Oops... Broken Toe!

Jeff went off to the supermarket last Sunday, got out of the car and, stubbed and broke his toe on a bollard!!!! I thought he was whinging on far too much until the toe started to swell dreadfully.Whisked him off to A&E in Caloundra where we were dealt with promptly and efficiently.  Healthcare is similar in some ways to the UK.  On arrival to Oz, you apply for Medicare and you're issued with a card which you produce on each attendance at any doctor's surgery (you don't need to keep to the same one and can see any doctor you wish in any practice you wish). For those visits, there is no charge.  Hospital stays accrue fees but there is private cover available there which we will need to think about.
The major difference here in Oz is dental care. None of it is free; even for Oli.  We have taken out a private policy which covers us for dental care, but that still doesn't make it free!  I remember teaching class-rooms of kids in the UK with those colourful braces on their teeth.  We would have to pay heavily for those here: they cost - quite literally - thousands of dollars!  A dental check-up alone in Australia is around $130.  I have now become increasingly fussy about teeth-brushing and flossing to avoid having any work done.


Anyways, because of Jeff's 'injury' he's been home for the week; and what a long week it's been(!). Not helped by some dreadful rain which caused flooding up and down the coast.  The schools stay open though and Oli and I waded out of school bare-foot on a couple of days.  Thankfully, the ankle deep water is as much as we experienced here in Mooloolaba, but our beaches are a mess: full of debris washed down from the rivers.  I took a run along the promenade today and the beaches are closed because of the dangers of swimming with all the flotsam.  The forecast is good for next week though so short-lived and it's nothing like last summer's Queensland floods which everyone was concerned about.  The Queensland residents obviously think of the devastation the floods caused whenever the rain starts coming down.  We are in our 'summer' here in Queensland which translates to 'hot and wet'. It doesn't rain all the time though and doesn't really stop us from doing what we plan to do.

Super Saturday

Had the best day today! Took a drive to Noosa in the morning for a fantastic walk through the national park on the headland.  There had been a koala spotted earlier in the day although we didn't get to see it.  Did see lots of surfers and some dolphins though!  After the walk, we had lunch in one of the food halls in Noosa.  Food halls are great here in Oz.  Generally, there are a variety of food choices surrounding a central seating area.  You choose the food you want, pay for it and then sit and eat wherever you want to. It's great for us as we all have different favourites (mine is sushi!).
We then drove back to Coolum (one of our bestest places).  Went for a swim and surf in the ocean... lovely today... water temperature around 24 degrees.  We then showered (showers are on the beach which is mighty handy!), changed and then Jeffers cooked us burgers on one of the free barbecues in Tickle Park (love that name!) at the edge of the beach. The barbecues are also a great way to meet Aussies: they are a very sociable bunch and keen to share their cooking tips! 
Finally, we plonked ourselves down on our beach chairs to watch a movie screened in the open air...The movies are a free monthly event in Coolum and a great way to relax and spend time with family and meeting new friends.  Lovely breeze coming off the ocean and Jeffers even managed to stay awake throughout! Result. Brilliant day with my boys (and great evening with the lime/avocado farmer and his huge family!). 

Gizza Teaching Job!

The schools commence again on the 23rd of January after the long summer hols and I am now fully 'job-ready' and itching to get back in the classroom! 

However, the process to reach this stage has been long-winded and full of red tape: and costly.  

Firstly, I registered with the Queensland College of Teachers which is a legal requirement here.  I was then granted by them a 'provisional' teaching licence.  I will be awarded my full licence after completing 1000 hours of teaching practice (around a year's teaching). Makes me feel like the 'new girl' again, which I suppose I am.

The teaching system is different here so I have opted to register for supply/relief teaching initially, to enable me to be involved, but without the marking and lesson planning!  I contacted the Queensland cover/supply register (TRACER). I was required by them to nominate the areas to which I was prepared to travel and send off witnessed documents.  (This part was a particularly complicated paper-filled process!).  Finally, on Friday I was notified by them that all my details had been loaded on-line for my perusal and that I had been 'successful' with my application.  On checking the computer system, I noted that they had input my 'preferred subject' to supply teach as ACCOUNTING?!  

I telephoned the department and explained to them that I was an ENGLISH teacher, which the paperwork I sent to them (on numerous occasions!) detailed.  The girl on the end of the telephone then asked me, 'Are you sure that's your subject?'... hmmmm...!

I now have to complete 20 continuous hours of teaching practice (or) 40 days of teaching in total before I can apply for any permanent positions in state schools.  If I am offered a permanent position I will then need to go before a panel who will decide whether I am 'qualified' to take the position. Good Grief! 

However, if I want to work in an Independent school, that is different again and none of the above applies, apart from my provisional licence. Also, if I were to move to another state in Australia; it's different again!

RIGHT THEN: I AM READY. PLEASE TEACHERS: GO SICK OR BREAK LEGS AND LET ME GET SOME WORK!!!

Pokies!!!

Slot machines are called 'pokies' here in Oz and are everywhere... fish and chip shops, surf clubs etc... Aussies are serious gamblers.  In Queensland last year, punters lost an average of $3,600 A MINUTE: that's just one state in Oz too!!  We do the lottery on Saturdays which costs us $7.60c a week so we're helping to bump up the average I suppose.

Hot and Steamy

Back in Mooloolaba now after our lovely break in Childers.  The summers in Queensland are not like the summers in the UK.  The temperature does get warmer and yesterday, the mercury rose to 37 degrees here.  However, with that, the humidity increases and yesterday it was 80%.  The only thing I can liken it to is breathing in soup!  My washing on the line didn't dry, even with those temperatures, because of the moisture in the air.  Oli and I went to the beach later in the day for the breeze and stayed there until 8pm.  It was 29 degrees when we LEFT the beach and it's been a hot and sticky night!  Looking much the same today.


To alleviate that, Oli and I are off to the cinema at midday to see 'TinTin'.  I promised Oli that I would take him on Boxing Day but the Bundaberg cinema were showing 'Laurel and Hardy' (!).  That reminds me of the television here. Unless you have satellite television, you're left with I dream of Genie followed by The Incredible Hulk and The Dukes of Hazzard, topped off with numerous repeats of Friends.  There is a 24 hour news channel but last night, they broadcast Audrey Hepburn's WHOLE speech on behalf of UNICEF: along with the faltering Q&A session.


The latest teenage fashion here on the Sunshine Coast is the 'mullet skirt'.  I kid you not.  The skirt is very short at the front and ankle length at the back. Nice. Not.  In this area of Australia, female clothing is very casual; shorts and vest tops, cotton shifts and linen 3/4 length trousers.  Footwear is normally thongs (flip flops to those in the UK!) or open strappy sandals.  It means that you need to keep your feet pretty :).  The guys just wear singlets, thongs and baggies. Job done.  EVERYONE wears sunglasses and a hat.  Almost without exception.  AND DON'T FORGET THE SUNSCREEN!