Starting kindergarten is marked by lots of excitement, a healthy dose of fear, and somewhere along the way, a few tears. The tears are usually shed from moms like myself when we are forced to acknowledge our babies are no longer babies. We must accept five years have flashed before our eyes. Five years since our bundles of joy came into our lives, four years since the pitter patter of little feet, three years since potty training, two years since the start of preschool and now, the threshold of middle childhood. Whoa, that was fast!

But, that is not why I am boo-hooing.

You see, I was lunching with a friend when conversation turned to my son’s impending kindergarten enrollment. She mentioned a school tax imposed on temporary residents. While I understand education costs; the dollar amount she described was far beyond school uniforms, field trips, and extra curricular activities. I felt her counsel was misguided and naively thought the government could not levy such a large public school charge on visa holders. After all, temporary residents’ income tax withholdings are equal to an Australian worker!

I went home, put the kids down for a nap, and scoured the web for anything I could find regarding the New South Wales Department of Education. The good news was I found a comprehensive website which answered every question pertaining to enrolment. The bad news was she was right. 

My heart sank when I read the digital black and white writing.  The Temporary Residents Administration Fee and Education Fee was $5,000! To add salt to the wound, this tax must be paid every year your child attends public school. And, it must be paid for each child attending school. So, if  you have two children on 457 visas, you will be held responsible for $10,000 per year! This means it is more economical for your children to attend a prestigious private school than public school (that is, if they are accepted into the prestigious private school).   So let's look for the silver lining. In this case, it would be the $110 processing fee (per child) is a one time charge. Bright side, gals, bright side.

I write this to not scare you away from Australia. In fact, Australian kindergarten courses not only include traditional reading, writing, and arithmetic but also music, art, drama, science, technology, scripture, ethics, history, health, and physical education. The school my child will attend has embraced this extraordinarily well rounded curriculum and is supported by gifted and caring teachers. So, please know my intent is not to make you question the value of an Australian education but to raise awareness of budgetary considerations for school age children that should be taken into account before making the plunge down under.

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I've written about the cost of housing in Sydney in previous entries.  Now that you're past the shock of what you'll pay for housing, we can move on to actually finding your dream home or apartment!  There are numerous amazing places to live in around Sydney. The key is to figure out first what area you want to live in and then go to as many house showings as you can.  Here's my step-by-step plan:

1. Breathe, you will find a place to live.  Hopefully you have temporary accommodations for at least 2 weeks to give you some space to look.  Or maybe you're making a pre-trip before moving over the entire family to find a place.  Most places will have the intention of people moving in as soon as they can, or they have a 2 week window before someone can move in.  Rarely will you find places that are listed for a move-in later than a few weeks.
2. Figure out the area or areas you want to focus on.  There are so many properties out there, so definitely narrow it down to your top couple of spots.  If you have a relocation agent, they can assist you in this department. We began by driving around the Eastern Suburbs, the Inner West, and the Lower North Shore. We had a meal in each of those spots and looked for parks, restaurants, shopping etc. I was definitely keeping my eyes out for parents walking around with strollers and sensing the "vibe". It was also important to us that my hubby would have a 20 minute or less commute from work on public transport. That helped us to pick the Lower North Shore and then eventually the suburb we live in.
3. Agree to a budget and stick to it (keep in mind that rent is usually listed by week, not month).  Don't be tempted to look at properties outside of your search as it's unlikely you'll get a property for significantly less than marketed.  You'll just get bummed!
4. Look up listings and their open house times.  I liked using realestate.com.au and domain.com.au and check out the times for home their viewings or e-mail the estate agent to find times. A note about viewings: in Sydney you rarely set-up private showings for a house or apartment.  Generally 15 minute public viewings are on Wednesday or Saturday.  You could show up and be the only person there or be one of 20 people to see a house.  This can be slightly stressful, but don't let that keep you from seriously considering a place you like!   You can register for inspection in advance via real estate apps and if required by the agent.  They appreciate you being organized and it means you'll be notified by text of any time changes.
5. Fill out any applications ahead of time.  Set up an account with tApp and 1 form.  These are the two most commonly used application methods.  Doing these in advance saves time- it may take you an hour or two to set it up, but it's better to do it before you need it.  You'll need to include numerous references, when possible use Australian contacts.   Agents will check your employer references as a minimum.
6. Tips for the actual viewing- look presentable and be courteous.  Ask questions, there will rarely be an opportunity for a second viewing.  Run through the items on your mental checklist.  Some things that are given in some countries (i.e. having your own laundry or AC) are not always given here.  You don't want to be surprised once moving in.  If your relocation agent is willing to attend a viewing with you, or if you state that you have an agent, this can help you to look like a more desirable tenant.
7. Wait to be notified if your application has been accepted.  An apartment or house is not yours until you put down a deposit, so do it quickly. You don't want someone sneaking in after you and offering a higher rent!  If you haven't heard back after a week on an application, give the agency a call.  

More info on Applications

• you can upload copies of all your supporting documentation to tApp and 1form.  Some examples of ID's that work are: passport, driving license, evidence of previous tenancy, last three pay slips, utility bill, visa, and medicare card.  The more information you supply, the better!
• Sell yourself as a great tenant.  Upload a cover note explaining your personal circumstances.  For example, my friend wrote that she and her husband were an accountant and lawyer (which is true, don't worry) and therefore trustworthy and dependable.  They also listed that they were landlords themselves and understood what it meant to take care of a property as if it was their own.  You could list community involvement or activities etc as well.
• Include price on your application.  Even offering a small amount more per week than what is listed could ensure that you're placed at the top of the application pile.
• submit all application materials online immediately after viewing a property you like or bring a paper print-out for the estate agent.

I know that was a lot of information, and probably pretty dry as blog posts go, but hopefully this will help you out in navigating the real estate market of Sydney! 

In all honesty, you should be anxious about a transpacific flight involving young children. It's normal and completely understandable. But, let's face it, you are up against a 14+ hour flight time across the Pacific Ocean with young children. To say the least, it's going to be one for the books. 

Go into the flight with the mentality of a competitive athlete - the best defense is a good offense.

Here are the top 3 strategies I found to best accomplish the trek with little ones:

1.  Be organized.
Have all passports and travel itineraries updated, organized, and readily available (Ziploc bags in your purse or carryon). You are not going anywhere without your travel documents sorted so click here to get started. 

Next, check online or contact your airline carrier for policies pertaining to traveling with a stroller, car seat, and if necessary, dietary policies regarding pre-pumped breast milk. Before you purchase your tickets, check with the airline to see if any bassinet seats are available. Bassinet seats are for infants under 11 kg (24lbs) and extremely helpful when it is sleep time. 

Also, your travel itinerary should include more than just flight information. It would be very beneficial for it to contain the phone number of your ride from the airport, address of your temporary accommodation, and contact information for the relocation coordinator. 

  2.  If possible, be flexible with flights and take your time.  

Even for those who are not traveling with children, America to Australia is a long and exhausting flight. My son was 17 months old when we left Texas in May of 2012.  Because he had previously been on domestic and international flights, we were naively confident he was an above average toddler traveler. And, there were two of us and one of him! We were in control!  

  Our plan of attack came down to simply breaking the trip into two sections.  We came up with the idea to spend 36 hrs on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. This afforded us the opportunity to ease our son's little body to the time difference, gave us a chance to recharge, and of course, to see some of Hawaii. Most importantly, we were able to eat, shower, sleep, and say good-bye to the U.S. of A.
 3) Be prepared. 
Balancing the sensitivity of other travelers to the sensitivity of your child's comforts can be hard. It may be tough, but so are you. These are a few ideas I used to make the flight more enjoyable:

• Easy to pack toys, such as Hot Wheels cars and small dolls, are great for imaginative play in small spaces.
  
• Small spiral notebooks are great for coloring, Tic Tac Toe games, and writing practice. 
  
• Non-refrigerated healthy snacks can be a life saver! Pack accordingly as you can restock during layovers(if time allows). 
  
• Nurse or give your newborn a bottle during take-off and landing to alleviate auditory pain due to pressure change. For older children, a drink of water or a piece of gum may help.
  
• A favorite blanket can double for warmth and a game of Peek-a-Boo. And, a favorite sleep toy can provide snugly love at rest time.

Being organized, flexible, and prepared are the best methods to make the journey as smooth as possible for everyone. However, the real side of motherhood knows things don't always go according to plan. If the situation heads south and none of the suggestions above work, take a few deep breaths, know that this too shall pass, and keep going. You will get to Australia and it will be absolutely worth it!

There is a thin line between brave and crazy. And, chances are if you are contemplating, in the process of, or already completed an international move, you have instinctually walked this line many times before. 

What brought you to this point may derive from a resounding desire to see the wonders of the world. Or, you had a military or corporate childhood in which moving every two years was the norm. Or, you want your children to learn life lessons a classroom could not possibly teach. Whatever the case, whatever brought you to this moment, you are not alone. Again, let it sink in this time, you are not alone. 

Let this phrase encompass your thoughts and become your mantra as you begin your Australian adventure. Use this emerging blog as a resource from moms ( 'mums' here in Oz ;) ) who live, work, and play in this astounding country. We are here to share our stories, laugh at our mistakes, and hopefully guide you on your own Australian story. 
To that, I congratulate you on beginning your Australian story. 
I admire you for taking this opportunity to fill your days with unforgettable memories. And most of all, I feel unbelievably honored to be part of it.