Hello WA

Hi Nicki
I'm sure you're feeling as excited / nervous as I am, but after hearing the great things Gems said about the experience, I can hardly wait!!! What subject do you teach? I trained to teach science but taught maths more than science so don't know what post I'll be offered.

Elo

Gems

Elec goods, loads of elec shops here and most small towns have some sort of Electrovision or other elec store.

We bought most of our stuff here, as didnt want 100 adaptor plugs! Well kids brought Nintendo consoles that worked. Our dvd players and Videos worked. Didnt bring the tvs.
Everything was pretty reasonable price here anyway.

* But if you go to elec store take cash and you can bargain to get stuff cheaper. Never pay full price in elec stores. I felt an idiot at first but everyone does it. Just go in and say what is your best price for cash, saves loads of money.

Go to Osborne Park, Scarbourough Beach Road when you are in Perth. Has everything from furniture shops, Car sales, and education/books shop.


Gems

Gems

Ps, for those who have not got the cash or dont want to buy car cash.

You can get a new car via the education department its called Salary Packaging. You can get a new car (any size or brand) and pay no deposit. This is great if you want to keep any savings for other things eg house deposits, holidays etc.
Education will pay to ship your car to your new town.
Ask when you arrive in Perth about salary packaging a car or send me a pm if you want more info.

Otherwise buying a new car when you arrive usually means 15% deposit.
Stick to Japanes models, eg Toyota and Nissan are very popular here and even the smallest towns have servicing and parts for these. We normally have VW but told parts would be more expensive and not available in country towns.
Gems

lekkilizard

Hi

Am also a scientist.

Am Head of Dept so It will be a bit strange going back to being a classroom teacher. Have been doing the job 16 years and been told I could get management fairly quickly but will be happy just trying something new somewhere more exciting than Luton.

Ok Luton may have the airport and MK the concrete cows but......

We are excited too and hopefully if all goes well we shall be in Perth doing the same orientation course before placements.

It's great to find someone going at same time. Moral support and all that.

Nicki

karenandjason

Hi
Me and my husband are both secondary school teachers with no kids. We went to an expo back in November in London. They interviewed us then and there. We were accepted to start in Jan 09 back in March. We’ve not really heard much from then on, but have resigned and are due to rent our house out soon. We are hoping to go travelling from October onwards through Southeast Asia and end up in Perth January.
We are both really excited, but at the same time nervous and getting a bit lagged off with the lack off info. Gems thanks for all your stuff regarding the process, I wonder why DET don’t provide any info like this?????
So there looks like there are a few of us heading out for January, will be nice to keep in touch.

Karen

lekkilizard

Brilliant info Gems. Thanx.

Said to OH that car prob essential but not too happy bout spending too much cash and on net 2nd hand seem to have quite high mileage even in Km.

Didn't think TV's would be a goer and as a scot by birth / parentage I think bartering could be a fun way to buy a magimix let alone an LCD flat screen with surround sound and built in freeview ha ha !!!

Nicki

Hello WA

Wow 16 years teaching experience! Only realised that I wanted to teach at the grand age of 31 and I've taught now for 3 years, but I've struggled to get perm posts so done lots of short and long term supply. I envy people like you with all tour experience. I love teaching but can still get pretty deflated teaching challenging classes. Please tell me it gets easier!?! It's really good to find someone as green as me on this whole ozzy stuff. What a shame they can't take your current management position into consideration but I'm sure you'll move quite quickly up the ladder.
Did you mention you had a 10 year old? Girl or boy? What're going to do about finding a school for him / her? I have 2 daughters aged 7 and 5 and as we don't know where our placement will be, don't really know what to do.

lekkilizard

Have a son who will be 10 by the time we get there.

Started teaching young aged 22.

This is really my gap year!!!

Yes it does get easier but I guess you realise that a sense of humour and being called an old bag and worse is good therapy.

When know placement will worry about schools. OH is Uni Lecturer prepared to give it all up for a bit of an adventure. If push came to shove he could home school - thats a joke by the way.

No ideas but it will all fall into place.

Your girls and my boy will be absolutely fine. Gems has 4 kids and they seem to be a "normal" family - Joke !!!!

Nicki

lekkilizard

Enjoy your travels and yes keep in touch. Look forward to meeting in Jan and hearing about your adventures.

Nicki

samjo15

hi
we are thinking about entering into this and i have 2 new concerns for this thread if anyone can help?

1. my husband is a qualified maths teacher with 3 years experience. does it matter that he did his maths degree with the open university?

2. do you have any uninvited guests appearing anywhere on a daily basis (ie; snakes?) this is the only thing that puts us off going to rural areas as i have a massive phobia so a really important concern.

one other thing do you get told where you will be placed before you leave the uk so you can research the area and know what to expect?

thanks

jo

lekkilizard

Hi

As far as I am aware a degree from OU should not be a worry and 3 years experience is what DET request.

As for snakes, I too have a phobia but have been able to put aside for a new adventure. Zoo Lab visits to school have helped me loads.

We ( including Hello WA ) are waiting for our placements. We will be arriving in Perth Jan 09 and are excited. We have been asked to think about where we would like to go which is nice but realistically we could be placed anywhere. We should find out by end of October so will know where we are going.

Gems may see this thread and add to your query. She has been a great help and reasurrance to both of us.

All I would say is go for it. I know that I would spend the rest of my life (melodramatic statement I know) wondering what if.

Best of luck

Nicki

samjo15

thanks nicki, im hoping gems sees this thread too, she seems to know an awful lot and has invaluable information for people.

as for snakes, i cant even look at images oof them on tv or in books maybe i should get some help?!

jo

Hello WA

Come on Gems and put us out of our misery... do you get snakes anywhere around your house or not???? I've always wanted to find out too but as nobody else was addressing the issue, I wasn't going to either, but just like you, I can't even bare the sight of snakes on the telly or a picture. Mu OH was told me that people in Perth often find them in their back gardens, but I'm not sure how true this is. Please if anyone knows, tell us!

motleyboy

Hi All

I would just like to add that i have also been sucessful on the 457 visa, and am, due to fly out to Australia in Jan 09....
Would be good to share any thoughts/information that people have regarding this?

derekgoforth

be great to bend your ear. got my interview sometime in october, pm me if you can answer a few questions