THE INFORMER PAGE 8

SEPTEMBER 16, 1991

Canadian in Oz, continued...
TIP 2

Take more money! You
will probably want to buy a
car—most exchangees I talked
to swap houses but they are
adamant about not exchanging
cars. Tony and I didn’t
exchange vehicles and I think -
we avoided some problems.
Cars are expensive in the
Southern Hemisphere - a 1982
small Australian Ford cost
almost $9,000! However, you
will get most of that back when
you sell, and you will find that
insurance premiums are about
half of the B.C. price.

TIP 3

Get the management and ad.ninistration of both colleges to
become involved in the exchange early on. Make sure they
thoroughly understand the process and expectations—starting
dates, workloads, holidays, working conditions etc. I hada
minor problem because the Australian coordinator expected me
to start the day after I arrived, while I thought I was to start a
week later. Note that exchangees are usually paid in their own
country. This saves problems with taxation and medical
insurances.

TIP 4

An important step is to thoroughly analyze the economics of
the exchange before you commit. If your spouse works in your
home country will s/he be able to work in the host country? Are
special working visas needed? What will be the earnings?

What about tax considerations? Will foreign qualifications be
recognized overseas? If s/he gets a job, will that place
restrictions on travel? Can you afford to be without the second
salary for a year? If your spouse is not working, what will s/he
do with the spare time? Having a year-long holiday seems like
fun, but it can be boring for the spouse who is used to working.
Even those who are not used to working often complain of
boredom and loneliness in a strange environment.

TIP 5

When things go wrong, and they will occasionally, keep in
mind why you wanted to do the exchange in the first place: to
experience a different educational system and different culture.
Remember that things don’t always go smoothly at home either!

TIP 6

When on exchange, seek out and join an organization like
the Vancouver Exchange Teachers Association. While these
groups are primarily set up for primary and secondary teachers,
they welcome college instructors as members. They are a helpful
source of advice on a variety of problems and a means of
meeting new people. These groups can also serve as a support

network if you need one. They generally arrange some
kind of social gathering at least once a month, including
weekend trips to points of interest. We went on a two-
week camping trip to the Outback with the South
Australian teachers group and had a great time travelling
with over 60 teachers and their families.

Consider the length of the exchange in relation to
your professional and personal objectives: six months
may be long enough to explore another teaching
environment; a year may allow you to participate more
fully; and two years may be necessary for
a long-term project. I found the first term
to be an orientation period, while in
second term, just as I was getting into the
swing of things, it was time to think about
going home! Incidentally, the same thing
occurs on a social basis: the first six
months you are rushing around trying to
see everything possible on the weekends,
then just as you have time to socialize and are beginning to make
friends, it’s time to leave.

TIP 8

Before you leave your own college, arrange for someone in
your department to act as a “buddy” for your exchangee. He will
need someone to show him the ropes, and the coordinator may not
have time to act in this role at the beginning of term. Also try to
set up some form of orientation program to ease the newcomer
into the institution.

TIP 9

Back to economics! Transferring money from one country to
another is costly and can be unreliable. For example, a monthly
wire transfer of funds from Adelaide costs about $45 for each
transaction. The same thing can be accomplished by mail for
about $15, but takes about 10 days. Some people have their
paycheque deposited in their home bank and live on their VISA
card. They charge most of their expenses and take cash advances
as needed. The VISA bill is sent directly to their bank, which
looks after paying the bills. By setting up a credit balance in the
account initially, interest charges on cash advances are avoided.

If it seems that I have concentrated on non-job related issues,
it is because the work aspects of exchanges generally seem to go
smoothly. Teaching is teaching for a professional, even if
students, methods, curriculum and resources are different. I was
fortunate to work in a small college with a group of people who
were very helpful in sharing their knowledge, materials and
expertise. The management was flexible and friendly. I had a
chance to teach some new courses, try new methods, visit
educational and business institutions, and participate in staff
development activities. All in all, a productive year and a good
experience!

If anyone would like more details, please call me at local
2367. —Larry Spicer, Office Administration