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Living overseas

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Original poster

What should I know about Australia that I might not

190 replies

overthesea · 19/04/2011 18:32

Hi

I was just wondering if any Aussie based MN could give me tips on what has surprised you about living in Oz.

We are coming over in a few weeks to visit with a view to moving over in six months. I keep thinking it'll be just like the UK (well except wildlife/accents) but are there things that weren't as you expected? Do I need to investigate anything that I might not obviously think about? Confused

Thanks

OP posts:
NettoSuperstar · 27/04/2011 12:22

The adverts are baffling.
Ads for, say, a crap roadhouse a ten hour drive away?

What's that all about?

Livinginoz · 27/04/2011 23:41

I've just thought of some more:

Bank holiday surcharges!!!! WTF is that about? My parents are over at the moment and we went for coffee and banana bread on Saturday and they lumped a $12 surcharge on a $29 bill! I can't even work out how they worked that out!

Adverts are really weird, and usually star the owner of the business, who has decided as he is paying all this money for an advert he is jolly well going to be in it!

They call CVs "resumes"

The checkout assistants pack your shopping for you but only ever put two items in a bag so you end up taking 10 bags home for one basket of shopping (I always forget my cloth bags!)

The pedestrian crossings sound like Space Invader games

Breastfeeding is a lot more common here than it was back in the North West of England!

Astrophe · 28/04/2011 01:20

livinginoz, its recently become illegal for them to do that (on sundays as well), don't pay, and let them know you'll be mentioning it to the ACCC.

lulalullabye · 28/04/2011 01:39

In SA they do not give you any bags. You have to pay for them which is really good but not if you have just moved and don't have any of your own!!
Oh and also, all linen is called 'manchester'

Livinginoz · 28/04/2011 02:46

Are you sure Apostrophe?! It seems to be common practice in Manly where we are!

Astrophe · 28/04/2011 05:25

I'm pretty sure, although I still see it everywhere too. I'll check with DH tonight - he was the one who told me about it.

Astrophe · 28/04/2011 05:28

Here! But it looks as though they are finding a way around it anyway. Apparently they can't charge a % surcharge, but some cafes are just charging a flat fee to eat on public holidays/sundays Angry.

www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/12/2925547.htm

Livinginoz · 28/04/2011 06:39

Outrageous! Angry
I think because it was our first surcharge since we were backpacking years ago I didn't question him. Feel like reporting the place now, especially as they wouldn't let us only order coffees and we had to order their overpriced banana bread to stay! I would've kicked up more of a fuss if it hadn't been my parents' first day and I had spent all morning telling them how wonderful it is here! Blush

Sandgroper · 28/04/2011 16:15

As born and bred in Oz (been living away for 14 years) I have been reading all your posts with amusement!

Forgotten about a lot of things and it is really funny to find the things that annoy locals annoys newcomers as well! Still the underlying message is you all seem to be glad you moved there Grin

LivinginOz - those weird beeping noises are for people who are visually impaired so they know when to cross safely. Also they are a good reminder if you aren't paying attention to the "little green man"! Has anyone been fined for "jay walking", used to be a $50 on the spot fine...

Keep them coming!

Original poster
overthesea · 28/04/2011 16:17

I don't dare tell DSs you don't get pork sausages. They'll never move down under. DS2 lives on them.

OP posts:
lulalullabye · 28/04/2011 23:23

You do get pork sausages. Well in a fashion. Not many of them are worth eating!

esselle · 30/04/2011 06:02

Barmcake I have been looking for Colemans packets and have seen a few around and think you will probably be able to get them in the British food shops here. There are many local brands here which are very similar, so you can try them out.

The supermarkets do carry quite a lot of British food/brands here so you will be fine. They really don't do ready meals (that you would want to eat!!) here and fresh fruit and vegetables are more seasonal.

Barmcake · 01/05/2011 12:41

thanks esselle, where we live at the moment don't do ready meals either, so have to cook from scratch (or get takeout) and find the colmans packets help to give flavour, good to know that you can get them in Oz but might stock up on our favourite ones before we come over

Sandgroper · 04/05/2011 13:28

Bamcake, Esselle

Try Maggi Mixes, we stock up and bring them back to the UK!

flagging · 04/05/2011 15:58

and what should I know about Australia schools that I might not? Thinking of touring a few and don't know what I should be asking.

GapsAGoodUn · 04/05/2011 22:39

There is no national curriculum (although one is in the process of being introduced). They start school later in age and the school year runs from January.

Our school has 4 terms of roughly 11 weeks - therefore they do more school than in England!

There is no hot lunch provided by our school, although the P&C provide a tuck shop for some days (so brush up your lunchbox skills!).

None of the schools we looked at get changed for PE (unless it was swimming obv).

Other than that, I'd say go with your gut instinct. Our final decision came down to two schools - one with amazing results and another with not quite such amazing results (but still very very good). We (the children and I) chose the latter as the school felt so warm and friendly. Six weeks in and they are really happy.

Astrophe · 06/05/2011 08:17

I think the national curriculum comes in next year (feb).

At most public school the children just wear their PE kit and joggers to school on their PE/sport day, which I think is great - no time wasted getting changed at school, no rank PE kit languishing at school for a term, and means you can get away with fewer uniforms as they only wear it 4 days a week.

They don't have to be in school until age 6, and must (in NSW) turn 5 before July 31st in their first year, so yes, they start older, and depending on when their birthday falls you will get a choice of years to send them. Eg, My DC all have birthdays from March-July, and so we could send them (in Feb - when the school years starts) when they are 4 turning 5, or when they are 5 turning 6. There is a trend towards sending them later, especially for boys, but check what the school think.

flagging · 06/05/2011 15:38

Out of interest and given they start later do the kids know anything before they get to school i.e. done some stuff at kindergarten.

My DS2 will have done a years school when we go to Oz, so he should have simple reading skills, basic maths etc. Will his classmates be the same level or starting from scratch.

lulalullabye · 06/05/2011 22:49

My dd has just started school in Adelaide. She turned five mid April and we arrived here at Easter. She has gone straight to school as they start on their 5th birthday here. She started school in the UK last September. Out of 15 kids in her class not many of them can read but they are all picking it up really quickly so I don't think it really matters. DD is just coasting along and for the moment I am picking her reader books.
The teacher is encouraging her and the best bit of all, there is no Biff and Kipper anywhere to be seen Smile

Astrophe · 06/05/2011 23:48

flagging, what state are you heading to?

My DS will start kindergarten (1st year of school - equiv of reception) next feb, and will then turn 6 in march (he will be THE oldest!). Hes done 2 years of preschool (also confusingly sometimes called 'kindy' or kindergarten - but the equiv of nursery, though not free!), attending 3 days a week this year.

At his preschool they introduce them to letters and numbers and encourage writing and counting, but in a very unhurried way, and if the kids aren't interested they don't push it. They read to them a ot, play number games, but its more about social skills and learning through play.

At a guess I'd say out of a kindergarten class at school, 5 might be (early) reading, 10 will know some of their letters and will know how to count etc, but not be reading, and 5 will not know letters at all (may not be native english speakers etc). So there will be a mix.

flagging · 12/05/2011 14:52

Victoria Grin

PoppetUK · 19/05/2011 23:45

I have read all of the posts. Australia is a big place. WA seemed very different to other states

AllyBallyBe · 21/05/2011 10:13

Does anyone know if I could send my primary school children to the local school in Australia when we're over staying with relatives for 6 months on a holiday?

sunnydelight · 23/05/2011 06:22

It would depend on your visa Ally, unless you are citizens or hold PR I can't image that you would have any right to be what would be considered a "drain on the public purse". NSW charges people who are here on some kinds of temporary visas (eg business visas) $4,700 per year per child for public schooling so I can't imagine they would educate your kids for free if you are just here on holiday (you have to produce your visa to enroll plus proof that you have paid the government fee if it is applicable). You could try checking the Board of Studies website for the state/territory you will be staying in to confirm.

ninedragons · 23/05/2011 06:55

While the Aussie primary-school mums are all in one place, what are my chances of getting DD1 straight into kindy, skipping pre-school (NSW)? Realistically we would be talking state school, though I'd consider private if the practice were more prevalent there than in the state system.

I know everyone thinks their kid is bright, and saying your child is very intelligent is an invitation to a MN kicking, but she really is - to the point of startling onlookers when they ask her age. She's 3.4 and has taught herself to read and write, count, add and subtract. DH is teaching her to read Chinese just to keep her entertained.

The state primaries are very good around here, but I'm terrified she'll be bored out of her mind if in two years she's doing John has one grape and his mummy gives him another one, so how many grapes does he have now? I am in the Inner West and don't want to turn up brandishing a report from an ed psych and demanding special treatment like every other fucking yuppie Grin but she is SO ready for school.