Border Security
Believe it or not, there's a TV show called Border Security here. It is amazing to see the difference between the atmosphere in Canada (note, I'm referring to Toronto and Sarnia) compared to Australia (Melbourne). We don't have signs advertising "war on terror" nor tv shows revealing immigration officers picking through people's luggage. It's now moved to television ads of "protect Australia - report any suspicious doings, packages, people". Reporting on the threat on terror also seems akin to Fox news in the states but a couple of notches down. I'm still deciding what I think about it all. Australian political ideals appear to be very similar to the US and I guess the best analogy would be Canada = New Zealand and Australia=US idea.
There are a ton of people who get their luggage looked through so don't be shocked if you get pulled over when you come visit. Rule of thumb is to declare all food that you're bringing into Australia, including candy, gels, gatorade, cookies, etc. I even note it on the card that you have to fill out so I can avoid answering questions while I'm half dead (didn't sleep so well on the second flight back). Don't bring in fruits or meat products. DECLARE bikes and running shoes - and have them easy access for them to check for dirt on the soles or on the wheels. Customs is extremely cautious of anything being brought in that can affect their agriculture - even though the government did a great job screwing up the ecosystem with bringing in different animals/insects to control pests/animals that they previously brought in (but then, I guess we could say they didn't know any better at that point).
All I can say right now: There's nothing like home.
There are a ton of people who get their luggage looked through so don't be shocked if you get pulled over when you come visit. Rule of thumb is to declare all food that you're bringing into Australia, including candy, gels, gatorade, cookies, etc. I even note it on the card that you have to fill out so I can avoid answering questions while I'm half dead (didn't sleep so well on the second flight back). Don't bring in fruits or meat products. DECLARE bikes and running shoes - and have them easy access for them to check for dirt on the soles or on the wheels. Customs is extremely cautious of anything being brought in that can affect their agriculture - even though the government did a great job screwing up the ecosystem with bringing in different animals/insects to control pests/animals that they previously brought in (but then, I guess we could say they didn't know any better at that point).
All I can say right now: There's nothing like home.
posted by lyNN at
11:24 PM
8 Comments:
Lynn, I've never been to OZ, but it is my understanding that they have had crazy borders since well before 9/11. In fact, if I understood the story correctly, my mother got stuck at the airport for an internal flight in OZ, when she crossed the provincial (provinces or states there? I can never remember) boundary, and it was found she had some fruit and more importantly some eucalyptus leaves on her person, and this was well before 9/11.
By
Anonymous, at 2:23 PM
I guess more anal due to the bombings in Bali, I believe...
hey, hello from YVR! the sun is shiny here, the sky is bluuuuue, and the mountains are amazing! toronto blows a$$. what a bike-friendly city too.
ALSO - chinese people are EVERYWHERE. i mean, everywhere. not like toronto. in TO, they're concentrated in the NE part of the city...here, they are in every part of town. i don't feel like a fish oudda water (i.e. when i was in edmonton).
goooo yellow people
:P
By
Anonymous, at 10:00 AM
hmm.. it could be, I have never been through australia before 9/11 but the screening procedures going out of the country is miniscule. Last time I went home, I don't even remember going through a screen other than to say bye to customs. But on the way back - that's a different story.
By
lyNN, at 4:42 PM
yay van-city. ultimate settling location i think in my opinion.
By
lyNN, at 4:42 PM
Hetti brings up a good point, that I have observed and discussued with others. The multicultisim is great in Toronto, but it is still very segregated. That is there are communities where everyone of a certain ethnicity tends to gravitate towards. While I think there are benefits to this for the people involved, I also think there are severe drawbacks. I know when I moved from Calgary it was a rather odd thing to me, and you just eventually get used to it.
Lynn, my mother wasn't leaving OZ, she was on a flight from one province to another.
By
Anonymous, at 8:25 AM
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By
Anonymous, at 8:25 AM
steve, how is it that every comment i get from you, i usually get sent it twice if not more? are you one of those anxious 'puter people who keep pressing buttons?
oh yah - sorry, i did get your mom crossed states, and i find that terribly odd. but i'll find out if there's a reason for that... just give me some time.
By
lyNN, at 11:34 PM
ah yes, and hetti's point... i agree, there's a lot of people who are just hanging out with their 'old' crowd which can defeat the purpose of being multicultural - but there's always going to be some spoilers. i've always thought sometimes it takes the next generation but maybe not. i mean, look at my parents, they'll mix with everyone (although they are in a smallish town).
By
lyNN, at 11:36 PM
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