“They say it takes a village to raise a baby. When you’re moving to a new country, it is exactly like that. You’re building a life from scratch as you open your eyes to a whole new world. 

My Down Under journey started in 2016 when I got my PR but I only jumped on a plane in 2018 after carefully assessing all the new opportunities and experiences that were going to come my way. I was living a pretty good life, working as a general manager in one of India’s reputed firms. However, I felt I needed to be in a place where I could fully explore my capabilities. I wondered if I could have a better sense of belonging and then followed my gut.

I planned, did in-depth research, saved, and arrived with the intent of looking for work, travelling a bit, and having a year to sort life. Australia turned out to be one of the most naturally beautiful places I’ve been to. One can experience all the seasons in their glory here. And the best things are for free – the beach, the sunshine and the clean air.

My lowest phase came when I started looking for jobs. Despite being thoroughly organised, nothing worked. I was one of the most qualified professionals in my field and to land here with only entry-level job offers felt like a significant disregard to my prior work experience. Nevertheless, I persevered. I had not expected my migrant journey to be all glossy, but even when you anticipate challenges, you don’t expect them to shake your sense of self-worth. 

You go through a stressful time when you’re building a new life. Between looking for a house, trying to understand the language, keeping in touch with family, finding a new social circle, figuring out where to eat and what to eat, what to buy and meeting deadlines in your job – it can get too much. I learn you will need to be kind to yourself. Today, I have a senior role in my organisation and serve on the board of a youth charity. I also recently co-founded a not-for-profit organisation to help migrants like me get all the support they need, called ‘Intcoll’. It’s my way to give back to the community for the support I got as a new migrant. If you would like to help as well, please donate to my birthday fundraiser (https://bit.ly/396wqn8).”