Australians, Abandoned: Recent Episodes
Bek Ison and Brea Robertson
Documenting the stories of some of the tens-of-thousands of Australians left abandoned by the country's exceptionally tough pandemic travel restrictions.
What happens to Australians who can't access an approved vaccine?
In this episode Brea and Bek talk to Nichola, an Australian stuck in Ireland and a member of the Reconnect Australia team.
Nichola left Australia in January 2021, after receiving an exemption, to take a dream job in Ireland that had been put on hold for her since the beginning of the pandemic. Because of the border closures, she has not seen her husband, who still lives in Australia, for ten months.
Nichola is a scientist and currently works on a vaccine project (for parasites, not viruses). She always trusted that the scientists working on vaccines would find a way to protect us as soon as possible, but was apparently very naive in believing that the Australian government would do the same for ALL Australians.
Nichola spent much of her PhD working in developing countries in Southeast Asia and as a result, is highly aware of the issues facing stranded Australians in less developed parts of the world.
Please rate, review and subscribe to us on Spotify, iTunes and Google Podcasts. It'd help us so much. Links here: linktr.ee/australiansabandoned If you'd like to share your story with us, please get in touch aussiesabandonedabroad@gmail.com You can also submit a written story for our blog by sending us an email: medium.com/@australiansabandoned
Bek and Brea talk to Cristina, who received death threats and was called a bad mother after telling her story in Australian media. Cristina and her two sons found themselves separated from her husband and his four sons in the US when the border closures came into effect. Worried her family wouldn’t survive, Cristina, her children and her ex-husband have all moved to Europe to escape the restrictions. This is a great one. We hope you enjoy.
Please rate, review and subscribe to us on Spotify, iTunes and Google Podcasts. It'd help us so much. Links here: linktr.ee/australiansabandoned If you'd like to share your story with us, please get in touch aussiesabandonedabroad@gmail.com You can also submit a written story for our blog by sending us an email: medium.com/@australiansabandoned
Moving abroad can be isolating. Motherhood is isolating. A pandemic, (particularly when you're an Australian based overseas and the borders are closed) is incredibly isolating. But all at once? That's a trifecta of isolation.
In this episode we speak to Bec, an Australian who had just moved to Sweden when the borders closed. After giving birth to her son, she felt incredibly alone. Miraculously, her parents received a compassionate exemption to visit her, but found themselves stuck in Sweden when they arrived at the airport to depart, and were told that their flight had been cancelled. They were stuck in Sweden for more than 3 months...a trip that would cost them thousands.
Thank you for sharing your story with us Bec. We hope that it helps others feel seen.
Please rate, review and subscribe to us on Spotify, iTunes and Google Podcasts. It'd help us so much. Links here: linktr.ee/australiansabandoned
If you'd like to share your story with us, please get in touch aussiesabandonedabroad@gmail.com
You can also submit a written story for our blog by sending us an email: medium.com/@australiansabandoned
This special episode captures some of the stories shared at Reconnect Australia's online vigil, held to mourn 18 months of border closures.
In this episode you will hear stories from parents who haven't seen their children for almost 2 years, visa holders who are waiting to come to Australia to work, stranded Australians who are spending thousands of dollars trying to legal in the country they are based in and more. Please listen with discretion. It's heart breaking and totally unacceptable.
A huge thank you to everyone who shared their story during this vigil and to Reconnect Australia for allowing us to piece the recordings into a podcast. We stand with Reconnect Australia and support them whole heartedly.
Taken from Reconnect Australia's website: It has been more than 18 months since the Australian government closed the borders, and in that time they have failed to protect Australians abroad as they have failed to protect those at home through a lack of fit-for-purpose quarantine facilities and a slow and inequitable vaccine rollout. We do not just stand for Australian citizens stranded abroad, but all permanent residents, eligible visa holders, couples and families that have been separated as a result of these heartless policies.
To take part in Reconnect Australia's 'Get Counted' campaign, visit their website: https://reconnectaustralia.org/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/reconnectaustralia Twitter: twitter.com/reconnectaus Website: reconnectaustralia.org/
Please rate, review and subscribe to us on Spotify, iTunes and Google Podcasts. It'd help us so much. Links here: linktr.ee/australiansabandoned
If you'd like to share your story with us, please get in touch aussiesabandonedabroad@gmail.com
You can also submit a written story for our blog by sending us an email: medium.com/@australiansabandoned
We talk to Siobhan—an Australian working in humanitarian emergency response—about the Reconnect Australia group, its mission to count those affected by the border closures (links below), and why repatriation is not as simple as simply declaring the borders open. We also talk about her personal experience spending 18 months stuck in Spain, a country where she had no ties and couldn't speak the language. THIS IS A GREAT ONE! WE HOPE YOU ENJOY AND GET COUNTED!
Get Counted Form: https://reconnectaustralia.org/page/Get-Counted Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reconnectaustralia Twitter: https://twitter.com/reconnectaus Website: https://reconnectaustralia.org/
Please rate, review and subscribe to us on Spotify, iTunes and Google Podcasts. It'd help us so much. Links here: https://linktr.ee/australiansabandoned
Chad moved to Dresden pretty spontaneously in 2013 to await the birth of his daughter, Florentine. Since then, he’s had a foot in both countries, flying back and forth to work and spend time with his two families living in opposite parts of the world.
Chad returned from a trip to Australia in late February 2020 to a new job and a sublet flat thinking it would be like any other year. ‘boom‘ it all hit..he was suddenly at home with his 7 year old daughter with no job, and moving from short-term flat to short-term flat, unable to find stable housing. Chad struggles with not knowing when he will go home to see his aging mother and father.
On the day of recording this conversation, Chad actually had Covid, and I am lying on my couch ill scared I have covid.. He shared with us how it felt to find out that he had tested positive, and how that will impact the way he interacts with people in the future.
If you'd like to share your story with us, please get in touch aussiesabandonedabroad@gmail.com You can listen to the podcast on a variety of platforms here: linktr.ee/australiansabandoned
You can also submit a written story for our blog by sending us an email: https://medium.com/@australiansabandoned
NB: Thankfully Bek did not end up having Covid.
In this episode we talk to Wendy and her husband Nick who have both been based in Boston, USA for many years. Wendy shared with us her frustration about the border closures, and the grief she's experienced by having the option to see her aging mother taken away from her. We talk about the constant sense of uneasiness or anxiety that some of us have been living with because of this situation and dream about what we'll do when we go home.
If you'd like to share your story with us, please get in touch aussiesabandonedabroad@gmail.com You can listen to the podcast on a variety of platforms here: linktr.ee/australiansabandoned
In this special episode, Brea and Bek talk about the prime minister's speech to Australians abroad and Bek reveals some sad personal news. WARNING: THIS EPISODE HAS SWEARING AND MENTIONS OF DEATH. If you'd like to share your story with us, please get in touch aussiesabandonedabroad@gmail.com You can listen to the podcast on a variety of platforms here: linktr.ee/australiansabandoned
Jess in Paris tells us what it was like to become a mum for the first time without family support. Due to Australia's tough travel restrictions, her family still hasn't met 7-month-old Zack. We thank Jess for being so frank about the mental toll of caring for a newborn while separated from loved ones. She also tells listeners what she thinks the government could do to help families like hers be reunited. If you'd like to share your story with us, please get in touch aussiesabandonedabroad@gmail.com You can listen to the podcast on a variety of platforms here: https://linktr.ee/australiansabandoned
THIS EPISODE HAS NAUGHTY WORDS. BEK FINDS CATHARSIS IN SWEARING. Get to know your hosts, Brea and Bek: two childhood friends both in Berlin, Germany. In this episode, we discuss the psychological toll of being locked out of your own country, what it was like experiencing the pandemic so far away and what it would take for us to even start thinking about planning a trip back. Australians, Abandoned tells the stories of Australian citizens and residents stuck overseas during the pandemic. Drop us a line at aussiesabandonedabroad@gmail.com if you want to tell your story on the podcast or submit a piece of writing to our blog. https://medium.com/@australiansabandoned