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DV 2015 Oceania winners

martinskypemartin said:
@Hershal ... your thoughts on FL ? We are considering FL, if we get throught he interview ok.

ANYONE out there that has thoughts on Southern states and FL - please chip in. Thank you.
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Florida is great:
  • Warm
  • No state tax!
  • The Florida keys are beautiful
  • Fort Lauderdale airport is the cheapo way to fly to Miami
  • Can explore latin america and Caribbean very cheaply
  • Great cruises
 
Deb7a said:
Yeah it took about two hours. You have to walk up the Street and around the corner to have chest X-rays so if they are busy it may take longer. I didn't wait long there though. Also just up the hall from his office is where you have the blood test, again I didn't wait long there either. Allow at least two hours, but three to be sure. It's him filling in all the paperwork and traipsing all over the countryside that takes time.
Oh and don't go to the toilet before you get there because you have to pee in a jar as soon as you arrive.
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You had to provide pee for your medical? That's strange, what was that to test? I certainly didn't have to do that.
 
Essey said:
You had to provide pee for your medical? That's strange, what was that to test? I certainly didn't have to do that.
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I also had to pee in a cup. I can't remember why, but it was a simple thing to do! plus i am used to it as I have to do a medical seems like every 3 months for my work.
 
guestgulkan said:
Florida is great:
  • Warm
  • No state tax!
  • The Florida keys are beautiful
  • Fort Lauderdale airport is the cheapo way to fly to Miami
  • Can explore latin america and Caribbean very cheaply
  • Great cruises
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Totally agree, didn't want to mention the no State tax as I couldn't remember exactly what was tax free. Like I said this would be my first choice if it wasn't for my work!
 
Hershal said:
@martinskypemartin

I guess I haven't seen much more than Florida and New York City. So I can be pretty bias here and say Florida is amazing not knowing the rest of the country very well.

My thoughts on Florida is this.

We went there in March and it was still warm. Around the 80F mark. I thought the weather was beautiful. I can't say much about miami as I only stayed in North Miami beach for one night when we got in before we drove down to the keys. Unfortunately we tried to spend a few hours in Miami but there was a spring break festival on and it was mental there.

Florida keys. Is nice but not what I expected. We went to an "award winning" beach only to be covered in sea weed. I guess I am spoilt when it comes to Perth beaches. However the water was unbelievably warm. Which is a good thing. We stayed on the island of marathon and went for a day trip down to key west which was also nice. However unless your a millionaire you couldn't really live down here in my opinion.

After this we went to Cape Coral on the east coast of Florida near fort Myers. I did enjoy it over here. It was less busy but still suburbian. We rented a propert on a canal with the parents in law as we were on an Easter holiday together. It was nice big home. But lots of construction. We were in a new area that was not finished yet.

After that. We went to Tampa for a day and had a look around the city and at Petersburg. Lovely area. I really liked it here. After that Cocoa beach / Cape Canaveral back on the west coast. This was amazing. Especially Kennedy space centre. Then after his drove up to Jacksonville to fly out of Florida.

My over all option of florida. I loved it. Weather was amazing. And there was a few storms in the afternoon but that was great too. There are alligators around. Being the Everglades down south but you kind of get used to it though. People are super friendly. Honestly did not expect It. I would hold doors open for people and they would be super greatful for it. People in shops would ask you if you need help and customer service I found was amazing. I think that it's starting to lack in Australia these days.

If I could find work in Florida I would move there tomorrow. However due to being in the oil and gas industry it isn't to be and Houston will be my choice.

I haven't been to the southern states but my brother has. He loved it there too. But did say it's amazing for a holiday but not so for living.
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Florida was okay, warm and very humid - we were there in August (travelling for nearly 8 months we couldn't get perfect weather everywhere). We went to Miami (we stayed in the tourist spots as there was no way I was going into the neighbourhoods). I actually forgot to pack our bathers so we looked up a nude beach and drove 10 miles up the road to see it - 1st time at a nude beach, interesting. We were so hot and needed relief from the heat! Anyway strange place, hundreds of nudies on the beach, I wasn't brave enough to strip off. The water we so warm it really didn't help. But it was an experience, especially lining up for the showers - kids were commenting on the different colour.....bodies. Not many women there that I noticed. The Keys were disappointing - Dolphin Rescue place was good but there are no beaches - I expected beaches like the Bahamas but no that's a 50 mile plane ride away. Disneyworld was awesome but very hot. Legoland I asked a local how he copes with the humidity, his response was he has lived in Florida all his life and he's still not used to it. Saw some cool very big Iguana's at the hotel pool in the Keys. So can't comment on living there but it's a fun place to visit. Oh and the storms, pouring with rain but you dry off in minutes because it's so hot!
 
Yep, pee test was for syphilis...and I had to do it as soon as I got there.
Dr Waks is good - he's about 80 in the shade but thorough enough. There was a new computer system when I went and he didn't know how to use it so things went a bit slower but overall, took 2 hours.
I've got everything ready for tomorrow so fingers crossed Dr Waks remembered to send my medical results to the consulate!
Good luck fellow OCers for tomorrow - might see you there!
 
I hope they don't need to pee in a cup purely based on what it is for....I'm going to go with 'no they won't need to' but I don't know for 100% sure
 
So happy for you @EmilyW ...I'm en-route to consulate now on a bus that is jammed (JAMMED) packed and hardly moving. Way to build the suspense.
Enjoy your day in Sydney if you have any spare time!
 
Congrats Emily, I knew it was in the bag. If you guys didn't pass no one would. So happy for you. And good luck CBDK you will shoe it in as well.
 
OC tends to rise 100 each month
  • February: 775
  • March: 875
  • April: 975
  • May: 1075
  • Jun: 1175
Let's extrapolate +100 (not exactly scientific I know)
  • Jul: 1275
  • Aug: 1375
  • Sep: 1475
I'll be put out of my misery.. September numbers come out.. July 15-ish
 
EmilyW said:
The smile I have right now... Not seen since the last time the Magpies won the Premiership.

Ergo, we were approved and out of the consulate in 20 minutes.

Will update more once I get back home tonight.
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I approve of everything, except the Magpies!!

Great news, congrats!
 
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