Life in Limbo – Living One Life, Dreaming of Another

The last two weeks have been particularly challenging for a number of reasons; and from the responses on our social media posts, we know full well that we are not the only Australian hopefuls who are feeling this way. 

A combination of waiting around for a positive skills assessment, tied with what seems like endless preparation for the English test, has got us feeling like we are just stuck where we are. 

AITSL (Australian Institute for Teachers and School Leadership) processing times are currently quite contradictory on their website. One statement claims that they are still processing assessments from the end of February and the other advises a 4-6 week wait. Our agents informed us that it would be around 4 weeks. 

It has now been almost 5 weeks so the nerves have well and truly kicked in…is there something wrong with the application?

Are there so many teacher applications that the profession will be taken off the 190 shortlist? What else can they possibly want as I feel like my whole life was included within the assessment? And so on. 

Then there is the nightmare that is the English test. If you have read our previous blogs or follow us on social media, then you will know that apparently, I can’t write.

Well, not meeting AI standards anyway. So having now forked out almost £600 and having already sat two IELTS exams with the PTE looming, I kind of feel like this is it. I don’t feel like I can physically put myself through it again. I have absolutely got to pass this time. 

The amount of revision whilst trying to also run a school, a home and have a life is just getting on top and I am keeping everything crossed that this is the last time I have to sit the test. In an ideal world, I will achieve those 20 points and after a month of trying, I will finally be able to tick it off the list and add it to our timeline. 

Other people we follow on Instagram are so positive @thompsonsgoaussie being one of them and their daily posts, as well as others, go a long way toward giving us a shake-up from time to time.

It reminds us of why we are doing all of this in the first place and provides hope that one day, it WILL be us. 

However, if I am being brutally honest, I am really in need of making sure that I don’t just sack off life here by living in the future. 18 months (approximate visa processing time) is a long time and it’s important to still enjoy what we have here.

Appreciate it and be grateful for it.

We are still very early on in our journey and to keep us grounded, we have got to ensure that we are living in the ‘now’ and focusing on what is right in front of us. 

‘Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have’.

Gautama Buddha