About 1/14 >>Part 1.

Migration

PART 1

Lois Nicholls

to Oz—Practical Tips

About 2/14

Reflecting back over the past decade, had I aninkling of the hardship, the intense home-sicknessand feelings of total displacement that was to come,I might have high-tailed it back to the comfortablebosom of family and friends. Instead, I persevered.

This is the first in a series of mini eBooks which Lois Nicholls will publish on the Aussie, Actually Facebook Group and www.aussieactually.com.

The aim of the series is to help new and prospective migrants come to grips with some of the facts and practical tips everyone should know before settling into lifeDown Under. And of course, if you’d like to read her entire migration story in detail,you can purchase her book off the Australian or South African websites.

We’d love to hear your experiences and migration perspectives too - so join theAussie, Actually Facebook Group to share your stories and comments.

Lois’s next mini eBook will be available for download in the coming weeks.

Regards from the Aussie, Actually Facebook Group

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Aussie, Actually

Excerpt from Aussie, Actually

Get more detailsor buy a copyof Lois Nicholls’Aussie, Actually

BUY THE BOOKAustralian Edition

Publisher: Impact Unlimited

BUY THE BOOKSouth African Edition

Publisher: Aardvark Press

About 3/14

CONTENTS

4 Arrive Skilled5 Killer Ticks6 Be Flexible7 Bring It All8 Chill Out9 Diplomacy Rules10 Do What It Takes11 School’s Up!12 House Hunt in Summer13 Patience14 About

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About 4/14

ARRIVE SKILLED!

Get skilled! And this doesn’t necessarily mean getting another degree.

A few trades under one’s belt is a worthwhile investment. Even if you don’t use your skill in a work sense, it will pay dividends when it comes to doing maintenancearound the house, tiling, basic carpentry or other jobs that incur expensive tradie bills.

I often wish I'd qualified as a teacher, nurse or physiotherapist——something usefulwhere there is always a need.

That said, it’s never too late to reinvent oneself. It does however take time, moneyand commitment.

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In the past, in SA in particular, a degree was prettywell a guarantee of a job for life. The world-wide recession proved this is not the case and we nowknow better.

About 5/14

KILLER TICKS

If you’re fortunate enough to bring your beloved pets, beware the dreaded paralysis tick.

Tell-tale signs are gradual paralysis, often starting with ragged breathing and thus confused with kennel cough. Back legs become paralysed first and the pooch is unableto walk.

Should they reach this stage, a trip to the vet is pretty urgent. Regular checks, a tick prevention collar as well as a deterrent such as Frontline, is the way to go.

Long haired dogs are best shaved in the high tick season which usually lasts fromaround October to February.

They will look horribly embarrassed at first, but it could save their lives.

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Aussie, Actually

One family learnt the hard way and lost two muchloved Labradors shortly after arriving in Brisbaneas they weren’t aware that local ticks can kill.

About 6/14

BE FLEXIBLE

Change your mindset. Be open to new ideas and new people.

Try and get into the habit of being positive (and grateful) about your new environment.

This doesn't mean glossing over the annoying stuff, or pretendingall is coming up roses when actually, you're feeling downright miserable.

It's ok to be honest——just be selective with whom you share your heart.

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Aussie, Actually

‘Be transformed by the renewing of your mind ...’

About 7/14

BRING IT ALL

Speaking about this at all may sound shallow but it's a case of practicality and feeling at home in your new country.

If you can and if you have any furniture of value, bring it with you.

Setting up is an expensive exercise without the added burden of trying to replacethings you left behind.

Trust me, Granny's old hand me down dining table you left out of the containerwill be remembered with great nostalgia once you start pricing furniture in yournew country.

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Aussie, Actually

‘An English friend says her biggest regretwas not bringing more as it was so expensiveto replace in Oz.’

About 8/14

CHILL OUT!

If I have one word of advice for renting a home, it's to make sure it has air-conditioning——and preferably ceiling fans.

I could have saved myself a lot of pain had I taken this advice when renting in the heat of summer.

The humidity takes discomfort to a new level.

Trust me, having no escape from the relentless heat of summer can drive one to the brink——particularly unpleasant when struck by a nastybout of homesickness.

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Aussie, Actually

No matter how much an agent insists the homehas good ventilation and “no-one has needed air-conditioning before”... Never, ever believe them!

About 9/14

DIPLOMACY RULES

In business and social engagements, always lead with diplomacy.

South Africans are often perceived as being aggressive and forceful——it’s not something that they practice, it simply comes naturally.

While this is often an innocent oversight, it can be perceived as being a tad arrogant.

Even if you can’t understand why others are reluctant to make a quick decision abouta matter and your natural tendency is to question their slow decision-making, just ‘go with the flow.’

Best to listen and observe before making a blunder and being labeled an upstart.

Move at their pace.

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If you let diplomacy rule, you will reap the benefits.

About 10/14

DO WHAT IT TAKES

Be prepared to rough it when the going gets tough ... and dare I say it, tough again.

Not everyone can walk in as a CFO of a major corporate or Managing Partner of a professional services firm and seamlessly exchange one country for another.

For the vast majority of migrants, life can be a struggle. With this in mind, be prepared to take on jobs you would never have contemplated ‘back home’.

Tedious jobs which make one think longingly about one’s former life can be good stop gaps——think of them as a means to an end. And be forever hopeful that thingswill get better.

I know die hards who have driven taxis——even forklift trucks to keep the cashflow going.

The good news is that you will not starve. That’s why we pay such high taxes.

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Aussie, Actually

Be prepared to do whatever it takesto bring in the bacon!

About 11/14

SCHOOLS UP!

Choosing a school for your children can be a minefield.

If fortunate enough to go private, choose one that is within budget.

Catholic schools have an excellent reputation and cost a lot less thansome top private schools.

Local public schools always fare well academically——just check out the area first.

The Federal Government’s newly launched website, My School enables you to quicklysearch the profiles, stats and other information about 10,000 schools across Oz andcompare them with other schools in your community.

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Visit www.myschool.edu.au to view the profileof schools in the area you might be looking to settle.

About 12/14

HOUSE-HUNT IN SUMMER

A tip for buying:

Go house-hunting in the heat of summer to see how the house fares.

Aspect is important when dealing with extreme temperatures.

If it’s suffocatingly hot in summer, chances are it will be cold in winter.

Our first home was wonderful when we bought it—in winter. Come summer, we almost passed out from the heat. An addition of ceiling insulation helped but it was air-conditioning and a swimming pool that got us through summer.

Buy/rent a home that is functional and perhaps not as aestheticallypleasing or as lavish as a former abode.

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Aussie, Actually

Don’t try and duplicate what you had ‘back home’.

About 13/14

PATIENCE

Patience is a virtue.

Go easy on yourself. It takes time to set up in a new country, make friendsand feel part of a community.

It also takes effort and a sense of humour. The latter may desert you severaltimes during the emigration journey but it does eventually return ... promise.

Joining a church, sports club or interest group helps one feel connected andfind friends with whom you have something in common. Remember thoughthat it’s perfectly natural to have moments of regret and deep homesickness.

Most people, if they’re honest, will admit to times of sorrow——it’s part of the process and is nothing to be ashamed about. Migrants who appear constantly on a high are on something.

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Don’t compare yourself to how others seemto be coping – everyone has a different journey.

About 14/14

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LOIS NICHOLLS is the author of Aussie, Actually - Landing on Foreign Soil. She writes for magazines,newspapers and is editor of JournoNews.com. Creative and honest would best describe her.

about

EMAIL, PRINT OUT, POSTIf you know of anyone who is in the process of relocating or has just arrived in Australia, please passthis presentation onto them.

DOCUMENT DATE

This mini eBook was created on February 18, 2010. It is based on Lois’s reflections on the lessons learnt overthe past thirteen years as a migrant living in Australia. This is Part 1 of a series of eBooks to be published on the Aussie Actually Facebook Group and www.aussieactually.com in 2010.

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ABOUT AUSSIE, ACTUALLY

Aussie, Actually captures the heartache of leaving familiar surroundings, family and friendsto make a new start in a foreigncountry.

Written from Lois Nicholls'perspective as a young migrant wifeand mother, it tells the warts and allstory of her family's journey.

Visit www.aussieactually.com forthe Australian publication andwww.aussieactually.co.za for theSouth African publication.

COPYRIGHT INFO

The copyright of this work belongsto the author, Lois Nicholls, who is solelyresponsible for the content. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No DerivativeLicense.

To view a copy of this license, visit Creative Commons or send a letter to Creative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, California 94305, USA.

eBook cover image from iStockphoto

You are given the unlimited right toprint this presentation and to distributeit electronically (via email, upload toyour website, or any other means).

You’re welcome to hand out copies toeveryone you meet.

However, you may not alter the content in any way and you may not sell it.

WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THIS

Get more detailsor buy a copyof Lois Nicholls’Aussie, Actually

BUY THE BOOKAustralian Edition

Publisher: Impact Unlimited

BUY THE BOOKSouth African Edition

Publisher: Aardvark Press