Re: Is Canberra really that bad?????????
 

Right - has anybody any advice about the money issue (or give me 20 grand lol)!! The ACT states;

'An application for ACT Government sponsorship must include the following:


· documentary evidence to support your current personal financial status. The main applicant must have at least A$20,000 in transferable assets, with A$10,000 for each additional dependent family member, to assist with successful settlement and employment search in Canberra. The following assets will not be considered ‘transferable’:



- funds held in another persons name (except spouse);

- immovable assets like property or land;

- jewellery, house hold items, cars or motor cycles;

- cash in hand;

- life insurances.



· If you have less than the required assets available for transfer, you must provide a statement justifying your ability to support yourself and any dependents while becoming established and finding employment in the ACT. The statement must include evidence of research into the cost of living in Canberra, with an estimated budget e.g. rental accommodation, transport, electricity, gas and food.'

Now I can probably provide evidence that me and my OH can show that we have ten grand - however the rest is tied up in the car, house etc (which they wont allow to be considered) - anybody got any thoughts on this!!??

I've had a look at the house rental costs - what would you say is average for a 3 bedroomed house per week!!??!!
Ta chucks - dont forget if you've got a spare £20,000 you can always pop it into my bank for safe keeping!!!!:p

Re: Is Canberra really that bad?????????
 

Just a few random thoughts.

Getting into the ACT education system with permanency can be a nightmare especially if you are one of the older cohort who will cost them more. Permanency is more likely going to the just out of uni kids. You may be lucky with short term contracts though but IT is quite well served by existing teachers (are you sure you dont teach secondary science or applied maths?)

The weather is universally blandly nice apart from a few stinking weeks this summer where the mercury forgot to go down. Most of the time you can live without aircon but those few horrible weeks always makes you reassess. Houses are not well insulated as a general rule and you may be cold in winter. -7C is not unheard of although most nights would be down around the -3C level. Days warm up though and you would usually be over 10C on any winter's day. I do have a beanie, scarf and pair of gloves but would only wear them maybe a couple of times a year. I get away with a fairly elderly fleece on most days. I think I may even have an overcoat somewhere.

Water is a problem - not as bad as Melbourne yet but we definitely need rain and many of us have the bom site as a favourite and sit and watch the blue blobs divide before they get to Canberra.

Education - hmmmmm, well it professes to be up there with the best of Australia but especially at the secondary level when close to 50% of parents make a choice for a Catholic or other private school then you do begin to wonder about the quality. For secondary colleges the kids go back to the govt system to some extent but the best results are usually achieved in the private sector schools.

You should plan for a weekly rent of about $400 - nowhere is cheap except perhaps Charnwood and Richardson and some of the other outer Tugg suburbs that you probably wouldnt want to live in anyway. If you arent proud about the sort of house you live in then you may get cheaper but it wont be the 4bed, 2 bath with family room and ensuite (try a 3 beddie weatherboard:rofl:)

I dont know where people get the "Canberra is boring" thing from - if you look around there is a great deal of community participation in a whole range of activities, there is reasonable theatre and music ranging from symphonic to back yard jamming. Sports facilities are second to none. Volunteering is quite healthy in the community.

Our politicians (local) are a load of numpties with aspirations beyond their IQ levels and the whole ethos is so based on social justice, human rights and political correctness that it can be overpowering (anyone for acknowledgement of country taking 10 minutes in every meeting?) - common sense often takes a back seat to dogma but that's the truth in lots of places and we arent bankrupt - yet.

Re: Is Canberra really that bad?????????
 

awhhhhhooohhh!!!!!!! You got me worried now. Thanks for the time you have taken though - honest and frank - but now I feel totally fed up - that I guess happens when you have the rose tinted glasses on. I have taught other subjects like basic English, Maths, Key Skills, Business Studies etc. I would like to say I am a good IT teacher ( well my vice principal said I was today) and I work at one of the best sixth forms in the UK.

If I were to take the sponsorship Quoll would you recommend that I send my CV to all schools and colleges etc... My OH has his own business at the mo, he has a plumbing business but it is his son who has the qualifications, he is also a boiler maker - but again timeserved!!!
Wouldnt it be so nice if someone said, 'i'll employ you, pay you double, pay your relocation costs, find a nice cheap house for you' and so on.....we can dream!!!!

Re: Is Canberra really that bad?????????
 

Good luck with whatever you decide :)