibe with Japan oddly enough). I don’t think you need a nicely packaged reason, some places fit your sensibilities and others don’t, it’s a whole-of-blend thing IMO.
legsjohnson@reddit
I've noticed people who come in without a work or study community to find friends in tend to struggle. I've been here 20 years and I'm self employed so no work friends, but I have a big friend group and I met them all in uni or through other friends.
zvdyy@reddit
As a fellow migrant to NZ (which shares a lot of cultural DNA with Australia, it's definitely your social circle. This is true especially if you have a great social circle in Ireland and left everything behind.
My suggestion is to find an interest and build friends from there. It can be a hobby, sports, tramping groups, politics, whatever etc. Get into multiple as long as you like them and find the people in the organisation palatable. Any friendship you happen to build stick with it unless they are indeed too toxic
meuh32@reddit
Pretty much my experience here, and I have been living in Australia for almost 10 years.
You have only been here for 1 year, it takes time to settle...as other people mentioned Aussies tend to stay within their group. My advice would be to find groups on Meetup, maybe you can find a group where you can share your hobbies? Is there any sport or activities that you could do in your community centre? Also I met a lot of other migrants at work, most of my social circle is from there.
brasssica@reddit
It's because you're upside down?
andrealmo@reddit
100% agree with the comment saying that 1 year is not a long time for one to feel settled in a new country. I have actually relocated to... Ireland, haha, a few years ago. It took me around 4 years to finally build a bigger, stronger social circle that makes me feel more at home.
Shibari_Inu69@reddit
You went from a place with a lot of history to a much younger nation. There's a lot more context from one culture that you aren't finding in the new one, is my guess.
Fickle-Friendship998@reddit
One year is really not long enough to get fully integrated, give it some more time
23odyssey@reddit
I think maybe it’s mostly the social aspect of it. If you had a bigger social circle, you would probably feel more included and part of the culture there. And you could be secretly homesick on top of everything else which is completely natural. Seems like you like Australia enough to put koala in your handle. 😁Just give a little more time and see how it goes.