Finally Landed Down Under!! Woohoo!! Now what to do???

paris_hipon · October 2012

Hi guys I just landed down under staying for 4 weeks now so far so good am adjusting a bit. I love the weather, not too cold, train station id efficientand the trains are double decker! Food is great also and work is soo stress free! I started working about a week ago after finding a job for 2 weeks and sending 50 resumes almost a day from seek.com. Work here is laid back I work 8-4.30pm and its flexible if you want you can work at 7 and go home 1 hour earlier. So there thats some of my current experiences here down under.

I made this thread for people who just landed down under. Upon arrival your still quite clueless of your new home. So for member who have been in Australia for ages can you please share essential things that we should know as soon as when we land here? Please share what you can on some things about:

1. Cheapest places to shop
2. Places to see
3. Is work assistance available
4. Where to buy 2nd hand cars and what drivers license to bring or where to apply drivers license
5. How to remit money to philippines
6. Is there any filipino hangout place here
7. What church to go to
8. What are some great things to do on the weekends
9. How much are gym membership fees
10. Schools for kids for people who are bringing their children
11. What type of train ticket to buy and which one to buy
12. What mobile provider to choose
13. How to find rent and what are the rules
14. Places that we should stay away (dangerous)
15. And so on ........ (if you have any questions you can add it on this list)

I made this list since after I landed here I dont have any relatives or friends here so most things that I did was like trial and error again (just like my visa lol). My biggest splurge is internet am using prepaid telstra I bough a wifi router $100 and in 3 weeks ive spent like $150 on top up since prepaid net is expensive and they charge per data which is insane. Did this since the house am staying has NO INTERNET. Its such a pain in the arse since you need internet to apply jobs online, but my rent is cheap thats why Im still staying here but am looking for a place to move. So there just a tip if yer moving here make sure the house yer renting has internet so you dont spend a bomb on prepaid internet.

Pls start the ball rolling

TasBurrfoot · October 2012

@paris_hipon - just wondering why you did prepaid? May mura ata ang postpaid na mobile broadband?

paris_hipon · October 2012

Yes its cheap but for home connection I think you can sign up for that only if you have a job and usually the package is a 2 yr contract. Tmg has $69 unli adsl but I think you need to pay connectuon fees wc are expensive.

Im using iphone 4 3g am figurin out how the interne ttethering thing works i tried it last night but it didnt work. Cuz I just want to use my mobile internet cuz prepaid wifi is expensive.

@paris_hipon - just wondering why you did prepaid? May mura ata ang postpaid na mobile broadband?

TotoyOZresident · October 2012

Malamang marami makikipag EB kay paris hipon

sayang wala ako sa Sydney

issa · October 2012

@paris_hipon , question po, base on your timeline South Australia yung state sponsorship mo, are you in SA or NSW?

paris_hipon · October 2012

Issa I am staying in nsw shhhhhh hahahha

@paris_hipon , question po, base on your timeline South Australia yung state sponsorship mo, are you in SA or NSW?

paris_hipon · October 2012

Y naman eb di naman eb topic ko dito ah hehe

Malamang marami makikipag EB kay paris hipon sayang wala ako sa Sydney

LittleBoyBlue · October 2012

@paris_hipon bilis ah, 2 weeks. start p lng kmi mag-hanap ng work from SG, kaso mababa daw chances pag wala dyan.

Rommel1982 · October 2012

sya EB na tayo paris_hipon hehehe

saan ka sa NSW???

Metaform · October 2012

Issa I am staying in nsw shhhhhh hahahha

Hindi naman kinwestyon sa Sydney airport kung bakit hindi ka nag-initial entry sa sponsor state mo?

paris_hipon · October 2012

Nope d naman sila mahigpit dito like were thinking. Dont want to repeat it again and again and explain but working in another state is legal. Even the migration agent I know told me too. Google it.

Issa I am staying in nsw shhhhhh hahahha
Hindi naman kinwestyon sa Sydney airport kung bakit hindi ka nag-initial entry sa sponsor state mo?

paris_hipon · October 2012

True. Even if yer still overseas its best to try to apply here already. You never know maybe at least 1 will reply to you for interview. Im not here to discourage unless you are an engineer you can find work easily since its in demand here I think anywhere you its in demand. Fyi, Job market here is very competetive, ive been to 6 interviews before I landed a job, there were lots of euro people irish english german, also from south america like brazilian spanish ppol looking for work. So competition for work is very high. I tried applying in a call center here but I didnt pass since you need to be very good in english here and dont sound like a foreigner, unlike in pinas where i worked in a call center for 8 mos it was so easy to get in they hired me and didnt even sk for any credentials. Here ita difficult to get in a call center.

In short finding a job here is not a walk in the park. Polish your resume make cover letter. Be prepared since job market here is really competetive. I know someone an it person before he found a job he worked as a cleaner For 5 months in hotels. Sure you can do that but if you have pride and maarte of course thatll be hard to do!

Also, some work require you to have a car. I got hired in my 3rd interview but when they asked me if i have a car and i said no they changed their mind. Getting a car is difficult if yer new here since your still on budget and buying a car is the least of your priorities. Even if you buy a car its difficult since you dont know the way here u dont know their road rules and stuff.

If your coming here without work just be prepared in terms of budget, I went here w only 2.4t aud in my pocket good thing I found a job in 2 weeks but I was thinking if i dont find a job in 2 months my money will run out and ill probably go back to manila first then get funds again.

a

@paris_hipon bilis ah, 2 weeks. start p lng kmi mag-hanap ng work from SG, kaso mababa daw chances pag wala dyan.

hotshot · October 2012

@paris_hipon : sana swertihin din kami sa paghahanap ng job. dun talaga ako pinakakinakabahan e. hehehe

LokiJr · October 2012

Thanks for sharing your experiences. Dami mapupulot na info hehe. Magkano po rent nyo dyan?

paris_hipon · October 2012

@paris_hipon : sana swertihin din kami sa paghahanap ng job. dun talaga ako pinakakinakabahan e. hehehe

Pray ka lang and mgkkawork ka.

paris_hipon · October 2012

No worries mate haha! Mejo napipick up kona ung lingo nila dito haha. My rent is $150 solo in a room in a 2 br apt. It includes all except house has no internet which is a torture.

Thanks for sharing your experiences. Dami mapupulot na info hehe. Magkano po rent nyo dyan?

TotoyOZresident · October 2012

Kumusta naman lovelife mo dyan Paris

paris_hipon · October 2012

Just like the city of Paris, Romantic of course nyahahah lolz

Oa kayo bumalik nga kayo sa topic off topic na kayo eh!!! Lol

Kumusta naman lovelife mo dyan Paris

LokiJr · October 2012

No worries mate haha! Mejo napipick up kona ung lingo nila dito haha. My rent is $150 solo in a room in a 2 br apt. It includes all except house has no internet which is a torture.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. Dami mapupulot na info hehe. Magkano po rent nyo dyan?

Uy mura a, considering solo yung kuwarto

Which part of NSW are you? Kasama naman ang utilities sa $150? I agree medyo hassle yung walang internet hehe..di ako mabubuhay nang walang net! hehe

paris_hipon · October 2012

Tomo mtanda na old fashioned xe ksma ko sa bhay nood lng sha ng tfc masaya na lol. Sa suburb ako sa fairfield boring dito and pag gbi wala ng tao sa labas. Madami middle eastern dito pag gabi lagi me police car umiikot. Maybe they really are trouble.

No worries mate haha! Mejo napipick up kona ung lingo nila dito haha. My rent is $150 solo in a room in a 2 br apt. It includes all except house has no internet which is a torture.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. Dami mapupulot na info hehe. Magkano po rent nyo dyan?

Uy mura a, considering solo yung kuwarto Which part of NSW are you? Kasama naman ang utilities sa $150? I agree medyo hassle yung walang internet hehe..di ako mabubuhay nang walang net! hehe

mandand · October 2012

paris_hipon congrats sa new job mo. in just 2 weeks. that's great. ano po ang line of work mo?

paris_hipon · October 2012

Interior designer/cad draftsman/3d renderer/ model & manicurist and pedicurist lolz

mandand · October 2012

@paris_hipon lol nice! no wonder hired ka agad. hehe

LokiJr · October 2012

aba sa dami ng trabaho niyo isang taon lang siguro may pang-down na kayo ng bahay sa Australia hehehe

stolich18 · October 2012

wow congrats paris_hipon at may work ka na agad! :-)

issa · October 2012

Naku sis mahalaga naman andyan ka. Natanong ko lang kasi for sure magkaiba ang cost of living, work, etc etc. Aba bongga pala yung work experience mo.

Interior designer/cad draftsman/3d renderer/ model & manicurist and pedicurist lolz

TasBurrfoot · October 2012

Yes its cheap but for home connection I think you can sign up for that only if you have a job and usually the package is a 2 yr contract. Tmg has $69 unli adsl but I think you need to pay connectuon fees wc are expensive.

Im using iphone 4 3g am figurin out how the interne ttethering thing works i tried it last night but it didnt work. Cuz I just want to use my mobile internet cuz prepaid wifi is expensive.
@paris_hipon - just wondering why you did prepaid? May mura ata ang postpaid na mobile broadband?

I saw the terms sa TPG, ang mahal naman ng set-up nila! Wala bang katulad dito sa Singapore na punta ka lang sa Starhub, get your router then plug-n-play!

Seriously, at A$99 - di sya biro!

sofabed · October 2012

@paris_hipon may i asko po what's the nature of your work? thanks!

Metaform · October 2012

Interior designer/cad draftsman/3d renderer

Halos pareho kayo ng job description ni misis. Magkano ang bigay? Huwag mong sagutin kung hindi ka komportable. Ballpark figure will do (more than 1K but less than 100K).