#Melbourne crew, I’ve been a wreck for 48 hours but I’m starting to respond to messages.

[hacks4pancakes@infosec.exchange]

A lot of people say “get an Airbnb or extended stay first to apartment hunt” but I do not understand how that works with shipping belongings and selling my house.

[hacks4pancakes@infosec.exchange]

Home bar sold. No more gin until Australia. Australia or bust.

[hacks4pancakes@infosec.exchange]

Oh good… I plead with the universe for any ACS member who can zoom.

https://media.infosec.exchange/infosec.exchange/media_attachments/files/113/450/315/695/904/488/original/d7517eb6531a9067.jpeg

[sabik@rants.au]

@plambrechtsen @hacks4pancakes @joannaholman @skinnylatte
Melbourne doesn't have an airport rail link, so options for getting to and from the airport are basically car, shuttle bus, taxi...

(They may be building one, but even if they are, it won't open for a decade, so it's not relevant for planning now)

[joannaholman@aus.social]

@sabik @hacks4pancakes there’s also the much cheaper option of train to Broadmeadows and public bus from there. Not super complicated and worth learning eventually but probably not worth the effort when just arrived

[skinnylatte@hachyderm.io]

@joannaholman @sabik @hacks4pancakes the bus is pretty good!

[hacks4pancakes@infosec.exchange]

The wait for IELTS is currently a month, so if you are waffling on this you might want to start checking those boxes - IELTS, very old tax statements and paystubs (I had to go back to 2008), apostille transcripts, birth certificate, and diplomas. Identity History Summary (there's a wait at the post office for that, too). My university made ordering that stuff very easy online, but a lot of the other stuff I am very fortunate to live in a big city for - a lot of you may need to plan significant travel to Chicago, DC, etc.

https://media.infosec.exchange/infosec.exchange/media_attachments/files/113/454/756/563/473/020/original/ead5c50a7908cb09.png

[annehargreaves@ioc.exchange]

@hacks4pancakes English language test?? Or does it mean something else in US?

[hacks4pancakes@infosec.exchange]

@annehargreaves Yes, that is a worldwide standard english language exam. You can be exempted from taking it in Commonwealth countries, but they then give you a low score (less points).

[annehargreaves@ioc.exchange]

@hacks4pancakes How odd. I can't imagine why you would need it. I hope it's not like the Life in Britain test for citizenship in UK which is impossible to pass if you have lived here all your life.
Good luck with it anyway.

[hacks4pancakes@infosec.exchange]

@annehargreaves I am old and lose points for it. I need every single path and edge I can possibly get. No, I think this is pretty much speaking and writing.

[annehargreaves@ioc.exchange]

@hacks4pancakes "Old" being relative

[hacks4pancakes@infosec.exchange]

@annehargreaves Yes, relative to immigration. A desirable skills immigrant is 25-32. I am 41 years old.

[gunchleoc@mastodon.scot]

@hacks4pancakes @annehargreaves IELTS is also not something you can get preemptively and just keep, because it expires every 2 years