Students are you thinking of moving to Melbourne? Here are some things that you should know about living in Melbourne
1) Cleaning
In India and some of the Asian countries there are servants, maids and cooks that cook and clean for you. In some of these countries too the women would stay home and cook and clean. She does not work at all.
In Australia and Melbourne you have to do all these things yourself. There is no cook, servants or maids here. Sometimes though the residential college/homestay that you live in might have a cleaner that just comes twice a week for about two to three hours. The rest such as carrying your own bags you have to do it yourself.
All the housework is shared between household members.
2) The house you live in
Most of the time the house/apartment that you live in always has a shared bathroom and communual areas. They often have a garden out the back.
In most households you cannot hog the bathroom for one hour. That would impolite for the other family members that have to use the bathroom.
Neither can you splash water everywhere in the bathoom. Back home especially in the third world countries you might be able to.
The Australians take their hygene seriously.
Unlike Japan and some parts of China, we don't have squat toilets. Instead we have the more modern/western version of this where you have to sit on the seat. Unlike Japan we don't have toilet warmers.
Unlike some other countries we also wrap feminine pads and tampons in paper or put it in a paper bag before it goes in the bin. It's unhygenic to put it straight in the bin.
We don't put toilet tissue in the bin unlike other places which does. Instead we flush it down the toilet.
Some families might have a pet or two, but others might not.
3) Water
Australia is in a drought at the moment so there are some water restrictions. You cannot waste water and you can only have short baths and showers. Unlike India and Japan where you have long baths to cleanse yourself you can only have a five minute shower in here
4)Melbourne in itself
Unlike China Melbourne is more spaced out and less crowded.
Like any other countries/towns you live in there might be some form of rascism
5) Talking to your parents and friends
In most homestay families you are not allowed to hog the phone for hours and hours talking. Nether are you allowed to talk late at night (say when the host family has gone to bed) as it is rude.
You may may have to pay for your calls if you do.
Its better to buy your own phone (note: under 18's are not allowed to be on a plan- they must be prepaid). Or if you have a laptop you can call them on Skype for free.
The book "The truth about being an International student" is by Claudia Doria and is available from The Truth about Study in Australia site for $29.95 AUD. You can buy this book online
1) Cleaning
In India and some of the Asian countries there are servants, maids and cooks that cook and clean for you. In some of these countries too the women would stay home and cook and clean. She does not work at all.
In Australia and Melbourne you have to do all these things yourself. There is no cook, servants or maids here. Sometimes though the residential college/homestay that you live in might have a cleaner that just comes twice a week for about two to three hours. The rest such as carrying your own bags you have to do it yourself.
All the housework is shared between household members.
2) The house you live inMost of the time the house/apartment that you live in always has a shared bathroom and communual areas. They often have a garden out the back.
In most households you cannot hog the bathroom for one hour. That would impolite for the other family members that have to use the bathroom.
Neither can you splash water everywhere in the bathoom. Back home especially in the third world countries you might be able to.
The Australians take their hygene seriously.
Unlike Japan and some parts of China, we don't have squat toilets. Instead we have the more modern/western version of this where you have to sit on the seat. Unlike Japan we don't have toilet warmers.
Unlike some other countries we also wrap feminine pads and tampons in paper or put it in a paper bag before it goes in the bin. It's unhygenic to put it straight in the bin.
We don't put toilet tissue in the bin unlike other places which does. Instead we flush it down the toilet.
Some families might have a pet or two, but others might not.
3) Water
Australia is in a drought at the moment so there are some water restrictions. You cannot waste water and you can only have short baths and showers. Unlike India and Japan where you have long baths to cleanse yourself you can only have a five minute shower in here
4)Melbourne in itself
Unlike China Melbourne is more spaced out and less crowded.
Like any other countries/towns you live in there might be some form of rascism
5) Talking to your parents and friends
In most homestay families you are not allowed to hog the phone for hours and hours talking. Nether are you allowed to talk late at night (say when the host family has gone to bed) as it is rude.
You may may have to pay for your calls if you do.
Its better to buy your own phone (note: under 18's are not allowed to be on a plan- they must be prepaid). Or if you have a laptop you can call them on Skype for free.
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