So as you guys know I was planning on staying in Australia for 6 months - 1 year depending on the wants/needs of the family. But finding a family that only wants a nanny/aupair for 6 months is very rare, which is why I've been saying I'll be there for a year.
Well, I have been e-mailing with the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship because they handle the information about visas. They have told me that I will need a work and holiday visa. This visa would allow me to stay in Australia for 1 year, but only work for the same employer for 6 months. This means I would either have to leave Australia after the first 6 months or find another family for the last 6 months. In my situation, there is no visa available that would allow me to work for the same employer for over 6 months.
I am a little worried because and I just don't want this to put a huge kink in my dream and plans. So from here, what do I do?
1) Look to see if there are actually families willing to take a nanny/aupair for 6 months.
2) Try to get in contact with an Australian family who has had (or has) an aupair and see if there is a way they usually get around this.
3) Start saving, because these visas are not cheap.
4) Pray that God continues to have His hand on this journey and will direct me to the right families and to talk to the right people.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Every Story Has a Beginning, Middle, and End
Although I won't be leaving for Australia until about June 2012, I believe it is important to begin by blogging about the whole process of this journey.
The beginning process includes gathering information from other aupairs, the Australian and US embassies, and families that have had aupairs. I will also be looking at families on the site/agency to get an idea of what I am looking for. Until I subscribe to the site/agency I will be building my profile so that it is complete and ready to go when the time comes. The next steps will be to subscribe to the agency, apply for a passport and visa, and begin contacting families. Once the family and I find each other we will begin making arrangements for my arrival. I will stay with them from 6 months - 1 year, which the family will decide. Once my time with the family is complete I will return to the US and continue to blog for a few weeks. I have heard that when you leave the country for an extended period of time and then return, there can be some confusing/mixed feelings. It will be hard to see that time here did not stand still while I was away. Also, I'm sure I will be overjoyed to be back in the states with my family and friends, but I will also be missing my Australian family.
That's a short summary of the journey I am embarking on and I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I know I will!!!
The beginning process includes gathering information from other aupairs, the Australian and US embassies, and families that have had aupairs. I will also be looking at families on the site/agency to get an idea of what I am looking for. Until I subscribe to the site/agency I will be building my profile so that it is complete and ready to go when the time comes. The next steps will be to subscribe to the agency, apply for a passport and visa, and begin contacting families. Once the family and I find each other we will begin making arrangements for my arrival. I will stay with them from 6 months - 1 year, which the family will decide. Once my time with the family is complete I will return to the US and continue to blog for a few weeks. I have heard that when you leave the country for an extended period of time and then return, there can be some confusing/mixed feelings. It will be hard to see that time here did not stand still while I was away. Also, I'm sure I will be overjoyed to be back in the states with my family and friends, but I will also be missing my Australian family.
That's a short summary of the journey I am embarking on and I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I know I will!!!
What's In A Name?
As some of you know, I went back and forth between names for this blog. I asked several people their opinion and tried out several different names. The name reads - Dream Journey to Oz. I chose this one over all the others for several different reasons.
1. It was one of the shorter names.
2. It has a nice ring to it.
3. It has been a dream of mine to go to Australia since I was 10.
4. This experience is going to be a journey for me not only physically, but spiritually and mentally as well.
5. Oz is an Australian nickname for Australia. Australians pronounce "Aus" with a hard 'z' sound (as they do when saying "Aussie"), so they write it phonetically. The nickname is also used to refer to the mythical land of Oz mentioned in Frank L. Baum's books. Australia's Emerald City of Oz is Sydney (the main focus of my trip over there) because of the emerald-green water in the harbor.
6. Once I came up with it I kept going back to it through my decision process.
1. It was one of the shorter names.
2. It has a nice ring to it.
3. It has been a dream of mine to go to Australia since I was 10.
4. This experience is going to be a journey for me not only physically, but spiritually and mentally as well.
5. Oz is an Australian nickname for Australia. Australians pronounce "Aus" with a hard 'z' sound (as they do when saying "Aussie"), so they write it phonetically. The nickname is also used to refer to the mythical land of Oz mentioned in Frank L. Baum's books. Australia's Emerald City of Oz is Sydney (the main focus of my trip over there) because of the emerald-green water in the harbor.
6. Once I came up with it I kept going back to it through my decision process.
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