What started as a random chat at Matso’s in Broome turned into one of those conversations you don’t forget.

In this episode, we sit down with Lesley-Anne Merrigan, who left Dublin earlier this year and is now backpacking her way through Australia. She’s currently in Broome completing her 88 days of farm/regional work on a Working Holiday Visa — the requirement you need to tick off if you want to apply for a second year in Australia.

We talk about what pushed her to leave Ireland (career frustration, cost of living, feeling stuck), and what it’s actually been like landing in remote WA. The heat. The isolation. The culture shock. The “what have I done?” moments. And then — the shift — when uncertainty starts to feel like freedom.

We also get into something that doesn’t get talked about enough in backpacker circles: understanding and respecting Indigenous Australian culture, especially in regional towns where you’re far more exposed to the realities of the country than you are in the big cities.

If you’re thinking about doing your 88 days, applying for a second-year visa, or you’re already here questioning your life choices — this episode will feel very familiar.

We chat about:

• Why she left Dublin (and why London and Dubai weren’t the answer)

• What the 88 days really look like on a Working Holiday Visa

• Why doing regional work can give you more leverage for sponsorship later

• Cost of living: Ireland vs Australia

• Broome backpacker life, slang, and “Broome time”

• Learning to live with uncertainty instead of fighting it

Follow Lesley-Anne on Instagram: @lesleyannemerrigan

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• Follow us for more updates:
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelondonerinsydney/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LondonerInSydney
• Read our Australian Travel Blog: https://londonerinsydney.com/

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We’re recording live from the van in Geraldton, Western Australia (WA’s Midwest) — and in this episode we’re joined by Nina, a UK secondary teacher who moved to the small and remote Western Australia town, Geraldton.Nina breaks down what it’s actually like relocating to regional WA as an overseas-qualified teacher: how the WA Government recruitment process works, what support is available (including relocation and housing help), and the realities of paperwork (police checks, qualification evidence, transcripts… the lot). We also chat about lifestyle in Geraldton, ocean swims, diving trips up north (Ningaloo/Shark Bay), and why WA’s climate and work-life balance can feel very different to the UK — and even the East Coast of Australia.If you’re wondering what it's like as a British teacher in Australia, or even how to become a teacher in Australia from UK, this one’s packed with practical insights and honest takeaways.Follow Nina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninalovesthewater/ WA Government – Teachers from overseas (how to apply):https://www.education.wa.edu.au/teachers-from-overseas_____________________________________________________________

Follow us for daily updates: - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelondonerinsydney/- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@londonerinsydney

- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LondonerInSydney- Read our free travel guides and expat tips for moving to Australia: https://londonerinsydney.com/- Listen to our podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fhCapTte76VGRqlgwuvyP_____________________________________________________________Watch more of our living in Australia videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLGVxAhrCJc&t=28shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNmPZDz66C4&t=254shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r15r2bcHk9Y&t=52shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWXFWzWskrc&t=1shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gcZpooIFEc&t=588s

What happens after the big lap ends, the boxes are unpacked, and the “new life” becomes everyday life?

In this episode of The Expat Reality Podcast, Annie and Steve sit down in person with returning guests Emma and Kieran (watch Emma's previous episode here) to hear what the last 15 months have really been like since their move from Sydney to Margaret River, Western Australia.

We talk about the shift from feeling like a visitor to becoming a resident, why community doesn’t magically appear when you relocate, and the practical steps they took to build connection, purpose, and belonging.

Emma shares how volunteering (including community pantry work and local conservation initiatives) opened doors into the community, and Kieran explains why he launched a local chapter of Tough Guy Book Club as a way to tackle male loneliness and create a simple, structured space for men to connect.

Along the way, we cover the realities of expat friendship-making, the lifestyle contrast between big-city living and a smaller regional town, and the unexpected ways place, values, and life stage shape what “settled” actually means.

If you’re considering a move, feeling stuck in the in-between, or wondering how to find your people in Australia, this one will resonate.

We accidentally lost the video recording of this podcast episode so there's no video for this one sorry!

Episode highlights

• UK to Australia, the big lap, and why Margaret River became “the place”

• The difference between being a tourist and being a resident

• Volunteering as a shortcut to community and belonging

• Making friends as an adult expat: what actually works

• Kieran’s Tough Guy Book Club chapter and the conversation around male loneliness

• Lifestyle contrasts: Sydney vs Margaret River (nature, pace, produce, and day-to-day life)

• Why “settled” is often built intentionally, not discovered

Follow Emma

• Instagram: @weirhere (Emma) — https://www.instagram.com/weirhere/

Tough Guy Book Club

• Find a local chapter / learn more — https://www.toughguybookclub.com/find_us

• Start a chapter — https://www.toughguybookclub.com/start_a_chapter

Listen / watch / follow The Expat Reality Podcast

• YouTube (video podcast) — https://www.youtube.com/@LondonerInSydney

• Instagram (our main channel) — https://www.instagram.com/thelondonerinsydney/

• Website - https://londonerinsydney.com/

Resources

• Get a FREE Visa Assessment with True Blue Migration Services by mentioning 'Londoner In Sydney' - https://truebluemigration.com/assessment/

• 10% off Star RV Motorhomes - Code: LIS10

• Download the exact same finance tracker we used to save $50K in 8 Months. Discount code: ANNABEL10 - https://coplenty.com/annabel