I've had many people ask me how Australia compares to Canada. While they both seem very similar, they are pretty different places. At first I had some culture shock and couldn't wait to go home to my comforts. Now that I've been here awhile, I'm getting to know and understand Oz more and am slowly growing to like it. I thought I'd do a write up about what life is like here, for anyone planning to make the big flight over and do what I'm doing.
The People
I find people here are more brutally honest. They are proud of their country and won't stop till they are the best (sounds like another country beginning with A, doesn't it?) For the most part, they are welcoming, like Canadians. However we still win for being the most polite. I've had clients comment on how Canadian it is of me to say "your welcome". I do notice some of the men are pretty cocky and can be arrogant. Joel notices this especially in his trade.
Weather
Obviously much warmer here, and not such extreme temperature changes through the year. But they complain about the cold just as much as we do! In Queensland if the weather goes below twenty degrees it's considered "freezing".
Cost of Living
I think cost of living is higher here. We pay about the same to rent our one bedroom apartment here as we did to own our two bedroom condo back home! Utilities are a little more (and are paid quarterly as opposed to monthly, which drives me nuts). Groceries are way more, even produce which is grown locally. And there is no Costco or Wal-mart where you can buy in bulk. Gas is much higher, however I'm used to Alberta's decent gas prices so it could be the same here as in other provinces. As far as buying other products, if it's made in Australia things are reasonable, but if they come from overseas the prices go up BIG TIME. For example, MAC eyeshadow at home is about $22. Here it is $40. This is apparently due to shipping costs and tax.
Cell Phones and Internet
Both are pretty behind here. Alot of people are still on dial-up! Most plans (as a non resident) go on MB per month. Ours gives us twenty. In Canada we had unlimited. Internets not slow here, but not super Shaw speed fast. Cell phone plans seem to be cheaper here. They still have useless customer service (this must be true not matter where you are in the world).
GST
In Canada GST is five percent and is added on top of the pricetag price. Here it's about ten percent, but it is included in the pricetag price. So if something costs $14.99, that's including the tax. I like this because when you go to the till you know exactly how much you owe. Same thing in restaurants. There are no separate state taxes.
Health Care
Workers in Oz rarely get any health benefits from their employer. Health care here doesn't cover as much as it does in Canada, like ultrasound costs or the dentist. (Dentists must be pretty expensive around here, because people don't go the recommended once per year like in Canada. Some go years at a time between visits!)
Retirement Funds
In Canada we contribute into our own RRSP funds. If you're lucky enough, you might work for a company with a retirement fund. In Australia, your employer pays into a retirement fund called superannuation. Each check they pay in ten percent of your wage, so you don't have to worry about contributing anything. Pretty sweet.
Holiday Time and Sick Days
Aussie's got it right! Holiday time starts at four weeks per year (compared to two in Canada) and increases the longer you work for a company. You get holiday pay of your regular wages PLUS leave loading (an extra seven or so percentage on top of that). On a sick day you get the same. I think you're allowed ten (?) sick days a year. You only need a doctor's note for more then two consecutive days off. I don't know the rules for sick days at home, but pretty sure you don't get paid for them! (not in my industry anyway).
Taxes
I'm just about to file my first Australian taxes, so still learning about this one. I am able to claim ALL my tools, which I can't do back home. Joel can even claim work boots and uniform costs! However I can't claim any medical expenses.
School
School is year round. They don't get three months off for summer like we do. The new year begins in January, then there is a two week fall break in April, two week winter break in June/July, another two weeks sometime in the spring, then six weeks off for summer break in December. All kids here wear uniforms. (Aussie's love their uniforms!) Some include hats! It's not mandatory to finish up to year twelve, so many kids (especially in Queensland) stop when they turn sixteen. Lots go on to trade schools, lots go on centerlink (unemployment).
Cars
The roads are filled with Holden's, Australia's answer to Ford. They are produced down in Adelaide and for whatever reason I can't stand them (maybe because everyone drives one?). Holden also produces utes, the ugliest car ever, and are to Australia what hemi trucks are to Alberta. If you do see a truck, they are these wimpy little ones, usually a Toyota Hilux (these also annoy me). The cool thing is most cars come in funky colors, like hot pink, aqua blue, and bright green.
Car insurance and Registration
Is cheap, at least for our loser car! It costs only $17 a month. However they get you with you registration, or "rego". It cost us over five hundred dollars to get Brutis registered for six months!
Spiders and Snakes
Everyone made a big deal about how Oz is the home to the world's most dangerous and deadly spiders and snakes. We've been here five months and I have seen zero snakes, one spider. Joel's seen a few making webs at the golf course, but not the scary ones we were warned about. We have, however, seen some cockroaches. Mostly down in the basement parkade, but we did find a tiny one in our apartment once or twice.
City, Country, Outback
About 90% of Australian's live in cities. All the big cities are on the coast (except or Canberra, the capital). As you go farther in, you get the country. These are the farms and rural areas, lovingly called "country towns". Similar looking to Canadian farm towns. Farther in you get the outback. No one really lives here, as there is nothing really here! Just red desert and miles of empty highway. At the very center of Oz is Alice Springs (which gets a bad rep for all it's aboriginals) and Uluru (the big, red, rock).
Oz is a big country. You don't realize how far of a drive it is going from city to city. It is eight hours from us here on the Gold Coast to Sydney, twenty one to Melbourne. To go up the coast to Cannes is twenty. Drving into the center is over three days. Doesn't look this far when you look at a map.
