Have no idea how to move home after being a long term Aussie overseas?
Neither did our founder LJ Ferrara, who was then living in Hong Kong.
A few years back, LJ found herself in the same position that many have been in before her. It was time to move home to Australia. LJ left Australia in 2001 with a cute boyfriend and excess luggage to work for a few years in London. In 2018 LJ finally started the process of moving home, complete with hubby (yes, the same cute boyfriend), a Third Culture kid teenager, who was also an international boarding school kid and a rescue dog from Hong Kong called Lulu. Combine that with household items and memories accumulated over nineteen years abroad, collected lovingly (often after a few little quibbles) through many countries and it is a daunting task.
Strangely enough, moving home was harder than moving to another country. For nearly four years, between three house moves, another country move, repatriating, re-discovering Australia, working, covid lockdowns and running a family, LJ Ferrara happily volunteered her time to help our members through a Facebook page. Only Aussie Expats with genuine ties to Australia, are admitted to the group and she maintains this even now and will continue to do this to ensure authenticity. In fact, the first 9,000 members of the Facebook group were all admitted by LJ, at all hours of the day and night. It has been a mammoth job helped mostly by her shocking sleeping habits.
After suffering the repatriation blues, LJ started running events in Sydney and facilitating volunteer-led events around Australia, which are hugely popular and help returning Aussie Expats find people just like them to talk to and listen to. After doing this for many years with the Australian Association in Hong Kong, LJ loved welcoming new Aussies and connecting them with others and with tried and tested businesses. It was from here that the ‘Tried and Trusted’ ethos began and has been in place since the day Aussie Expats Coming Home was founded.
It is LJ’s mantra that to shout about successess or great experiences is the best way to find great businesses and support those that provide them. One of the key lessons that LJ gained during her years overseas is the importance of sharing knowledge. She is a firm believer that there is no need to re-invent the wheel, especially not when you have made the huge decision to move home. Letting the experience of others guide and help you during one of the most stressful times in your lives can only be a blessing.
After providing thousands with help, resources and referrals, our website came along in 2022 to fulfil the fast growing demand to have information all in one place.
