Hello Everybody

Welcome to my blog. I am going to Australia on a work and holiday visa and the first thing I do is go on the internet and try to see if someone has a blog just to learn more about the process of it all and also feel like I am not alone in this. Unfortunately, I haven´t seen blogs about traveling to Australia that much so I decided to make one myself just to kind of document it for myself and maybe help some other people.

I am 24 years old and am from the Czech Republic. It is a beautiful country in a middle of the Europe. I come from the capital city Prague. It is stunning very historical lots of sightseeing and great food. You should definitely come visit.!

I have always wanted to go to Australia ever since elementary school. My best friend´s family lives there and when I saw pictures I was determine one day I would love to go there. But at that time there were not that many options for me. My country didn´t have any type of visa agreement with Australia and the only way was to go study there or as a tourist for few months only. Studying was expensive for me I didn´t have any money and I didn´t know any English. As a tourist would be too short of a visit for me. I wanted to stay longer and experience more.

So, in the meantime I was making steps towards one day going to Australia. I needed to work on my English I knew that I was not satisfied with the level of English I was learning at school. So, I started to watch English movies first with Czech subtitles than I started to put English subtitles, so I see it written in case I don´t understand. I was also watching kids’ movies because the English is easier. I was learning English from my textbook and reading English books in my free time just so I feel comfortable going to English speaking country and feel like I will be able to ask for help and that I will be respected and that I won’t be taken advantage of because I can’t explain or I don’t understand or I don’t know how to respond back that I don’t like something.

During summer holiday after I finished high school I went to England London (Greenwich) as an au pair. Au pair means you help taking care of kids. So, you go to the family you live with them you have your own room and you care for their children. There I stayed for 3 months. I was planning for more but before I left for London I was just trying to get to the university, but I was positive I wouldn’t get the spot, but I got accepted and when I found out I got in I felt like everybody around me is going to the university and I should go to. So, I went back home and started economic university I was doing well but before the first semester ended I have decided to quit. This university was by the airport. Every time I was at the campus the planes would be flying over my head very close landing and leaving and I was thinking to myself what I am doing in here. I don’t want to do economy I just picked that major because I used to study that at high school and it was the only thing I knew. At that point I had no idea what I would like to do in the future, but I felt I don´t want to be there doing economy. So, I went home searched au pair in America registered with an agency and I went there. I quit my university was so relieved and happy I don’t have to be there anymore. I was super excited to go to US. I have always wanted to visit. My plan was to get better English and hopefully figure out what I want to do.

First year I found family in Chicago, Illinois. I took care of 3 little girls. It was a great time there I really loved the family and kids I found amazing friends for life and I have learned and grew so much. I became very independent and I was not scared to speak in English even with mistakes. The second year I went to Boston. I took care of 4 kids there. They were 10,8,4,2. It was an amazing time too. I really recommend this program.

During my stay in America I have realized I like to help people I like to work with them learn about them and their culture and I decided I would like to study tourism. It felt perfect for me I love traveling and it just makes sense to me.

I didn’t want to study in my country though because I didn’t like the way they educate here. You must learn so much stuff in a short period of time then you write test and you forget everything. But most importantly you don’t even have to understand it you just have to memorize it.

I didn’t like that. I liked how they teach in the Us Canada or Australia where you must do your research present and know what you are saying. So, I did little research and found that in Canada Vancouver there is probably the cheapest tourism hospitality and customer service program. At the end you get a diploma. It is a co-op program, so you study for a half year and the work in the field of study for another half year. It is a really good experience because you get both education and experience and that looks good in the CV.

After I finished school in Vancouver and did my half year work at the hotel as receptionist I went back home. I found a job as again a receptionist this time in a Biopharmaceutical company. It is really good money for someone who just started to work full time, but it is kind of not my cup of tea. I have never wanted to be a working in an office. It´s too boring for me and I don´t like how everything is about money and there is a lot of pressure coming from the management.

After 3 months at this work I found out that Australia and Czech Republic made an agreement to open Work and Holiday visa for the Czech Republic I was like this is it. Even though I was in the mode of settling down and liking that I am with my family and friends I have a well-paid job and I am kind of tired of traveling but Australia has been my dream for so long this is probably my last chance since I am 24 now and the older you are the more scared and not adventures you are I just went for it.