5: Landing on Our Feet
We're a month into our Sydney adventure, and I think I am as surprised as everyone that we've settled so quickly. After the dreaded jet lag, we did get a fair bit done.
After hearing some horror stories about work in Sydney, it would be fair to say we were pretty apprehensive about the job market. We had been told that September is a bad month, as masses of backpackers arrive in Sydney then. So much for swimming against the tide!
Finding Your Way Around
Feeling a little out of our depth, we decided to go for a wander around The Rocks, the oldest district in Sydney. Formerly a slum, where the impoverished Sydneysiders lived, it is now a very charming and attractive area of Sydney, if not a little touristy! Don't let that put you off - there are many lovely bars, restaurants and shops to be found there, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge close up is breathtaking. Check out the weekend market there, especially the massage stall, which couldn't be nicer if you've been lugging a big rucksack around all day!
The best thing about the Rocks that day was finding the Sydney Visitor Centre, a must for all travellers! They very kindly printed out a list of hostels and backpacker centres for us. Pick up a TNT magazine while you're there. It's the backpacker's bible - packed with tons of tips, guides and ads, you're sure to find what you're looking for. British Balls is a great read too, updating Poms on news and sport happening back home. It also has a great accommodation and job section.
Need Some Wonga?
Believe it! The Sydney job market for travellers does exist and is booming. Looking at TNT's extensive employment section, we decided to give Geoffrey Nathan a ring. They set us up for a group interview, explained that we could save up to 20% of our paychecks when payrolled through them (it's true - but the Aussie government don't like it one bit!) then asked if anyone present had sales experience - I put up my hand, was sent off for a telesales interview, and got the job! Geoffrey Nathan will give you a list of agencies with email addresses and phone numbers, which is very helpful.
Dan didn't wait much longer... after being told that there was little to no casual IT work, he got a call from a company the same day I got my job (he found it through www.seek.com.au) and, sure enough, was offered a great IT position in Mascot, 15 mins away by train. Strangely enough, this job is better than the one he had in London - and they've already offered him sponsorship...
Homeless?
We found somewhere to stay very quickly too - accommodation is plentiful here at the moment, but it is getting busier. We found our room by reading an advertisement stuck on a lamppost! It's just off William Street, which is situated very close to the city. Sharing with two other couples was a change for us, but our social lives improved drastically!
When we were homeless (well, technically living in a hostel) we looked in Travellers Contact Point on George Street, which has a large accommodation board full of ads. They're all date stamped which is useful, and they are updated regularly. The Contact Point also offers free internet access, job board and advice, and you can book your tours and accommodation around Australia there. Otherwise give World Wide Workers a go, but beware - some people that I spoke to parted with nearly $100 with the promise of jobs and accommodation that ended up below standard. Advice is always good, but you don't need to pay someone $$$ for them to fill out a tax file form when you can do it yourself for free, same goes for job hunting. Just go to an agency.
Gap Years are Lucky - the Proof
Strangely enough, we'd both landed jobs and accommodation within one week of arriving in Sydney. We were feeling pretty smug for a while, but soon our feet started to itch. Dan is happy in his job, but I wasn't looking forward to selling Accidental Death insurance for three months. I'm really glad I took the job as it was well paid and I learned loads, but after a month I was starting to get bored. Our accommodation was nice enough, however I would spend a reasonable amount of time looking at the lovely apartment blocks in the city center and wishing I could live in them. So when I saw an ad for 'shared accommodation in luxury apartments' we had to give it a go. To cut a long story short the guy who showed us around offered me a job filling and managing some of the apartments, which is a great job for me. So now I live in one - and show people around others!
May this be an example of traveler's luck; I spent two years in London living in a tumble-down house, paying a considerable amount of money for the privilege of living 45 minutes from the city by tube. Now I live in a luxury apartment on the 15th floor on George Street, Sydney's main thoroughfare, with free access to a pool, jacuzzi, gym and sauna, without breaking the bank! (Plus a great view) When you travel for fun, things seem to just land in your lap. And that's a fact (well, I think it is and I'm sticking with it!)
I hope this banishes any last excuse that you may have about packing up for a year!
Questions?
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