Aussie McBlog

Dun Dun Dun!

Someone just applied for residence...

posted by Sara @ 3:18 PM 0 comments

Visa Grant Notification: SARA JOHANNE MACDONALD

Dear SARA JOHANNE MACDONALD,

I am pleased to advise that you have successfully been assessed against OFFSHORE Non-award Sector (Web) (TU 575) and your electronic application for a Student (Temporary)(Class TU) visa has been approved.

FOOLS! Mwuahahahah!

I mean excellent. Very good indeed.

It took less than 24 hours. I am so impressed.

posted by Sara @ 7:32 AM 2 comments

A Dingo Ate My Baby!!!

Either that, or I just finished applying for my visa. The internet may be a bit of a no-mindo void sometimes, but it sure is convenient! YAH YA ARE! I did it electronically and it felt oh-so-good. I've got confirmation numbers and passwords comin' out of the yin-yang, but in two or so weeks, I should get an email saying, "Sorry sir, but it appears you put 'member of Colombian drug ring' on your application so we're not letting you in".

I left work early today (always, ALWAYS a good thing) to meet up with a UWoll representative. I was all, "Should I or shouldn't I? Should I or shouldn't I?" and then finally I decided I should go. It was completely worth the drive and the time and the effort. Trish is the manager of the study abroad program at the uni and she had so much to say that was really helpful.

She made a really good point. Or rather, several good points. She said that for 5 months, the best way to meet people, hands down, is to live in residence. I had not been planning on staying in them, but when you factor in all the other expenses of renting something off campus, she really is right. So now I'm trying to pick where I want to live. Weerona looks the best as of right now.

I would like to take this opportunity to announce that none of this would be possible without my parents. I'm trying to work hard and safe up, but in reality, they are the major players in this whole endeavour. My corporate sponsors, if you will. YAH YA ARE!

In an effort to save up some money, I'm not going to buy myself Starbucks or Tim Hortons until 1 week before I leave for the Gong. I've had to work around the system on two occasions in the last week and a half (ie, getting Megs or Ashlee to buy MY Tim Ho's and I buy theirs), but it's just an effort to ensure that I'm not frivolously throwing away money on less important things. Like being responsible and not being a little spoiled brat who expects everything to be paid for!

I think I shall make a list of things I need to do in the next little while (AU related):
- Make an appointment to visit my bank and discuss money matters
- Fill out a residence application and submit
- Find out about freezing GW membership
- Find out if I can get a rebate on unused car insurance
- Call BCAA and ask about international driver's license
- Get a 2005 Contiki brochure (I grabbed '04 by mistake!)
- Organize all my W'Gong papers into one evil pile/folder
- Purchase Lonely Planet: Australia and PERUSE
- Find immunization card to prove that I do not in fact have rabies
- Email all the nice people and tell them I've decided to live in res rather than rent
- Email Trish when she's back in W'Gong to thank her for being so lovely!
- Get in touch with Rose and pick her brain (buy her coffee!!!)
- See how much it will cost to get passport notarized (for Miss Loses Everything)
- Email cousin Bryan and tell him how much I love him and then ask him if he can get me a deal on a digital camera (he manages a Future Shop)
- Sit still for a moment and let it sink in that I am leaving in.... *counts*... THIRTY-FIVE DAYS

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Merry merry king of the bush is he
Laugh, Kookaburra, laugh, Kookaburra
Gay your life must be!

posted by Sara @ 2:19 PM 3 comments

GIVE IT ME

This visa crap is SO confusing. I don't know what the heck I'm doing or what's going on or what to fill out / pay / print / mail. I called the consolate today but they were closed. Will call again tomorrow morning.

I've received a lot of emails about rooms I'm looking to rent. Hopefully I'll make the right choice. I'm starting to get excited!

posted by Sara @ 12:21 PM 0 comments

They DO want me afterall

I got an email adivising me that my info has been sent by UoW to the consolate in Ottawa. Huzzah. I'll have those forms in the mail on Tuesday morning. The last hurdle will then be leapt over. Or in my case perhaps it will be tripped over and brought down. But I will move past it nonetheless!

posted by Sara @ 3:50 PM 0 comments

Walla Walla Bing Bang!

So it goes without saying that "WOLLONGONG" is a pretty funny name. But here are a few more interesting titles:

Wee Waa
Poowong
Burrumbuttock
Suggan Buggan
Boomahnoomoonah
Waaia
Mullumbimby
Ewlyamartup
Jiggalong
Tittybong

All real places in Australia, I promise. Look them up if you don't believe me.

45 days and counting.........

posted by Sara @ 4:39 PM 1 comments

Would you like some the freaking out?

After days of trying (gave up on the fax machine) I managed to send a jpeg scan of the acceptance form to those kooks in Oz. Now I just have to wait TWO WEEKS for a code that I can slap on my visa application. Sorry... did you say two weeks? I was under the impression that it would be more like two days. But I've been assured by Kristy (one of those kooks in iHouse at UBC) that it only takes a couple weeks to get a visa so I needn't worry. But this is me. Worrying is my forte. My spiritual gift. It's just what I do.

Note: Ashlee rocks for letting me wake her up (at 10 30 am) and then come over to use her scanner.

posted by Sara @ 2:22 PM 0 comments

Australia does NOT want my faxes

It took me two days to get through, but hopefully Monday morning will greet me with a "we've sent notification of your enrolment to the Australian consolate in Ottawa" fax and I can go ahead and apply for my bloody visa. I think some priority courier is in order here.

I looked through Rose's Wollongong pictures yesterday (she went there in 2003 for a year) and it makes me very excited. I wouldn't let myself put the cd in my computer until I knew that I had gotten the necessary average, so it was a treat.

54 days and counting...

posted by Sara @ 2:44 PM 1 comments

Ticket is Booked

I passed biology. Not with flying colours, but a pass is a pass and all that I needed. That being out of the way, I just booked my ticket. Yay dad. And yay Aeroplan. He had 111,500 points and the ticket was 110,000. Huzzah. HUZZAH. Unfortunately it was about a kabillion points for first class, but I am NOT complaining at all. (Just out of personal shock, I must tell you that it would cost $11,000 CAD to fly first class to Australia). So now everything in a whirlwind of craziness and mayhem, having just received my official acceptance from the university. Ooooh, I wrote "school" for a moment, but apparently they call it "UNI" not "school", which means high school. Must learn the lingo. Must catch a dingo. Har har. English major trying to rhyme. Cue the nerd alert.

Anyway. Much to do (nothing Australia-related, but much nonetheless), so I am out of here for the time being.

For those interested:
Leave: June 30
Return November 30

Zahida informs me that this is exactly 153 days (although with the time change, chances are, she might be just a little bit off).

As Dean said, the only cool thing about going away is the going away party. Right on, Dean. I'm sure we'll think of something.

Woot.

posted by Sara @ 1:19 PM 5 comments