PARENT TALKPARENT TALKBy Geoff & Lorelle St ClairBy Geoff & Lorelle St Clair

BEFORE LEAVINGBEFORE LEAVING – contact – contact Federal member & local embassy, Federal member & local embassy, Initial contact overseasInitial contact overseas

LETTERS & PARCELSLETTERS & PARCELS – Aust – Aust Post, international parcel couriersPost, international parcel couriers

GET ORGANISEDGET ORGANISED – Copies of – Copies of everything, diaries, business everything, diaries, business Cards, warranty formsCards, warranty forms

LUGGAGELUGGAGE – weights, photograph, – weights, photograph, wrapping service $9, instrumentswrapping service $9, instruments

COMMUNICATIONSCOMMUNICATIONS – Email, – Email, MSN, Phone cards, MSN, Phone cards, mobiles/chargersmobiles/chargers

MONEYMONEY – YEP allowance, spare – YEP allowance, spare card, credit/debit cards, traveller’s card, credit/debit cards, traveller’s cheques, cash, YEP account OScheques, cash, YEP account OS

FITTING IN OVERSEASFITTING IN OVERSEAS – Gifts, – Gifts, photos from home, recipesphotos from home, recipes

CLOTHESCLOTHES – Put on weight, buy – Put on weight, buy OS, layers, clothes may not returnOS, layers, clothes may not return

TECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY – cameras, MP3, – cameras, MP3, power adaptorspower adaptors

HOMESICKNESSHOMESICKNESS – expect it, first – expect it, first couple weeks, 4 months?couple weeks, 4 months?

BEFORE LEAVINGBEFORE LEAVING

Initial contact overseas Initial contact overseas

Federal member of parliamentFederal member of parliament

State member / town mayorState member / town mayor

Foreign EmbassyForeign Embassy

GETTING ORGANISEDGETTING ORGANISED

Copy everything – send by Hotmail good ideaCopy everything – send by Hotmail good idea Folder to leave hereFolder to leave here Folder to takeFolder to take Business card folderBusiness card folder Diary – toughDiary – tough addresses & phone numbers - email and postaladdresses & phone numbers - email and postal Leave any documentation such as warranty in Leave any documentation such as warranty in

easy to find placeeasy to find place

COMMUNICATIONSCOMMUNICATIONS

EmailEmail

MSN Messenger (Need Hotmail account)MSN Messenger (Need Hotmail account)

LettersLetters

Phone CardsPhone Cards

Mobile phone and chargerMobile phone and charger

ICEICE

FITTING INFITTING INGifts for host Gifts for host parentsparents

Photographs from Photographs from homehome

Recipes from Recipes from homehome

CAMERA / MUSIC / POWERCAMERA / MUSIC / POWER

Digital camera & Digital camera & memory sticks/cardsmemory sticks/cards

MP3 playerMP3 player

Power adaptor/boardPower adaptor/board

POSTAGE/PARCELS – AUST. POST - PolandPOSTAGE/PARCELS – AUST. POST - Poland

LETTERS TO POLAND

WEIGHT METHOD DELIVERY TIME COST

To 50g Air mail 5-7 work days $1.80

PARCELS TO POLAND

2kg Air mail 5-7 work days $53

2kg Economy air 2-4 weeks $41

2kg Sea Mail 2-3 months $28.50

10kg Air mail 5-7 work days $189

10kg Economy air 2-4 weeks $145

10kg Sea Mail 2-3 months $84.50

LUGGAGELUGGAGE

MONEYMONEY

Australian Credit Cards & Australian Credit Cards & Debit cardsDebit cards

Spare CardSpare Card Bank account in new countryBank account in new country CurrencyCurrency Travellers’ ChequesTravellers’ Cheques BankingBanking

SPECIAL OCCASIONSSPECIAL OCCASIONS

Easter, Birthday, Easter, Birthday,

ChristmasChristmas

We sent gifts, cards, We sent gifts, cards,

etc. etc.

Food, small items…..Food, small items…..

CLOTHESCLOTHES

Nothing too good or valuable – may not returnNothing too good or valuable – may not return

Not too tight – often put on weightNot too tight – often put on weight

Coats for cold Coats for cold climates – buy over climates – buy over therethere

Need layers in cold Need layers in cold climatesclimates

““Australian” clothesAustralian” clothes

HOME SICKNESSHOME SICKNESS

Hardest in first couple of weeks and some Hardest in first couple of weeks and some say at 4 months (Change of 1say at 4 months (Change of 1stst host host parent???)parent???)

Could be hard at special times of year – Could be hard at special times of year – birthdays, holidays etc (possibly harder for birthdays, holidays etc (possibly harder for parents in Oz than the YEP students!)parents in Oz than the YEP students!)

Christmas OK – would be home soonChristmas OK – would be home soon

PROBLEMSPROBLEMS

GuitarGuitar Meningococcal vaccination for overseasMeningococcal vaccination for overseas

(Most students have Type C at high (Most students have Type C at high school. There is also a multi-spectrum school. There is also a multi-spectrum vaccination which lasts for 12 months.)vaccination which lasts for 12 months.)

Stolen parcels (small ones)Stolen parcels (small ones)