Sydney English Student Blog

Resources 4

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:00:00 +0000

Today I would like to look at another free online English language resources for English students. It is EnglishPage.com, and it is very good. EnglishPage.com has everything you could ever need to practice your English and help you with your study. And, like all of the other resources I have looked at (here, here and here) it is FREE!

EnglishPage.com is very comprehensive. A quick look at their front page shows you that they have many different resources available for ESL and EFL students.

Every week there is a new lesson available to you for free, which you can receive by e-mail subscription if you like. These lessons are about every aspect of English language, from tense and vocabulary, to modal verbs and prepositions. Every week is about a different real life topic. The lessons are very easy to follow and are very in depth.

Another very good thing about this website is that it has are mini exams that you can test yourself with.

There is a listening room where you can listen to English language radio programs from around the world; a reading room where you can read free newspapers and books online in English; there are many fun and helpful English games you can play online, too; there is a forum where you can talk to other English students from Australia and around the world.

One of the best things is the grammar book, where you can find online exercises for all of your English grammar.

The final thing that EnglishPage.com has is the dictionary page, where you can find a dictionary from most languages into English. This is very good for quick translations online.

Overall this is a very good site - especially because it is free. I recommend visiting EnglishPage.com, bookmark it in your browser, subscribe to their e-mail... It is a good resource for you when you are in Sydney studying English, but also after you leave Sydney and go home - you can keep practicing your English when you get home.

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

News From Home

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Tue, 06 May 2008 23:36:00 +0000

News this week from Chile, China, Japan, Turkey, Egypt and Burma.

CHILE

Authorities in Chile have evacuated two towns after a volcano erupting spewed out lava and ash. Chaiten volcano began erupting on Friday. It is the first time it has erupted in 450 years. Ash from the volcano has crossed the border into Argentina. More than 4,000 people have left the town of Chaiten, 10km from the volcano. Futaleufu, 70km to the east, is also being evacuated.

CHINA/JAPAN

Chinese President Hu Jintao has begun a five-day visit to Japan. He will talk with Japanese PM Yasuo Fukuda about trade, security and a dispute over undersea gas fields. China suspended high-level contact with Japan from 2001 to 2006.

TURKEY

Turkish air strikes in northern Iraq have left more than 150 Kurdish rebels dead. However, a PKK spokesman said that only six rebels were killed. The strikes began on Thursday and ended on Friday in the Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq.

EGYPT

Voting is slow in local elections in Egypt which the government is sure to win. Official media says 70% of the thousands of seats have already been won by the ruling party as they were unopposed. The polls are being boycotted by the opposition.
Rising food prices and low wages have strengthened popular discontent with the government. In recent fights more than 100 civilians and security forces have been injured in the northern city of Mahalla al-Kubra.

BURMA

The death toll from Burma's cyclone has risen to more than 22,000. Another 41,000 are missing.

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

International Students Robbed and Assaulted Near Sydney

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Sat, 03 May 2008 22:00:00 +0000

Two international students have been robbed on a train near Wollongong, south of Sydney. The man, 29 from Taiwan and the woman, 23 from China are studying intensive English at the University of Wollongong. After class on Wednesday night they caught a train from North Wollongong to Woonona (about 1 hour south of Sydney). They were followed by 3 people, who then produced a knife and stole their wallets and backpacks.

This is the latest in a series of recent attacks on English language students and international university students in the area. A 25 year old Sri Lankan student was robbed and assaulted at North Wollongong station on March 31. A 26 year old Sri Lankan student was stabbed in the area last Saturday.

(I would advise caution if traveling in the area, especially if you are using the South Coast train line at night. Try to travel in large groups, and try to stay in well lit areas. Also, there are normally security guards on trains at night - there is a blue security light at the front of the train.)

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

Cheap International Phone Cards

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Sat, 03 May 2008 08:52:00 +0000

One of the advertisers on this website, Cloncom.com is offering a great deal for Sydney English Student Blog readers. They sell international telphone calling cards. As well as their already low rates, they are offering a $5 discount on your first purchase. Their phone cards start at $10 dollars, which means that you will get your phone card for 1/2 price (from as low as only $5).

Some typical rates for international calls from Australia with Cloncom.com are: Sao Paulo, 0.03cents per/minute; Bogota, 0.05cents/minute; Seoul. 0.03cents/minute; Zurich, 0.03cents/minute. The calls are very cheap. For only $5 you could speak to your family and friends for more than 5 HOURS!

These prices are a lot cheaper than using normal telephones, and are comparable with Skype calling.

If you would like to take this offer up, please click here or see the ad on this page (bottom left hand side).

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

Sydney English Student Blog on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Fri, 02 May 2008 22:40:00 +0000

Do you like reading the Sydney English Student Blog? Now you can join me online at Facebook. Come meet other readers of the Sydney English Student Blog. It is a good place to meet other English students in Sydney, keep up to date with the blog, and stay in touch with old friends. At the moment there are over 130 people from all over the world that have joined me. If you have a Facebook account, simply send me a friend invitation, but if you are not a member of Facebook yet, sign up for a free account and invite me to be your friend.

Why would you join me on Facebook? Well, here I would like to get to know my readers - you can leave me messages, we can chat, share photographs... There are many things we can do to get to know each other. I hope to see you on Facebook soon.

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

What's On This Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:00:00 +0000

Looking for something to do this weekend, small collection of things on in and around Sydney this weekend, mostly for free.

ART

Ai Weiwei: Under Construction (Free, Campbelltown City Gallery, Campbelltown)

A major survey exhibition covering more than twenty years of the artists practice and including Marble Chair, the new commission for Campbelltown Arts Centre. Curated by Dr Charles Merewether.
(Campbelltown is about 1/2 hour south-west of Sydney city - trains run frequently).

COMEDY

Charles Ross: One-Man Star Wars (29 April - 3 May, 2008, Metro Theatre, City)

Charles Ross had seen the Star Wars: A New Hope movie more than 400 times by the time he was 10 years old and had committed every line to memory. Very funny one-man version of Star Wars.

MUSIC

Bolivia in Concert (Free, Tom Mann Theatre, 136 Chalmers St Surry Hills, Saturday, 3 May 2008)

The Consulate of Bolivia & Bolivian Groups in Sydney present Bolivia in Concert. Live perfomances by various dance groups, Bolivian Music, solo performers and delicious traditional 'empanadas'. Taste a bit of the bolivian culture, music and dances in benefit of less privileged children in Bolivia.

EXHIBITION

Living in the 70’s Exhibition (Susannah Place Museum, The Rocks, Sydney, Sunday, 4 May 2008)

It’s time to go back to the seventies and a time of green bans, long hair, flower power and funky flares. A colourful day of hippie music, memorabilia and plenty of nostalgia.

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

Department of Immigration Detains 6 in Newcastle

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Fri, 02 May 2008 10:31:00 +0000

Six people working on the Latec House construction site have been arrested in Newcastle, north of Sydney. They are now in custody. Two of the men had broken their visa conditions. Four were found to be in Australia illegally. The Immigration Act states that any person found to be in Australia illegally will be sent home as soon as possible.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship says that the search was conducted after receiving information from within the community. Investigations are continuing.

This is a good example of why I think English students in Sydney should find good work, with good pay, that doesn't break any visa conditions. For more information on this, read this article.

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

Funny Commercial from Argentina 2

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:01:00 +0000

Here is another funny ad from Argentina for Fernet. I love the guy with pink socks!

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

Working in Sydney 3: Resumés

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 01:17:00 +0000

(This is part 3 of the series on working in Sydney for English language students)

Last week I looked at how to find a job using an internet search service like Australian Job Search if you are an English language student in Sydney. This week I would like to look at how to write a resumé - what information do you need to include? what order do you write it? who do you use for your references?

For this example you will need to download the sample resumé I have made (you can use this for your real resumés if you like - just change the information):

Download Resumé Template Here

Now, open the document you have just downloaded. There are some things that I would like to look at. First, look at the resumé - what can you see? Is there anything that is strange about it?... No? GOOD! A resumé is a resumé. It doesn't matter what country you are in, it is always the same. You already know how to write a resumé - you have probably done it many times in your own country. So relax.

There are some things that you need to remember, though

For the 'objective' section: this will be different for every job you apply for. You want to tell the employer that you really want the job and that you are very interested in it. For example, if I was applying for a job as a kitchenhand, I would write something like this: "I want to apply for this job because I really like to work with foods - cooking is my passion. I hope that this position will lead to other opportunities to advance my career as a chef." Even if I do not want to be a chef, and I just need a job because I have no money, make it sound like you are really passionate about the job and the profession. It is ok to lie on a resumé.
List only relevant work experience. If you are applying for a job as a kitchenhand, it doesn't matter if you worked for 5 years as a doctor. The employer wants to know that you can do THIS job. Also (and I say this with a little bit of caution) remember that you are from a different country - you have never worked in Australia before, so you can say many things. If you do not have any experience as a kitchenhand, it might be ok to say that you do. You can get away with saying, for example, "I have worked in a kitchen in Brazil for 1 year." This is a lie, but it is ok. DO NOT SAY - "I have worked as a doctor heart surgeon for 5 years" if it is not true. Small lies are ok - big lies are not ok.
Because you are here to study English, there are not many people who can be your references. The best people for this are your teachers, and maybe other people that work at your school. The more important the person is, the better. Always list the name and the position of your references. ALSO, remember to ask the person before you put them down as a reference! This is very important.
Finally, before you send your resumé to an employer, take it to show your teacher - they can fix the spelling, grammar etc. for you. Remember, your resumé must be perfect, even if your English is not.

I hope that this helps you to write your resumés - good luck. If you need more help with looking for work, check this and this.

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

Good News For Australian Immigrants... Maybe

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 01:08:00 +0000

The Australian Citizenship test is being reviewed by the minister for immigration and citizenship. The test was introduced last October by the Howard government. A committee of seven people will now review the test. Senator Evans said,

"The committee will examine aspects of the content and operation of the citizenship test, including the experiences of applicants and the impact on citizenship applications."

The test is meant to assess English language skills and the understanding of Australia's values, history and national symbols. Many people have had problems with the test because the questions are very difficult. Many Australians have admitted that they could not answer the questions. One question, for example, is about cricket in the 1930s!!! Immigration figures in January 2008 showed that 1/5 of the applicants who took the test failed to achieve the 60 per cent pass mark.

Although the government has no plans to remove the test, at least we hope they can make it easier, and more about English skills than strange Australian history.  

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

Best English Resources 3

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 22:22:00 +0000

Today I would like to look at some more free English language resources for students. I will look at Grammar Girl, a free site that has English writing tips.

The site description says:

"Grammar Girl provides short, friendly tips to improve your writing. Covering the grammar rules and word choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers, Grammar Girl makes complex grammar questions simple with memory tricks to help you recall and apply those troublesome grammar rules. Whether English is your first language or second language, Grammar Girl’s punctuation, style, and business tips will make you a better and more successful writer."

And this is what it is - easy to follow grammar tips in mp3 format. Like ESL Podcasts, you can download Grammar Girl podcasts to your iPod or mp3 player. Also, you can subscribe to the podcast with your iTunes account - this is the best way to stay up-to-date.

Grammar Girl has won many awards which means that it is a GOOD resource. Awards it has won include:

2007 Winner Best Education Podcast – Podcast Awards
2007 Winner Favorite Audio Program – Podcast Peer Awards 
2006 Winner Best Education Podcast – Podcast Peer Awards

I recommend that you visit Grammar Girl and have a look. It is probably best for more advanced English students. Also, if you are looking to go to university in Australia, or if you already go to university, this site is very good for you - there is a focus on academic writing. But, even if you just want to practice your writing, then this is a perfect site.

Check out more free English language resources from Sydney English Student Blog here and here.

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

News From Home

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:03:00 +0000

This week, news from Mexico, Honduras, South Korea, Japan, Turkey, Spain and Nepal.

Mexico

Gun fights between Mexican drugs cartels have killed 15 people in Tijuana. Police have said that the dead are from the Arellano Felix cartel, which has recently come under pressure from another gang.

Honduras

Nine prisoners have been killed in Honduras during a jail riot. The fight started after one prisoner shot another at San Pedro Sula.

South Korea

protesters are vowing to disrupt the Olympic torch relay through the capital Seoul. The route is heavily guarded by 8,000 police officers.Thousands of people are preparing to protest over China's crackdown in Tibet.

Japan

A Japanese teenager has committed suicide in Konan City, in western Japan. 100 left their homes after smelling toxic hydrogen sulphide the 14-year-old girl made. 90 neighbours were taken to hospital. At least 30,000 people have killed themselves every year since 1998 in Japan.

Turkey

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has accused police in Turkey of causing the deaths of four men. The men were swept away by a strong current after police forced them into a river on the Turkey-Iraq border in Sirnak province. At least one of the four men was an Iranian. There were 18 Iranians and Syrians that were refused entry into Iraq.

Spain

Pirates have released 26 Spanish fishermen seized off the coast of Somalia last week. The Playa de Bakio, a Basque fishing boat, was released on Saturday. A local said a $1.2m ransom had been paid.

Nepal

The former rebel Maoist party has won elections to Nepal's new assembly. The Maoists have won almost 30%, about 220 seats. The Maoist leader, Prachanda, has said the assembly will abolish Nepal's monarchy.

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

Frogger - Classic 80s Game

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 04:30:00 +0000

Maybe you remember this from when you were a kid? Frogger is the original computer game.

How to Play:

You are the frog and you have to cross the road without being hit by cars. Then cross the river ON the floating logs. Finish by getting INSIDE the pocket. Be careful of the crocodile. It sounds easy, but it gets harder. Use the directional keys (←↑→↓) to move.

Also, I have to warn you, FROGGER IS ADDICTIVE. You might find yourself playing Frogger and not studying English. Have fun!

Froggergreat free widgetsWidgetbox

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

Accommodation 2: Renting

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 22:07:00 +0000

Finding a house is difficult for English language students in Sydney. Part 1 of this series looked at 'share houses' for students - it is easy, good for short-term accommodation and cheap. But, sometimes you will want to have your own house - especially if you study in Sydney for a long time. Today we will look at finding a house, a flat, or an apartment to rent in Sydney.

You have asked your friends... You have checked the notice boards at your school, but you can't find anywhere to live. Or, maybe you like privacy and quiet. You have decided to rent a flat or an apartment. What do you do next? The easy answer... go to domain.com.au and search. Easy, right? Wrong. The rental market in Sydney is very difficult to succeed in - there are many people, not many flats/apartments, and the prices can be CRAZY! Especially on an English student income. Here is some advice on how to find the perfect home.

First, go to domain.com.au rental properties and choose NSW from the map.

Next, choose your region. I have selected 'Inner West' and 'Eastern Suburbs' - these are very good areas of Sydney. The rent is cheaper than in the city. It is also easy to get from here to your English school in the city. There are many good suburbs in the 'Inner West' and 'Eastern Suburbs.'

Now, there are many things in this picture:

Set your MAXIMUM price PER WEEK (for me, $250)
Mark Bedroom/ ALL, Bathrooms/ ALL, Property Types/ House, Townhouse/Unit/Villa
Search Surrounding Suburbs

Finally, MOST IMPORTANTLY: choose your suburbs. I recommend - Bondi Junction (it is cheaper than Bondi beach), Petersham/Lewisham (many Brazilian and Portuguese people live here), Ashfield (many Korean/Indian/Chinese people live here), Burwood (a large Muslim community, many Turkish and Lebanese people live here), Enmore/Newtown (this is the MOST popular and TRENDY area for university students in Sydney), Haberfield/Leichhardt (a large Italian community), Glebe, Forest Lodge, Lillyfield, Balmain, Annandale... there are many GOOD suburbs around.

Sort your results by PRICE - this will put them from cheapest to most expensive.

Be careful - the first couple are NOT HOUSES (we have a carpark and an office).

Finally, I have found a home - a renovated studio.

Let me explain what a studio is: a studio is ONE ROOM only. The bathroom is in a different room, of course, but LOUNGE ROOM, DINING ROOM, BEDROOM are ALL ONE ROOM. This is very common in Sydney. But it is ok for a student.

In Part 3 we will look beyond the search, to 'viewing' and applying for a house/flat or apartment, paying BOND, signing a LEASE and more...

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

Best English Resources 2

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:00:00 +0000

This is the second post about GOOD English resources that are free online. Today we will look at ESL podcasts. ESL podcasts is a site that has free mp3 tracks for you to practice your English with.

The best thing about this website is that it is free...Mostly. Of course, they want you to spend money, and there are extra services that you pay for. You can pay for learning guides, transcripts, extra vocabulary and explanations. But you do not need them. This site is very good for you to practice your listening, and you can do that for free. All you have to do is visit the site, look at the list of podcasts, and click 'listen' (you can look at a transcript of the podcast by clicking on its name).

There are many different levels available for you, too. The podcasts go from very easy to very difficult. The easy podcasts are called 'Daily Life,' and the more difficult ones are called 'English Café.' There are many different topics also, from travel to restaurants, visiting a doctor to working as an actor in Los Angeles. There is something for everyone - search the site by using the search box on the left.

There is one more thing that makes this website good - you can subscribe to it with iTunes. This means that you can always get new podcasts delivered to your computer, free. You can put these onto your mp3 player or iPod. You will have new listening practice all the time.

The only problem with ESL Poadcasts is the accents of the people who do the podcasts - they are a little bit annoying. But they are free, what do you expect? Also, it is good to practice listening to different accents - listening to your teacher only can be a bad thing.

Overall, this is a good service for students. I recommend you have a look at it. Also, remember to check out other free resources here.

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

News from Home

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 04:30:00 +0000

This week, news from Argentina, Thailand and Korea

Argentina

Smoke in Buenos Aires has closed domestic airport and major highways. The smoke started one week ago, caused by fires on farms outside the city. More and more people are complaining of sore throats and eyes.

Thailand

The Thai Prime Minister, Samak Sundaravej, says 'martial law' will be lifted from most of the country. Martial law was imposed in 2006 by the military government.

Korea

The US and South Korean presidents say they are hopeful they can eliminate North Korea's nuclear weapons programme.
George W Bush and Lee Myung-bak have had two days of talks on the South Korean president's first overseas visit.

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

Funny Commercial from Korea

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:25:00 +0000

This week's commercial comes from Korea for DHL - I hope you like it.

Don't forget to watch last week's video here.

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

Working in Sydney 2

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 05:00:00 +0000

In part 1 we looked at why you should look for a good job that obeys the law: the money is better, the conditions are better, you are not breaking your Visa conditions, you have more free time... Today we will look at HOW TO FIND A JOB in Sydney using the internet. Where do I search for work? How do I find the right job? How do I apply?
There are many online job services in Australia. The biggest three are My Career, Career One and Seek. There is also Australian Job Search which is run by the Australian government. They are all similar - they have similar or the same jobs, and you use them the same way. Today we will look at how to use Australian Job Search but you can use any of the others in the same way.

First, select you state, NSW...

then choose your region, Sydney.

Next you have to choose the area of Sydney you want to work in - the best are the Inner West, City and Eastern suburbs. These are all close to the city centre.

Next, select your occupation. In this example I have chosen 'Food, Hospitality and Tourism.' This has jobs like kitchen hand, waiter/waitress, chef, barista, bar work etc. A popular category of jobs for students.

Select the work you are interested in - here I have selected 'Waiters' (there are 14 jobs available) and 'Kitchenhads' (there are 13 jobs available)

Now you have a list of all the available jobs for 'Waiters' and 'Kitchenhands.' Look at the 'key' - you will see that this site has jobs from both Career One and My Career. It is like searching all three sites in one. Also, some of the jobs are listed as 'Apply directly to the employer.' This is a good option. You can apply online, or there will be a phone number for you to call.

Finally, I have selected a job. I can see its location (where the job is), a description of the work (what kind of work it is), and the hours (30+ per week). The most important thing is the SALARY - see how it says 'Award'? This means that the pay is regulated by laws - you will get paid the same as an Australian would get paid. This is what I mean by GOOD jobs (part 1 of this series described this).

Always look for a job that has an 'award' wage. This is what will make your life easy. Now all you have to do is apply for the job - call the phone number or e-mail the employer with your resumé. Of course, not every job will be the job you want. But I have two pieces of advice for students:

BE PATIENT. Take your time to find a good job.
Don't just apply to ONE job, apply to ALL the jobs you are qualified for or are interested in. The more you apply for, the better your chances of getting a job.

This advice is good for all of the 3 job networks above, My Career, Career One and Seek. Next time I will look at applying for work - resumés, interviews and more. Until then, good luck 'job hunting.'

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

What's On This Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000

A list of mostly free events in Sydney this weekend - music, exhibitions, performances, movies, theatre and more.

Art

William Anderson @ The Japan Foundation Gallery, Level 1, Chifley Plaza, 2 Chifley Square, Sydney (Saturday, 11am-4pm. FREE).

Skateboarding Manga characters are watched by gatchapon in this exhibition. A must for Japanese art fans.

Film

German Film Festival @ Chauvel Cinema, Paddington, and Palace Norton Street Cinema, Leichhardt (visit here for program. $16).

More than 20 new films from Germany, including 'The Counterfeiters,' Academy Award Best Foreign Film.

General

Handbag Exhibition @ Queen Victoria Building, 455 George Street, Sydney (FREE).

'Hanbags Through the Ages' looks at handbag design from 1760 to 2006. Including 70 handbags.

Music

Secluded Sundays @ Abercrombie Hotel, corner of Broadway and Abercrombie Streets, Chippendale (near UTS, Sunday, from 5pm).

6 bands outside, DJs inside and a BBQ.

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

News From Home

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

News this week from Colombia, Japan, Italy and Egypt

Colombia

The Nevado de Huila began to smoke on Monday night. Thousands of people living near the volcano are being evacuated.

Japan

The Japanese whale fleet has not caught its quota. The fleet caught 60% of the minke whales that they had planned to - 551 of the planned 850.

Italy

Silvio Berlusconi has won a majority in both houses of the Italian parliament.

Egypt

25 members of the Muslim Brotherhood have been sent to jail. They were found guilty of joining an illegal group, violating the constitution, and obstructing the Egyptian authorities.

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

Funny Commercial from Argentina

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:00:00 +0000

A very funny commercial for pay-TV from Argentina.

Have you ever seen an Argentinean watch football?

Working in Sydney 1

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:10:00 +0000

In this series we will look at how to find work in Sydney. This post will examine why to look for GOOD jobs. It is easy to find BAD work in Sydney. It is difficult for students to find GOOD work. The big problems students face are visa restrictions and basic English skills. Because of these two reasons, students like to work 'outside' of the system - students need more than 20 hours of work a week and it is better for them not to pay tax. There is only one problem with working 'outside' the system: the jobs are BAD. Cleaning, construction, dishwashing, STRIPPING! Students are exploited in these jobs because there are no rules to follow. The boss can do anything because the student needs money.

There is a better way to work in Sydney. Stop and think for a moment: what if I told you "You can work less hours, but get more money"? Finding GOOD jobs in Sydney is hard, but it is worthwhile. The reasons why it is good are

There are rules that the boss has to follow.
There is a minimum wage.
There are unions.
You are not breaking your visa conditions.

An example: Jun's friend works in a Korean restaurant and gets Jun a job. He will work 6pm until 1am every day (more than his visa allows). He will get paid $6 for 1 hour of work, and pay no tax. Jun works 40+ hours per week, but only gets paid around $250 for the week. He is breaking his visa conditions and is stressed and tired. He does not go to school because he needs to sleep.

This is common for English students in Sydney.

Take a different example: Raúl gets a good, legal job. He is paid the minimum amount that the law says, for example, $12 an hour. He can only work 20 hours because of his visa. At the end of the week he gets paid around $250 also, but he worked half the hours! He is not breaking his visa conditions and so he is relaxed. He can enjoy Sydney and get the most out of English classes.

These examples are silly, but there is some truth to them. It is much better for you to have a good job that is protected by rules and laws. You can concentrate better in class, you will not be stressed about your visa and you will have more free-time to meet people and see Sydney.

The problem is that this work is difficult to find, especially if your English is not good. Part 2 of this series tell you where to look for work.

Subscribe to Sydney English Student blog FREE!

Best English Resources 1

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:49:00 +0000

You will see on the right of this page something called 'Best English Resources.' This is a list of very good internet English sites. Today I would like to talk about BBC Learning English. On the site you can find many resources for English, all free. There are exams, games, quizzes, grammar exercises, vocabulary exercises, reading... Everything. There are also some things you should DEFINITELY look at:

News English - vocabulary from the news. This is good practice for very difficult language that you do not use every day.

Watch and Listen - different pictures, music and stories that will help you practice your English.

Business English - if you study business English, this is for you. It is one of the best resources on the internet.

Also, sign up for the FREE Learning English Newsletter - it will give you new vocabulary, grammar practice, stories and more by e-mail. (You can also subscribe to Sydney English Student Blog here).

The BBC is a respected institution in the English speaking world. Anything you find on their website will be good. I guarantee it! Visit their site and explore what they have.

I will write more about 'Best English Resources' soon.

News From Home

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 04:21:00 +0000

This week in Korea, Thailand, India and Brazil.
Korea

The Grand National Party (GNP) has won at least 153 seats in the parliamentary elections. United Democratic Party (UDP) has won 81 seats.
Voter turnout was an all-time low of 46%.

Thailand

After 17 months in exile former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has returned to Thailand. Reactions from Thais are mixed.

India

Rebel Twenty20 cricket league, Indian Cricket League World Series begins in Hyderabad on Wednesday. Players include Brian Lara, Lance Klusener and Inzaman-ul-Haq. The final is on April 15th.

Brazil

Police have arrested 16 mayors and a judge for corruption.
More than 50 people were arrested. The mayors are mainly from Minas Gerais, north of Sao Paulo.

Pacman - classic game

noreply@blogger.com (tc) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 03:09:00 +0000

Don't feel like studying? Don't want to go to class? Sydney's weather is no good? Play Pacman now...

I got this game from IconGamez.com!

Get This Game

To play: use the arrow keys (←↑→↓) to move Pacman. Be careful of ghosts. Eat the fruit. Eat all the yellow pellets and move to the next level. Enjoy!