Get ready to live in Australia

Since you read this thread, I believe your IELTS score minimum 4.5,  you are ready to get your adventure in Australia, and you have to speak English. The more practice, the better it will be. Sometime it is nice to talk in Indonesia, but trust me, it won’t make your English better, even worse. So now, practice your English.. haha.. my grammar is not very good (I know) but I have tried my best to write it out.. J

Annual Leave and Sick Leave (AL and SL)

When you working with pay the tax, your employer have to give you AL and SL. What is that?

AL is when you work couple hour, you earn couple minutes. So you keep saving this couple minutes to being hours until multihour. For example, I was working 6 month, and I got 40 hour AL. which, you will get paid when you take holidays. Just say that after 6 month working, you decide to take a break and wanna explore Australia, give 2 weeks notice to the boss, and you will get paid for the days that you off. If you have 40AL then, the boss pay your wages when you on holiday.

Same with Al, SL is for when you sick, you still get paid when you sick. Some boss asking for doctors note that you were sick, some boss did not.

4 Type of Job

1. Full time

You will get minimum 38 hour

2. Part time

You will get minimum 19 hour

3. Casual

Your hour depend on the boss

4. Cash in Hand

This job you will get your salary as cash in hand

For full time and part time, you definitely get AL, SL, and Super Annuation. The minimum wages for full time and part time is $18/hour Monday to Friday, $21/hour for Saturday, $28/hour for Sunday. All of those is before tax. For casual, you didn’t get guarantee how many hour, but you get higher wages approx $22.50/hour before tax. In casual, you didn’t get Al, SL, but still get Super Annuation. In full time, Part time and Casual, they will pay you 2,5 times your wages on Australia public holiday. For Cash in Hand, they pay you cash, is job is illegal by law. But still, so many places still pay the employee by cash. The wages start from $10-$15. You did not pay tax in cash in hand job, that’s why it is illegal by law. And if Taxation Department know it, you, your employee will get fine. The fine it self its about up to $1,000.

Right Hand

In Indonesia, we get use to give and receive everything with right hand. It is rude in Indonesia if you give or receive with left hand. But not in here. You or other people can give and receive with either both hand. In here, people just being flexible to move.

Work Culture

In Australia, you will get paid by hour. So if you are not working in the office, please do not expect to sit down when you working. Stand up, and smile. You will be expected to stand up depend on how many hour you work. but every 5 hour work, you deserve 30 minute unpaid break. Keep trying to do something, keep your self busy. Remember, they pay you by hour. Just thinking “how if I am the employer?” because in Australia, it is not just about how to get a job, but also how to keep the job.

If this is your first time working overseas, you might start with underpaid wages. Take the job! Do not picky. You need the money to survive. Even it is just $10/hour, it is still money. Its really better than nothing. And you can put that job as your experience, to get a better job. If you get a better job, leave the job with good impression. Why? Because you might need it as your references. For an example, one of my friend is very picky on job, so she was jobless for three month in Perth. Which is Perth is one of ten the expensive city in the world. Noodle everyday is not very good, don’t you agree with me?

If your manager did not tell you the wages, ask them. They will never angry about it. Do not bring Indonesian guilty’s feeling or shy or whatever it is. If you asking in polite way, they will answer you. This is how to ask “can I please know how much is my wages?”

Thank You and Please

In Australia, you will be very rude if you not saying please and thank you in everytime you talking. Always said “thank you”  when you get something, and always said “please” when you asking or order something. You do not want to embarrass your self and your country, right? It is easy.. Try it! And you will get the best things return, a smile.

Excuse Me

If some people suddenly stop in front of you in shopping centre or train station or every where, just say “excuse me” and usually they will said “oh.. I am sorry”. And you can reply “that is okay”. You do not touch people for no reason in here, even it is their arm or shoulder. It is rude in here.

Self Service

In Coles or Woolworth you will find self check out. It means, you scan the barcode of your stuff that you decide to buy, and there is so many option how to pay. Card, cash, or gift cards. Just pick one of the option, and put your stuff to plastic bag, and leave. Please do not try to steal something. The fine is not worthed J

Driving

You can driving in Australia with your International license or you can do translate your local license to Indonesia Embassy. Carry your original license and the translation with you when you driving. The rule in here is very straight. I am completely mad when I know the fine, but I realize that the rule is to protect our self. Here is some of the fine:

Playing phone when driving: $350

Speeding: less than 9Km is $100

Driving through red light: $150

Driver not wearing seatbelt: $600

And still so many fine. There is speed camera in Western Australia, so we have to safe drive and obey the rule.

Please do not try to drive when you drunk. There is RBT (Random Breath Test) every where. The police will ask you to stop, and ask you to blow the stuff until they said stop, and they can check how many alcohol you might had. The limit is 0.05. when you over the limit, welcome to the fine that up to $2,500. If you not pay your fine, trust me, Australia keep your record, and it will be harder for you to apply another visa in the future. Beside, you have to pay the fine up front with interest on it.

The Weather

Australia does have 4 season. Summer start December to February. It will 21 degree until 42 degree. Autumn start March to May. It will 14 degree until 25 degree. Winter start June to August. It will 4 degree until 19 degree. Spring start September to November. It will 12 degree until 22 degree. So prepare your bikini on summer, and prepare your coat and boot on winter.

That is little bit about Australia. Still many more that you need explore your self..

Last but not least, Welcome to Straya!!!

Persiapan sebelum dan sesudah tiba di Australia dengan WHV

apa saja yang harus dilakukan sebelum tiba di Australia? 

menyiapkan barang pribadi dari Indonesia

apa saja yang perlu dibawa?

1. celana berwarna hitam
2. t-shirt berwarna hitam
3. kaos kaki berwarna hitam
4. sepatu berwarna hitam (mengapa harus hitam? karena untuk bekerja disini dibutuhkan perangkat hitam tersebut. dan jika dibeli di Indonesia akan jauh lebih murah)
5. obat-obatan pribadi (contoh: tolak angin)
6. khusus perempuan, bawalah pembalut. karena pembalut di Australia $8 per20pcs
7. rice cooker (tentative sih, karena untuk membeli rice cooker disini paling murah adalah $15)
8. gayung (HAHAHAHA!! toilet di Australia hanya menyediakan Tissue roll saja)

membawa uang saku

berapa uang saku yang harus kita bawa? amannya sih $2500. kenapa? karena kamu tidak mungkin langsung mendapat pekerjaan, dan biaya hidup di Australia sangat lah tinggi jika dibandingkan dengan Indonesia. sebagai contoh, beras disini per kilo $3.40 dan ayam KFC $3/pcs.

mencari tempat tinggal.

Banyak sekali kamar yang disewakan (bahasa gaulnya adalah kos-kos an). kamar bisa dicari di gumtree. hargapun beraneka ragam, mulai dari $80 share room, sampai $300 master room. rata-rata harga single room adalah $120 all bill included. don't worry, it is including WIFI hahaha..dan perlu diingat, harga tersebut adalah harga per minggu. yap, karena jika kamu bekerja, kamu pun akan mendapat gaji per minggu, atau maksimal per dua minggu. landlord pun biasanya meminta bond (deposit). normalnya adalah 4 minggu bond, dan 2 week infront. jadi total yang harus kamu bayar dimuka adalah 6 minggu dikali harga kamar yang kamu pilih. Landlord akan meminta kamu membayar per dua minggu (fortnightly)

mencari jalan dari Airport menuju rumah 

caranya adalah, cari shuttle bus, temukan bus rute 380, turun di Esplenade Bus Station. dari Esplenade, turun kebawah, kearah kereta, lalu cari kereta jurusan ke Perth, 1 pemberhentian saja, maka kamu sudah tiba di City of Perth Station. Easy!

lalu apa yang harus dilakukan ketika sudah tiba di Australia untuk pertama kali?

mencari SIMCARD

berbagai macam simcard yang ada di Australia yaitu, TELSTRA, VODAFONE, OPTUS, VIRGIN. pulsa telepon yang umumnya dipakai anak WHV adalah pre-paid atau isi ulang. biasanya minimal $30/bulan. saya sendiri memakan Vodafone, $50/bulan, free telepon dan sms di Australia, 4Gb internet data, dan free 90 menit telepon overseas.

Apply TFN

apa itu TFN? TFN adalah Tax File Number. dimana kamu harus memberikan TFN kepada employer, supaya sang employer bisa membayarkan pajak kepada pemerintah, hasil dari akumulasi total jam kerja kamu. kita dapat apply TFN secara online, mengisi form, kemudian print, datang ke post office, bawa salinan form dan passport, lalu TFN akan dikirim ke alamat kamu dalam 7 hari kerja

membuat Bank Account dan account super

membuat bank account cukuplah mudah, beberapa pilihan bank nya adalah NAB (National Australia Bank), Bank West, Commonwealth. yang paling digemari WHV adalah NAB, karena hanya NAB yang tidak memotong biaya bulanan. Bank lain akan mengenakan biaya sebesar $4/bulan. 

setelah mendatangi bank, dan membawa pasport, maka kamu akan ditanya mengenai Identitas, tujuan pembuatan bank account, biasa lah ya pertanyaan formal :)

setelah itu, bilang saja sama petugasnya untuk sekalian membuat account super. apakah account super itu? jadi di Australia, rule nya adalah employer kamu diwajibkan membayar 9,5% lebih untuk yang namanya Super. super ini tidak bisa dicairkan sebelum kamu berusia 65tahun. jadi sekarang kita mengerti mengapa orang-orang bule sangat rajin bekerja. Karena mereka mendapat dana pensiun yang dihasilkan dari masa muda mereka. Jika kamu memutuskan untuk tidak tinggal di Australia, kamu bisa claim super kamu dari Indonesia, dan Super akan dicairkan oleh pemerintah Australia. 

membuat smart rider

apakah itu smart rider? smart rider adalah kartu yang dapat kamu isi ulang, untuk pembayaran bis dan kereta. public transport di Western Australia adalah Transperth. dan ketika kamu menggunakan smart rider, kamu akan jauh lebih mudah mengakses public transport. hanya saja kamu perlu mengisi ulang seperti pulsa HP ketika smartrider kamu dibawah $5. 

ketika kamu sudah mendapatkan bank account, hubungkan lah bank account mu ke smart rider, maka kamu mendapatkan discount 20% dari harga normal. bagaimana cara membuat smart rider? pergilah menuju Transperth office, isi form, dan smart rider langsung kamu miliki saat selesai berbincang dengan petugas. bagaimana cara manggunakan smart rider? cukup tap (dekat kan kartu pada mesin, sampai berbunyi beep) ketika memasuki public transport, dan jangan lupa tap ketika akan keluar dari public transport.

membuat CV

jangan pernah pakai CV indonesia untuk melamar pekerjaan di Australia. di Australia, CV lebih dikenal dengan nama Resume. yang ditulis di resume adalah:

1. nama
2. alamat
3. nomor telepon
4. alamat email
5. skill
6. education
7. experience
8. available
9. refrencess

mencari pekerjaan

mencari pekerjaan dapat dilakukan secara online melalui seek, gumtree, carrerone. tapi yang paling efektif adalah door to door. perkenalkanlah dirimu semenarik mungkin, baju casual, yakinkan mereka bahwa kamu dapat berbahasa inggris dengan baik. biasanya setelah kamu dapat meyakinkan manager, kamu akan diminta datang untuk trial. trial disini adalah kamu kerja, tanpa dibayar, maksimum 4 jam, untuk melihat, apakah kamu sanggup menjalankan pekerjaan yang kamu lamar.

lain kali saya akan upload bagaimana cara mencari pekerjaan.. thread yang ini sudah saya tulis lama, cuma lupa saya upload.. hehehe..

sumber:

Gumtree www.gumtree.com.au 

TFN https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Tax-file-number/Apply-for-a-TFN/

sample resume template http://career-advice.careerone.com.au/resume-cover-letter/sample-resume/sample-resume-chandler-macleod-a/article.aspx

seek www.seek.com.au

Transperth www.transperth.wa.gov.au

Smart Rider http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/SmartRider/Types-of-SmartRider

how to go to city from International Airport http://www.perthairport.com.au/ToTheAirport/PublicTransport.aspx

When there is no more pain

18 Juni 2016, just a same days as usual, wake up at 5am, and drive to work at 6am.When i get to my work place, i've got 44 missed call. It is from my aunt, my dad, my cousin and from my brother. I call my brother straight away back, and i can heard his voice is shaking and he only said "mum..". My world just being dark, and i can't hold my tears, yes my lovely mum passed away.

She was suffering from arthritis for more than 20 years. She had 3 surgery on her knees, 2 surgery on her elbow. She was suffering to stand up after sitting down, pain to go up stairs, Can not take the jeans off, and sometime can not take the shirt off. and my dad, my brother always help her off. Pain in the bones is absolutely not fun at all. There is a pain on every move. But she was doing great. She go through it for 20 years. In 2013, she got breast cancer, and the cancer has been spread through her lungs, bones, and liver. she had nose bleeding, and vomiting blood too.it feel terrible. I only watch, and i even can feel the pain. Once again, she was doing great. She never whinging, and keep everyone calm down, with saying "i am okay". But we knew that is not okay if your nose bleeding three times a day. My aunt, my cousin, my brother, and i fly back to our home town that day.everybody waiting us to give our last kiss. On the funeral, i always said to everybody, "at least she is not in pain anymore". I have tried my best to hide my tears. Cover it up with smile, because i know she watching me from up there.

Lucky i have husband, who always support me, he fly straight back when he heard this sad news, accompany me for the hardest day i ever had and he always remind me, that my mum watching me cry, and definetely she does not like it. When i cry, he not ask me to stop crying, he listen and just hug me tight and said "just remember how good, how strong and how beautifull she was. Now she have no pain, no tears. she can run, she can eat a big yellow ice cream as much as she can. and She is Happy in the right place. and she keep eye on you. She know you are sad, but do you really want your mum live in pain for another 10 years? if you miss her, just talk to her, like what i did, i am still talk to my mum too! I believe they will still hear what we said. They are our mum. They always love us! Unconditionally. Their body was gone, but not in our heart."That makes me feel more much better. My husband is right. Now when i remember my mum, i laughed and cry in the same time. I'd cry because she is gone, laugh because she watching me cry and imagine what she gonna said when she saw me silly crying.

I remember on out last family dinner, she have asked me to have another children. A girl grand children. She even asking my husband her self. She can not speak english, but at that dinner, she ask him "i want one like that" she was pointing Tobias, my cousin's son. and my husband said "yes, but you have to wait one more year" and she replied "promised?" and my husband reply her back "yes promise".Three of us was laughed and we keep that promises, my husband and i really expect that she will survive, to look after her grand children. I believe she really really wanted to, but her body not let her to wait. I know she was not mean to break the promise. And i know she keep waiting in up there.

Time flies, now it almost a month she is gone, leave me in here alone. No more arguing, no more laughed, no more smirk, no more late call, no more early morning text, no more hug, no more kiss, no more spoiled little girl, no more little daughter, no more princess, no more mum. oh my!!

Little bit about us, my mum and i have so much differences. If she choose black, i choose white. If she agree with A, i agree with C. She always choose branded things, and i prefer the cheap no brand one. She said that "money can not lie" it means if you pay more, you get better quality.  We always have something to argue about.
But this moment, have changed me alot. All the memories with her is flashing back every single days.
I remember one day i have bought macbook, and she smiling to me said "i am happy finally you can spoiled your self". Which she know i never did. I always have crap shirt, or cheap dress, or shit shoes, and always happy to buy things in op shop. I know there is nothing wrong buy stuff in op shop, i always love op shop, but my mum as usual, she had different thought about it. One day before my wedding, i bought expensive bra (about $60, which usually i bought $15ea), and she teasing me "how its feel? You feel better? Have you feel more confidence? And one more secret, it will long last". And we both just laughed. Well, yes, i agree with her!

I am flashing back all silly conversation between me and my mum. One fine day, she told me "i dont want long life, if God take me now, i am ready, because i never regret with my life. I have been through all the good and bad. I was have unlimited money, i was have nothing to eat, but the important things is i am happy with my life.if we die, we did not bring anything."
By that, i try to changes my self, i am trying valued my self better. I do not wants to have regret in this life. I started look after my self better. I more concern about my life balances, which i dont have it in the last 2 years. All i knew is work, work and work. I want to earn money as much as i can earn, but i will spend it as a little as i can But my mum changes me. I have told my boss that i only wants to work maximum 8 hours/ days, which before i was work 15 hour/day in 2 places. I know it was crazy, i never cared about my self, i never look after my self. i always tired and sleepy. but at that time, i do not care. She always upset when she called me and know i was yawning sixty times in 10 min.

On thursday, the 14 of July, i have birthday, and i am waiting text from my mum. Which usually she text me 11.59pm a day before. Haha i am silly, but i did it. the text that i expected, was not coming, but i have great birthday this year, compare to 10 years back. I always have bad day on my own birthday. But you know what? it is very hard to spoiled my self. I use to work that much, i use to earn that much, but now more bit little. And so many guilty coming up. When i bought  good quality of jug, $50, at home , i am not excited to open it when i get home. Still in the boxes, i just watching it and keep my hand in my head, and ofcourse i keep asking my self, "why i bought his expensive stuff? i can have food for 3 days with that money. should i refund it?". I have a look on my old jug, and inside looks terrible. the stain is going off, and i might drink the stain when it goes completely off. Well, i deciced not to refund it, and just today i opened and just use it. i believe my mum will happy to see me to spoiled my self.

Many regrets coming when she gone. I have not been spoiled her, i have not make her happy, i even keep whinging about the bill. I have promised her 5 years ago to buy her a house. Everyone laughed when heard my promise to my mum, but my mum take it seriously, and with proud she said "if Lova said she will, she wil, because she know what she said, and i trust her". She does not care about anybody else. She trust me, and that is the point to me. I was very jealous with my brother, because mum always more worry about him, and seems she does not care about me. when i get my working holiday visa to go to Australia, she seems relax, no worry and no many question from her. I asked her one day why she seems does not care and do not worry about me get adventure. And this is what she said "because you are survivor and i trust you more than your brother that you can look after your self, and i believe that you so smart, and you will never ever let your self starving". At that time, i can not accept her answer. Because i am jealous. i thought, even i can look after my self, she should be worry about me. did she? But she is obviously not.
Now after she was gone, i remember every words she was said, and i understand her.i definetely not blaming her, because i knew she know me better.

Sometime i asking my self, "did my mum proud to have daughter like me? did she happy with me? do i have make her happy in the last years before she gone?". And i remember what she said on the time we talking, she said "i always love you. no matter what other people said about you, i trust you". Maybe that is not the answer for my questions, but remember what she said on hospital, i believe that she proud to have me. If there is life after life, i want to be once again be her daughter. I will trat her better, i will make her happier, i will make her more proud to have me.

Now i believe, know she is smiling in up there, watching me look after my self better.