29 Apr 09 Student Guide to Australia

So I am in Perth and I am penning down the thoughts that I think and precautions that one must take

So if you are worried about finding a part time job in aussie.

Go to seek.com.au get yourself registered and start applying from now it’s self. Normaly it takes a month Or two before you hear any response from companies

Some hotshot Companies to apply for

Hungry jacks
Mc Donald’s
Subway
KFC
Coles
Big W
Dicksmith
BP
Caltex

Also apply for a Tax filing number as soon as you reach Aussie, You can apply it earlier if you have you Visa ready and a place to live

So you do not have a place to live…start hunting for houses at studentconnect.com.au, this website is For international students and well, this is how I found my accommodation

Now I grew up in a hostel for around 10 years now and I wanted to avoid all the “We will make a group And stay together stuff”It just raises fights in a group,jealousy and well hatred, I had made up my mind that I want a separate room for me and food made, I have an eating disorder, so I chose a home stay, ya the rent is a bit steep but it is fun I have my own room, a Kitchen which is stocked, a bathroom, a washing machine and a family. Choose home stay you might like it

If you do not have a place to stay as soon as you land, make sure that you look for rooms online…you
Can look for room at YMCA hostels, they are cheap and worth it.

If you are like me and choosing a home stay, get down at the airport and go to a hotel unpack your luggage there,call up, meet the family, Make sure everything seems ok and your room is nice and comfortable and then move in the house.

Never send money in advance if you get in touch via internet. Go there, see the room, move your stuff
And then pay.

If you are living like students together thing, and if there are more the 4 people living in one room the room rent should not be more than $65.

It is a good idea to get the room in your name as later on if you have a fight and want to shove one of
The guys out of the room you are legally entitled to do so and you can even seek the help of the cops

Bring clothes…los of clothes, jeans, shoes, shirts, t shirts, chappel, towels, undies, ganjis,Sockes carry more clothes,you will not regret it.

If you smoke, you can bring 200 cigs, Buy them at the Indian duty free shop back in India. A carton (200 Cigs) of Marlboro costs Rs.900 there and a pack of 20 cigs cost $10.75 here. Quit smoking even better. You are only allowed to bring 200 ciggs to aussie.

Please do carry some american currency with you some notes and some american coines,coines will be useful to make calls home from you break journey point,you know calling machines.

All the Airports are wifi enabled,So you might want to keep your laptop handy,I had a 3 hour break at Kaula lampur ,i took out my lappy and was writing email to my kinsmen,though perth airport is not…strange huh.

You cannot carry any liquids in your hand luggage, so if you are planning to get some alcohol to aussie Then buy it at the local theka and put it in you luggage. You can bring 2.25 lts of alcohol

You will like aussie, Perth in particular; people are always smiling and polite.

Always stand in a line, if you can’t see one then look for one, if you can’t find one then move on

Try to avoid Malaysian airlines, the airhostess are shit, the food is shit, the plane is a shit and seems  More like a bus then a plane, Try to take Singapore airlines.

Do not get living things into aussie, the customs are very strict and have the state of art thing to
Detect it and ofcourse they slap you a fine too.

Deodrants… get a few of them. A pack of 3 or a pack of 6.Put it in you luggage not hand luggage.

You can work 20 hours a week. There is a minimum wage of $15 an hour so that should cover your living
Expenses

Do not work more than 20 hours as if you are caught then you are deported…no questions asked, Why take  The risk. They track you by you TFN.I have personally seen a friend of mine being deported. Scared the  Shit out me. (Its recession too)

Buy an adaptor try to get it from the duty free shops, very costly here (I brought it for $18 )

Get your Indian driving license here…its is valid for two years, it’s very hard to get a Aussie driving  License.

Pens, pencils, rubber, scale, staplers, clips, & lot of A4 sheets

Scan you visa, passport, medical prescription 10, 12 & degree mark sheet and keep them in your email, so  Even if your entire luggage is lost, you can open your email, download all the important stuff and print  Them out.

Keep travelers cheques in handy ….you can avoid carrying  cash and use travelers cheques,they can be used anywhere ,if they are stolen just call the help line and they will be blocked and your money will be given back to you and  you can  Open a bank account in australia  with traveler’s cheques

Indian students here prefer 3 mobile connections because maximum number of Indian students have it. That Is the simple plain reason. 3 to 3 calling if free .

Get a water bottle ( you know the sporty ones)

Get an iPod… you may have to travel log distance every day the ipod will keep you company

Get your laptop.

Do not get pirated dvds here ,if caught then trouble for you…copy everything you want on the computer HDD.

Winter clothes…don’t feel shy…you do not want to be shivering with cold would you. ts gets cold here

Get your cell phone if you want to; just make sure that it is 3g enabled

If you don’t have on then don’t freak out as you can get one here for free, all you need to do is sign
A 24 month bond where then let you use their cell phone and after the 24 months the cell phone is
Yours. You can chose from a wide variety of cell phones.

Get a pen drive (its costly here)

The farther you live to the university the cheaper for you

Keep your passport with you when travelling in a plane.

If you feel that you have exceeded the 40kg limit or whatever of you baggage allowance on plane don’t
Worry they do not check the allowance I have friends who have brought 65kgs of baggage.They normally will not ask question and if they do then tell them some “cock and bull story” that you are a student and you do not have money and this is the first time you are travelling in a plane and…. you get the point,But once they hear that you are a student they will let you go.

Ebay.com.au … always keep an eye out here for the stuff you want, you may get lucky.

Look out at the university notice boards for jobs.

keep a soft copy of the books that you think that you will need,Mostly all the reading material is provided by the university and the library but still.

Wear casual clothes here unlike in india where you had to wear formal clothes.

If some couple are makeing out in the park do not stare at them,it makes them feel awakward and then they start abusing you and stuff.

There is very less racism in aussie.

Behave

Try to speak in english with your friends  here,it will make the aussie a bit more comfortable and open.if you speak you native language the aussie will feel less invited to talk to you.

If you have actually read this then do leave a comment

I had a hard time preparing for the trip as i had no one to guide me .i looked up the internet for any proper guides but could not really find one so i wrote one when i came here.

Tags: Australia, Guide, Indian, Living, Perth, Student