Thursday, February 12, 2009

Golden little nuggets.....

Here are a list of little things I would have liked to have known before travelling to AUSTRALIA....

  • Grog = Beer/Liquor; most bars are open till the wee am...and you can pretty much gamble on anything at the TAB
  • There is no tipping at restaurants or bars (it's worked into the price of the meal)
  • Tax is also already in the price of the meal or item you are purchasing (really hand
  • "Entrees" are appetizers and "Mains" are main courses
  • As soon as you get to Australia get a Pay as you Go phone; all mobile phones are local and start with 04 so you don't have to dial an area code
  • Commonwealth Bank has the most ATM's in the country - so an account there is not a bad idea- at $5 a month its pretty cheap
  • If you are looking to rent a house/apartment - its through the real estate companies, and usually with a minimum 6 month lease and a 4 week bond (this is not the same as your last months rent - this is a payment on top of what you pay for rent, like a security deposit)
  • To call overseas, purchase an "OZ Call" - it's a phone card you can purchase at the Newsagent and gives good rates on international calls
  • Get a Tax File Number as soon as you open a bank account and have your working VISA - it's the only way you can work and get paid
  • You will need to arrange malpractice (indemnity) insurance before you start working as a chiro - you can usually pay monthly (debited from your account); if you join the CAA (the chiro assoc) you get a substantial discount
  • A great time to travel would be after you have written your Aussie Exams - as it takes them a month to get the results out to you
  • Flights within Australia from state to state are pretty cheap - use airlines like Jetstar or VirginBlue to get around
  • Make sure you bring some certified copies of your transcripts and diploma with you
  • Get your friends (who are also coming to work in OZ) to bring some books as well...that way you don't have to pack a suitcase full of textbooks and can share the load

Aliya
cdnchiro@gmail.com

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