visiting Australia with working holiday visa

Fianna started this discussion · 3/20/2012

Hi girls! I am going to Australia in October and will stay for around 6-9 months, main purpose is joining 2 terms courses in Bobbi's ( I love their style!!!) and will visiting other studio for some workshops and drop-in classes, I planned to also visit Pure Pole Academy too! so please give me some more suggestions for a friendly studio that i should visit? And one more question, i know it's a too early to ask, but i really needa start planning, any of you or someone you know can kindly offer me a bed or couch for me to sleep? if yes how much for that? i think it's not easy for an asian girl to find a job in OZ so i have to save money for pole training :) thank you in advance! Fianna xxx

11 replies

FreeTheSun · 3/20/2012
I did a gap year in Oz on a work holiday visa for half of 2010 and 2011. Where all will you be going? For places to stay that don't cost you so you can save more money to pole (gotta have priorities you know) check out things like helpx.net or couchsurfing.org. It's not super hard to find a job in Oz as long as you're a bit tenatious and then stay reliable. Travellers get a bad rep for being majorly flakey, so if you find a job you really want, just keep swinging by to see if they have openings and eventually it'll pay off. Applying in person really helps too so you can chat with people and make a good impression. If you have any questions about WHV or gap year stuff, feel free to pm me.
Ekinkah · 3/21/2012
Hi Fianna! If you're visiting Pure Pole in Brisbane you might also like to try The Pole Gym in Brisbane City - http://brisbanecity.thepolegym.com/ ! We have an awesome rotation of guest instructors for advanced-level polers and also are very warm and encouraging to all beginners and intermediate as well! Very friendly studio, and very close friends with Pure Pole Academy as well (we are only one train station or a half hour walk away from Pure Pole in Fortitude Valley, so should be easy!). We also teach Lyra occasionally if you're up for something new =)
Fianna · 3/21/2012
thank you FreeTheSun for you information, I checked couchsurfing before but I feel more safe to ask here first, haha, so I can have pole buddy while I'm in Oz :) but i will definitely check them again! As I don't speak fluent English, u know, with Chinese ascent lol, I don't think I can work in a restaurant or cafe, but I need a job that can work with my dance schedule,so I'm sure I won't work in farm like most of the WHV people. And you are right! show up in person should be much more better! thanks for your advices! x and Ekinkah, thank you for the recommendation! I will try visit the Pole Gym while I'm in Brisbane, it's good to hear a studio that is very friendly and welcome stranger from Asia :) x
michaelaarghh · 3/21/2012
HIII! there are quite a few jobs in australia (sydney, anyway) where having a chinese background will help. I'm studying mandarin at the moment, and I alwaysss see jobs advertised near where I live that say that having a second language would be helpful. You'd be surprised, but there are actually a LOT of asians here, so don't worry too much!
Paunobs · 3/21/2012
I know someone that has been hosting couch surfers in Australia for years and they have never had any problems so long as you check references it should be ok! If you were coming to Adelaide I could find you a bed , we are unfortunate to not have studios like Sydney have!
Kira · 3/21/2012
Hiya, you seem to have a good grasp on English, it may help to work a little whilst you are there unless you have enough money saved up already. I worked in restaurants and the shift pattern was great cos I could go to practice time almost every day :D There's a biiiig Asian community in Sydney. Also check out pole dance academy in bondi, that's run by shimmy and she's great. When you go to bobbi's you will most likely meet a guy called Andre, he is amaaazing and will make friends with anyone hehehe. So jealous, I wish I could go back.....
ORGANIC ANGEL · 3/21/2012
You are living my dream! I'd love to move there for a year just to play at Bobbi's!! Have fun!
Fianna · 3/21/2012
Awwwww thank you so much for helping me ladies!xxx you guys are so sweet! tallicachild, so I'm not alone huh? Hoho~~ so u mean I can easily get a job in NSW? Thanks! paunobs, Adelaide have Pole Boutique run by Carlie Hunter right? And I heard Adelaide is a beautiful city so I will try put it into my plan :) thanks!!! Ollie, thank you, Shimmy is amazing and I'll definitely try to visit her studio if I have enough time and money! And I heard An Dre, he is very nice and good friend with Dirdy Birdy and Melody Rose!!!! Hope to meet him soon! Organic Angel, thanks! It's actually a very hard decision to make coz I will leave my 2 doggies and 4 kitties to my boy, and am gonna miss them soooooo bad!!!! :( Thank you again for your help, now I just need to plan where to go and how long should I stay?! lol
FreeTheSun · 3/22/2012
I second The Pole Gym in Brisbane. It's nice. Melbourne has some fun ones too. And I agree with the other ladies, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding work in the city, especially Sydney. Be sure to let them know that you are leagally allowed to work, apparently lots of travellers try and get jobs without having the proper visa. I thought of another place you might be able to find a place to stay (or even work), Bobbi's facebook page (or prob any of the other studios too).
Fianna · 3/23/2012
Thank you FreeTheSun! My visa allowed me to work in OZ up to 6 months with each employer so i think it's better than some travelers who only work for few weeks? Seems the Pole Gym is a MUST to visit 🌸, i'm already so excited now!!!! xxx
FreeTheSun · 3/23/2012
I had the same visa and even though I told people I had it, lots of employers didn't know what it was or what it qualified me for, so be sure to mention it when you talk to them, just in case.