We did talk quite a bit about how to find furniture in Melbourne in past posts, but what about when you leave Melbourne and want to sell all of your stuff.
Many people just give everything to an Opt Shop or worse, throw it all away! It is environmental to try and pass on all of your items to someone else. That way, they don’t have to buy everything brand new, but it also doesn’t fill up the landfill sites (and bonus, you can make a bit of money back!).
So how do you find people who would actually want your used couches, bed, fridge, kitchen utensils, desk, etc. Well we all know Ebay and for individual items, this works well but the best option for used items, we have found is Gumtree.
Gumtree Melbourne is fantastic to buy or sell the small things (utensils, plates, etc.), to bigger things (fridge, bed, desk), and you can even sell/buy cars for under $5000. Did you know you can look for work here too or a place to rent (just be careful for people who are scamming you)!
So you are teaching in Australia and want to know where to stop in? Have you already checked out China? Vietnam? Other countries?
Don’t forget before you leave – Purchase the Japan Rail pass! You cannot get this once in Japan.
If going for 5 to 7 days, we recommend starting in Tokyo and heading down to Kyoto as well.
Day 1: Tokyo
Fish Market; Meiji-Jingu shrine, shopping for electronics in Akihabara, and that night, heading to Shibuya Crossing for all the lights, busy street corners etc.
Day 2: Road trip to Kyoto
You can stop to see Mt. Fuji but in the winter, you might not have much luck seeing it! Once in Kyoto, head to Nishiki Market; and the Ponto-cho (night market).
Day 3: Kyoto
Go to all the Temples in S.Higashiyama. Also go to the Imperial Palace and the Gion region for the Geisha dancing.
Day 4: Kinosaki
Head to Kinosaki from Kyoto for the Onsens (hot baths!). In this town, they have 5 hot baths in the village that anyone can go to, plus you can get a private hot bath in certain accommodation.
Day 5: Tokyo
Head back to Tokyo. Fit in any more temples, markets, museums, etc. that you can!
There is nothing like going to the market to pick up your fresh veggies, fruit, meat, etc. and all of us who are from the Northern Hemisphere, we don’t get to do this for about 4 months of the year.
Melbourne’s markets are open all year long!
Not only are the open all year, but there are markets across the city. Many people go to the touristy and very popular Queen Victoria Market, but have you gone somewhere more convenient to you? White Hat is a great website that gives details, addresses, etc. for all Markets in Melbourne and across Australia.
Stop going to the Grocery Store (Supermarket) in Australia!
As teachers in Australia, we are always looking to save money. Stop shopping at the expensive grocery stores and go to the market. Not only are you buying local produce and supporting small businesses, but it is cheaper! My favourite is Footscray Market. The fish, seafood, and meat are by far the cheapest I have found. Also it is surrounded by Vietnamese stores and restaurants so if you want a good feed, this is the place for you!
But how about Dandenong Market, South Melbourne Market, Prahran, St.Andrew’s etc… The list is never ending so there’s nothing stopping you from getting fresh produce for a fraction of the price.
6) A Backpack – so often when I pick up teachers at the airport, they show up with big refrigerator size suitcases. What you will find out quickly is that having a backpack when travelling in Australia is essential. It is not like Europe, most attractions in Australia are outdoors and require hiking, walking, swimming, etc. Not an easy thing to do with a rollie suitcase! Save yourself having to buy one, and make sure one of your bags you pack for Australia is a backpack.
7) Electric converter – If you didn’t know, Australia’s voltage is 220V but more importantly, the spokes are angled. You don’t need a large one if you already have an adapter on your laptop (which most do!). Also DO NOT bring a hair dryer or hair straightener. Doesn’t matter what you do, it will blow up! So leave it at home.
8.) Laptop – or any other technology. If you don’t know, electronics in Australia are super expensive so come prepared!
9) Mobile/Cell phone – If you have a phone with a SIM card, get your phone unlocked and bring it with you. It will save you from buying a phone and you will only need to buy a SIM card.
10) Bring half the stuff, double the money – this is usually the advice when going on holiday, but I think it is even more important when moving overseas. Although you want to make sure to have the critical things, there is no point bringing everything but the kitchen sink! There will always be things you will need as you get used to the climate and the type of activities you are doing.
We hope this has been helpful for you.
If you have other things that you found helpful when moving to Australia or something you know you won’t leave home without, let us know!
Over the years we have had a lot of teachers ask us questions about Australia. One of the biggest is: What should I bring?
The Ten Most Important Things to Bring to Australia
1) A Jacket – not just a thin jacket, but a real winter jacket. Despite what people think about Australia, it does in fact get cold. So cold that those that don’t bring jackets, scarves and a hat, usually buy it or have their family send it over. Learn more about Winter in Australia or Tips to cope with Winter.
2) Electronic Copies of documents- since you will be travelling, you won’t want to carry original copies or photocopies of your documents. Not only as they could get ruined or lost, but also must easier to send to schools/agencies online.
3) A Variety of Clothing- remember not only will you be travelling but you will also need teaching clothes. We suggest packing a number of items that can be mixed and matched to make different outfits. Clothing is expensive in Australia so you don’t want to be relying on this to heavily especially over the first few months.
4) Toiletries– Deod0rants are mainly sprays so if you like stick, then stick with it and bring a few over! Sorry guys but this is an important one for the females you come over to Australia. If you have your favourite types, bring them as they are quite different or old school products in Australia. See Australian feminine products.
5) Photos of Family and Friends – Yes you will have your laptop but there is nothing better than having a few printed photos to put in frames up in your room. Just makes your new place homey and makes your home overseas feel a little less far away. Homesickness is quite common and the 3-month rule will help you see that you are not alone.
Come back here to find out what the next five things that you should bring to Australia when moving to teach! Find the second part of this series here.
Have you thought of anything that we haven’t said yet? Let us know!
If you haven’t used Skype before, then you are missing out especially if you are overseas. We made the conscious decision to start using Skype with Canadian teachers interested in teaching in Australia (and UK and USA teachers) before they arrived, so that they learned about this tool early.
In one of our most recent blog articles, Homesickness while in Australia, we talk about how hard the first 3-months are, but then don’t give you many solutions to deal with this. Well one is Skype! It is FREE for you and for your family, friends, partner, etc. This means that even while teaching in Australia, you don’t have to worry about the expensive overseas calling rates, and can just use Skype. It will become your best friend and to make it even better, you can SEE them too! All you need is a webcam, or perhaps your laptop has a built in one, so it makes it feel like they are right beside you.
My suggestion is, sign up for an account now, and you will be surprised how many people are actually on it, even if you are not overseas yet. This way, when you are already on your computer, you can have a quick chat with someone too!
Ten years ago when I first travelling to Melbourne, Australia, Skype didn’t exist, or Facebook, and I was lucky to even have my family using internet regularly. Now back in Melbourne, having skype to quickly call my friends and family in Canada, makes such a difference to my enjoyment and love for living in Australia.
Are you tired and overworked? Do you feel drained in January? Do you look forward one week off in March to return in March and feel exhausted? Has a 20-week term got you down? Here’s the answer: MOVE TO AUSTRALIA!
WARNING: this is not a sales pitch, this is pure enthusiasm. I used to teach in Ontario, and then I got out of there! No jobs? There’s lots of teaching jobs in Australia. Insufficient recovery time? It’s sufficient in Australia.
Part 1: 10 Things You Need to Think About When Moving to Melbourne
This post marks the start of a 10-post series that Leading Out has asked me to write for you. These posts will appear once a week, over the Australian summer months, to give you time to get ready for 2009.
Part 1: Public Transportation in Melbourne
More good news on public transportation in Melbourne— (more…)
As teachers in Australia, we are always looking to save money. Stop 
