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Geelong - A Balanced City

By Alvia

Thursday, 26 April 2018

 

VICTORIA’S SECOND LARGEST CITY after Melbourne and Australia’s FIFTH most live able city. When coming to Geelong for the first time I had a mix of emotions surrounding me, anxious and excited for starting a new chapter of life and at the same time scared because I had never travelled alone before and it was a totally new country for me.

But to my surprise Geelong treated me quite well. I found it as a balanced city, not too fast and advanced, yet not too slow or technologically deprived. It has a mixture of old and new architecture; in short it’s just a perfect place to live specially for students. It has a good roads and very little traffic congestion. It is a natural coastal city with pollution free environment. Geelong has a rich history, and abounds in art and culture. It houses some of the best cafés and restaurants. The city gives easy access to supermarkets where all basic commodities are available.

It also has a wide range of recreational, sporting, community, health and fitness facilities available to support wellbeing.
It is truly an education city with a range of education providers and study pathways. When students moves here, they are well looked after by the institution they enrol with and are welcomed into the community. Geelong is an affordable city allowing a good standard of living. The rental market is fairly easy for tenants and there is a good range of quality affordable housing. Geelong has transformed into a smart city based on education, health and research. 

Here are a few tips for the new comers to settle well in this city.

Community Involvement

For new comers in Geelong who study here I highly recommend getting involved in the community. Make friends, plan hang outs, visit all places on your travel list and enjoy as much as you can.  Engage yourself in volunteer work in the community or with organisations. There are so many benefits of volunteering. Helping an organisation can be an enriching and rewarding experience. Aside from the good feeling of working, the appreciation that people give is truly heartfelt. The people here are generally very friendly and hospitable so it’s easy to get along with them.

Weather

Geelong can be cold between May and September. Therefore, it's a good idea to have an umbrella in your bag and wear layers when you go out. In winter you'll need a warm coat. You'll need light clothes for summer and will need to look after yourself on hot days by drinking plenty of water, wearing SPF30+ sunscreen and a hat.

Transport

The train offers green pastures for both commuters based in Geelong, and Melbournians who need to regularly travel to Geelong for work. It’s not all rainbows and skittles though; it does get busy in peak hours. Train stations in the Geelong region are located from south to north. The Regional Rail Link (RRL) provides regular commutators with a greater range of departure options both to and from Melbourne.

Events

Geelong is a vibrant city that embraces events. From summer music festivals to winter markets, food and wine festivals and cultural sporting events, there is something for everyone. Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, Festival Of Sails, Geelong After Dark, Geelong Highland Gathering, Motor City Music Festival and Pako Festa; are just a few examples.

Therefore it can rightly be said that the Geelong region offers international students a relaxed atmosphere with some of Australian’s greatest waterfalls, surf beaches, world class educational programs and facilities, as well as heritage buildings, parks, gardens, restaurants and plenty of shopping.