Rollercoasters journeys

[ArnoW]

Hallo forumites!

Today I have decided to start a journal. Most people start documenting the process of their visa application process right through to the day they arrive in Australia and beyond. I start now, 2 weeks before my departure to Melbourne. Why only now? Well, I suppose today made the whole journey very very real for me. It was my last day at work, and I think for the very first time the whole idea and reality of it all has sunk in when I started greeting people and handed in my computer and access card, walked out the door and drove out of the city, knowing I will not be returning.

So here I sit; jobless, virtually homeless and at the beginning of a new journey (which is very exciting at the one end of the scale, but very daunting and scary at the other end.). I really cannot put a finger on exactly how I feel at the moment. All I know is that I am getting on a plane to Australia in just under three weeks. But for now I am feeling a bit as if I am in “the land in between”.

The last week has been a very interesting one, and it had affirmed my belief that we are doing the right thing. It is as if the universe is aligning for us. When I am to arrive in Melbourne I am going to stay with a family that my partner met a few years ago in Chile. They have subsequently moved back to Australia and when we were there for our activation trip they offered that we would stay with them for a while since they have a big house and only two young boys. In the mean time we decided that I would go over to Australia alone for the first few months to look for a job, rental etc. So the plan was still to go and live with them for a while.

Sunday morning we got an e-mail from them saying that their mother’s place (which they own) is empty since the tenants that lived there after they had to put her in a care home moved out, and they remembered that we said we wanted to live in approximately the same area where they live, within close walking distance from train stations, a tram line and shops (a tall order, I know!). As it turned out this little place, in Carnegie, ticks all the boxes and they were wondering if we would like to rent it from them; that way they know that the place will be well looked after and we are also close to them should we get lonely etc. So, suffice to say we now have a rental apartment (and at a very good rental price mind you!) and when I arrive in Melbourne on Friday 25 July I can move in. I will however stay with them for a week or so just to find my feet and have people around me for the first few days. I do not think that I will be able to handle being all alone the moment I land (especially since I am coming over in my own for the first 4 months). But I am hitting the ground running though! I have my first interview with a recruitment agency on Monday morning after I land, and another one the Tuesday morning, with three more planned the week after. So I suppose I will learn VERY quickly how the trains, trams and buses work! The appointment the Tuesday is in the CBD at 10am! So peak hour here I come!

I am so glad that we found a place before we even leave South Africa, because I now have an address where we can send our MoveCube and the boxes that must follow close after I have left. I have Googled the area (Carnegie) extensively and it seems like such a nice neighborhood; I am very excited to live there, not to even mention living in Melbourne; it is such an awesome city.

So, here I am now. Two weeks to go and still a lot to do before I can sit back and relax. This maybe a good thing because I think if I have too much idle time on hand I will start contemplating and thinking, and then the stress and doubts and all sorts of nasties will creep in, and this is the last thing I need at the moment.

I was thinking by myself this afternoon when I got home from work, what will it feel like on Monday morning when I wake up and realise that I do not have to go to work, but that I am not on leave … I am JOBLESS!!

I will try to journal as much as possible in the weeks to come; there is a lot waiting on me and I have a suspicion that the ups and downs on this rollercoaster ride are going to become very intense from now on. But I am ready for this.

It is good to know that there are so many other South Africans in Melbourne.

So here we go! Hold on to your hats... it's gonna be one hell of a ride!

PS: Bought a bicycle in EOFY sales; just going in for a fitting when I arrive to see that the frame size is correct for me, and then I will be taking up cycling! Looking forward to that, since it seems there are so many cool bicycle paths in Melbourne!

Edited July 4, 2014 by ArnoW

[Mara]

Congratulations on the flat, what a joy to have that sorted!

[TammyP]

Its all so exciting, looking forward to reading all about your journey

[ArnoW]

Congratulations on the flat, what a joy to have that sorted!

Thanks Mara! Yes! It is such a relief to have the flat sorted! Makes things a bit better already! Good to know there is a place to go to and also to have an address to send my stuff to!

Its all so exciting, looking forward to reading all about your journey

TammyP, it is exciting, but it is also a very very daunting prospect!

[ArnoW]

6 JULY

This was been a very busy weekend. No time for idle thoughts!

Originally (before we got the rental organised) the plan was that I would take a few boxes with me using Seven Seas Worldwide. We packed some pots and pans and bedding and all sorts of stuff in order for me to have something to use when I eventually found a rental apartment. But since I was to stay with friends at first, we decided that the boxes can be sent via sea freight. This would have taken +- 70-80 days and that would have given me ample time to find a rental.

And then the unexpected happened, and we got the rental from our friends. This meant that I could not wait for 70-80 days for the stuff to arrive. Change of plans. Boxes are now being sent via air freight. It is more expensive, but at least takes only 11 days, and if I can have all my kitchen stuff etc. it is better than to buy unnecessary stuff in Melbourne. But…. When sending boxes by sea you are allowed a maximum weight of 30kg per box. So of course we packed each box to the max. Now, with air freight we are only allowed a maximum of 26kg per box, after which you pay something like R100 per extra kg up to 30kg. So today we opened all four sealed boxes, put together a fifth one and re-shuffled everything so that each box weighs slightly less than 26kg. This means we can now take a little extra stuff. But I hate doing things twice! It just shows you how you can plan all you want and think you have catered for every eventuality, and then something happens and it throws all plans in disarray. But hey, I suppose this is part of the process; cannot be helped. But for a control freak like me it is highly stressful!

I have worked for one of the big banks in South Africa, and as such one of the benefits I received was no bank charges. But the moment you resign you start paying. This morning when I woke up I got a text saying that I must contact the bank for options because I do not qualify for the staff benefit any longer. I was aware of this, but I thought to myself “Wow, I have only finished work on Friday and they are already telling me I do not qualify anymore”. Good internal processes I suppose. So tomorrow I will go to the bank branch and find out what my options are. I will make it clear to them that I want the lowest possible rate, and if they cannot offer it to me, I am sure one of their competitors will. I am keeping a bank account here for now because there are still one or two family members I am helping financially and I want the convenience of internet banking.

Apart from that, it seems to me like everyone around me is sick with the flu or has a cold. This is freaking me out a bit every time anyone coughs in a room or come to close to me when they are sick; I really cannot afford to get sick now. Not two weeks before I leave! That will be a disaster. So I am overdosing on immune boosters and by best girlfriend is a medical doctor, so in the next two weeks she will inject me with strong immune boosters as well. I do not WANT to get sick. I suppose you cannot choose not to, but I am sure as hell going to fight back! I cannot arrive in Melbourne with flu, and also cannot really afford to get it there. I do not know any doctors there (except for the Dermatologist brother in law of the friend I am staying with for the first week) and then there is the little issue of medical aid; I must still register for Medicare after I land. Not to even mention that I have quite a few appointments with recruiting agents during that first week.

Tonight I am feeling nervous again. During the weekend all was fine. But when I sit still for too long I start thinking, and then I realise again the immensity of what we are doing. This is not just a move down the street or to another neighborhood or city! This is BIGGER! New continent, new job, new friends, new EVERYTHING.

But as the song by Gloria Gaynor goes: First I was afraid, I was petrified… but I WILL SURVIVE!!

I think I must now go and watch the movie on M-Net at 20h00 to get my mind off stuff a bit!

Edited July 6, 2014 by ArnoW

[Bronwyn&Co]

Arno do you guys have the Flu shot in SA? I have had it here in Aus about three times because I was working for big corporates which paid for all employees, so I took advantage of the offer (also good when working with the public). Anyhoo...I haven't got sick in the years I had the shot. You must be healthy to have it (not already sick). I must admit I haven't looked closely into the ingredients

[ArnoW]

Bronwyn, yes, we do have the flu shot but I do not think it can be taken this time of year any more (they seem to only give it at the start of winter) and I have not seen it available anywhere. I normally take the shot, but this year I did not because when it was done at work I had a cold. But a doctor friend of mine is going to give me a series of potent immune booster shots during the next two weeks before I leave. In the mean time I am drinking a lot of Vitamin C and whatnot. So far I have not caught any bug. But... TOUCH WOOD!!

8 JULY

What a busy two days!

I went to the bank yesterday to go and sort out the bank charges issue. But before I went to my current bank (the red one) I first went to one of the competitors just to get a “feel” for what products and options are available. Turns out the competition can give me a far better offer than my current bank can (or will…) Suffice to say that I have opened new accounts at the competitor, and I am quite impressed with the client service so far. At least that is now sorted and I do not have to worry about paying a fortune in bank charges while I hardly ever use the account.

In the mean time we have people painting and renovating in the house, so this is a nightmare in itself… I wish they would finish now so that we can just have a semblance of normality in our home again! Hopefully by Friday.

And it is COLD here today. I am frozen to the bone sitting and typing here.

And so my flight date is creeping closer and closer…

Edited July 8, 2014 by ArnoW

[rozellem]

Arno, dont be surprised if you collapse once in Aus with some or other bug. At the moment you are operating on a abnormal cocktail of adrenaline/ excitement/ fear/ nerves/ etc that your body produces to keep afloat. It has to, for it cant afford you to bail at the prospect of what lies ahead. Once the emotional and physical border has been crossed and your body feels that it can let the guard down a little, you might be in for a bit of a wobble. A cold, flu, cold sore, a stye, mouth ulcer, what ever. It is almost a given and you will not be the first to get it. It has a emotional twin too. The type that sends you a wave of unexpected feelings when you least expect. Might be when you hear a national anthem, or baffled by the choice of a 100 new teas in the supermarket, or see families in a park. Sometimes it can be really silly and minor. All normal. Good luck.

[ArnoW]

Arno, dont be surprised if you collapse once in Aus with some or other bug. At the moment you are operating on a abnormal cocktail of adrenaline/ excitement/ fear/ nerves/ etc that your body produces to keep afloat. It has to, for it cant afford you to bail at the prospect of what lies ahead. Once the emotional and physical border has been crossed and your body feels that it can let the guard down a little, you might be in for a bit of a wobble. A cold, flu, cold sore, a stye, mouth ulcer, what ever. It is almost a given and you will not be the first to get it. It has a emotional twin too. The type that sends you a wave of unexpected feelings when you least expect. Might be when you hear a national anthem, or baffled by the choice of a 100 new teas in the supermarket, or see families in a park. Sometimes it can be really silly and minor. All normal. Good luck.

Rozelle, I actually in the back of my mind thought as much! Not looking forward to that, but I suppose it's normal and cannot be helped.

[ArnoW]

23 JULY

In exactly 24 hours time I will be leaving for the aiport. I cannot believe how time has flown by. All the years of planning and anticipating and arrangements and stress and uncertainty, and here it is now – less than 24 hours.

Luckily everything is packed and ready. Boxes went via Seven Seas Worldwide on Monday and I have packed my suitcases yesterday. Only a few little things left to do and then it is goodbye SA and hallo new life in Australia.

I am so thankful we have made it this far. Now the REAL adventure starts. Bring it on!

The next time I write in this journal it will be from Melbourne. WhooHoo!!!

[Mel-B]

Good luck!!! Its an adventure for sure

[Bigvan07]

Good luck Arno, will be waiting for the next update.

[eitai2001]

Hi Arno ... I'm eagerly awaiting your next update ... I'm almost in your shoes ... I leave for Melbourne in a little over 3 weeks

[Sibella]

Yea my kid got chicken pox three days after arrival in Australia. lol. I laugh now when I think about it...

[ArnoW]

10 August

I cannot believe that I have been here for just more than two weeks now. It all seems such a blur. Everything here is so different. I was at the Woolworths and Aldi just up the street from the apartment that we are renting this afternoon, and I felt like an orphan lost on another planet. The brands are all different, the way of doing things in the shops are all different. I really felt a little lost. In the end I only walked out there with a bread, a cucumber, four bananas, a sweet potato and bottle of milk. It was too daunting to even thing of buying anything more. I will go back during the week and try again… And I must say the fact that it looked as if a storm might break out any moment did not help because I am reliant on walking, my bicycle or public transport.

As far as getting things such as drivers license, home content insurance, ambulance cover etc. goes, it could not be easier. They are very geared towards these type of things and I found that if you have an internet connection you are fine, because you can find just about any form, info – name it – on a website. The government websites are fantastic in that way. It took me 15 minutes to get my drivers license converted from when I walked in the door to the payment in the end.

The homesickness is creeping up on me every now and again, but then I just take a deep breath and go on. Last week I went for agent interviews in the CBD. My first appointment was 10am and the next one was the only at 14h00 so that left me with some time that I needed to “kill”. I was a bit at a loss; the CBD can be a bit daunting if you are not used to all the people, trams, high-rises and everything else that happens constantly. I went to the city library and charged my phone and walked around a bit. If find it amazing that they have such quality WORKING libraries here. There is a library around the corner from where I live, and on Saturdays and Sundays it is just buzzing with parents and children, community activities etc. They have an extensive book range, audiobooks, DVD, bluray, computers to use, free WiFi, a coffee shop; it is just amazing.

Public transport are on time and I have not needed a car so far. But I think it is definitely something that we will have to buy. Melbourne is very spread out and it is not always easy to get to places only using public transport. But so far I am amazed; the trains are on time and runs like clockwork. I am sure there are some problems as well but it is 200% better than Jhb where I never dared to use it.

So far I find that people around here has a lot of respect for others and for the rules. It seems to me that a lot of effort goes into safety. In school zones in certain times you are only allowed to drive 40 km/h, the street crossings are marked very clearly, the signs and gates when trains pass works fantastic. All in all I feel like if you are wondering about things here you are in all likelihood not reading properly because there are signs and instructions for almost everything here.

I have seen my fair share of intolerant drivers here as well; it is not all sunshine and roses. But if I think at how people are driving in Johannesburg this is heaven.

So far all is going well. I am alive and kicking. Our rental unit is awesome and I have bought some appliances (washing machine, fridge and microwave). And I have ADSL (word of advice, try belong.com.au; they are month to month and the service so far has been awesome). For getting gas and electricity try www.energywatch.com.au and short term insurance www.allianz.com.au. The water companies also have websites you can go onto. You can get your TFN (Tax File Number) by applying online. Mine took ½ hour and it was posted to me. I received it after 4 workdays. Now waiting for Medicare and License cards in the post; I have only the temporary ones at the moment.

One word of advice; convert license asap after arrival and also get Medicare temp card. I also got a letter from the bank with my address. This all helped tremendously with getting things done as those are important forms of ID.

It is my first night alone at the rental apartment. I have been living with friends the past two weeks, so it feels a little weird sitting here alone. At least there is Skype! If it was not for that I do not know how I would have been able to handle being away from my partner for this long.

The weather here is Melbourne is weird! Literally 4 seasons in one day. Advice: always have a jacket and umbrella with you, even when the sun shines, because an hour later it might be raining and two hours after that the sun will shine again.

…and I still struggle with the coins here! They are different to SA. The big “silver ones” are the lower denominations and the smaller bronze ones the higher. The smallest bronze is $2 and the biggest silver is 10c if I am not mistaking. It takes me forever to pay for things because I have to get used to this!

Anyhow, movie time now; its cold and my fingers are numb. Luckily our rental has central gas heating. That works wonders.

Now just the job!! That scares the living daylight out of me because the devil on my shoulder tells me "you are not going to find a job and then you will have to go back to SA" and I REFUSE. I will not give up living in Australia. I just pray and keep on believing that the job will sort itself out eventually. I just keep applying, networking and seeing agents.

Till next time!!

Edited August 10, 2014 by ArnoW

[Sunnyskies]

Well done ArnW you are doing well.

Lesson on coins:

- little gold - $2

- medium gold - $1

- big silver with angled edges - 50c

- biggish but not as big round silver - 20c

- small silver - 10c

- smallest silver (really small) - 5c

One day you will look at the coins in your hand and instinctively know how much you have.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Sunnyskies

[Bronwyn&Co]

What a great post! Like seeing everything with fresh eyes. I hope you joined the library Arno, and borrowed a whole bunch of DVDs & Books

[Mara]

Glad to see that you are settling in well!

[eitai2001]

Hi Arno.

If you struggle to get a job after a while, try get a CV through www.resume-solutions.com.au ... from what people have said here, he seems to be well worth the money he charges.

I'm busy using him prior to landing in Aus so I can try find a job. I'll update in my blog once I've seen the resume and if it has any effect. It is a couple $100's, but if it gets me into a position I want, then it will be well worth it.

Regards

Itai