Sunday, December 19, 2010
A month
This has to be quick because I really have to get some sleep... wow I've been in country for a month... it's flown and yet crawled by... I figure if I made it for a month, hopefully things will get a bit easier...knock on wood heavily. I have also counted on one hand the number of days it hasn't rained.... wow.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
A quick note on Visas
I learned the hard way that applying for a new visa when you are already in a country is in some ways more difficult than applying from the outside. If you are applying for a visa that will replace the one you currently have, make sure you specify when you want it to take effect... otherwise it might take effect immediately and wipe out the other one for good. Not all visas are created equal...the new one might revoke privileges (e.g. like work privileges) that you are relying upon.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Queen Victoria Market
Queen Victoria Market
On the corner of Elizabeth and Victoria Streets
Open generally on Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun
http://www.qvm.com.au/
The Queen Victoria Market... for all intents and purposes is awesome. While it's trading hours are from 6-2 on weekdays (except closed on Wednesday), usually the massive food sections are the ones that open at 6 and the other retail parts open later. Everything looks like a good deal... but don't jump at things immediately, the strawberries at 2 packages for 3 dollars might be undercut by a nearby vendor who is offering 2 for 2. You could bring a huge suitcase and 200 AUD and easily fill it with goodies ranging from food to wigs, to shirts, souvenies, shoes, other bags, and most any other goodies you can think of... ok so they don't sell Lawn mowers and yes you could by the really expensive item here and there... but that's not what you are at the Queen Victoria Market for. You're there for good bargains on things you need to live on and to beat the price on things you'd like to send home to friends and family (T-shirts - 5 to 8 dollars). You could easily spend a day there just to look over all that's being sold....
I will say, you should bring cash because may of the vendors don't accept credit (nor are in a position to take a card and process it - would you want someone in the meat section to handle your card with his bloody hands?).
Don't forget... Wednesday nights in the summer, part of the Market opens for fun and festivities...
On the corner of Elizabeth and Victoria Streets
Open generally on Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun
http://www.qvm.com.au/
The Queen Victoria Market... for all intents and purposes is awesome. While it's trading hours are from 6-2 on weekdays (except closed on Wednesday), usually the massive food sections are the ones that open at 6 and the other retail parts open later. Everything looks like a good deal... but don't jump at things immediately, the strawberries at 2 packages for 3 dollars might be undercut by a nearby vendor who is offering 2 for 2. You could bring a huge suitcase and 200 AUD and easily fill it with goodies ranging from food to wigs, to shirts, souvenies, shoes, other bags, and most any other goodies you can think of... ok so they don't sell Lawn mowers and yes you could by the really expensive item here and there... but that's not what you are at the Queen Victoria Market for. You're there for good bargains on things you need to live on and to beat the price on things you'd like to send home to friends and family (T-shirts - 5 to 8 dollars). You could easily spend a day there just to look over all that's being sold....
I will say, you should bring cash because may of the vendors don't accept credit (nor are in a position to take a card and process it - would you want someone in the meat section to handle your card with his bloody hands?).
Don't forget... Wednesday nights in the summer, part of the Market opens for fun and festivities...
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
I've done it
I'm pretty busy getting started at moment... despite the odds I managed to find housing in 1/2 the time it normally takes - 2 weeks instead of 4... and that's with the University housing database totally breaking down and being of no use. I hope this bodes well for the rest of my stay here.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Money? it's only of use if you can get it.
One thing about Australia is that it's financial operations are concentrated in the "Big four" ... no this isn't Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish and Dennis Johnson, it's something far scarier and fee based: ANZ, Westpac, NAB, and Commonwealth Bank. Even if you bank with some other bank, chances are your funds might have to go through one of the big four for funds wiring or payrolls.... So if one of them fails or has a massive computer glitch like NAB did on Wednesday (and still is having) it can cause absolute chaos... and to think somewhere in there is my pay from last week and my wire transfer from the U.S.! I'm not sure what happened is something that one should heavily plan for (e.g. don't go traveling with 10,000 dollars cash in your pocket). But do be aware... it could happen!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Getting Established
Day 4 at a new place when you are intending to live there for a while is alot different than day 4 when you intend to just visit and return in a few days or a few months. When intending to live there for a while, the things you have to do you and your concerns turn to "survival" rather than just "enjoyment." If things aren't going easy, there might not be anyone to back you up or help you, and you can't simply just say, "I'll just wait a few days I'm going back." Your problems turn to how to house and feed yourself and get healthcare, rather than what's the next thing to see.... and it is far easier to become homesick when things don't come easy. You may find yourself saying in frustration: "Back in my old place/country we did things this way or that way, why can't they do things that way over here?" Why? because we want to rely on familiar things when the going gets a bit rough. Thus it's easy to feel negative about a place that is actually really nice.
It's a good idea to make a list of the things you have to do when arriving in a foreign country. Overestimate the expected time you want to get those things done. You need to allow that some routine tasks at home won't be routine at all in the new place. Above all you might feel an urgency to get all these things done (especially if the list is long) and that you are behind - even if in reality you are proceeding on or ahead of what is realistic to expect. So the proper attitude and awareness is to try to take an objective look at yourself from the outside when things don't seem well. They actually might be ok.
That being said, there are a few things you might be able to do ahead of time, if you have to move to a country like Australia that can help alot.
(1) You should try to get a tax identification number before you arrive - this will help in alot of things (including establishing payroll, bank accounts etc.).
(2) You can also establish a bank account before you arrive and have funds wired to it in advance. You probably wont be able to do anything with the funds before you walk in the bank office and show identification. However, by doing this before you arrive you might be able to save as much as a week before you can access significant funds greater than the daily limit of your atm cards - When might you need such funds? howabout when you want to rent a room or apartment/flat and you need the first month's rent with security deposit?
(3) Research the cost of some basic services (phone, internet access, etc.).
(4) Expect that house hunting might take longer.
(5) If you can find a credit card from home with no annual fees and no foreign transaction fees, bring it!!
It's a good idea to make a list of the things you have to do when arriving in a foreign country. Overestimate the expected time you want to get those things done. You need to allow that some routine tasks at home won't be routine at all in the new place. Above all you might feel an urgency to get all these things done (especially if the list is long) and that you are behind - even if in reality you are proceeding on or ahead of what is realistic to expect. So the proper attitude and awareness is to try to take an objective look at yourself from the outside when things don't seem well. They actually might be ok.
That being said, there are a few things you might be able to do ahead of time, if you have to move to a country like Australia that can help alot.
(1) You should try to get a tax identification number before you arrive - this will help in alot of things (including establishing payroll, bank accounts etc.).
(2) You can also establish a bank account before you arrive and have funds wired to it in advance. You probably wont be able to do anything with the funds before you walk in the bank office and show identification. However, by doing this before you arrive you might be able to save as much as a week before you can access significant funds greater than the daily limit of your atm cards - When might you need such funds? howabout when you want to rent a room or apartment/flat and you need the first month's rent with security deposit?
(3) Research the cost of some basic services (phone, internet access, etc.).
(4) Expect that house hunting might take longer.
(5) If you can find a credit card from home with no annual fees and no foreign transaction fees, bring it!!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Leaving to the Southern Hemisphere....from Boston to Melbourne
11/17/2010 to 11/19/2010
I have to say this whole voyage almost got off to a bad start. I arrived splendidly on time for my flight to San Francisco (SFO), only to find out at check-in that I had been rerouted to go through Los Angeles because the flight to SFO had been delayed so much I would never had made the SFO to Sydney flight. The flight to LA however also left a good 30-40 minutes earlier and with that went my margin of safety.
I think the key to making the massive 8 hour time shift was attempting to eat as if I was right on Melbourne time. That started right on my flight to LA (of course the plane also ran out of food). I met some interesting people on the flight, including one trying to make an interview in SFO, and another person who was from South Australia but had the strongest of Gaelic accents. I also finally saw an I-Pad up close. For the third time in three round trip flights, the sound system on my seat failed.
I decided after going through the gate at LAX, to run down the boarding ramp to the plane. I figured that would be the last time I would get a chance to stretch my legs in such manner.... I think however, people looked at me as if I was a nerd rushing along to be early.
The flight from LAX to SYD was a long 14 hrs. Though on an overnight flight it doesn't seem long until morning breaks when naturally there is a significant change happening in the day, you come to naturally want to have a significant change in what you are doing (i.e. you want to land).
At SYD, there is a bizarre procedure where even though you are going directly onto another flight (to MEL), they make you go through security again! Note to self: if you place your luggage on a table to rearrange things, make sure it isn't the table that is used to do random explosives checks. The officials might decided to do a conveniently random check on you and your luggage.
A little secret about SYD: there are showers tucked away near the duty free shops... take advantage of them if you want to arrive in Melbourne smelling fresh and clean as opposed to having the smell of travelling for 26+ hrs. in temperatures that make you sweat!
I have to say this whole voyage almost got off to a bad start. I arrived splendidly on time for my flight to San Francisco (SFO), only to find out at check-in that I had been rerouted to go through Los Angeles because the flight to SFO had been delayed so much I would never had made the SFO to Sydney flight. The flight to LA however also left a good 30-40 minutes earlier and with that went my margin of safety.
I think the key to making the massive 8 hour time shift was attempting to eat as if I was right on Melbourne time. That started right on my flight to LA (of course the plane also ran out of food). I met some interesting people on the flight, including one trying to make an interview in SFO, and another person who was from South Australia but had the strongest of Gaelic accents. I also finally saw an I-Pad up close. For the third time in three round trip flights, the sound system on my seat failed.
I decided after going through the gate at LAX, to run down the boarding ramp to the plane. I figured that would be the last time I would get a chance to stretch my legs in such manner.... I think however, people looked at me as if I was a nerd rushing along to be early.
The flight from LAX to SYD was a long 14 hrs. Though on an overnight flight it doesn't seem long until morning breaks when naturally there is a significant change happening in the day, you come to naturally want to have a significant change in what you are doing (i.e. you want to land).
At SYD, there is a bizarre procedure where even though you are going directly onto another flight (to MEL), they make you go through security again! Note to self: if you place your luggage on a table to rearrange things, make sure it isn't the table that is used to do random explosives checks. The officials might decided to do a conveniently random check on you and your luggage.
A little secret about SYD: there are showers tucked away near the duty free shops... take advantage of them if you want to arrive in Melbourne smelling fresh and clean as opposed to having the smell of travelling for 26+ hrs. in temperatures that make you sweat!
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