Steph gets a Job... Ryan gets a Library Card

There are many things that Steph and I did not do before jumping on a plane destined for the other side of the world. We didn’t want our experience to be limited by a too much pre-planning... and it was just too darn fun watching family get stressed out on our behalf. However, there were tasks that needed to be completed before we left. We required plane tickets, traveller’s insurance and working VISA’s. That was it. Needless to say, there was a lot to accomplish once we arrived. The VISA’s we went with were Working Holiday VISA’s which can be processed quickly and grants us unrestricted working rights with a single employer for up to 6 months. However, we would need a bank account and tax file number (TFN) before an employer would hire us. We set up our account with BankWest and lodged an online application with the Australian government for a TFN. We were now prepared to enter the Australian work force.

The BankWest Tower.

Steph set off to find work at a restaurant or bar as it would take a few months for her teaching qualifications to be recognised in Australia. I would start applying for work as an engineer. Arriving at the end of November and trying to find work had its advantages and disadvantages. This time of year coincides with the school’s summer break. This allowed Steph to have her teaching qualifications processed without losing much time in the classroom. However, most companies shut down from December 24 – January 10. As a result, not many companies are willing to hire until after the holiday break.

With Steph’s 18 months of experience working at the Merchant Taphouse in Kingston and her winning smile, it did not take long for her to get snatched up by one of the hottest restaurants in town: The Garden. My luck was not as good, so I needed to think about finding more casual work to fill my time. We happen to live right next to the Leederville Sporting Club which is a spot for people to play darts and lawn bowling. I’m not sure why lawn bowling is such an appealing sport here, but I was determined to find out the reason. Initially, I was going to enquire about membership and lawn bowling lessons (it’s always important to learn the fundamentals), but this costs money. So, I came up with a scheme. I would apply for casual work in hopes of snagging a free membership or lesson. As it turns out, they did require some help, but not until the New Year. I’ve put that scheme on hold for the time being.

A prerequisite for Steph and I to be hired for these positions was our Responsible Service of Alcohol certificate (equivalent to Smart Serve in Ontario). In Steph’s case, this certification needed to be completed immediately. The only catch was that we required an Internet connection as the process was to be completed online. We signed a contract with an Internet provided (Westnet) for home use and while waiting for the connection to be established we went looking for a more temporary and immediate solution.

Ryan's library card.

Wireless signals in Perth are hard to come by. The only reliable signal we could find was at the State Library of Western Australia. I had to go through an application process to be permitted to book a library computer and sign out books. It seems like everything requires some formal application to be filed. I needed to provide my passport as proof of ID as I was not a resident of Western Australia. For a library card! What kind of criminals sip on cappuccinos while reading library books? Well, anyways, I passed their test. I wish I could say the same for Steph. She is currently being held in Library prison. I joke. Now, the issue was booking an available computer. Nearly all the computers were booked solid for the day. I assumed it was because people have important business to conduct or ‘legitimate’ reasons for suffering the net on a public computer. No. Apparently a legitimate reason is Facebook creeping. Nearly the entire selection of library computers had Facebook up on their screens! Eventually, I was able to book a free computer and Steph and I could complete our important business of being certified to serve alcohol responsibly in Australia… and update our Facebook pages;)