gills

Hi Helen, My name's Gill, I'm living in Westmead. i'm 35 amd have been here just over a year and it is really difficult to meet people to socialise with. I'd love to meet up and have lunch one day. look forward to hearing from you. Gill

Your welcome, i'm sure there'll be something for you. I'm 35 and have been nursing 4 years. Speak soon and good luck with the visa Gill

Hello, you will have plenty of oncology patients on variety and they will appreciate someone with oncology experience so you'll prop get them a lot of the time!! You may also get the chance to do some shifts on camperdown if you ask once you get here. The staff accommodation is very basic and depending on who else is living in the unit depends how clean it is!! Don't expect anything great but it is somewhere to live till you find somewhere better, it'll give you chance to look around and find somewhere. There are one bed, two bed and four bed units, i think there is a three year waiting list for the one bed units ($280 a week), the two bed units are $310 a week and the four bed units are $380 a week, but you can also just rent a room in a four bedroom shared unit which is $95 a week. You get your own bedroom and then share the kitchen, living area, bathroom x2 and laundry room with the other girls in the unit. I'm in a four bedroom share and currently there is just me and one other girl living here so it's fine. Hoping no one else will be moving in!! You're best to e-mail Gordana she is very helpful she will let you know what there is available. But they really are basic and some are a grotty!! I'm getting through it as our unit is ok and the girl i live with is clean and tidy, also i'm saving for a deposit to buy a place when i return to England. How old are you? How long have you been nursing? Gill x

Hi Tracey, the nursing accommadation is ok for a short time and is cheap!! $95.00 a week but it's very basic and old! Accommodation is very expensive over here. E-mail Gordana Horvat at gordana_horvat@wsahs.nsw.gov.au she will give you all the advice and help you'll need for the nursing accommodation. It is a good base to start and is very near to the hospital. Parts of Blacktown are fine but make sure it's near the train station or on a bus route to the hospital as it can be tricky without own transport. You'll get six weeks annual leave if you are full time, but will acrute more for working weekends and public holidays. The wages do change for the years of experience, the same as at home. Things are done slightly different here, I'm still trying to get my head around it all. You will also be entitled to living away from home allowance but you can sort that when you get here. Yes we get paid fortnightly which is great! Your unit manager or educator on the ward will explain everything regarding annual leave and wages. I'm not sure what the staffing ratio is on variety, all the wards are different, I am working on Camperdown which is the oncology ward. I'm sorry i don't know how the tax and super ann are worked out with the salary, all i know is i earn more here than i did back home. Staying in the nursing accommodation has enabled me to save for when i go back home. How long have you got a sponsorship for? I'm from a little seaside town called Hornsea in East Yorkshire. How about yourself, where in England are you from? What has made you want to come to Australia/Westmead? It takes some getting used to so be prepared to give it time. Do you know anyone in the Sydney area? I hope this answers a few of your questions, but please keep asking and i'll do my best to answer them, the more you can be prepared the better. My visa only took a few months so you should be fine for October. Take care Gill x

Hi Tracey, congratulations on the job offer. I work at the children's it's a nice hospital. Which ward will you be working on? Westmead is an ok place to live, there is a nursing accommodation which is cheap but you get what you pay for!!! but would be ok till you find your feet. There isn't alot in Westmead but Parramatta which is next town has a fair bit going on. The city is about 35mins on the train. It has taken me a while to settle in Australia but i do feel better now. I wont be staying forever but it is an experience, not quite what i expected and it is very expensive living in sydney area! I'm not sure how long i will stay in Australia but if i'm still here when you come out then we can definitely meet up, it's good to know someone before you get here, can be a lonely place. I'm sure you'll love it, you'll be fine. Are you getting the 457 visa? mine didn't take too long to come through. Just a few months once i'd sent off all the paperwork. I came over here end of March and started at the children's beginning of May, so i've survived nearly a year!!! Are you coming over on your own? If there is anything you need to know then please just ask, it's a daunting process but definitely worth it. Hope to speak soon Gill x

Hi there, i'm living in Westmead NSW, and would really like to make some friends in this area. I'm finding it difficult to meet people as i'm a nurse and work silly hours but would really like to meet some people to go for coffee or a nice drink on a sunny afternoon!! I'm very easy going and miss the social life i had with friends back home in the UK!! I've been in Westmead nearly five months now, and now the weather's improving it would be good to get out and about and enjoy the Aussie life. :jiggy: