Moving To Melbourne
It’s that time of year again in Canada; students are back at school, the days are getting shorter and you are remembering those summer strolls on the beach, camping or hanging on a patio. If you are not currently a Leading Out teacher and kicking back in Australia, this might tempt you to join our [...]
The most important factor for us when assisting teachers to work in Australia, is that they are happy before, during and after their stay. We pride ourselves on giving honest advice and feedback to our teachers even if it isn’t always the best news. The last thing we want is an unhappy teacher half way [...]
Continue reading about Primary Teachers – What to Expect in Australia
We did talk quite a bit about how to find furniture in Melbourne in past posts, but what about when you leave Melbourne and want to sell all of your stuff. Many people just give everything to an Opt Shop or worse, throw it all away! It is environmental to try and pass on all of [...]
Continue reading about Trying to buy or sell items when moving to Australia?
So you are teaching in Australia and want to know where to stop in? Have you already checked out China? Vietnam? Other countries? Don’t forget before you leave – Purchase the Japan Rail pass! You cannot get this once in Japan. If going for 5 to 7 days, we recommend starting in Tokyo and heading [...]
Continue reading about Japan – Stop in while travelling to Australia
DAY 1-in the morning: At Tiananmen Square you should see 1) the portrait of the “great” leader Mao on the wall of “Tiananmen” (which means Tian(sky) An(peace) Gate, the front gate of the Forbidden City); 2)The monument of people’s heroes in the middle of the square; 3) “The Great Hall of People” (the parliament) on [...]
Continue reading about Go to Beijing on your way over to Australia!
We have found, if you have the time, it is well worth visiting other countries when you are on your way to teach in Australia from Canada or the UK. You have to fly across anyway, so why not stop?! But where should you stop? 1) China – Beijing (will be discussed in detailed [...]
Continue reading about Travelling to Australia? Why not stop in a few other countries?
Background: “Beetroot” is not a familiar concept to Canadians. For one thing, we call the purple veggie “beet” full-stop. We tend not to eat our roots–probably because as a “new world country’ we have so few and instead choose to honour them with a clothing company.
With Australia day fast approaching, I thought this would be a good time to discuss how you can become an Australian Citizen. The Good News: – If you are a Canadian teacher or UK teacher, you can get Australian citizenship and won’t have to give up your other citizenship. All it takes is time, paperwork, a [...]
Have you ever thought about house sitting while travelling or teaching in Australia? This is a fantastic way to see other parts of Australia, while saving some money! One of our teachers has decided to do this over the summer holidays and it is something you can do all over the world! Housesitting is where you [...]
Continue reading about Couch Surfing and House Sitting in Australia
So far we have discussed 5 items that should not be forgotten when moving to Australia: a jacket, electronic documents, work clothes, toiletries, and photos. 6) A Backpack – so often when I pick up teachers at the airport, they show up with big refrigerator size suitcases. What you will find out quickly is that [...]
Continue reading about What to bring to Australia – To be cont’d
Over the years we have had a lot of teachers ask us questions about Australia. One of the biggest is: What should I bring? The Ten Most Important Things to Bring to Australia 1) A Jacket – not just a thin jacket, but a real winter jacket. Despite what people think about Australia, it does [...]
Continue reading about What to bring when teaching in Australia?
As mentioned in one of our latest blogs on the Working Holiday Visa in Australia, it is a one year visa and can be extended by doing particular work for 3-months in your first year. Most of our work is with teachers who want to teach during their first year of the 417 Working Holiday visa, [...]
Continue reading about Obtaining a Second Working Holiday Visa in Australia
If you haven’t used Skype before, then you are missing out especially if you are overseas. We made the conscious decision to start using Skype with Canadian teachers interested in teaching in Australia (and UK and USA teachers) before they arrived, so that they learned about this tool early. In one of our most recent [...]
Continue reading about Skype: a tool for teachers in Australia
All you need to know about the Working Holiday Visa when coming to Australia: You must be under 31 to be eligible for the Working Holiday Visa (WHV), Only certain countries are eligible (go to www.immi.gov.au) for more information. It is a one year visa and you can only work with one employer for up [...]
When working and travelling in Australia, one term that will likely be new to you, is superannuation. But it is important to understand what it is and what you are legally eligible for. What is Superannuation? It is similar to a pension plan but in Australia they call it Superannuation. When working here, you will [...]
Now here’s a game that Canadian teachers in Australia could bring out to play with Australians and not only is the game fun, but they will learn so much about Canada! In fact, even as a Canadian, you are likely to learn something about your own country! Check out their website as they even have [...]
Yes it does seem strange to say, Canada Day in Winter but for Canadian teachers in Australia, this is when we celebrate Canada Day. We won’t be having BBQ’s or sipping Caesar’s, instead we will be heading to an ice hockey game, going skatingor perhaps staying warm at the pub. Does Australia really get a winter? [...]
Is it true that everything in Australia is more expensive? When teachers from Canada, and USA arrive in Melbourne, Australia one of the first things they say is that they can’t believe how expensive things are. But is this just a bit of culture shock?; or have they not taken into account the exchange rate [...]
Continue reading about Is Everything in Australia more expensive?
3 things to NOT like about Footy/Australian Rules Football/AFL/Aussie Rules? What happens with the players off the field! It is something a struggle with each time I watch a game knowing the number of players who have had drinking or drug issues; rape charges & uncharged; are rude in public. As key role models for kids in Australia, [...]
Continue reading about Australian Rules Football – the Dislikes/Cons
5 things to love about Footy/Australian Rules Football/AFL/Aussie Rules? If you like sports & athletics, this is the sport for you! A combination of rugby, soccer, basketball, football all put together with a heck of a lot of running (cricket oval size field). Fast pace, few interruptions – the game flows withonly stoppage if someone is [...]
Continue reading about Australian Rules Football – the Likes/Pros
Blog Series – Post 1 Before we can discuss the likes and dislikes of Australian Rules Football, its best to explain a little bit about what it is for new readers not from Australia. A little bit about Australian Rules Football Also called: Aussie Rules, AFL, footy Its a sport played in Australia that originated [...]
Continue reading about Australian Rules Football – the Likes and Dislikes – Blog Series
January – New Year’s Firework Celebration; Australian Open; Midsumma Festival; Melbourne Zoo Twilights; February – St.Kilda Festival; NAB AFL begins; March – Australian Grand Prix; Melbourne Queer Film Festival; Moomba Festival; Melbourne Food & Wine Festival; April – Australian Rules Football season begins; Melbourne International Comedy Festival; Bells Beach Surfing Championships; School holidays – if [...]
Continue reading about Calendar of festivals/events/activities to do in Melbourne, Australia
The Aussie are so hardcore at Customs, they even attempted to capture the drama in a reality TV show called “Border Control“. Why the Drama? You see, Australia’s had a bad run of importing foreign material. In the past, it was thought ‘harmless’ to bring in certain comforts from ‘home shores’. Anyone who’s been up [...]
Continue reading about Coming through Customs: Into Australia




