Sydney, Australia - Jessica
Where are you originally from?
I am originally from Maryland, USA.
What is your profession?
I am a Phd Candidate at a university in Australia. My research is focused on refugee camps in Serbia, where I lived and worked for three years before moving to Australia.
How long have you lived in Sydney?
I have lived in Sydney, Australia since June 2018.
What is particular about culture in Sydney?
The culture in Sydney is quite different depending on what community you are a part of. I moved here with my partner, who is Serbian, and as I am an international student, we have a lot of international friends here which is quite nice. I’ve really appreciated how diverse Sydney is and the international community that is present here.
What is your favorite thing about Sydney?
We are living near the Sydney harbor, and I love going for walks along the water in the mornings and evenings with our dog. The nature here is really beautiful. There is also a huge coffee and a diverse food culture here, which I really enjoy!
What would you recommend to people who are thinking of moving to Sydney?
I recommend thinking carefully about which neighborhood you are moving to. Traffic between places here can be really frustrating (and tolls are everywhere!). I really enjoy living in Northern Sydney, where we are close to the city, the Northern beaches and even an easy drive to the mountains and wine country. Maybe before committing to a neighborhood, spend some time exploring Sydney, if you can, to you can choose the area that is best suited for you.
What are some things that in your opinion people don’t realize about Sydney?
The city of Sydney (or CBD) is actually quite small, which I didn’t realize before moving here. Sydney is made up of a lot of different neighborhoods across a pretty large area, which each have very distinct cultures.
What has been the hardest part about moving to Sydney?
I think my opinion may be a bit biased considering that about half of my time here has been during the pandemic, but I would say the hardest part has been the distance from the rest of the world. With the border closures and different approach taken to the pandemic down here, I have felt very distanced from everything.
What is your favorite memory of living in Sydney?
I’ve really enjoyed some of the road trips we have taken toward the North of the country – there are some absolutely beautiful sceneries there from beaches to mountains. We were once driving and pulled off when we saw a sign for an organic winery, turns out it is run by a Hungarian man who we spent a very pleasant few hours with reminiscing about the Balkans/Eastern Europe, a beautiful coincidence!
Any places / activities you would recommend to people planning on visiting Sydney?
The trips where have just decided to drive and randomly picked spots on the map to visit along the coast have been truly the best! So, I recommend renting a car and just driving. There are tons of camp sites (if you are into that) and motels/Airbnbs that you can rest in along the way!