Ali Barış Güvenkaya moved to Sydney in 2013 with a sudden decision.. Currently, she still lives there and seems quite happy as you can see from the interview.. This interview has been a pretty good resource for anyone seriously considering moving to Australia, as she had a hard time finding enough resources online before she moved to Sydney.. Because it can be said that Barış shared with us all kinds of information that he believed he could not reach.. (This sentence felt like Ali Barış Güvenkaya opened the doors of his house only to OitheBlog)
We owe him a debt of gratitude, you know, because there was a very detailed and useful interview.
Sydney looks like the other end of the world when viewed from Turkey. A culture that we think is both very distant and very different.. Why did you choose Sydney despite such reasons?
It will be clearer if I summarize the reasons for choosing Australia as follows;
– 3. Having a well-established understanding of democracy and human rights compared to the countries of the world, and a human-oriented understanding contrary to the monetary-oriented approach of the United States
-Canada’s main cities (Brisbane, Perth, Sydney) are tropical in summer and winter, instead of cold climate
-Contrary to Europe, the number of Turks is quite low, but Turkish-Australian peoples are connected by a common historical past
-Fascism and ignorance are minimally felt and the general society it has no place in its structure and culture.
-It is the intersection point of cultures coming from 4 corners of the world.
I think it is necessary to learn different cultures by going out of the “comfort zone” in order to know and understand oneself.
Do you think Sydney is the right choice for English education? We know that the Australian accent is a little different, did this cause you trouble?
If I had to give an advice to Turkish people who want to study in Australia, I think Hub Education is a competent institution. strong> must be evaluated. This institution, which taught me the true meaning of the word education, is run by a successful Turk who is passionate about his job.. No matter what foreign language it is, it is necessary to stop laziness and try to hear and understand.. Sydney is the right choice for learning English. But if you buy your ticket and leave before you reach a certain level, you will have difficulty.. Accent differences are everywhere. Think like in Turkey. Less common in big cities, more common in small places. I think accent differences are there to color the language, not to be difficult, and I think it’s quite enjoyable.
What do you think about life in Sydney? Can you say I would do it again? Are the living conditions really better than in Turkey, as predicted?
“No worries, no dramas”. Worry and drama should not have a place in human life.. The state has provided it here.. 3. In the countries of the world, human life has no real value.. If someone dies here, they make news for a week, they make documentaries about it.. No one watches TV or that is another matter.. No matter where you live, there are parks tens of times larger than Gezi Park, within 5-10 minutes walking distance from your home.. Between the pavement and the road, there are green areas in every region except the inner city.. You can’t see the car parked on the pavement. There are historical trees 100-200 years old in all ordinary streets.. Ambulance – the arrival of fire trucks in case of need is measured in seconds. Public transport is at least 20 shirts away compared to Istanbul. There is a standing passenger transport limit on buses (18 people). Laws are followed by everyone. There is no place for cunning, fox, mafia, bully, pervert.. Safe day and night. If you are not drunk, you can enter any place with a waving hand, no one treats you as a second class person just because there is no woman with you.. Men and women, from 7 to 70, everyone lives under equal conditions.. Everyone pays their taxes and the taxes paid go back to the people somehow. There is income equality among the people and this has obvious reflections on the culture.. There is equality of income and equality of social status between the garbage collector and the office worker.. Everyone is respectful to each other. There are no people trying to gain status with the money that exists in countries like Turkey.. Money is not a goal. It may not have occurred to any of you, but sneering at people who wear white socks is an indicator of how the status difference is reflected in the culture.. In Turkish culture, people try not to raise each other, but to criticize each other.. the opposite here. Even in high school, the foundations of this mindset are given.. The aim is to live life well and be happy, to be able to do what you are passionate about, to live happily if you do not have a passion, and most importantly to know how to have fun.. Sometimes they drink too much, that’s another matter.. I hope that in countries like Turkey, we can establish a world where the current economic order is based on equality instead of capital, democracy is used correctly in practice, and borders are removed.. To do this in a world where all people are individuals but as a whole, all we have to do is understand each other.. So yes, I would do it again.
Is the living conditions expensive? How did you come up with a solution to issues such as food and beverage, rent, transportation, is there a big difference compared to Turkey? Can you tell us about the expenses you make in your daily life by giving a few examples?. a 3. With the money you earn in the world country, you can only wet the wheel of the mill here.. My advice is to come with the right visa and earn your living here.. Students are allowed to work 20 hours a week. I heard stories of successful students who came and somehow managed to pay for their schooling and survive.. You’ve probably chosen the hardest path, get ready. But if they can do it, you can too.
To give a few examples of some of the expenses here;
*An individual room in a rent-sharing house is $250 – $3502 per week depending on the district.
*If you say you can cook yourself, if you do your kitchen shopping from ALDI and follow the discounts from Coles, $100 a week
*If you say I won’t go to the kitchen but eat at home, frozen food subscriptions are delivered to the house for around $20 a week for 6 meals.
*Opal Card used for public transport $40 per week
*Cost of a beer/wine at any Pub $5 – $8
*Cost of eating without drinking at any restaurant $20 – $50
*Fast food is cheaper, but don’t do this to yourself. If you want to give it anyway, a chicken burger at Hungry Jacks, one of the fast food chains, is $4
*We drink the water from the tap. There are taps for the public on the street, in parks and at public transport points. Or enter any liquor store, take your glass without asking anyone, fill your water from the bar and drink it.. By law, places that serve liquor must provide water in public.
What are the cultural differences? “What am I doing here, man?” Moments, strange memories, you say? Did you have trouble adapting?
For Turks who are accustomed to the cunning culture of the Middle East, it is very easy to get used to it here.. Everything is regulated and followed by everyone. nothing complicated. Social life is very simple. Yes if yes, no if no. If you want, you want, if you don’t want, you don’t. At first, the feeling of being rejected by someone may be heavy for Turkish culture, but if you think broadly, you prevent all kinds of complications that may occur in the future.. It is absolutely necessary to get rid of prejudices and to understand and respect the other person.. Of course, there will be idiots and people you won’t talk to, but that’s how it is everywhere.. If you can come out of your shell, get ready for the beginning of pure and clean friendships and strong bonds.. As long as you approach with understanding, respect for diversity, tolerance, open-mindedness, and positive feelings, you get the same return from life.
I think it would be very difficult for an Aussie (Australian) to come to Turkey and try to get used to the mentality I mentioned. Adaptation is much easier for someone who has traveled to Australia from Turkey.
How do you make a living there right now? Can you earn enough income? Do you think it was worth leaving your life in Turkey?
I make a living working 24/32 hours a week in casual jobs.. When I work 40 hours, I pay more tax and it comes to almost the same account, so there is no point in trying.. I earn similar wages as a full-time office worker or non-worker, and have a standard of living and social life on par with the rest of the public.. In an order where money is secondary, being able to focus on one’s own journey is worth everything.
How are friendship relations and human profiles? What kind of people are Australians? Did you have trouble meeting new people and making friends?
“Supporting the mateship”. In 2005, security guards working in the parliament building in Canberra (Australia’s capital) were forbidden to call people “mate”, and this ban lasted only 24 hours.. From the police to the deputy, everyone is calm, tolerant and natural.. It is really easy to get a circle in a nation that thinks that even dividing people according to their occupational groups can create discrimination.. But in order to get rid of superficiality and move on to the next stage, you need to spend time with people.. You can find many adventurous people like yourself. Using online platforms such as Meetup, Internations can make your socialization much faster and topic-oriented.
Ordinary in Sydney how is your day going? Are your activities during the day similar to those in Istanbul?
Life is very fun here.. There is no limit to the activities to be done. We are generally afraid to try different things because it will bring financial burden in Turkey.. Let me give you the simplest example, we call golf a rich sport.. There is no such thing as rich poor sport here. Sports really make up a big part of people’s lives.. And the diversity in sports is enormous.. It’s easy to turn to any sport you’re interested in.. Or it is quite common to hire a personal trainer and attend boot camps.. You can focus on different fields rather than a single sport.. I do Capoeira, Yoga, and Fitness myself. There is an activity to do every week except sports.. Barbecue culture is incredibly common, and there are electric barbecue systems in public parks.. You can spend the whole day having a barbecue and drinking with your friends in a 957 km2 park on Sunday.. Spending time outdoors is very common in their culture.. Or you can have conversations on various topics with people you don’t know in the pub.. You can attend house invitations, or invite yourself. It is necessary to make an extra effort to socialize in Istanbul because when you add up the time you spend in traffic and work hours, you only have time to sleep.. That’s enough to make you question why you live life.
How is the food culture? What to eat, what to drink? Will we stay hungry? Are we eating kangaroos?
There is a great food culture. It is possible to find all kinds of world cuisine in a city that is the intersection point of cultures all over the world.. I haven’t felt the need to go to a Turkish restaurant since I came. I can cook whatever I want at home anyway (I can’t give up on Turkish eggplant dishes). Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Brazilian, Indian, Greek, Mexican, Lebanese, Italian, Turkish… whatever you look for and quality food isn’t hard to find. The only problem is that the fresh fish culture is poor. Generally, frozen fish is traded.. Shellfish are consumed frequently.. Kangaroo meat is a very natural and useful meat.. But not everyone can eat it because it’s pretty tough and bloody. You may have to give up kokorec, but it won’t add up to the variety you gain.. Follow the local discount hours at Pubs to fill your stomach with good food for $10.
An active city for nightlife and activity? Can you give us some advice about the places you prefer?. Different regions have different nightlife. You can have fun and listen to quality live music at Gay Bars in Oxford street, hang out with Jazz clubs in Newtown, dance at Ivy club in City, or experience the chaos of Taksim in Kings Cross.. If you become uncomfortably drunk, you will not be served any more liquor and will be prohibited from approaching within 50 meters of the building for that night.. If you object, you must pay a penalty of $550.. The fine can be increased by up to $11,000 by law.. My advice in this case is not to be proud and call a taxi.. Where alcohol enters, fights can also enter.. For example, you bumped into someone, the beer was spilled on you, you apologized for the music and drunkenness, he didn’t hear your apology, and you turned your back and left.. The worst thing that could happen to you would be getting punched.. But the penalty for punching is imprisonment, as even one punch can kill a person.. Not to mention visa cancellation and deportation.. Be you, never be the attacker. Say things like that and pass.
Finally, are there any things that you can say that you should not return without trying/seeing while you’ve come this far? Can you give us a few tips?
Iconically must-see places; Opera House, Bondi Beach, Harbor Bridge, Sydney Tower, Manly Beach, Watsons Bay, Botanical Gardens, Bondi – Coogee Coastal Walk, Blue Mountains. Apart from these, Sydney Vivid, New Year’s Eve, Bondi Winter Magic and Do not miss the numerous music festivals that take place. Finding these festivals is as easy as searching the web for Sydney Festivals.. Search for plane tickets well; Companies like Jetstar, Virgin, Tigerair have cheap tickets. You can also commute to Melbourne or Brisbane on the weekends.
