What I learned from Russell Crowe

I have determined that sending an email to Australia is a lot like using a telegraph during World War II. I send a message than a week later I might get one back hearings that Normandy beach has finally been invaded. I received my BUNAC/ IEP logon ID number, which of course did not work, mostly because  of Adam’s Law. (All things being relative, nothing will ever be easy for Adam.) Therefore, I sent an email to the help desk that probably arrived about 3 am on Saturday morning in Sydney Australia… Long story short after about two weeks I finally have it straightened out.

I am slowly realizing that Australia may move at a pace that my American (I need everything done now) attitude may have to adjust to. However, I do not think that may be a bad thing. As a society we have come to rely too heavily on instant gratification. We want our meals cooked at the speed of microwave, our questions answered at the speed of Google™ and thanks to Facebook and Twitter we want to know where everyone is at every point of the day. It may be nice to go to a different country where the pace may be a bit slower… (Of course I am basing this whole assumption on the fact that it took a week to answer my email, it could just be a slow internet connection, but I have high hopes.)

Regardless, I can now begin my final preparations. I need to get a new cell phone number, a bank account so I can transfer money back and forth, and an Aussie Tax ID number, which is apparently only slightly less important to Aussies than a Social Security number is to Americans. I can even begin looking for a job, which prospects at first glance do not seem to be too great. My options seem to be working at a hotel or working at a hotel. I am hopeful that there will be more positions when I look in earnest a week or two before I am ready to leave.

More Importantly, I am trying to get together a wish list of things I want to do while in Australia. I plan to post it as a sidebar to this blog and keep it updated as I accomplish and add tasks to it. I am always welcome to suggestions, as currently most of my ideas are boring, mundane, or probably way too expensive. 

I have nothing really witty to leave off on, so I'll leave you with a quote I recently found by Russell Crowe, “God bless America. God save the Queen. God defend New Zealand and thank Christ for Australia.”

Visa... It's Everywhere You Can't Get To

So I just noticed the count today is at 97 days till I depart. I have reached double digits and with any luck it is all down hill from here. However, that is rather optimistic as I still have to endure the rigors of a job I'm not fond of, traffic I cannot stand, etc, but I am trying to remain optimistic. Last week was the Fall equinox, which they say marks the beginning of Fall, (and by "they" I mean the Druids, who are still alive and working at the U.S. Naval Observatory, Astronomical Applications Department). At the same time in Australia this event marks the beginning of Spring. I am officially one season closer to leaving.

I have taken care of most of the major concerns associated with this trip. I have secured my passport,which was a surprisingly simple process, and my Australian Work/Holiday Visa, which was surprisingly not a simple process. I have my flight booked for departure on the afternoon of January 6, 2011. All that remains is for me to set up a bank account, apply for a Australian tax ID number, and apply for a pay-as-you-go Australian cell phone. All of which I am have been assured are relatively easy processes... but that is also what they, (and again I mean the Druids), said about getting the visa.

My visa application was bogged down mainly do to my own stupidity in the matter. I applied for the visa at about 1 PM on a Wednesday. This is of course means (unthinkingly to me at the time) that it was roughly 3 AM in Australia. I know what you are saying... It's a website not a diner (and heck even some diners stay open later than 3 AM), how can it be closed? The answer is that every Wednesday from around 2 AM local time to about 5 AM the visa application system is taken offline for maintenance and given a standard oil change and a lube job.

At the time of course I knew none of this as I hit that "Submit" button and then sat there and watched the screen which very innocently said, "Do not refresh this page as application processing may take a few minutes." I watched that screen for four hours. I guess the website was talking in Australian minutes, which I think in American terms roughly converts to about 1.3 hours per Aussie minute. Finally in my exasperation I threw caution to the wind and did what the Aussies never would have expected. I refreshed the page. (After all, if you say don't hit the red button all I want to do is hit the red button.) This promptly brought me back to a screen which informed me that I was a moron and I would never be allowed in the country of Australia.

I then tried to go back to the application page using the Saved Application Number I was provided with at the beginning of the process. and I was told that the application no longer existed as it had been "lodged." Which to me means it found comfortable room and board in some upscale ski cabin where it was spending the weekend instead of doing its job of getting me my 462 visa. (Apparently it really means "filed" in Autralianese.) The problem was I was supposed to receive a confirmation number that would have appeared after that wonderful loading screen I had endured for a few hours. However, because I refreshed I never got the number. A quick email to the Australian Department of Immigration only resulted in a return email informing me that the department was backed-up with email requests and I could expect a response in 7 to 10 days.

This leads to my understanding that the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship is manned by three people and a dingo. So I waited a few days not knowing what to do  and left wondering what was going to happen. I did not want to fill out another application because I did not want to double pay for the visa. I kept checking my credit card statements (which ironically is also a Visa), but did not see the charge appear. Finally, I received confirmation that my visa application had been accepted and I was officially allowed to enter the Wonderland of Oz... That was 45 days ago, and I am still waiting for an answer to my email. Yes, the point if moot but now its more of the principle of thing.

In the end this all follows a well known law of physics called Adam's Law. It states that: "All things being relative, nothing will ever be easy for Adam." But so far so good. I am on track. Now I just need to busy my mind and not try to count the days till I leave. I will, however, impart this word of advice. When "they" tell you something is easy... Do not believe them. You just cannot trust ancient Gaelic sorcerers.