Last chance at a working holiday...turning 31

[mark2000]

I'm going to be 31 in about a month and am facing a bit of a dilemma at work with my career rather stagnant and I just don't know what to do. I have thought about moving to Sydney for a year, on and off for the past few years, and I'm able to take a leave of absence from my job in Toronto to do it.

As I understand it, I must apply for the visa before I turn 31, and I must enter the country within a year of it's granting, and then from that point, I have 12 months to work. Is that correct?

I have never been to Australia before and I just have no idea what to expect. Am I making the right decision? Why am I so hesitant? I do enjoy a pretty decent life in downtown Toronto now - condo, stable (but boring) job etc. I want a one-bedroom in downtown Sydney - what am I looking at **minimum**?

Has anyone else been faced with this "should I go, or should I not, this is my last chance before I'm ineligible?" and if so please tell me what you did...

[possums]

I can't help you with the visa info but I say just do it!! You only live once and my now husband says it was the best thing he ever did.

I am and Aussie and when I was living in Sydney I was paying $360au a week for a small 2 bedroom apartment with a balcony, close to the shops and on the bus line directly into the city which was about an 10 minute ride.

I would check out share accomodation and apartments on:
http://www.realestate.com.au/cgi-bin/rs ... f=rbs&a=sf

Some close neighbourhoods near Sydney city are : Glebe, Newtown, Pyrmont, Camperdown, Forest Ridge and Leichhardt. The beach suburbs are Bondi Beach, Maroubra, Coogee, Cronulla.

[heymikey]

Yes! I have experienced that "should I go? " feeling for quite a while now. I'm 28 and I've been wanting to do a working holiday since I found out about it 5 years ago but I chickened out. Luckily, I'm still eligible. I'm just like you -- I have a condo, a well-paying job here in Calgary, etc. but I just feel so damn restless. I actually blame it on having a quarter-life crisis (yes, it's real). I still feel hesitant as well since I feel scared throwing myself to the unknown. There is this practical side of me who wants me to stay. On the other hand, there is this adventurous side of me who wants me to just let go and move. So, what I'm currently doing right now is that I've just filled out my online application to do a 2-year working holiday in the UK. I figured that if I go now, I still have time to do another working holiday either in Australia or Japan when I come back from Europe. I will be renting out my condo and I will probably ask for a sabbatical / leave of absence at work so if things didn't go right, I can always come back and have a job available.

I love to travel and I've backpacked around Europe for 3 months right after university. That's actually when I realize I wanted to do this working holiday in the UK thing. I've always saw my backpacking trip as a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience. Then it occurred to me -- it doesn't have to be a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience unless I choose it to be. So, I decided to make it an "everyday" experience instead. When I was in Berlin, there was this American girl who gave a good advice: imagine you are in your death bed several years from now and you are reflecting on your life, will you regret not going? If so, then go. If not, then it really isn't a big deal.

Besides, it's only a year off. You will be working probably until you retire at 65, which is like 35 more years. In the grand scheme of things, a year out is not really that big of a deal. You have your entire life ahead of you to get back into the rat race and play house. Who knows, you might discover a hidden passion when you're down under and you might decide to switch careers. You might meet someone that you'll fall in love with. You never know unless you go. Whatever happens, you will always look back fondly on your experience living in Australia.

If you are still hesitant, here are some quotes that might motivate you:

"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain

"This is your life and it's ending one minute at a time" -- Fight Club (if you haven't watched this movie, I suggest you rent it)

[justsplit]

Australia for a year, as i was once told, assuming you take 2 weeks holidays a year its 26 years holidays in 1 go.

Dont even consider hesitating. Better to regret having done something than not at all, at least you'll know..

you can book the visa on the link on the canuckabroad site canuckabroad.com/travel-visa/tourist-work-study-visa.php

You can get the visa yourself or book it there instead and you get 12 months free internet in australia, arrival orientation, job help, long term accomodation booking and loads of stuff, much easier, the free internet alone pays for the visa.

Tips
Dont arrive in Australia in december unless you like partying and not working for 4-6 weeks. Thats the most popular time for backpackers to arrive and employers hire less at christmas. In fact getting over around nowish means you beat the crowd.

Buy a banger
A car will cost 700CAD which is nothing when you arrive but gold after you start running through money. At least chip i and get a car sorted so you can move aboutm, surf, travel easily.

You can get sponsored
Its very easy to get sponsored by an employer if you are qualified and he needs you. Dont waste time in a job that wont sponsor. If they like/need you they'll sponsor.

You're not the only one
Over 140,000 backpackers enter australia every year, over 2500 a week, there are loads that arrive by themselves not knowing anyone. Before you know you'll be hangingout with a bunch of nutters from all over the world.

[MsGreenEyes]

You only live once...do it! I know I am! I made the decision to do it just about a month ago (thinking of heading to Sydney come Jan). So excited...a bit scared...but more excited. I was facing the same dilemma, to go or not to go, and then I finally got the guts to just go for it. I have a condo here (Toronto) as well but I just sold it the other week. I was thinking of renting it out however I just didn't want to have the hassle or worry about it while I'm away. It's funny that heymikey called it the "quarter life crisis" cause that's exactly what i'm calling it! I've just come to that point in my life & career and asked myself what do I really want to do...my answer was travel & live somewhere with a warm climate. Australia it is! Why not? There is no better time than now!

[ShawnMcCrea]

DO IT!!! TRUST ME YOU WILL HAVE NO REGRETS!!! Im 25 now and finally working in the field in which i graduated University for and im ready to take off again. Australia is probably one of the most amazing places to have an adventure like that in and you will not regret taking the leap. I spent 3 months in Australia about a year and a half ago now and today im considering possibly moving there for good. Toronto will always be Toronto and here for you when your back. I blew 8 grand + in 3 months and havent ONCE thought about the money, its all about the experience. There are so many amazing places in Aus to check out and a ton of amazing people that are all doing the same thing wanting to meet new people and continue the adventure with.

Im debating now possibly saving a down payment on a house or spending that savings for a year round the world trip in South East Asia, South America and possible parts of AUS again. It seems tough to "throw" away all that money when I can have something concrete but once I get a mortgage I wont be able to fly by the seat of my pants like I want to now.

Go for it, enjoy!!

[CharR]

When I was 23 I got a "career" job and bought an apartment in the same city I'd lived in my whole life. At 26 I'd had enough of being a "grown-up" and I sold it and quit my job and went traveling. Best move I ever made. I know live on the other side of the world, where I met my partner and have a great life here. Of course, there's always the possibility that I'm STILL not ready to settle in one place but I now have someone who wants to come with me wherever I want to go so I guess hopefully we'll figure out how to have a "concrete investment" somewhere but still be able to have the opportunity to live in many new places. I say if you have the chance to go, go.

[Fliprds]

Hey guys, I'm in the same boat, just wondering if you guys went alone? Not afraid to go alone, just don't know where to start I guess!! You meet a ton of poeple right off (at work etc) or in specific spots?

Thanks for any advice!