Keep Domi & Steve united in OZ

Sometimes, life is surprising and takes you to places you’d never imagined to visit. This is the story of our life, us, Domi & Steve, two crazy adventurous lovers who took the plunge and started a new life together abroad and away from their families and friends.

Once upon a time… oh wait, wait! It’s not a fairy tale, but at least it is the story of an eventful and passionate life. It all started in Philadelphia (United States) thanks to a travel community platform which is well-known worldwide, CouchSurfing. The story begins when I, Domi, innocently asked on this platform’s forum if someone wanted to join me to the concert of a French DJ band in Philly where I’ve settled down for a 6-month internship. And it is when the Prince Charming (aka Steve) makes his appearance! It all went fast because it was obvious, we couldn’t stop thinking of each other, hanging out together, teasing each other and being happy together.

Philadelphia drove us crazy in love and we had so much fun between numerous meetings with friends, cooking attempts, amazing travels all around the East Coast of the U.S. and lovely wedding parties. Our love story took a turn when this loving French (Domi) – American (Steve) couple decided, while visiting France together, to move in an English-speaking third country. Instead of staying in each other home country, we preferred to be fair to each other, to live a complete new experience and live the culture shock together.

After fighting against paperwork, administrative requests, tiredness and terrible smell after hours and hours of plane travel, we’ve been reunited in Australia (Adelaide, South Australia more precisely) to spend our adventurous and constantly surprising life.

From now on we are living a dream in OZ where we are slowly but surely settling down and building a French-American-Australian new life. We’ve been thrilled to receive awesome news allowing us to stay permanently in our new hometown:
- March 2014: Steve has been granted his Permanent Resident Visa giving him full rights to stay and work in Australia
- May 2014: Steve got his first full-time job

But life is always scattered of obstacles and challenging changes. The tricky part of our stay in OZ is coming with my visa (currently a Working Holiday Visa expiring in October 2014). This is now my turn to work like a maniac on paperwork, pull out my hair and my fingernails! I am going to apply for a Partner Visa which implies a lot of documents proving our relationship (not a problem, we are a god damn amazing and charming couple!) and a lot of money. If you’re not afraid of numbers, it goes to a total of $4,575 AUD, i.e. $4,247 US.

Here comes the moment when your help will be really appreciated. Indeed, migration to a foreign country is usually a big decision and also a huge investment of time and money. Unfortunately I am unemployed, even though looking really hard for any casual work. My bright smile and French accent should be intimidating the employers! As for Steve, his salary only allows us to pay the rent, bills and daily needs. I am fighting, now struggling to get together the thousands of dollars asked for the Partner Visa application.

Our story may have touched your feelings, amazed your desire of adventure and travel or tired your eyes of reading this long unusual story. If so, your help would make me jumping all around the house (I’ll provide a supporting video if I reach my goal), yelling the entire dictionary in French, being dedicated to make my blog readers dream even more about OZ, and make us the happiest excitement-seeker couple.

Even the small contributions will be helpful and appreciated. The money raised will help me pay the $4,575 AUD fees plus the extra fees for the Police Check and Medical Examination.

Money can’t buy happiness, but your contribution will, for sure, give us all the reasons to be the happiest French-American expat couple living in OZ! I will also keep you dreaming of Australian Paradise through our travel blog (http://lovers2oz.wordpress.com)