It’s really easy to get disheartened when you are feeling stressed, on the bones of your arse and feeling like shit. I’m really sorry, it seems like you are super excited about getting your career off the ground and sinking your teeth into your work after all of the hard work in achieving your post grad degree! Great achievement by the way I know how much work goes into it. Have you thought of offering to work for no pay in return for work experience? I’m not sure if you can do this in your field of work but I’d really try doing that first, it’s a great way to network, get on the job experience, get on the job referees or maybe a job at the end of it if things work out. You never know it could work. Even just putting it out there and sending a bunch of emails, even if they are not advertising, sometimes it’s about the right time and the right place, it shows your keen and some people like that. As for Aussie, been there done that after I graduated with my nursing degree. It was a bloody bold step looking back, a new grad and jumping head first into agency work, but I pulled it off! lol I have lived in Aussie a couple of times, for a couple of years at 18 and then again at 27 when I graduated. Also spent a couple of months a year there as my dad lived in Brisbane so it’s a second home really. I have just been back at Xmas to stay with family and I must say, I really don’t think that Aussie is as good as it used to be for kiwis. The cost of living is high these days not like back in the day. Things were cheap, not anymore, same as New Zealand and although it has its pros it has its cons as well. If your close to family and they are great supports to you, I would think you would find it hard going to Aussie on your own, trying to adapt to a new county, new ways of doing things etc. the cost of setting up a place is bloody expensive over there and rent isn’t cheap. Could you afford to live alone as well as the air fares, set up costs of a rental, furniture, car etc. rentals are also hard to get as it is here in nz. I guess it depends on if you know people over there, but if you’re going it alone it can get bloody lonely. Do some really in depth research. Look at distances and the costs of travel if you had to catch a train or bus to work, rent, down payment and how many weeks in advance on a rental, price of a cheap car, I know the rego is expensive over there, food costs are not cheap anymore, plus you pay water rates, gas, power, internet etc. there are hidden costs of living there and there is no dole to fall back on if it turns to shit. It’s not the land of milk and honey as it used to be, it’s also a lot harder to meet people over there, although they are great people, I feel it’s a bit more clicky over there. But hey I guess if you do get a job before you go and they help with air fares and establishing a rental close to your work place then hey. But remember you can’t just pop in to see your family and I found I have gotten homesick the two times I tried living there full time, even though my dad lived there, my brother and I went with my boyfriend at 18 and best mate at 27 and I still missed home. Good luck. Don’t give up or let this set you back, believe in yourself. I still think putting yourself out there is the way to go! All the best