Hi I’m Sarah,
I’m from Vancouver, Canada, with a Romanian heritage. I came to the Gold Coast to study a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) at Griffith University! I arrived on the Gold Coast in September 2022 to begin my studies in Trimester 3.
Before arriving in Australia, I did all the preparation I thought I needed, and I researched for years to prepare myself for every detail that would entail my arrival. When I arrived, I realised I had barely scratched the surface of the important things I needed to know before arriving here.
You may be told that you need to find accommodation, get a bank account, or get a SIM card when arriving, but these general suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg for how much you’ll need to know in your first couple of months of living in Australia.
Details are difficult to predict from an offshore perspective, which is why I hope this article about five things I learned in my first month of arriving in Australia will clear up a few more things you might need to know right away.
Arriving at the Griffith University Gold Coast campus.