We are getting a lot of questions on why we chose to move to Australia. So, we made a list:

1. Azeena's family is there and we want to get to know them and of her culture better. Plus, her Dadi (dad's mom) isn't getting any younger.

2. We are young, have no kids, or mortgage. We have been together for a while and are planning a life together but there is still so much we want to experience. We have been talking about moving to a new city for a while now but hadn't picked one until this year. Some places that were in the running: London, New York, Seattle, Boston, and Chicago... in case you were curious.

3. We are very excited to experience Australia's low air pollution, unspoiled nature, low population density, climate, and wildlife. We plan to do a lot of traveling within the country as well as the rest of the South Pacific - Fiji, New Zealand, Polynesian islands, etc.

4. Australia has a strong economy and their unemployment rate is around 5% so we are not worried about getting a job . We are excited to build and diversify our resumes. We will both be working there so we will still have income coming in and Azeena's family is providing us with a roof for as long as we need.

5. Once we are settled in Australia with jobs, we will be looking for a 2 bedroom flat in Sydney so friends and family will have a place to stay when visiting. This will be the first time that Kevin and I will be living without roommates, (as much as we really like Craig - our current roomie) we are sssssoooooo excited to have a place to ourselves.

6. We would like more passport stamps. It has always been a goal to get a whole book filled out.

7. They make it easy to move there - easy to get and transfer utilities, fast and easy visa process, a visa that allows you to holiday (travel) and work for a year, the public transit in Sydney is good, and everyone already speaks english. There’s also a comparatively low crime rate.

8. Diverse Population - 1 out of 4 Australians were born overseas or has a parent that was. They celebrate their diverse population on March 21st - Harmony Day. Based on a census done from 2000 to 2016, many of Australia's migrants come from New Zealand, India, United Kingdom, China, South Africa, Philippines, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Iran, and Sudan.

9. Australians have a reputation for being laid back and friendly. People are much more likely to give you the time of day in Australian cities compared with other cities around the world.

9.5. For each year of service with his or her employer, an employee is entitled to a minimum of 4 weeks of paid annual leave, unless the employee is a shiftworker, in which case he or she is entitled to a minimum of 5 weeks of paid annual leave. Every employee is also entitled to 10 to 13 paid public holidays depending on the state and territory.

10. It's a new experience!

1. Apply for Holiday/Work Visa - DONE! (End of January)

1.5. Purchase 1 way tickets - DONE! (June 7)

2. Start applying to Jobs (April - Sept)

3. Start Downsizing (May)

4. Have an apartment sale! (June)

5. Open an international bank, look into phone plans and travel insurance, and get vaccines/physicals/dental cleanings. (July)

6. Start Packing and buying things specific to the trip. (Aug)

7. Drive down to LA with our things + reroute our mail (Mid/Late Sept)

8. Cancel Memberships, Change Car Insurance, and photocopy important documents. (Oct)

9. Have a Going Away Party + Move. (Nov)

10. Do our Taxes (March 2020)

11. Back in the States (November/December 2020)