General > General Technical Chat
Moving to Sydney soon! & asking for advice
^_^:
--- Quote from: NANDBlog on August 12, 2017, 08:52:14 am ---Only downside, they are more likely to put on the dreaded rubber glove.
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Very welcoming!
--- Quote from: GK on August 12, 2017, 02:02:14 pm ---Anyway, there is no need to bring food stuffs over from Germany anymore as we've been able to buy Haribo Gummibaerchen here for years already. You can never grow too old for Gummibaerchen.
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I've heard eating Haribo adult-style is to put them into vodka "bath". They get swollen. Didn't try it yet, though.
--- Quote from: EEVblog on August 13, 2017, 01:17:39 pm ---Just declare something (like a packet of nuts) and go to the (usually shorter) declaration line. In peak arrival times, this can save an hour or more.
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Thanks for the airport-hack.
--- Quote from: cdev on August 13, 2017, 04:00:25 pm ---I hope you wont mind my asking you something about Germany.
I've heard a great deal about the strange (to me) custom of renting flats sans (without) kitchen appliances? In the US it is the landlord's responsibility to provide the working refrigerator, stove, etc.
Ive been told that some people are lucky (or not, perhaps) to have the contents of kitchens (??) sold to them by a previous occupant?
I would be interested in hearing more about that. Another thing I think is interesting is living somewhere where there are very old buildings that many people still live in.
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First off, most Germans rent.
In big cities, as there are many options, you get to see lots of flats fully furnished and equipped. They are usually shared: flatmates.
However, it's true that some people do rent basically empty flat (all you get is paint on the walls).
I think the reason is they buy the flat as an future investment (for kids/for sale/whatever).
Those flats have long contracts, like 1+ year, so you can't be thrown away and if you want to leave you have to let know months in advance. This way no one gets screwed, ideally.
There's a possibility that previous tentant will want to sell his stuff, so then he would participate in finding a new tentant with the landlord and offer his stuff at a price.
As for old buildings I don't know anyone around here living in a building older than 70-80 years old; or they got fully restored and you don't even know.
BTW a cool thing here in student's houses is to leave some of your stuff for others to take when you move out. Like a pan, chair, books, etc. I found it a nice custom.
--- Quote from: flolic on August 13, 2017, 04:56:31 pm ---In my hometown, many people still lives inside walls of a 1700 year old Roman palace without any problem :)
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I've been there this summer ! ;)
Impressive place; has this old-culture vibe.
Also, I've heard they shot some GoT scenes there.
Brumby:
As far as appliances go in Australia, for rentals, you can pretty much guarantee a stove or oven plus cook top will be available, plus hot water system. The norm is that these are fixed installations. Sometimes a dishwasher might be in the mix.
All other appliances - such as refrigerator, microwave, kettle, etc. are your responsibility. You may get lucky and find something furnished, but they are in the minority.
Air conditioning is also something you may get in a rental - but it is a bonus if you do. Don't expect it unless you are moving up the cost scale. If you do, then it would likely be a wall/window unit for 'entry level' properties. Middle range might get you a split system, but there are lots of cheap split system air cons available these days, so you might see one on a cheaper rental. Ducted air con is next level.
Central heating is not all that common in Sydney. In fact, I don't know anyone who has it. I've never seen it snow in Sydney - but we did have a whole 1" of it in 1836 (which didn't last past noon) and a showing in 1941. Temperatures might go down to 0ÂșC overnight in winter, but it is a rare day when temperatures don't reach double digits during the day.
gregariz:
--- Quote from: Brumby on August 12, 2017, 07:21:01 am ---
--- Quote from: vk6zgo on August 12, 2017, 03:01:39 am ---
--- Quote from: ^_^ on August 03, 2017, 09:33:49 am ---
Actually, that'd gonna be one of the first things I do.
I was advised to bring money in cash and first working day go to the bank and load it all up on the account.
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Be very careful with this, as there is a limit on how much money in cash can be brought into Australia.
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NO THERE IS NOT!!
You can bring as much as you like - but if the total value is $10,000 Australian Dollars or more, YOU MUST DECLARE IT! Expect the Customs officials to ask you about it - and, I would suggest, to have the means to explain and demonstrate you are NOT engaged in money laundering.
This is the big mistake that people make - is that they think there is a limit and DON'T declare anything.
Bad move.
Same with food, plant material and anything else on the passenger card - JUST BE HONEST and you won't get into trouble. You might have some things confiscated if they are not allowed in, but just make sure you aren't seen to be trying to sneak something past them.
Edit: Cash limit is $AUD10,000 or more, not in excess of $10,000
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That is actually right, the WTO stepped in to warn the Australian government (who knew what was happening) as Chinese citizens (ie low level officials/criminals) were taking cash out of China into Australia (millions in suitcases) via Hong Kong to park it in the property market. This was technically illegal as China has restrictions on amounts of cash funds exiting the country. Shortly afterwards the government made a half arsed attempt to see it was doing something by targeting some of the luxury second hand build sales that were selling for many millions. Meanwhile China has been running around the world when they identify these people with offers of reduced sentencing/family penalties if they bring the wealth back into the country
With regard to the job situation I would set your sights pretty low - or go to the US. Activity in Australia is very low and the jobs that are on offer mostly junior or support roles or applications roles - very little real design happening. There are Australian engineers everywhere in the US because of it. I'm lucky enough that I am now old enough and experienced enough that I know a number of the GM's of the few Australian companies via networking at conferences etc. I will often go see them when I am in Australia. My opinion is it is as worse as I have ever seen it. Very few of them have much visibility of the future. Sometimes I think there are periods where things pick up a bit but the general trend has been dreadful. So by all means move but go in with your eyes open. You may have thick skin / don't care but I refuse to run a life and family on 1-3 year contract roles.
In the US I have been getting contacted several times a week for the last year about jobs. One of them was something of a wet dream in Australian terms but I couldn't uproot my family. It's chalk and cheese.
^_^:
--- Quote from: gregariz on August 14, 2017, 03:34:11 am ---[...] Activity in Australia is very low and the jobs that are on offer mostly junior or support roles or applications roles - very little real design happening. There are Australian engineers everywhere in the US because of it. [...]
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That's really interesting.
I hope it's only your subjective overview.
I see embedded/hardware roles being added almost daily on seek.
But as I don't see the bigger picture, maybe you're right.
^_^:
Hey guys,
it's been some time!
I was very busy last days of August before departure and first week here as well.
Here's a summary and overview of what I've learned/seen/did:
- I was processed significantly faster compared to the other people at the airport immigration stand and I didn't go through the quarantine, they just let me pass the whole queue with few other people. Maybe it was the visa.
- I lost all that gained time, as Uber would not accept my payment (even though it was working the day before) and I had to overpay for a taxi.
- The streets in Sydney are pretty bad quality.
- So are the sidewalks.
- Got the sim card at the airport = instant internet. Great!
- Using your advice I got an Opal at one of the centers in walking distance. No worries.
- I love the healthy approach towards goods sold in the shops. There's so much detail in the "made of" section. I have the impression, that stuff here has less chemicals compared to say, Germany. Hope it's true.
- I had a wristwatch with me I've set to Sydney time a day before the flight. I used to look at it often and affirmate myself that this is *the time* now. Didn't have any jetlag problems, just exhaustion.
- Coins are really different here. Bigger and heavier does not mean more value. Trolololo!
- Sunny everyday so far. Wow!
- Nothing tried to kill me yet!
But seriously, friends ask me if I like it here and it's way too soon to tell.
Basically, I was a robot running a program so far. The program now is "find job". First sight of the Opera was when I was going to a company, so it was just random ;)
I know I'll have all the time to see everything once I settle.
As for the job, I went to Michael Page, Kinexus and Hays offices, besides applying at seek and finishing my resume in "Australian standard".
It was a wrong move, as they don't appreciate walk-ins. You gotta have an appointment.
Well, but I got to see the CBD and all those suity-business-people, so profit :)
Also, Michael Page office has an amazing view, had to take a picture.
Cheers mates!
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