Australasia

My name is Paul Nicholson and I am currently living in Melbourne, Australia. I moved here in July 2005 to be with my fiancée Linda, who is originally from here.

She was on a year long holiday in Europe and stayed in the Newcastle region for around six months of that period. In that time I was working in Newcastle and living in Blyth. I met Linda on a night out in Whitley Bay and within the next 5 months we decided to live our lives together over here.

I had had plans to move to the United States with my work, but was drawn to Australia once Linda and I met.

Paul and Linda met in Whitley Bay

Adjusting to a new life

I am originally from Cramlington, grew up in East Hartford village, but moved to Blyth aged nine. From nine to 26 I remained in Blyth and still have many friends there to this day - most of whom I went to school with.

When I moved to Melbourne it was pretty hard to adjust, as most people took my Geordie accent for Irish and the climate is very different here too.

The summers are ridiculously hot sometimes and we have severe water shortages here in Victoria. Just the other day there was a tornado just off the coast of Melbourne, and that's quite frightening.

I now work for the Emergency Services Superannuation Board here in Melbourne. Superannuation is like retirement savings. This industry is very prevalent in Australia, and it's exciting to be working in this field.

English v Aussie footy

I miss home a lot to be honest. I miss my friends, family - who all live in England, mostly in North Shields - and a few creature comforts are missing too.

Melbourne skyline

I can't follow Newcastle United as much as it is not covered here that well.

I miss the golf courses I used to play, like Longhirst Hall and Morpeth. And, strangely enough, I missed Yorkie chocolate bars until I found an English shop in the city that stocked them.

I do follow sport very avidly out here though, and have become a mad Western Bulldogs fan in the AFL aussie rules footy. The MCG really is a marvel. The golf courses are everywhere here - there seems to be one on every corner - and they are very affordable, which is not the case in the UK.

I do enjoy Australia, and have found out over the past two years just how big it really is. I have a lot of ground to cover if I want to see more of it!

To all Geordies around the world, we may live away from the River Tyne but it will always be home, and there really is nothing like it.

I will always be a proud Geordie, and will never forget where I come from.