First to answer everyone’s question: no the water in the toilets doesn’t spin counter-clockwise, (or what they would call anti-clockwise here) the water is just sucked straight down.  The odd part is that there are two flush options available depending on the damage done…

The hot water gets super hot quickly and does kind of have a funky smell to it, but I have yet to be able to describe it.  Also most sinks have 2 facets; one for cold and one for hot, which is kind of old school.

Me posing with my lovely bathroom sink!

The bugs are absolutely disgusting and are everywhere.  There is everything from huge spiders, cockroaches, ants, flying bugs, mosquitoes/mozzies to things far worse that I don’t even know about yet and don’t want to come across.  I am constantly de-bugging my place and have to keep all food sealed up or they will come out by the dozens.

The humidity here is unbearable at times.  When this is the case your only two options are a dip in the ocean or a nice cold shower since nowhere has air conditioning.  I’m from the desert and can handle the heat but 95º with high humidity kills me.  The only thing I have on my side is the amazing ocean breeze.

The weather changes instantly.  One minute you’re on the beach, enjoying the sun and the next it’s pouring rain.  I’ve learned to run for cover immediately at the moment I feel even a drop of rain because it will a complete downpour in moments.  And normally not too long after the torrential downpour, the sun is out again! Check out my video of it pouring at my place!

The sun is so strong here! Didn’t get the memo before the move that there is practically no ozone layer above Australia and the sun is extremely powerful!  Everyone better use protection here or you will be fried to a crisp and be that tourist miserably burnt.  But if you play your cards right you could end up ridiculously tan like myself.

Me looking quite dark after my die hard tanning routine!

Australian TV as a whole is horrible; well basic cable that is.  Most of it is old and new American sitcoms and movies.  There are also Aussie sitcoms and soap operas, which don’t do it for me.  The sports selection could be better as well; I’m not quite into bull riding or trashy car racing.  I’m seriously having NBA withdrawals.  On the plus side there are a lot less commercials that tend to be quite witty and entertaining and the movies and shows are not edited.

Obviously they drive on the other side of the road here in Australia.  I can actually proudly say I’ve gotten used to this aspect of change.  I no longer try and get in the car on the wrong side or am in the middle of an intersection with no understanding of what lane we’re turning into.  While walking I do still look both ways juussst to be safe, but generally am aware of the traffic.  Also the escalators and walkways are all backwards as well so be aware!

A walkway in Manly that gives you a nice reminder of what side to walk on!

In the suburbs there are round-abouts at every intersection.  I don’t enjoy the bus ride from Bondi into the city mainly because of these little obstacles.  Ew.  Buses are bad enough, but hot crowded buses that have to maneuver around tight circles every few moments.  Double Ew.

Some of the signage and advertisements here is Australia are hilarious and the pictures can be quite ridiculous.

A ridiculous sign/advertisement in the woman's bathroom @ the cricket stadium!

One of my favorite signs on the bus!!

Obviously like I talked about in my previous blog, the lingo and language they speak here has definitely thrown me off.  I reckon I will never catch up with all their words even after having been here a year.  Yes I know a lot of it will wear off on me and become part of my vocabulary, as it has, but there is too much content to master!

Yes those would be tater tots. I think our name is actually much more ridiculous!

How expensive it is!!!!!  Sydney is the most expensive city in Australia and Bondi is definitely one of the more expensive areas rent-wise.  Yeah hello $250 a week rent, I hate you!!!

Didn’t realize how big gambling is here.  “Pokies” aka slot machines are in pretty much every pub.

Their money, which looks like monopoly money, has taken some getting used to.  The bills are different sizes depending on the value and the size of their different coins doesn’t quite make sense in regards to their value.

The Australian Coin family

The Australian bill family; minus the hundred...sorry I'm broke!

Light beer here in Oz means low alcohol like 2%.  Don’t make that mistake just look for low carb if you’re looking to minimize the calories.

The craziest thing that throws me off the most is always being a day ahead.  I arrived in Sydney on New Years Eve and experienced 2010 18 hours before my hometown of Phoenix, Arizona.  Now every time I talk to someone I’ve already lived that day they’re experiencing and am onto the next.

Hope this article gave those of you that will be traveling to Australia a heads up about some of their customs and odd situations.  Overall there are no real set backs in this country and you just have to appreciate all the quirky little things about this country with a smile! Hey I’m not complaining!

Sydney Harbour

Visas

In order to legally work in Australia you will need to have a valid working visa.  I personally have the Work and Holiday Visa, Subclass 462, which is the one for American citizens.  I can legally work anywhere I want for up to 6 months and the visa is good for a year from the date you enter the country.  It’s an electronic visa and is applied for online and accepted within 48 hours.  It really couldn’t be easier!  Unfortunately Americans do not have the option to extend their visa, but if you are a Commonwealth Passport holder you are able to stay an additional year by applying for an extension after being in the country for 3 months.  The catch here is that you have to do 3 months of “Specified Work” in the horticulture industry. Go Harvest is also  a great site to give you an idea of what kind of work you would be doing in the fields.

Taxes

Before you get a job it is necessary to file for Tax ID Number.   This can be done online or I had a travel service company called Travellers Express file it for me.  Without a Tax ID Number you will be paying around 50% taxes to the government.  With one the payout is about 29% or less, but you do get most of this back when you leave the country or at the end of the fiscal year, which is in July.  It’s definitely beneficial to work for a company in which you will pay taxes because it’s acts as an automatic savings account, and trust me you will need that when you leave this expensive country.

How to Find Work

There are tons of websites that can point you in the right direction.  Some helpful websites for general searches are: Seek, Career One, Gumtree, My Career.   If you’re interested in working specifically in the hospitality industry White Now, Frontline Hospitality, Hospitality Now, & Alseasons, are all sites that focus on that field of work.   Also Global Gossip has a Notice Board with tons of job postings for all over Australia.  There are also employment agencies that will help you find work, usually for free, and set up interviews.  I would save this for the last resort.  I think the best way is to go around to different places and just drop off your resume or CV and try and set up an interview.  If you’re capable of the job and they need workers, this route should suffice.

Wages

Australia has a very high minimum wage at about $15 an hour.  However the cost of living here in Sydney makes their wages look like chump change.  A good bar or restaurant job, usually with a larger company, will pay you around $20-$25 an hour plus some tips.  The tips here aren’t great, but it’s always nice to walk out with a little cash for that after work cocktail.  The good paying jobs are bigger companies like hotels, nice restaurants, or clubs that are owned by the RSL.  An RSL Cub is government run and the pay is always a lot better.  Also working in the city will usually mean higher wages compared to working in Bondi, which is where I’m trying to find work.  In Bondi and other backpacker infested areas it’s quite competitive since there are so many people constantly coming and going and employers also tend to pay a lot less and they can get away with it.  The place I’m currently working at pays $12 the first two weeks, then $15 after that and don’t file for taxes.  Definitely a shady company that I need to get away from ASAP.  Also companies should pay you time and a half on the weekends / Sunday and double on Bank Holidays.

Campbell Parade is main road in Bondi where a lot of work can be found

RSA

If planning on working in a job where you serve alcohol it’s mandatory to take a RSA Course.  The course is about teaching you the Responsibility of Serving Alcohol.  The class is a lecture about the dangers of alcohol and the laws in New South Wales.  It’s 6 hours long and super boring but easy and the exam is usually open notes.  There are also certifications you will need to get if working around gambling.  The employer will inform you of all of this and hopefully help set it up for you to get it taken care of.

My second job...tanning....has proved to be quite lucrative

Hope this post proved to be helpful for those thinking about moving to Australia to work or are currently living here and trying to find work.  Let me know if you have any questions or need some help with this! Also I’ll keep you all posted with my adventures in working here and hopefully finding a new job very soon!

How to Speak Australian

The first obstacle one encounters when talking to someone in Australia is deciphering if the person is a true Aussie, a Kiwi (from New Zealand), American, Canadian, or from the England/Ireland region.  With these different nationalities comes a completely different accent and their own lingo to go along with it.  Also there are heaps of Europeans from non-English speaking countries, Asians, and a lot of Brazilians in Sydney.  You really never know what you’re going to get when you start speaking to someone down here, which makes it that much more interesting.

Some of the stereotypical phrases that we’re used to in the states are present down here, but not exactly the same.  Shrimp on the barbie is not accurate because they call shrimps prawns, but the Aussies do love their barbies, as do I.  They do say g’day, mate, cheers, no worries, no dramas, and wanker.  This is only the beginning of the lingo and their language continues to boggle my mind daily…

Lingo

How to speak Australian can be summarized with a few key rules.  First, they abbreviate EVERYTHING!  After half the word is cut off it’s usually safe to assume that you add -ies to the end and you’re good to go.  For example sunglasses are sunnies, breakfast is brekkie, and mosquitos are mozzies, which have been eating me alive.  Another trend in the lingo is shortening words and adding an -o to the end like with avro, which is afternoon or seppo which is short for septic tank and a lovely nickname for us Americans, along with Yanks.  One thing I don’t quite understand is their tendency to end sentences with the word but.  The first time I experienced this I was like, “Yes continue on…”

Just in my cozzie...enjoying the view of Bondi Beach

One phrase that really caught me off guard is someone asking you if you “Fancy a root?”  This and tons other variations on this phrase means “Do you want to have sex?” or something to deal with being absolutely messed up, like rooted when you’re really drunk.  So ladies this is one you definitely want to take note of because I’m sure you will come across a similar situation down here.  But don’t get the wrong impression about the Aussie guys, they really aren’t usually that forward and don’t come across as complete womanizers like many other nationalities.

Here are some helpful sayings / words to get you acquainted with the language Down Under….

Ankle-biter: Infant or baby

Bog in : Begin eating, to attack food with enthusiasm or be a Carnie

Bottle Shop: Liquor store

Cabbie: Taxi Driver

Chemist: A pharmacy or someone who writes you prescriptions

Chips: French Fries

Cozzie: Swimming costume aka swimsuit

Dead Horse: Tomato sauce / Ketchup

Gronk: Complete idiot / moron

Good on ya: Well done or good for you

Hotel: A pub that can be with or without food or accommodation * You always have your local pub/hotel!

Lollies: Sweets or candies, not necessarily lollipops

Longnecks: 750ml bottle of beer…On Australia Day I was called out for “longneckin” my Passion Pop

Macca’s: McDonald’s

Off one’s face or on the piss: Drunk

Roadie: A beer you take with you…gotta love these!

Skull or skol: To drink a beer without taking a breath aka our pound or chug

Slab: A case of beer/a 24 pack

Follow this link for a more detailed list of Aussie sayings and lingo.

I’ve also learned about the ridiculous world of Aussie Rhyming Slang, which is extremely confusing and hard to get the hang of!

My local Bottle Shop! Love this place..

The Australians do cuss a lot and are constantly insulting each other, but it’s all in good fun.  They have a very dry sense of humor that I love and there is never a dull moment around them.  They have no “sensor” regarding what they say and to whom.  There is no BS down here and you’re going to hear how someone really feels and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Most Americans can’t quite handle the truth, but I love the brutal honesty of the Australian culture.  People are not easily offended here or worried about being politically correct and it’s amazingly refreshing.

Pronunciation & Spelling of Words

The Aussies have a tendency to completely leave out letters in a word.  For example Melbourne is pronounced simply as Melbin, because that makes sense? Both the letters “h” and “z” are pronounced differently.  I just joined ANZ Bank, which is pronounced A N Z(ed).  WTF?  The word aluminum is also one that they have their own way with and manage to pronounce it al-u-min-e-um, which is adding an extra syllable.  Also their spelling is much like the Queen’s English with all their ou’s like in colour.  The word that really caught me by surprise was the word jail is actually spelled gaol.

Yup Tomato Sauce it is!

My Lingo Progress

The more time I spend with Australians the more their lingo is rubbing off on me.  It really is inevitable for this to happen and I’m loving all the new words and ways to say things.  I have really become a fan of sayings/words such as: I can’t be bothered, reckon, something bad is just sh*t, heaps, bottle shop, and the list really does go on.  I’ve also picked up the cue after many people giving me a blank stare that ketchup is actually called tomato sauce, but must be pronounced with a hard o sound like in Tom.  I’m sure the longer I’m down here the more sayings and lingo I will pick up and say without even realizing.  It should be interesting to see how much these Aussies do rub off on this American girl living in their world!

Hope this was helpful to those of you wanting to hear a little about the lingo and language down here in Australia.  I’m sure I’ll have more favorite words in the future and my Australian vocabulary will continue to grow!

How to Get a Visa

Fortunately Australia is one country that is actually encouraging young foreigners to move there and explore their culture and way of life.  If you are between 18 and 30 you can apply for a Work and Holiday Visa, Subclass 462 if you’re American and Subclass 417 for Canada and most European countries.  This allows you to live in Australia for a year and work anywhere for up to 6 months.  You are also allowed to apply for an extension for an additional year after being in the country for 3 months.  The initial application can be filled out online and is processed within 48 hours.  Take note that the application fee, which is about $230 Aus or $200 US, is non-refundable if you are not granted the Visa.  Chances of this happening are quite rare unless you have no insurance, quite a nasty criminal record or are without a high school diploma.  Make sure to attach the needed documents when applying, ie proof of diplomas, which I did not do and the process took a little longer.  All went through and I now have and Electronic Work and Holiday Visa that is valid to enter the country anytime within the next year.

Booking Travel

I am lucky enough to be traveling on Virgin’s brand new line V Australia, which flys non stop from Los Angeles to Sydney.  Unfortunately I waited too long to book it and now have to fly through Melbourne rather than non stop to Sydney.  So my lovely 20+ hour travel day will consist of :  a short 1 hour flight from Phoenix and a transfer in LAX, its only another 15 hours to Melbourne and then another hour and a half to Sydney, aka shoot me now.  I will write a review up about the airline after my experience and I hope it’s as comfortable and good of an experience as they claim.  I mean how comfortable can one make this journey across the world? I will just have to see.  So I will leave at the end of December to get there in time for New Years 2009 and come back in the beginning of December 2010.  Well this is if all goes to plan…

My “Game Plan”

Once I get to Sydney, on New Years Eve, I plan to make NYE 2009 my best yet.  I’m very excited to be starting a new year with a fresh start in a new country.  Soon after it sets in that I’m living in Sydney I will need to get a job, probably at a restaurant or bar in the beginning.  I also need to find an apartment in the ideal area around the Eastern Suburbs or in Bondi Beach, for a reasonable price because rent is super expensive in Sydney.  I want to travel all around the country during my stay there and possibly move up around The Gold Coast as it turns to winter to work more and party of course.  When it comes down to it I’m on the “non plan plan,” which is exciting and I can’t wait to see where life takes me while I’m down under!

Sydney is suppose to have the best fireworks show in the WORLD for New Years, I can't wait!

Now that I have my Visa granted and travel booked the question is how the hell am I going to pack for a year trip?? I’ll keep you posted on that one as my departure date gets closer.  I’m imagining the process to be very stressful and a pain in the ass, but sometimes you gotta sacrifice to get what you want and where you want to be!   Please contact me if you have any questions about my plan or are interested in doing something similar.  I can’t wait for my adventure to begin…only 52 days!! But who’s counting!?