Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Australia and New Zealand	LAND DOWNUNDER, Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi	I've searched all over the website, and I'm surprised not to see a stickied thread on it... but of you Aussies, what are your experiences with international shipping of your assets to the USA? I'm thinking about getting in early to get my stuff organised... so any help would be appreciated Hey, I need to get at least a container shipped over...I have spoken to a few shipping companies but still nothing is organised....Yank finace wants me to bring over my camper trailer too....nah propably not!!! My girlfriend from work is moving to fiji and has a list of what and what not to do on a budget....when I get it off her - propably next week - ill send it to yah oK? where you moving from and to?	lynJer	Female	Australia	2010-05-29 20:18:00
Australia and New Zealand	Ideas & Loose Ends to clear up before you leave OZ	Hi Guys, Hope you are all going thru the K1 process without too much stress. It was one time in my life that Im glad I dont have to go thru again. Thought I would suggest something.. 4 mths after arriving here in the usa I (actually think it was the yank hubby) lost my Aussie Visa credit card my ozz pic licence, not long after getting here, and the bank (nab) do not send replacements OS....Lucky for me I had a normal debit card to access my Australian funds but KICK MY SELF STUPID, for not setting up an address of one of my neighbours or family for things like banking, rego, licence etc... So, if you can remember, before leaving Oz, go change your address with your banks to someone who can redirect, or open and read for you or what ever....things like rego, you need someone from the same state. I redirected my mail via the post office - for about 3 mths for a ridiculous price....so after a while this is really not an option. Good Luck	lynJer	Female	Australia	2011-09-26 13:12:00
Australia and New Zealand	Australian Beneficiaries - Packet 3 to Interview date	Hey everyone.. a bit excited/panicked... we just got the notice from the consulate that Paul's interview date is Aug 3. Looks like they are only asking him to bring the fee, his passport and the parcel post bag? I have a few questions: #1) For the fee.. it says to go to Australia Post? What do you tell them/ask for? I know the amount.. but will they know what a "MRV" fee is? Additionally they indicate USD 140 but.. other sites seems to indicate a higher amount? #2) It says "Additional comments: Unless otherwise stated, we require the original and one photocopy of all documents" - Does this mean a copy of his Visa? Or of the documents we already provided? #3) What do you recommend I send to him for the interview? Will he need a copy of my visa and birth certificate? Thanks ahead of time! Pamala I am a bit confused my fiance received an email pack 3. I sent back immediately as per instructions....The visa applicant should complete and return form DS-230 (Part I only) as soon as possible to the U.S. Consulate General, Sydney. We only accept original forms, not faxed or scanned copies. I or my fiance have since recieved nothing else back....so 8 june we received pack 3 email...within a week i send back just DS230 forms... Does the consulate contact me with interview date or do they wait until I send back all the other stuff required? Im still waiting for my daughters police report....mines back but not hers...and the ex husbands stat dec adknowledgment that Im taking the kids out of the country to live... Can someone help please...I just have a bit of a time line to meet... cheers thanks.	lynJer	Female	Australia	2010-07-09 20:37:00
Australia and New Zealand	VIC Police Check	G'day.... Go look up the Federal Police Check....its CHEAPER...and accepted....just takes 30 days rather than the 2 weeks.... You do need the fingerprint check done....in QLD it cost me around 100 bucks I think...where as the fed police one is only 50 bucks.... you can look up the info under australian federal police check and theres also a 1800 phone number where you can call them....their forms can be printed from on line and faxed through.... Just tell them you need the checks from the immigrate visa's....they know all about them as they do them all the time.... I guess it just depends how much time you got to get it done.	lynJer	Female	Australia	2011-04-14 09:39:00
Australia and New Zealand	Blood Test for Vaccinations	If he has only worked in OZ then he does not have to worry about putting anything else in on G325. He can go to his local doc or medical centre and have a serology test done and that will tell them what he has had as a child and if he needs anything now. If he goes to med centre it is covered by medicare. Once he gets that he keeps it for his medical once you are approved. G'day Barb....yeap I found my password... I asked my ####### of a doctor about that test....and she didnt know what I was talking about...mind you she was having problems speaking english....new doctor from asia somewhere.... just thought i would add that as it may occur to others.... I couldnt find my vaccination records....its an absolute disgrace that they are like buckleys to obtain.... apparently the medicare can assist...but 'some' of us were innoculated before medicare....	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-02-09 12:05:00
Australia and New Zealand	Any Occupational Therapist moving to USA?	its like starting all over again.... As if Ive no Education nor work experience and in this country I cant even join the military.... pissed off !!!	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-02-23 20:06:00
Australia and New Zealand	Electric appliance converter plug	OK....things like hair dryers, flat irons, ipod chargers, phone chargers, xbox, computers etc etc....I use an Oz to Yank adapter....its a round one....I think I brought them in David Jones brisbane??? They wearnt cheap....no idea if they are the expensive ones or not... but all the stuff works... However, as Australian DVD's dont work over here, I brought over a cheap aussie DVD player....now to get this to work we had to obtain a special adapter and charger???? its a black box thing....looks like a box you sometimes see accompanying a lap top power cord. Apparently I will need one of these to operate my plasma when it comes over, and other appliances like mix master etc... large electric motors items, like the washing machine dryer in one that I had to leave back home....are not recommended for use here in the USA if brought in Australia as the electric current here is not what the large electric motor was built for....so you are going to harm it if it works, or it just wont work properly.... This was all explained to me by an Australian electrician when I was deciding which items to leave or take....I also spoke with an electrician from the USA who knew about Australian electrics.....so dont bring over large noisy electrical motored items....large things like a plasma will need this other box thing - about 40 bucks...everything else is fine with just the socket adapter....	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-03-06 11:51:00
Australia and New Zealand	SSN not working...?	Have your spouse add your name and SSN to a joint bank account and investments. See how soon you will get the pre-approved CC offers . What sort of Investments are you suggesting? Home title? My husband and I have a small bank a/c together, but its really on a shopping a/c....should we be joint in more items?	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-03-09 10:48:00
Australia and New Zealand	After packet 3, how long until I am given an interview date?	I thought you need to make appointment with the embassy to have your interview???? Anyways not sure about that but that was I read somewhere before. Well they sent me an email requesting me to attend an interview on a date about 3 weeks from the time I received email....but I emailed back requesting an earlier interview due to the fact I had 3 kids I needed to get settled into a new country school system and I had been waiting LONG ENough! I received a phone call straight away and an interview was arranged for me to attend next week....in otherwords, be here in 3 days.... I was in a state of shock!	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-03-12 13:05:00
Australia and New Zealand	Transferring Money when you move	Hi; I am about to use this company to transfer funds from AU$ into US$. HiFX(based in Sydney and around the world). Very competitive exchange rates. Way better than the banks. If you are transferring over $10,000, no charge to do this. They just get a small fraction from the exchange. http://www.hifx.com.au/ You will be surprised how much more money you get in exchange when you use this company. Compare it to your bank. I have not exchanged money using them yet. Will once my visa is approved. Have set up an account with them and been checking out how much money I will gain when exchanging. eg AU$12000 = US$12520 on today's exchange rate at 1.043. I was referred to this company by my overseas removalist regards Darren Hi Darren.....they look fine.... My only concern would be if something goes haywire....ask them if they have a local number you can call if you are here in the states-....? I noted that their only number is a sydney number.....I have had to call my exchange company many times from the usa and lucky for me they work 24/7 and its only a local call from here in usa.	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-03-21 10:30:00
Australia and New Zealand	Transferring Money when you move	Im on the East coast between NYC and DC, WaWa charges NO BANK FEES TO WITHDRAW ON AN eftpos transaction card..... Used it on many occaissions as do my kids - as they have aussie family who put aussie dollars into their aussie a/c for b/day and xmas etc.... ALL banks have many many different transaction a/c's so its important to alter your a/c before you travel should you have a transaction a/c that incurs unwanted fees ..- if you have a mortgage in Australia, you should be able to withdraw your money without it costing you any fees whatsoever. Some a.c's are set up to be used in certain ways and not others....I worked for the nab and so Im very familiar with their products not cba or wbc. That being said, citibank and other style of banks do offer great a/c's which are generally used as an 'online' a/c or a non branch supported product...and they would be perfect for anyone who is travelling to live in the usa....as their isnt any branch here u can go to.... Incidently Great Western is owned by nab and should you need any branch support and live in the mid west this bank should be able to access your accounts for you. Fees are debited to your a/c from the bank whose atm you are using. and fees can be debited to your a/c from your bank for transferring money. Ask your bank to provide you with the product disclosure and fees and charges booklet for your accounts so you will know what fees you will incur before you incur them...then change your a/c or bank if they are ripping you off.. Your bank in Australia by law has to provide these for you.	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-03-21 10:21:00
Australia and New Zealand	Transferring Money when you move	ps again... sorry... MAKE SURE YOU ASK FOR A SWIFT CODE FOR THE USA BANK A/C.... ITS ACTUALLY JUST A BRANCH NUMBER	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-03-20 10:42:00
Australia and New Zealand	Transferring Money when you move	ps... forgot to mention.... you can access your funds from your aussie debit card from most atm's here in the usa..... look on the back of your card, it will say either PLUS or CIRRUS these are codes used for atm groups all over the world....so if you have a plus card, then use a plus atm here and the exchange rate is great, fees are low. but atm's all over the world only allow max 400 or 500 dollar withdrawal of cash per 24 hours.....in some cases you may be able to go to another atm for another 400 within the 24 hour period but your aussie a/c will only allow you to withdraw 1000 dollars cash so....if you need to rip out thousands and thousands prepare 2 weeks in advance... using eftpos (debit) at a store in the usa wont work...but you can use your credit card (visa or MC) just as you would back in oz	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-03-20 10:40:00
Australia and New Zealand	Transferring Money when you move	G'day Guys, Im an Aussie Senior Business Banking Manager.... Copy this web address as its got a WHOLE HEAP OF OPTIONS FOR YOU ALL TO USE...and you will see its cheaper than the banks - one of which was charging me (its employer for over 10 years more) http://www.ozforex.com.au/ all you do is set up an a/c with them....link it with an aussie a/c and then either have your beloved as your usa beneficiary a/c or set up your own when you next get to the states.... then you can either call or go online to send the amt....ozforex give you 24 hours to then bpay the funds into your ozforex a/c they usually dont charge for the first 2 transactions...after that its 15bucks....and the exchange rates are very good.... or You can consider fwd exchange rates for large amts....basically that means you can 'lock in' a rate for a fwd date....especially good if you are expecting large sums of money in about 6 mths time...but, be warned...banks know exactly which way the exchange rates between the countries are going... My treasury dept of my bank told me to expect parity between the us and aust dollar - I said NO WAY..... as if.....then the STATE MGR ( a good friend) told me it the aussie dollar is going to go past it....I laughed at her.... any other issues...just email me....	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-03-20 10:33:00
Australia and New Zealand	Mates Up-Over	Hey....if you forgot your log ins.....just request your pass words again.... and.... mates up over is now on facebook.... there is also a mates up over for each state you get aligned with....so .. would love to hear from yah's as they do have 'get togethers' from time to time....	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-03-14 13:09:00
Australia and New Zealand	The big move - is it really going to be worth it????	I think where we live there must be a heap of fluoride in the tap water - which I drink often - as my teeth seemed to have never been in better condition....? Was thinking that the other day....????	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-04-04 10:38:00
Australia and New Zealand	The big move - is it really going to be worth it????	My dad does medical research - he mostly does biostats, which means that he sits on a large number of research teams doing a lot of different types of research. He's been telling us for a couple years now that corn syrup is incredibly bad for you - that emerging research is showing just how bad. He says that high fructose corn syrup is not processed by our bodies the same way as other sugars - and that it is probably helping to foster diabetes and obesity in the US. He often sees stuff - or hears about it at medical conferences and then comes home and tells us to stop doing X or Y - before it's published, so maybe it's not out there? I also don't have any links, but I will ask him about it tonight and see if he can provide any. (The thing before this was how dangerous plastic is, causing him and my mom to replace all the plastic in the kitchen. Which was a lot of work.) Sugar itself is also incredibly bad for you - there is some indication that diabetes starts appearing in the larger population as soon as sugar became available to everyone (not just rich people) - so this is not to say that sugar is great while corn syrup is not, just to say that high fructose corn syrup is particularly bad. And, setting aside all of that - it doesn't taste as good, haha. The Coke in Australia is so much better than US Coke. I don't even like US Coke, too sweet. OK....MY GF from Uni days in Darwin....(twenty years ago nearly) was studying science and whilst YES...SUGAR IS BAD...CORN OR WHAT EVA...she used to say the stuff they make the fake sugar with (its in diet coke and diet beer etc) is worse for you....she says you are better off eating straight sugar than using it....(sacrine) it has been linked to cancer and other horrors apparently.... and just to add food for thought..... Latest dental study is concerned about everyones increase in cavities/crooked teeth etc....linking this increase to most americans drinking bottled water, or filtered water, rather than tap water which contains fluoride - can you ask your dad about this?	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-03-20 10:54:00
Australia and New Zealand	The big move - is it really going to be worth it????	The only time I drink coke is late at night with rum....and it tasted OK then! Corn syrup...now that is interesting....my (about to turn 18 tomorrow) daughter has turned vegan and is going off her nutter about the bad ingredients in some of the USA food/drinks here....She is studying to be a nutritianist...so I cannot wait to ask her take on the corn syrup versus normal sugar....	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-03-19 09:31:00
Australia and New Zealand	The big move - is it really going to be worth it????	They DID but they're seasonal I went to the Target in my area and the stock was pretty small. I only bought 3 packets and was planning to go back for more but unfortunately they were gone by the time I got there. I have one packet of unopened caramel tim tams and I'm not a fan (one packet I opened to try) so if anyone wants them... Yeah I found heaps of tim tams around our area....safeways had them, target had them, kmart too I think....but my sister said they wearnt the same.... Bloody things make you fat anyway.......Now...for you gals that drink beer....if you buy fosters in the boutique stubby Im positive it tastes like Crown Lager.... Carebear give me your phone number and ill give you a call....where abouts are yah? Your midwest aernt you? Perhaps we can all organise a morning tea via skype one day...we can sit and whinge ALL MORNING...get it off our chest....let me know if anyones interested.... Or if anyone is close....I think mates up over are organising another aussie bbq day....last one was in West Virginia...I couldnt go...but have heard it was a great day.... anyway...back to my donut and clam soup....(they make the best soup and donuts here)	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-03-05 11:41:00
Australia and New Zealand	The big move - is it really going to be worth it????	I tried making rumballs for Christmas and had the same issues. I ended up using "vanilla wafer cookies" (which are not wafers at all), but couldn't find the right kind of coconut so I used the flaky stuff they have everywhere here. Found proper coconut later at a natural grocer store. They turned out pretty good, the extra rum I put in them made up for other ingredients that were less than ideal. When I took my husband to Australia he was perplexed by the "Aussie hamburger" - he couldn't understand why they always put egg in a hamburger, and didn't like the idea. At first he would ask for the hamburger without the egg. He got a few dirty looks for that from takeaway shops. Finally he tried it and actually liked it. I don't think he'll ever get used to beetroot though! Haha....Mine used to pick out the carrot beetroot and pineapple....then he got used to it... I was very sick yesterday and sent yank husband up the store for lemonade....now he has lived in Oz for nearly 12 mths before so he must have known but said nothing....eventually he comes back with lemonade and yeah...its lemon solo stuff....I specifically told him not sprite or mountain dew....just schweppes lemonade but no...they dont have it here....been here for all this time and I never knew that....and now we have ran out of cheesymite....14 year old son is not impressed we cant just go to the store and buy some....	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-03-05 11:29:00
Australia and New Zealand	The big move - is it really going to be worth it????	Hey did you know that there is a 'yanks down under' forum...and they are all winging about being in Australia and not being able to obtain certain foods etc... laughed when I read how an American women asked if anyone knew where to purchase 'dairy whip' Some one said; buy thickened cream and whip it.... I just shake my head sometimes....	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-02-29 12:23:00
Australia and New Zealand	The big move - is it really going to be worth it????	I will definitely have a copy of that Vanessa lol. Lyn, make your own custard from scratch, it's not that hard once you get the hang of it, you can google the life out of recipes. I hadn't actually thought about where to be buried, we only discussed that we would be buried together, guess it will be which ever country we die in??? I don't really fancy the idea of somebody crying over my grave but I still want the big tombstone so Jesus can find me lol (yes died in the wool catholic!) Amanda, I only want the custard powder as I use it in making a sponge cake....helps keep the cake light and fluffs it up while it bakes. Ill never forget when my cousin died of alcoholism in Perth - we are all from Melbourne/NSW/QLD....so my Auntie (his mother) spent SIX THOUSAND dollars to fly the body home...that was 20 years ago....My mum thought it was silly she spent such money as my cousin hadnt kept in touch with any of his family for some time so spending that sort of money on flying a dead body home mum felt was unnecessary....My Auntie said she wanted the body for the funeral service Now Im unsure as to how much it would cost to fly dead bodies around these days...but cremation does sound a cheaper alternative although....but where do you have your funeral ceremony? I would like to be buried or have a cremation plaque - but I do ask to be buried/cremated next to my husband once I die....guess that means Im going to be stuck here.... oh well.... Its all very odd....where do you start to get something organised for the finalities of life....cos its inevitable that one day, we are all going to die	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-02-28 10:39:00
Australia and New Zealand	The big move - is it really going to be worth it????	That's great I'm still not 100% sure. That's one of our problems. I'm not sure if we're gunna move back to Aus (thanks to "lovely" family issues) to have kids or what not. I think that's a major part of my problem. I think if my mind was 100% on "YEP I'm staying here" it would be easier... kinda like I'm still in transition. That said.. 2 1/2 years later it's funny now when I'm not entirely SURE whether we have something at home but I know I'll miss it if we don't. Random stupid little gadget things I'm sure but some major like the garbage disposal!! I like how cheap stuff is (a higher income to boot would be nice ). I'm pretty used to the pop/soda/softdrink now so no biggie. I FINALLY found some bread I like (they have started on "no HFCS" bread with Sara Lee (gotta admit could have been around a while but I only JUST saw it ) so that tastes SO much better than I can eat it as bread now. I think the biggest change is knowledge. Knowledge IS power (knowing things I didn't know before helps me feel more in control) and for that reason I've considered making an A-Z guide for Aussies to the US. Things that I would have appreciated knowing from the start (and often didn't think of until after I needed to know it and then I had to google). Again little things but like: Who do you call in a NON-emergency... Sheriff or Police? How do student loans work? Who do I call if I get into trouble (i.e. embassy etc)? What are my options for support if I lose my job? What are my options for support if I get pregnant/have a baby? What if I can't afford medical insurance? What sort of clothing do I need? (this one is 'cause I'd never been in snow before so I didn't know about snow boots, or the little sharp thingies to put on your boots so you don't slip, face mask... cold cheeks for me is the WORST!). What sort of benefits should I look for in a job? What is the norm for my state? Where can I buy Aussie food? How does social security work? How does state tax work? (differs from state to state and is added on TOP of the price you usually see on the shelf/product) I'm sure I have more (I was thinking about it one night while falling asleep)... but what do you guys think? Am I onto something? Anyone care to PM me some ideas of things they are happy they learnt? ... which reminds me... Australian words that American's don't have.. a fun "translation" section like how Milky Ways in the US are more like Mars Bars, and a Babe Ruth is a Picnic When you marry someone from another country - where is home exactly? is it the last place you lay your hat? Or is it where the heart feels? I been thinking so much about this for over 20 years...and I think Home for me and my USC husband will be always a combination of our two countries.... I know a few long term US/AUST marriages whereby they have 2 homes....one here in the USA and one back in Aust. A friend of mine has just taken off for 9 mths for their Aussie home,....their USA home (which is just a trailer) is left vacant for when they come back.... That to me sounds like the perfect solution to all this.... that way people relatives etc may actually accept your predicament a little bit better.... Sometimes I feel that Americans believe us Aussies have come to reside here like mexicans do...cos we didnt have enough opportunity in our own country...Where as...nothing can be further from the truth... So for me, Im going to be working on trying to establish two homes....one in Oz and One here in USA....It might take a while but its just one of my long term goals that will make me feel more secure in my existance...more yin and yang if you know what I mean.... It will be nice to say to my American friends and family that my husband and I leave next week to go back and live in OUR HOUSE IN AUSTRALIA FOR THE NEXT 12 MTHS.... hmmmmm blisss... oh my next question to all.....So where do you want to get buried eventually....Here in the USA or in Australia ? Over 20 years ago I had a dream that I was buried in a cemetary amongst my husbands dead family members of which I knew none of them - and there I lay for no one to come visit my grave....Morbid I know...and Im sorry but the question still bugs me now? Has anyone got any ideas as to how you would approach this subject with your new beloved????	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-02-27 11:49:00
Australia and New Zealand	The big move - is it really going to be worth it????	Organise an a/c with ozforex and you can transfer large amounts over to a US Bank A/c that way.... Australia and USA have a dual Tax association...meaning if you didnt pay your tax in australia...america will help the ATO get it! Credit Cards can be obtained by going into a bank and requesting a card and securing it to an a/c thats not 'at call' . What I mean by that....you request a 2k CC with Visa., you put $2k into a Term Deposit A/c and these two are linked...basically you cant get your 2k unless you have closed and paid out the 2k visa limit CC... We do the same thing in Australia for our residents/non citizens.... However, if you have a job, social security number, drivers licence, residential address etc you shld be able to get a small credit card/store card I think one should return home every 2 years....its just tough when one has spent all their savings coming over here that going home is very difficult.... Vanessa....mates up over website has similiar section to what you are referring to regarding information for new aussies in America....it might be worth having a look.... I found it great... I just need to find some custard powder so I can bake a sponge cake for the kids when its their birthday....it just doesnt seem to exist....icing sugar isnt anywhere either - need that to make my own icing....	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-02-27 11:28:00
Australia and New Zealand	The big move - is it really going to be worth it????	I have heaps of experience and I have post grad studies...(paid off my HECS and PELS just before I left Australia) I have put my resume out there but unless your a citizen...it appears to me that the organizations here are just not interested. I really dont think its discrimination in a direct form...I believe its because the country is in a recession so they are favouring resume's from their own citizens rather than other countries.... I lived and acquired a job in the Australian recession back in late seventies and eighties, so I think it feels the same.....but nowadays you are stuck with applying on line....rather than, knocking on doors where you could dress yourself up and your looks could help (well back then in those days it did as where we all resembled Elle macpherson look alikes) Now...combine that with being homesick....having no family around you, having left a wonderful lifestyle back in Australia...for Gods sake, .I lived in Sth East Qld where Fraser Moreton, and Straddy islands were a usual thing to do...or maybe head to noosa for lunch....or more often the Goldie to catch up with my family ....Or fly to melbourne for more family....thats all been taken away from me...I miss my plates and modern furniture... now we (other Aussies) are stuck here, where we cant even make a phone call back home for when we want due to time zone differences.....Sure you get that early arvo/evening opportunity....but theres a lot of phone tag going on... I miss all our parks where we can go bbq and have a wine with my steak...here you cant take any alcohol to parks or beaches...#######? So I break the law drinking a red or white with my meals in a park- ridiculous....and I refuse to pour and sneak alcohol in a plastic cup...like my husband does with his beer... Americans are very kind (well the majority are) and my American family are wonderful...however,....as an Australian, once here , are looked at by most yanks as if you have two heads...sort of like how we used to look at Tasmanians (joking) but even our accents are difficult for all around you here to understand. Especially on the phone....voice recognition when calling companies excesaperates me...In the end its easier to just get the husband to call As an Australian we are taught not to whinge....to suck it up and get on with your life....so its very hard to write this and Im ONLY doing it for others (my fellow Aussie's comrades) who believe that coming over here is going to FANTASTIC and smooth sailing...just brace yourself for what we, the very few who are willing to speak up frankly about the experience...are saying....however, my friend said to me once...one day you will be a citizen from the best two countries in the world....and yes...that is something to look forward to For over 20 years I have wondered why I never came over here and married my love all them years ago....TODAY the answer came to me....'COS I WOULD NOT HAVE STAYED - BEING YOUNGER, I WOULDNT HAVE HAD THE MATURITY TO UNDERSTAND...would not have liked being looked at as being so DIFFERENT for so long' Im so appreciative of the Australian friends I have over here....cos when we get together....we speak Australian again...and we have the same look - its like being an adoptee and finding your family again and recognizing family traits that nooone else around you have.....so when you come find your fellow countrymen and KEEP IN CONTACT. In saying that, I dont want to put you off coming here...just wish you all luck....and stay TUFF....cos thats what makes us Australian...and remember you are unique... Re the Schooling here, it is so easy...just ask my 3 kids who have come from the QLD system....my daughter is doing her year 12 here and 'thanks the lord' every night = cos back home all her mates are were bombarded with school stuff...here you need a 4 year degree cos the first year they have to do year 12 aussie style...and apparently at degree level...8 australian uni credit points is equivalant to 16 - 24 here... but see if you can find a HR department in the USA that knows that ... yes Im homesick - nearly all the time - but i consider myself to be lucky...as my American husband understands and loves Australia and Australians. He lived in Australia for appx a year and considers himself as an American/australian, he speaks Australian fluently.....and totally understands my culture....even advisors his company on Australian business etiquette for his global reps etc... unfortunately my male friends wife hates Australia...except in small doses...and has refused to allow the children to be brought up there....(i think bc when they go back her aussie husband turns into the normal aussie bloke and enjoys catchin up with mates in the pub for long periods of time) Im not bitter, just a little regretful that I didnt have the insight to consider the consequences...now I have to live with it...I miss my eldest son who hated it here so much that he had to go home and live with his horrible father in a state he had never lived in nor have friends in...I just hope he doesnt hate me for disrupting his life so much.... anyway...Thanks everyone for participating in this post...ALL your views will assist others to prepare and understand what they are doing just that little bit better....cheers!!!	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-02-20 13:09:00
Australia and New Zealand	The big move - is it really going to be worth it????	My only Grizzle re degree or no degree in Oz....is this: you have an undergrad and a postgrad commonwealth payback system in Oz...means you can pay your education as tax once you eventually start work and earn over 30k per year....so,....I have seen situations where a say 28 year old, uni graduate has 5 years experience in banking and makes say 60K working next to a 28 year old year 12 grad, and because she didnt go to uni, she has 8 years work experience and therefore doing the same job and also earning 60k... the big aussie corporations are being told to value experience and maturerity rather than just education as that can be seen as discrimination but what actaually is happening....whilst before tax pay is even and thats fair.....the take home pay is hacked....cos post grad studies costs a fortune...as does any studies and the university educated person can easily pay an extra 200 dollars a fortnight in tax....aaaggghhh not fair... I been there...but in the end you do get promoted further and quicker than the non degree collegue but in the mean time...it SUCKS... oh and re nz....I hear its a lovely place but why you all trying to leave it? there are heaps of you in Australia....I have to ask, is there many Australians living in NZ?	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-02-16 13:40:00
Australia and New Zealand	The big move - is it really going to be worth it????	Interesting post. I originally migrated to Australia to join my husband. But after two years we are moving back to the states for the same reasons you mention NOT to move to the states. I could not find a job in Australia. For 2 years. And I have a doctorate and a profession on the skilled migration list! The 'boom' you speak of is nice and totally a positive if you are apart of it, but unfortunately I am not. And lets face it, the boom happening in WA is propping up the rest of Australia... had it not been for that boom at just the right time, Australia would be in a recession too. Medicare is a nice bonus in Australia but that cant last long and again it's WA that is paying the bills for the rest of the country--can you tell that we are from Perth? Like every boom in history, there will be a crash... I dread to see what else will tumble when the boom dies off. On the job front: I get paid twice in America than what I would have earned in Australia (had I been able to find a job). I feel like the US values education and experience. And it's a lot easier to move up the professional ladder if that's what you want to do. Pay in the US is very competitive and opportunities are limitless if you are qualified. In Australia, this was definitely not the case. So yeah, I am a bit bitter that someone in Australia who doesn't even graduate from high school can earn just as much or multiples of what I do (see how much a truck driver earns in the mines). I'm not saying that these high waged people are not needed or valued, but where is the motivation to pursue further knowledge? Cost of living is through the roof in Australia and as a pharmacist and lawyer, my husband and I could not save enough money for a down payment. Housing prices have tripled in price over the past 5-10 years. And homeowners actually believe this trend will continue... hmm this sounds just like what homeowners were saying before USA's housing market crash. A report came out right before I moved back to the USA about a month ago that teachers, police officers, and nurses are priced out of the housing market in Perth--and these are the people you want to live next to! Yes, lifestyle is definitely a lot better over in Australia only if you can afford it... We were living paycheck to paycheck in a crappy little apartment. The grass isn't always greener on the other side. That's why we are back in the USA. But it really depends on what you are looking for in life... for our situation, the USA is a far better option. Sorry but I just had to set the record straight Mining Boom in WA is huge...but nothing to that of QLD...and at least QLD has other economic industry booms that are pushing the country up....i.e Tourism, Agriculture, Gas, Cotton....etc etc... EG.....In my industry 'Banking'...we only allowed 2 SNR managers operate and oversee the many business lending bankers organising industry lendings in WA..(and they still managed to go fishing in the arvo nearly every day)..in QLD we had 10....and our lends were through the roof!!! Allways making a profit.... Vic was picking up....NSW can never go wrong....SA was pretty useless...but licking NT ####### helped it to survive...and as for Tassie...well....we didnt have anyone there....I put my hand up to go oversee the situation a couple of times....but they kept giving it to some bloke in Vic - something about being closer??? So....youre right the housing market is ridiculous....geezzz...wish my house for the price I wanted...but its not just the WA minning boom that props up australia....may feel like that in WA as the only other decent money making business overthere is wine and its small compared to the rest of the wineries in Oz......consider living out west in QLD or outback nt for the bucks....	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-02-15 14:07:00
Australia and New Zealand	The big move - is it really going to be worth it????	So theres a lot of Interesting perspectives..... I believe the USA is like Australia in that each place is very different.....For eg., I never lived in Perth as it seemed just too far away and isolated....Brisbane proved a great place to live, Melbourne not so good but the footballs great,....And here in the USA., you need to research where exactly you are having to move to...and speak to your new darling asking if it would be possible to move to a different area once you are there if you find the area a little too daunting, unusual or plane revolting. I know of many Aussie expats who have been here for over 10 years or there abouts who made demands to move to areas which were more similiar to Australia and that made them happier...In fact a few of them said that if their spouses wearnt going to move...then they were moving back to Australia. And I guess thats why I decided to start th'e post - to remind us to 'just be sure'....To Stand back, take a look at what you are doing, pause, and reload....cos once you get here...you just cant help bringing it to your spouses attention during a disagreement, how you have given up 'everything' to move to the USA to be with them'.....And for Australians....and Americans in Australia A THING CALLED HOMESICKNESS will strike us all and when it does....it hits like a sledgehammer .... An australians in the usa site suggests IT HITS EVERYONE...so get prepared for it....and GOOD LUCK.	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-02-15 12:53:00
Australia and New Zealand	The big move - is it really going to be worth it????	Yes we were goingto do courthouse then big wedding too....but did a mini wedding...I would like to renew our vows wen we head to Australia next so that my family will be there.....hopefully heading back for xssy this year... Long island NYC is u beaut....and yes u r right re the wages for trades....it's bc of this recession....can u move to montreal Canada quebic.....that's about three hours from NYC...?? Supposed to be like a mini Paris apparently. My daughter wants me to take her there for her 18h b/day.....( I wonder why) hehe	lynJer	Female	Australia	2012-02-11 18:58:00