Although finding the right home is a huge challenge in Australia, it is not impossible.
Factors such as good luck and pre-immigration relationships may help to get through this phase with minimal losses.
Georgina Maurice says: "We communicated with relatives in Australia before arriving to learn about the areas and services available there. So, we were able to form a preliminary idea before arriving in Australia.”
As for Mr. Mohamed El Gohary, he was fortunate to get the support and help of the members of the Arab community after he communicated with them through social media.
"We had no acquaintance with this man before, but he met us when we arrived in Australia and he took us around the neighbourhoods of Melbourne to introduce us to to them. This helped us a lot in choosing where to live later.”
From here, the journey of searching for the right home in the desired areas begins via the Internet, and the migrant sets a date to go to inspect it well.
Mohamed Elgohary Source: Mohamed Elgohary
The new migrant often experiences his or her first shock when he or she arrives at his appointment to check the house because suddenly he or she is in the middle of competition with many applicants who would like to rent the same house, especially if it is in neighbourhoods close to CBD.
Fatima Shams says about her experience: “We were shocked by this competition, every time we entered a new house, we looked at the faces of those with us and tried to find out if they were local residents, or if they were like us, new or international students. If many of them were locals, we knew straightaway that there was no chance of competing with them for the house.”
The second shock appears when the migrant decides to apply to rent a property. Migrants to Australia think of it as an application for a job because of the large amount of information they have to provide. Its difficulty may vary for an immigrant, depending on his or her knowledge of the English language.
In short, a prospective tenant will be asked for all kinds of documents and evidence to support their application that they would not have as a newly arrived migrant in Australia.
“They were telling us, ‘You don’t have local references or recommendations to complete the application,” says Malda Karsli. “We won’t be able to tell if you will keep the house in good shape and whether you will pay the rent when it is due as we don’t have a record in Australia to support us.”
She added: “…people around us advised us to take any house that would accept us without prior recommendations, even if we did not like it or it did not suit us, to start a local registry for us in the rental real estate market.”
Although Ms Maurice says she initially got help from her relatives, she found the application experience very difficult.
Eman Nabil Source: Eman Nabil
“As new migrants still looking for jobs, it was very difficult to provide proof of work and monthly income. There were houses that limit the number of children allowed in the house and ban any pets in it as well,” she said.
At this point, the migrant will not resist starting to compare this confusing process with how to rent a house in Arab countries.
Mary Labaki says: "We have never been asked for these things in our Arab countries. In Lebanon, the real estate broker chases us to sign the contract, while here they refuse us according to our personal criteria, as if we are applying for a job and not a house.”
Sarah Mohammed added: "What surprised me the most about this process is that when we prepare everything they need, they tell us 'Excuse me, the house has been rented' in an incredibly short period of time.”
Some may give up and have to make a lot of compromises to get a house even neglecting the importance of examining the property carefully before agreeing to rent it.
Ola Ali says: "We gave up trying and were satisfied with a house that no one was satisfied with. It was built in 1984 on a mountain, and its exit was on a highway. We could not access the road from both sides. It was so difficult to leave the house safely.”
“We had other tenants living with us, most notably the giant Australian cockroaches, who were constantly visiting and roaming around.”
Cockroaches... snakes... spiders... the list goes on! You must prepare yourself mentally for the sometimes-deadly Australian wildlife!
Right to left: Georgina Maurice and Safa Samoun Source: Safa Samoun and Georgina Maurice
Far from being shocked to meet these “cute” creatures, you should remember that tenants have rights and obligations.
While they have the right to demand the owner of the property to complete the major repairs, spray it for pests and secure it from insects and reptiles, in return the tenant must take care of the property as if it were actually his or her home.
Here, the new migrant faces a third shock related to the homeowner's powers over the property after signing the contract as the tenant will have to expect periodic real estate agent inspections of the house or unit two or three times per year to make sure that tenants are maintaining the house as they should.
Iman Nabil says: "The first time my husband told me that the agent was coming to visit us, I wondered about the reason for the unjustified visit, and I asked him whether we needed any repairs or maintenance. He told me ‘no, it's the visit to check the house’. I was really shocked. I felt like they are invading my privacy.”
Public Transport and Driving on the left side if the road
When a new migrant decides to move out of the house to go to work or university, Australia will offer them several public transportation options to choose from.
On the other hand, the new migrant will need to educate themselves on how the public transport system works in the different Australian states, to avoid delays or going to places completely different from the one he or she intended to go to.
Maryam Elias says: "The first time I decided to ride the bus with my child, I climbed onto a school bus, and the students laughed at me.”
For his part, Amro Afifi said: "I always used to sit waiting for the bus, worried that I would miss it and be delayed for my appointment, and whether my ticket would still be valid.”
If you intend to drive, driving on the left side of the road for the first time, or a week, or even a whole year, will be one of the unforgettable experiences. Because of a little suffering on the road lurks only those who were already driving before migrating to Australia.
Ms Ola says: "At the beginning of my driving here, I went in the opposite direction of the road, to find a car opposite my car, and there was an 'angel' in it who saved me, or so I called him. He was making a sign that I would be slaughtered. Perhaps others are on the way. I thought it was racist at first, only to find out a few seconds later that I was going to commit an accident that would take my life and possibly others along the way."
Right and Left: Sameh Algawadi and Duaa AlSheikh Source: Duaa AlSheikh and Sameh Algawadi
"I've been driving my car for three years in Australia and I'm still going to the passenger side every time I ride," adds Mohamed El Gohary.
"Australia the country that sleeps"
With the new migrant out of the house frequently, he or she can't ignore the empty streets and the early closing hours of the shops.
This is one of the biggest cultural shocks that faces the new migrants who comes from the hustle and bustle of Arab cities and capitals that do not sleep. This shock may plunge many into depression and isolation until they become accustomed to an early lifestyle like its local residents.
Muhammad says: "I adapted to this lifestyle and it suited me, but the problem is when a day comes and we need something, for example from the pharmacy, we do not find one open at night near us. This is completely different from what we were used to in Egypt.”
A little bit of information may help the new migrant to overcome his disappointment with limited shopping hours.
The law regulates the opening and closing times of commercial premises, and, according to each state, some of them specify the days they are allowed to work during the week.
But this was not always the case in Australia. On April 21, 1856, construction workers quit work and protested to cut their long working hours.
The incident was the first of a string of difficult victories that transformed Australia into one of the world's most progressive business environments by the early 20th Century.
Similarly, retail employees also decided to demand shorter working hours to improve their quality of life.
After decades, their efforts have actually paid off by realising their demands. In 1981, Australia introduced a five-day system for all employees, only 38 hours a week.
Finally, there must be other culture shocks that many experiences when settling in Australia, such as those related to the feeling of belonging to a new home.
For Australia's traditional landowners, one of their elders, Jerry Gangala, explains that, in contrast to the Western attitude towards land and its view of private property, many First Nations’ people believe that land is for everyone.
The Earth welcomes all people and provides them with abundant sustenance. So, we are required to respect the land in return. Respecting this interrelationship with the land is central to Aboriginal culture and is an important concept for all people living in Australia today.
Listen to Australia Explained in Arabic on , , or . Tailored for new and recent migrants to the land Down Under, the podcast helps demystify the quirky habits that embody the Aussie way of life. Listen in as SBS Arabic24 delves into the culture shock experienced by migrants in social spaces, the workplace, school, and more.
