1 of 70,000 Monash University is host to an impressive 70,000 students (just over 10,000 studying at overseas campuses). Crazy to think this is approximately 3.5 times more people than the Greater Terrace Area!!! Obviously not everyone is on campus the first week, but man did it feel like it! The campus was definitely a buzz with new students exploring campus, returning students catching up with friends, and more clubs and societies set up on Clayton Campus that one could imagine. Student Card, Bank Account, Phone Plan Those three things pretty much account for my daily survival, so I was determined to have those sorted right away. The folks at Monash Connect (see link below) were very friendly and set me up with my student card in less than 10 minutes. Make sure to bring proof of enrolment, they need this information in order to proceed with issuing your student card. Money, Money, Money
If you are living in a country for longer than a vacation, I always think it is important to set up a bank account. Less hassle and less charges on exchange rates. Typically they will also ask for a permanent address when setting up your accounts, I used my Air BnB account for the initial set up, and they were happy to take this on the basis I returned with my confirmed address once I had a permanent place to live. It is my understanding there are four major banks in Australia: Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, National Australia Bank (NAB), and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ). I will confess, I actually just went to the one I saw first, which was Westpac. It was centrally located in the Campus Centre, and they set up my bank account right then and there. Most banks have good student bank account options, that have no transaction or monthly fees. Needless to say, I am so happy I went to Westpac, I had the most lovely Personal Bank Advisor Menoji, she was so kind and chatted to me about the city, what I was studying and provided me all the tools I need to set up on-line banking and wire transfers from my Canadian bank. Within a week I had my debit card and money transferred over. Australia also has this bonkers and amazing "Card-less Withdrawal" feature, where once set up, the bank generates a PIN number (which gets sent to your phone - locked by password and touch ID) and you put the PIN into the bank machine and boom cash! This was great for me, as before my bank card arrived I could still access my funds! Seriously, Canada you need to get on this - GAME CHANGER! Dear Canada: Your cell phone rates are too high!!! Love, Kathryn Next was my phone! I initially got a new SIM card when I entered the country last week with a pay as you go starter plan. As Optus has a shop on campus, I decided to check out what I more permanent option might be. Well, it turns out Australia is also killing the cell phone game. With the 10% student discount, on a 12 month plan, I only pay $36/month (taxes included), for unlimited texts and calls in Australia, 300 international minutes and 12G (like actually) of data per month. I was delightfully shocked. Other than housing, those were the main things to check off my "must do" list right away. The quicker they are done the less stress and hassle I think!
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Dear Miss Goodwin, we are writing to inform you that you have not be accepted into student housing...
I definitely had a small moment of panic when I originally found out I would have to fend for myself in the Melbourne housing market. During my undergrad I living and worked in student housing for 4/5 years, with my final year in a shared house recommended by a friend. This is to say, I have ZERO experience finding accommodation in a big city. We all know living in Terrace that one can usually find somewhere to live through friends, friends of friends, or Terrace buy and sell or the rental Facebook page. I did some initial searching while I was still at home, but ultimately decided it would be important to meet the people and inspect the apartment before I signed a lease. I would definitely recommend applying for student housing, if I had the chance that would have been my first choice! I'm sorry it costs how much a month to live in Melbourne? Well, let's just say the rental prices between Terrace and Melbourne are very different. I mean I expected them to be higher, but I am still in shock (and will be looking for a job very soon to help with the cost of living). Depending on the type of accommodation you want - shared or living alone, it will obviously cost different amounts. Typically it may range from 800-1200$ a month for a room in a shared house, and over this for a studio apartment (I know right?!?). *As fate would have it* I found the Air BnB I am currently staying at by chance. The cost was reasonable and the place (and host) looked friendly and inviting! During my first few days I chatted with the other flatmates about possible housing options in the area, and which rental sites were best to search for roommates. Although Gumtree, Flatmates Finder and Realtor.com.au were all good sites, I definitely found the most luck with flatmates.com.au, it was easy to navigate and there were lots of postings. I paid the extra 35$ dollars to receive early bird access to properties, I thought it was worth it as some properties are only listed under this function. With 7 days left until I had to leave my Air BnB, one could I say I was again definitely panicked on where I would be living long-term. However, as fate would have it, a room was opening up at my current Air BnB for a full-time renter in a few weeks. On more than one occasion, I have had some weird *it must be fate* moments on this trip - this being one of them. So I will now being temporarily moving to another Air BnB on Sunday until my space opens up! Hallelujah!!! At the end of the day I am a firm believer that everything will work out (even if it wasn't what you originally imagined). Everyone has their favourite part of travelling. Maybe it's the architecture of a new city, the tourist monuments, the culture, or the climate. Mine is the food. Don't get me wrong, I love everything about new cities/towns but I'm always on the hunt for the best places to eat! That, and grocery shopping - it's always neat to see what brands are sold in different countries, and what type of new products you can find. So, with a few recommendations from friends (thanks Molly!!!), and bloggers I was off in search of Melbourne's epic food scene. Week 1: Carnegie I am staying in a suburb called Carnegie (it is central to both Caufield and Clayton campus) and is close to shops and restaurants. As I am trying to budget, I have yet to try the Thai food down Koorang road near my place, but it is supposed to be unreal. This will go on the list forsure! There is also this place called Huff's Bakery that has amazing bagels (my flatmates sell me it's a must). St. Kilda I am lucky enough to have a friend living in Melbourne (we met during our exchange year in England during 2010/2011). Even better, the girl loves to try new restaurants! Of course this means we needed to meet for brunch at the earliest of conveniences, so Saturday at 10:00 am in St. Kilda it was! Although I am not vegan or vegetarian, I am interested in plant based eating, and am always amazed at the creations of vegan/vegetarian cooks! Louise is vegetarian so we decide to check out Sisters of Soul, a plant based restaurant by the beach. OH.MY.GOSH - SO GOOD! I never thought vegetarian chorizo would be so tasty. The waitress recommended the chorizo tacos (she was from Whistler so knew where Terrace is - so cool/small world!), so tacos it was! They also had a selection of milk alternatives including almond, coconut, and hazelnut for your coffee, it was nuts (*wink*). Chadstone Shopping Centre Did you know that Melbourne is home to the largest mall in the southern hemisphere? Neither did I. But my gosh it is massive! During my wanders here I came across this ice cream stand that sells those cool rolled up ice creams plastered all over Instagram these days. So obviously I had to try one. Basically they pour the cream mixture over a cold slab, mix in your choice toppings and ta-da, delicious creation. Yes is was $9 dollars (insert heart palpatation) was it good, yes; would I buy it again, no; was it worth it, definitely! So good! Queen Victoria Market Sunday brought time for a rainy adventure to downtown Melbourne. I had been down here before during my brief visit in 2013, but didn't get to explore as much as I had hoped. I figured this would be a good time to explore again. The Queen Victoria Market offers fresh meats, cheeses, preserves, wines, pastas, spices, fruits, vegetables, and probably anything else you could think of in one location! It is amazing! I strolled around the shops, got a quick bite to eat (a lamb bread creation), and made note of what I would be coming down to shop for in the future. I am sure I will be back many times over the next 18 months. The Liam Hemsworthy My gosh, I could I forget about the vegan donut. Ok, so let's just say this donut looked like a regular donut, had the texture of a regular donut, tasted like a regular donut, but was vegan. HOW DO THEY DO THIS?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!!??!!? All I can say is that it was amazeballs, and I wish I could eat one of these everyday. Also...the name is pretty epic. Ok, saving over $500 dollars was not a mistake, but when your flight time is over 30 hours it definitely feels like it.
Soooo, I booked my flight from Terrace to Melbourne on points, I have literally been saving since 1996 (no joke), and this seemed like the perfect time to utilize this! Really, it was. Although my flight path was..*ahem* a bit sporadic, I did save lots of money in airport taxes and didn't have to pay for the plane ticket. What was my flight path you may ask? Terrace-->Vancouver (makes sense) Vancouver-->Brisbane (also makes sense) Brisbane-->Auckland, NZ (does not make sense) Auckland-->Melbourne (finally!) Estimated travel time: 33 hours (ha) Stretch, hydrate, and get an aisle seat These three things made a huge difference for me during the flight(s). When I could, I got up and stretched, as to reduce the size of my cankles (lack of circulation my friends); always say yes when they come by with water (hydration is key on long flights, seriously); and for me I hate waking people up and also like to get up and move around so I always get an aisle seat. If I didn't do this, and wanted to sleep, window all the way! Just pay the extra money for the taxi, trust me. If there is one thing I have learned during my time travelling, is if you don't know where you are going, its late and you don't know the public transportation system really well, PAY FOR THE TAXI!!!! Going on the subway the wrong way, falling asleep on public transport, catching the wrong bus, can all lead you to a place not ideal for young travellers in the middle of the night. If you feel comfortable with taking public transportation because you know exactly where you're going, definitely do that, but if you don't, pay for the taxi. Did my taxi cost $100 dollars, yes it did, but I (and my parents and boyfriend) had peace of mind knowing I would safely be taken to my Air BnB on the opposite side of town. Heck - I had so much luggage, even if I knew the public transportation system well in the day light, I would have still taken a taxi. Anticipate and save the extra money for the taxi, its worth it. Always have the number of the contact person for the residence, apartment or hostel you are staying at prior to arriving at your destination. Arrive at the Air BnB, safetly get inside, can't find the apartment number. Shit. Turns out there was an unmarked door that led to a second floor, thank goodness I had the contact phone number of the Air BnB girl. In case you get lost, or can't get into your accommodation always have a phone number you can use in an emergency. I actually made my taxi driver wait for me until I knew I was in the building. In the event I couldn't get in, I knew he could transport me to another set of accommodation (hotel) if I needed it. Plan B is always a good idea. Once inside, I feel asleep for a solid 10 hours. Thank goodness for a comfortable bed in a clean apartment. Cheers, Kathryn It's February 7, and I have 20398833 things to do, and I leave for Australia in a week..
Literally for a solid three weeks before I left I was a mess emotionally (a big change regardless if it is 100% the right decision, and what you want to do, is hard!). The one thing I can say is PLAN PLAN PLAN as much as you can before you go, and as early as possible. The more you have in place earlier on, the more you can focus on spending time with those you love before you go. Honestly, without my parent's nagging me (sorry guys) for months before I went, I wouldn't have been as prepared as I was (ok, ok, thank you for nagging). There is definitely more to think about than just signing up for classes. Things to consider include:
That's all I can think of right now, you will have your own list, but these are some things that definitely came up for me! Cheers, Kathryn One could say the road to my Master's in Environment and Sustainability has been a long time coming (about 6 years to be exact). Late in 2010 I realized that in order to get where (I anticipated) I needed to be for my career, a postgraduate degree would probably be necessary. It took a few more life events: the completion of my undergraduate degree in 2012, some travelling, and almost four years working in municipal government, to FINALLY lead me back to school. After (a tonne) of research for graduate programs in the sustainability field offered in England, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, I finally found the perfect course at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. The course offered all the components I felt would provide me with the best education and professional opportunities, plus Monash is ranked in the top 100 universities globally! As coincidence would have it, during the time I was preparing to head to Monash, a new partnership was being formed between our local educational institution, Northwest Community College (NWCC) and Monash University. Their new International Experience Program enables local students to start their degrees (two years) at NWCC, then transfer to Monash University for three years, in which they will complete both their undergraduate degree AND a master's degree (ummm, can you say amazing!!!). Although I am not part of this particular program (though I wish it had been an option for me after high-school) I will be documenting what the transition is like from growing up and living/working in small town Terrace to the big city of Melbourne! Cheers, Kathryn |
AuthorHi everyone! I'm Kathryn, a Master's student at Monash University in Melbourne. This blog outlines the experiences and transition of my life in small town Terrace, BC to the sites and sounds of Melbourne, Australia! Archives
July 2017
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