Jo Gowda migrated for marriage and ended up with a new career

When Jo Gowda married and moved to Australia she worried she would always miss her life in India. But it wasn't long before she found her feet. With a keen interest in cricket and a taste for the occasional morning beer Jo soon felt right at home in Brisbane. A tough job market meant Jo had to leave her sports analysis career behind, eventually leading to a wildly different path as a comic. Hear Suraj and Jo chat about the frustrations of finding a job as a new migrant, parenting across cultures, and being ridiculed by friends for newly acquired traffic angst during holidays back to India.

Jo Gawda switched careers as well as countries when she migrated to Australia. Credit: supplied

The immigration officer looked at my visa when I was coming back into Brisbane, he said, 'Welcome home'. And I was like, Oh, my God, it is true. This is my home now. And I was genuinely just, yeah... I think my heart just melted.

Jo Gowda

My First Year in Australia is hosted by comedian Suraj Kolarkar and produced by Danny Giles. Hear the stories of people who have found their feet in Australia, as they share their first impressions and the highs and lows of life in a new country.

Follow My First Year in Australia in the SBS Audio app, Spotify, Apple podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.