CCCToad on 8/3/2011 at 01:08

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Not as bad as some, but there's still a lot more government-sanctioned censorship than you'll be used to coming from the US. The government maintains a "blacklist" of web sites. This is ostensibly for kiddie porn sites, but there have been political sites put on that list as well. Australia is somewhat better than the US about monitoring its citizens, but the point is moot because the two countries share access to intercepted communications.

Shug on 8/3/2011 at 03:18

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It was good to see CCCToad weigh in on yet another issue in which he's an expert, though

The only censorship concern you may have is the fact that there's no R18 classification for video games, which means that they'll either squeeze in under M15 somehow, or be unavailable in retailers.

Sg3 on 8/3/2011 at 05:44

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Hmm, I see. Thanks.

heywood on 8/3/2011 at 12:16

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Perhaps I can help.

I just popped into ttlg for the first time in forever after hearing about the recent DX:HR media blitz and then I see this thread title at the top of the forums page. It just so happens I moved from Boston to Sydney last fall. Unfortunately, this reminded me that I had never gotten back to fett last year with advice on moving to Boston, so I feel like a total asshole. If I don't give you some advice I'll be 2x asshole, so here goes...

First a word of warning: finding a job might be more difficult than you expect unless you have skills that are rare in Australia or business contacts here. The economy is better than in the US but the IT job market is not on fire like in the 1990s and you are disadvantaged by having to search for & apply to jobs from back in the US. If you quit your job or take a leave of absence, you can come here for up to 3 months on an Electronic Travel Authority to search for work. But that's a risky thing to do for a family man, and I suspect it will be difficult to find short stay housing here without a job. In my case, I had contacts here from a Japanese project I used to work on, and they got my foot in the door.

If you do find a job here, the company will sponsor you for a subclass 457 visa. The 457 is a temporary long stay business visa very much like an H1B visa in the US. It is pretty easy to get, although you will have to sign up for a qualifying health plan before it can be granted. It will be good for up to 4 years. If you have a company that wants to keep you here beyond that, they will sponsor a subclass 856 visa which is permanent, just like a green card. I've heard that permanent residency and citizenship is easier to get here than in the US.

I haven't had a chance to travel around Australia much, since I've spent a fair bit of my time in the UK since taking this job and I've been saving my leave until my wife comes over here (someday). I live in Sydney and I also travel to Adelaide. That's it so far, although I hope to hit Melbourne at the end of the month for the F1 race.

Sydney is very new & modern with lots of development, lots of recreation, lots of shopping & eating, a bustling city center, and a relatively young population. It reminds me a bit of San Francisco, if you've ever been there, except the people are friendlier and more laid back. Aussies who don't live here often complain that Sydney is too fast paced, too pretentious, the traffic is bad, etc. But coming from the northeast US, I don't notice that. I find it's a relatively easy place to get around and get comfortable in and doesn't feel hurried to me. There's so much to do here it's hard to get bored. Like any big city though, people kind of stick to their circles and it's harder to make friends than in smaller towns. And maybe there is a bit of LA-like vacuousness on display some on weekend nights. But overall, I really like it.

Adelaide is very different. It's kind of like San Diego in location & feel, but less cosmopolitan. It's a more horizontal city, with beaches on one side and hills on the other, an arid climate, streets arranged in a grid and no proper highways. It has a small city feel that belies the population size. It's quite laid back, almost sleepy. Probably a little more family friendly than Sydney and easier to make friends. If you're into beaches, wineries, bicycling, or motorcycling, or festivals & community events, you'll enjoy yourself. But there's not a great deal of culture.

Cost of living is high everywhere in Australia, but especially Sydney. Housing is expensive to rent, but not stupid expensive. I'm paying maybe 10-15% more than I would for a similar place in Boston. Forget about buying property though. The market here hasn't crashed (yet?) so properties values are super high - like LA in 2006.

I pay more than I used to for most things. Exceptions are phone, internet, TV which are about the same as in the US. Produce and most grocery items are 25-50% more. Meats are only a little more. I'm averaging ~$10 a day now for lunch vs. ~$7. Fuel varies, but it's generally 25-50% more. Clothing is about twice the price as in the US. Durable goods such as electronics, toys, and furniture are about 50% more than in the US. Dining out is about 50% more as well. What really shocked me was beer. I used to be a craft brew snob with a particular taste for English ales. They don't exist here, and I can't imagine what they would cost if they did. Even VB (Australia's Budweiser) goes for $15 a six pack :eek: at most bottle shops in Sydney. Wine is more reasonable.

The cost of housing is much less in Adelaide than Sydney, but most other things seem similarly expensive.

If you come here you will not enjoy the same standard of living you're used to. But the lifestyle, weather, cultural experience, & recreational opportunities make up for that. If you can find a job, it's worth coming here for a while at least just for the life experience.

Sg3 on 8/3/2011 at 23:55

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What happened to CCCToad's post?