bungeeman Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 (edited) G'day (means hello) hope you're all having a great weekend! I write this whilst enjoying a tuna sanga (means sandwich) whilst working out my final week in my current role as a security gopher-come-floormat. As you can tell from my new found linguistics, my time sat 12 hours a go behind some desk of a bank in the CBD has not been wasted. And I hope to be fluent in Australian very soon. And you thought they all spoke English didn't you?! However the days of 12 hours shifts and 60 hour weeks shall be short lived (less than 10 weeks to be precise) as I have landed myself a rather good job- still within the CBD area but for a lot less hours, more responsibility and more money. So when asked would I like to accept the role- the answer was swift in coming, and a complete no-brainer. So as of Monday 13th August I shall be in security management! Which is brilliant as it means Monday to Friday on the whole so more time with the wife and Son- which, let's face it- was our main motivation for moving here! It also means that I may command a little more respect than the turd on someone's shoe treatment, which I get from a lot of the workers here in the bank (thankfully not the people I work with). But bear in mind that, in the age of technology, where the entry and exit into this building is controlled by swipe (or proxy) cards (yes, CARDS), you'd be surprised of the number of "brains" in this institution, who have tried to swipe themselves in or out with a PAPER visitors pass!! And yes, these are the intelligent folks with degrees and business diplomas blah, blah, yawn... perhaps more worryingly- your money is in the not-so-capable hands of thse very people!! You'd also be surprised at the number of people who come to me complaining "someone's parked in MY bay"- meaning they've had to walk an extra 10 feet to an automatic elevator, to step onto an automatic escalator. Boo friggin' hoo! Like I give a sh*t. These people would have a travellator belt like the airports do all the way to their desk if they could! Does this happen the higher up in management you get? I best be careful in my new role then, or else I'll be applying for a zip line from my bed- 30k into the CBD! I don't think the architecht behind this building was none too clever either. As I sit here typing this, there are 3 guys contracted to apply flooring to the walls of the lobby... Maybe it's art?! And- when it rains, there is a delightful indoor water-feature, or leak as it's commonly known, which would quite nicely soak any visitors seated in the waiting area of the concierge. Genius really. Speaking of art.....just last weekend, the curator of the bank hung, what is alleged to be art, on the walls behind me and the walls up on the first floor. 95% of which is utter, utter poo. The one directly behind me looks identical to a piece I did as a 5 year old, blowing paint with a straw. But hey, I'm no art critic. On a separate note, and taking a breath here, my wife has also scored herself a Monday to Friday job in the catering industry which again means more family time for us which is great news! Since my last post, my son has now entered into day-care (means nursery) with more frequency and is enjoying a stable diet of chalk and sand whilst participating in many activities including throwing, slapping and synchronised crying. I think the latter should be an olympic sport! He could easily win the gold! (Hey Australia need them eh?) *ouch And talking of the Olympics (am I still allowed to use that word or has it been trademarked by the IOC? Now rendering me use of the term 'large sporting event taking place in London for 2 weeks and causing chaos that I don't really give a monkey's toss about?') from this end of the world it looks very glamourous and seductive does London..... although from most shots of the main Olympic Stadium in Stratford, if you were to go about 10km directly behind it's a right royal shi*hole! Oh East London, how I miss thee! Although I must say I have caught the vast majority of the opening ceremony on repeat here (ahem, and in 3D I'll add) and I am impressed. No, seriously. Left wing, Right Wing blah blah blah I don't care. The ceremony was good I thought. My favourite part being the musical eras from 60s through to the noughties! Loved it. Well done Mr. Boyle (although I still can't bring myself to watch '127 hours'. I'd have to skip straight to the arm-sawing-with-a penknife- bit as, let's be honest, it's what we all came to see). The G4S security farce has been well documented on this side of the water too- much to my mild amusement as this is the same company which the government over there is (or at least, was) looking to privatise some of the police force (I know 'service' blah blah "Ben we think you need a diversity course" blah blah). Now I hope that this monuental cock up has safely placed the G4S becoming police officer thing to rest in file #13- aka the bin! But more about our antics...... We have this week just gone purchased a second car-well UTE (means pick-up truck) which I am very happy with. It now means that when the dogs do arrive, rather than getting covered in tumbleweeds of Husky hair blowing through from the rear of the car and no doubt swallowing some along the way forcing a gag reflex and potentially life-threatening driving conditions, we can now seal them away in the rear tray of the double cab ute, and just brush and/or hose it out when it gets covered in crap and hair, without any danger of hair transferrance (should that be transFURance?!*) to the cab! *Thanks I'm here all week On the downside, our other car seems to have started mis-firing whist the wife was coming home having finished early on Friday! she needn't have bothered as the fannying about collecting her from the garage she stopped at afforded us no more time together. Not her fault I know. But a bummer for us! And the car thing is not such good news in light of the fact we've only owned it for just over 2 months! But thankfully it's still under warranty, so anything more complex/ expensive than new spark plugs is covered. Thank God! But things seem to be coming together very nicely for us. I even managed to find time to see the new Batman film with a mate of mine. And it was fantastic! Not just the film- but the night out which is a first for a long time! And I consumed what can only be the biggest frozen Coke ever! MMMMMMM mmmmmmm! And yes, I do feel very lucky because- all joking aside, a lot of people come here and struggle to find jobs, homes etc and don't have the start we have had since arriving. And yet this is only our 12th week in the country (which we tend to forget now and again) and we've been welcomed with open arms and we've had opportunity land at our feet. That's not to say we haven't worked for them as 8 years in each of our chosen careers has afforded us the experience which has given us an edge in the jobs we applied for. So really, to reach these places we are at have been a long time coming. That said, it really hasn't been easy for us. Verity has had an emotional wobble here and there and bouts with feelings. Not so much home sickness, but when you move to a new place and you're husband/ patner isn't around for a lot of the time, it makes it harder to settle and feel at home. Plus not having a routine as you're used to it, seeing people as you were really puts your karma out of balance. But now with the time we'll get together -she'll be sick of the sight of me and will attempt to smother me with a pillow whilst I snore- soundly asleep. The work schedule for us also means we can spend more time socialising with some good friends we've made since our arrival here and we are looking forward to this beyond belief as we haven't socialised in any great measure simply due to our working lives being at total opposites! So for those moving here or hoping to- VERY IMPORTANT.... Firstly, seriously think about why you want to come to Australia. What's motivating you to get here and what you want out of it. But be realistic. You won't necessarily buy a mansion on the beach and surf and BBQ everyday. That's not real life. And we've always known that. Do your research and ask advice from those who are actually here in the country now and get advice from more that 1 perspective. When arrive and start work get yourself a routine and make time to see friends. As we've found it can be difficult to make time, but it really will make the whole transition that much easier for you. We're now arranging BBQs, days out etc. Even just to visit them and watch the footie of an evening will be brilliant! I still maintain that this is a great country, with great people and a fabulus lifestyle, but you will get out what you put in. A little effort goes a long, long way! And for us, we just have remind ourselves where we are, why we came, and what we want out of life. And that far out-weighs any doubts we've had in our minds. Right I must go and clean off my jacket which is now plastered in tuna fish. I bid you farewell. All the best Edited August 4, 2012 by bungeeman 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Longtime Lurker Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Entertaining read! Pleased all is going well for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bungeeman Posted August 4, 2012 Author Share Posted August 4, 2012 Thank you. So far (mostly) so good. Just keeping it real! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Good post. thank you for a good read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bungeeman Posted August 4, 2012 Author Share Posted August 4, 2012 You're very welcome. Rest assured we will not be one of the 60% statistic of the poms returning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Great posts, keep them coming, I sit her chuckling away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Fab post, thanks for sharing and its good to see everything is falling into place for you.. Keep the updates coming.... Cal x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bungeeman Posted August 4, 2012 Author Share Posted August 4, 2012 Great posts, keep them coming, I sit her chuckling away. Haha! Well I like to entertain! More to come soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Great post! you and Chiara are pio's very entertaining writers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munchkinella Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 So good to read a positive but realistic post! Thanks for sharing. :notworthy: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missus B Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Great post. Very enjoyable to read:notworthy: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candygirl Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 As always Bungeeman, you have me in stitches with your observations of the new world that you have embraced. Really glad to hear that things are getting better for you guys over there. Good Luck with your new jobs. PS - What did your MIL think of the Sharks as the patio incident wasn't a goer?:biggrin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dansi Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 What a good read. Entertaining and funny. Good luck in your soon to be 'delegator rather than delegatee' role, Glad things are going well for you. Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bungeeman Posted August 5, 2012 Author Share Posted August 5, 2012 Thank you all! I do appreciate your comments and am very pleased you find my musings entertaining. I do think of myself as very fortunate and hope that my postings really do give a realistic picture of life here, which I hope helps people make informed decisions about their futures here. Especially as this move takes its toll in many ways it's not just the cost implications there are many other things that you may not even think of... @candygirl- no the shark idea hasn't come to fruition yet... However if they do decide to come out for 3 months I may be tossin myself into shark infested waters!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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