What happens after the big lap ends, the boxes are unpacked, and the “new life” becomes everyday life?

In this episode of The Expat Reality Podcast, Annie and Steve sit down in person with returning guests Emma and Kieran (watch Emma's previous episode here) to hear what the last 15 months have really been like since their move from Sydney to Margaret River, Western Australia.

We talk about the shift from feeling like a visitor to becoming a resident, why community doesn’t magically appear when you relocate, and the practical steps they took to build connection, purpose, and belonging.

Emma shares how volunteering (including community pantry work and local conservation initiatives) opened doors into the community, and Kieran explains why he launched a local chapter of Tough Guy Book Club as a way to tackle male loneliness and create a simple, structured space for men to connect.

Along the way, we cover the realities of expat friendship-making, the lifestyle contrast between big-city living and a smaller regional town, and the unexpected ways place, values, and life stage shape what “settled” actually means.

If you’re considering a move, feeling stuck in the in-between, or wondering how to find your people in Australia, this one will resonate.

We accidentally lost the video recording of this podcast episode so there's no video for this one sorry!

Episode highlights

• UK to Australia, the big lap, and why Margaret River became “the place”

• The difference between being a tourist and being a resident

• Volunteering as a shortcut to community and belonging

• Making friends as an adult expat: what actually works

• Kieran’s Tough Guy Book Club chapter and the conversation around male loneliness

• Lifestyle contrasts: Sydney vs Margaret River (nature, pace, produce, and day-to-day life)

• Why “settled” is often built intentionally, not discovered

Follow Emma

• Instagram: @weirhere (Emma) — https://www.instagram.com/weirhere/

Tough Guy Book Club

• Find a local chapter / learn more — https://www.toughguybookclub.com/find_us

• Start a chapter — https://www.toughguybookclub.com/start_a_chapter

Listen / watch / follow The Expat Reality Podcast

• YouTube (video podcast) — https://www.youtube.com/@LondonerInSydney

• Instagram (our main channel) — https://www.instagram.com/thelondonerinsydney/

• Website - https://londonerinsydney.com/

Resources

• Get a FREE Visa Assessment with True Blue Migration Services by mentioning 'Londoner In Sydney' - https://truebluemigration.com/assessment/

• 10% off Star RV Motorhomes - Code: LIS10

• Download the exact same finance tracker we used to save $50K in 8 Months. Discount code: ANNABEL10 - https://coplenty.com/annabel

Manchester family move to Australia, went back to the UK… then made the call to return to Australia again.

In this episode of The Expat Reality Podcast, we’re joined by Victoria and Damien Byron to talk honestly about what it’s really like to uproot your life, navigate the visa process, start over, and make decisions as a family when the “dream move” doesn’t feel simple.

They share the reality behind the highlights: the emotional whiplash of visas and timelines, the pressure of trying to settle quickly, the impact on kids and school life, rebuilding friendships, and the surprising mindset shift that happens once you’ve lived abroad.

If you’re thinking about moving to Australia, already here and questioning where you truly belong, or weighing up Perth vs the East Coast, this one will hit home.

In this episode:

• Moving to Australia as a family: expectations vs reality

• Visas, PR, timeframes, and the emotional rollercoaster

• Kids, homesickness, and settling into school

• Starting over with work, income, and lifestyle (the real trade-offs)

• Why returning to the UK can feel strange after living abroad

• How they decided Perth was the best long-term fit

• Practical advice to avoid common moving mistakes

  
  

🌏 Helpful Expat Resources
FREE Australian visa assessment (migration agents we trust):👉 https://truebluemigration.com/assessment/

Our award-winning Australia travel & expat guides:👉 https://londonerinsydney.com/
📸 Instagram (Londoner in Sydney): https://www.instagram.com/thelondonerinsydney/
🎙 Instagram (Podcast): https://www.instagram.com/theexpatrealitypodcast/
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LondonerInSydney
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@londonerinsydney

Trigger warning: This episode includes discussion of suicidal ideation.

What happens when you build a life in Australia, and then you’re told you have to leave?

In this episode, we sit down with Nathan Joseph (yes, that Nathan — Love Island alum turned massive online fitness and mental health voice) to talk about a side of expat life most people don’t see… until it happens to them.

Nathan shares how his move to Australia started during one of the hardest periods of his life, and why Australia felt like a reset he genuinely needed. We talk about the mental health “toolbox” he built to stay on track, what helped him cope day to day, and why being open about it now matters so much — especially for men.

And then we get into the part that still feels unbelievable: Nathan was effectively kicked out of Australia after a chain of visa decisions during Covid, including a refused application and the fallout from a past incident that became a major problem later. He explains what happened, what the ban actually means, and what it feels like to lose a country you thought you’d live in forever — including possibly missing his best mate’s wedding in Byron Bay.

We also talk about what he did after Australia: the months that broke him, why he quit drinking for 16 months, how he rebuilt his life and business from the UK, and how he’s grown a community of hundreds of thousands by being brutally honest about food, fitness, and what “healthy” actually means.

If you’ve ever wondered how fragile the visa process can be, or you’ve felt like Australia became home before it was technically “safe” — you’re going to feel this one.

You can follow Nathan here: https://www.instagram.com/nathangjoseph/

Check out our award winning Australia travel site full of free travel guides:

https://londonerinsydney.com/

Follow us for our daily updates:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelondonerinsydney/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexpatrealitypodcast/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LondonerInSydney

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@londonerinsydney

Useful links:

• Get a FREE visa assessment with the best Australian Migration Agents: https://truebluemigration.com/assessment/
  

• Get 10% off a Star RV Motorhomes for hire across Australia or New Zealand. Code: LIS10 https://www.starrv.com/au
  

• Best Travel Insurance in Australia: https://t.cfjump.com/25880/t/11003?Url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.covermore.com.au%2f&UniqueId=podcast
  

• Learn how to manage your savings better like we did using CoPlenty and get 10% off using my code: ANNABEL10 https://coplenty.com/annabel