Quick Review: Summer Land Camel Skin Care Products

Last week, I received a lovely gift from Summer Land Camels, an Australian company that makes skincare & dairy products using camel milk. 

Product Review: Robot Vacuum Cleaner (Philips FC8776)

This little helper has made some appearances on my stories and I got a series of questions that I will answer in this post...

Heart Talk: It has been a while....

 

It has been a while..... 

Heart Talk: My Work Life

I posted this image in stories yesterday and my inbox got flooded with messages and questions… so I thought I will put it here and also leave some thoughts … 

Heart Talk: Choices

A few years ago Ahsan and I were at a very low point in our lives… both of us were jobless and we wanted to live in a country where having a job was the only way to secure a visa. With a friend, we sat down to see our options. The easiest option at that point required both of us to live in different countries. We both went silent on it. Our friend insisted on reasons and I couldn’t come up with any solid reason until he said, as if reading my mind, that I was allowed to say that I do not want to live away from my husband. But, he said that this ‘choice’ comes with responsibility and a price that we may have to pay. I was willing to choose a riskier path of trying my luck for jobs in limited time or going for another degree as an international student. Finding a job was very tough and getting a degree was costing us all our savings. But, it was a risk worth taking - for it was allowing us to follow our dream together. 

Southern Flinders Ranges - Exploring South Australia

The amazing group at Smith's Farmstay Accommodation's 

There is a long story of how I ended up taking this amazing photography and light painting masterclass that was a part of the Southern Flinders Ranges Photography Festival. A festival aimed at promoting the regional beauty of South Australia and by also providing a platform for photographers to display their work, meet fellow photographers, be a part of the photographers' community and learn from each other.

Heart Talk: Home that was meant to be ....

In Australia, the process of renting a house is slightly different. You only get to view a house along with other potential tenants in a time frame given by the agent or owner. If you like it, you lodge an application with the required documents. Having a prior renting history, a stable job, a few references in Australia really help. When you are new here, most of the times you do not have the first two things and it gets difficult to get your first rented house. This is what I have heard, though my experience was different. 

Heart Talk: I was a Part of a Book!

My first job right after completing my master's degree was this 6 months project where I worked as a project coordinator on a coffee table book, The Craft Traditions of Pakistan by the Export Promotion Bureau. 

Quick Review: The Desi Wonder Woman X India Trend Jewelry Collection

On my first birthday, I was dressed as a fairy. My dress, wings and the magic wand was made by my mum. There were homemade cat shaped cake and Swiss rolls in a variety of flavours. It is still one of the best ‘first birthday' ever done in the family. Thereon, my birthday was always celebrated with a grand party for friends and family until I entered the phase where I just wanted to party with my close friends. I would take them out for my birthday treat and spend all the birthday money that I used to ask my family to gift me instead of presents! 

Six Things I Love About Adelaide

It has been two years since our move to Adelaide. I strongly believe that it takes you up to a minimum of 2 years to understand a new place. So, if you are new here and things do not make sense... don't worry they eventually will and if you have been here two years and things still do not make sense, do not worry - just know that it is absolutely normal to take time when you migrate. 

But, in all honesty, Adelaide is a great place to start your life as a new immigrant. Migration comes with its set of issues and while job and income are one of the major concerns but, quality of life, security, a strong community, ease of movement and peace of mind are also very important factors. In Adelaide, you can tick off many boxes. I might have found myself struggling harder in a fast-paced city trying to find an identity and stability compared to the ease with which my husband and I were accepted by Adelaide, in fact, South Australia. 

We have come a long way in these two years and I can now say that it feels home. 

Here are six things that make Adelaide a good choice:

Giveaway - Celebrating 2 Years in Adelaide

***Giveaway Time!*** 💥🎉🎊

This June it will be 2 years to our move to Adelaide. I believe it calls for a little celebration with all my friends from Adelaide! 

Heart Talk: Always Choose Happiness

Hello Friends, Chai Pi loo… 

Celebrating 10 Years of Expat Life

Time is a fascinating concept. I am the kind of person who loves to measure passing time in days, months and years. I am a walking calendar in that way. I have to put my mind at ease by adding a proper number to vague measures of times like a few years ago, a couple of months ago. But, what makes me happier is reaching a milestone and to be able to replace that number with a fancy word. 

Like... March of 2019 marks a ‘decade’ of living an expat life - a reminder that it has been a ‘decade’ to that leap of faith we took... you see what I meant by a fancy word? 

I will be doing a tiny series of posts about the journey so far by answering some of the commonly asked questions 

Let's get a cup of tea first... 

Welcome 2019

Tears and smiles, pains and gains, failures and successes; from a rocky start to a complete meltdown in the mid of the year to picking up myself and ending the year with a heart ever so grateful for this beautiful life, for opportunities, for lessons, for people who came and people who left. For the constants in life who never change and the constant changes that shape our lives…. 2018 was all THIS and MORE.

Immigration Diary: Wardrobe Blues

In Pakistan, it is a norm to get custom-made clothes for yourself. People find it fascinating when I tell them that I used to design make my own clothes. Buy material, get some embroidery done on it, get a scarf dyed with it, get some embellishments for the scarf and then get a tailor to stitch it with the style and fitting of my choice and also within my budget 💁‍♀️. Sounds tedious but, this was like the ONLY way of buying clothes that I knew of. (Leaving tailor blues for another day…. 😜)

Immigration Diary: Friendships

One thing that many of us go through after moving to a new country or city is the challenge of making friends and finding the right people to connect with, especially in the beginning. 

Port Pirie - Exploring South Australia

It is a blessing when you can tag along with hubby on his work trip. My trip to Port Pirie was such a lucky one. Ahsan brought Travel Photographer Society 2018's exhibition to Port Pirie. As he was curating it as well, the regional council of Port Pirie invited us to stay there for 5 days to be able to do all the things in time. He had his meetings and was busy with setting up the exhibition so our mornings were occupied but, we had time in afternoons and evenings in most days to roam around and explore Port Pirie.

Immigration Diary: Volunteer Work While Job Hunt

While you are job hunting, it is always a good idea to do some volunteer work. Though, it may not give you anything financially but, It will help you stay occupied and keep you away from brewing negative thoughts. A volunteer experience can be added to your CV and may have a good impact on the potential employer. 

Immigration Diary: One Good Resume is not Enough

One Good Resume/CV is not enough. 

I always thought that you just make one resume and list all your work experience, job tasks and achievements and use it while applying for relevant jobs. I assumed that the reader will go through my resume and understand my skills based on the information and assess that I suit the role or not. 

Immigration Diary: Recruitment Cycle In Australia