aussies, europeans, anyone, please read and help me out

[aloivas]

alright, so i've got 1 more year of school left. i basically just wanna get out of here. i'm sick of sydney, i'm sick of my friends, i'm sick of family, i'm sick of these bitches, i'm sick of my teachers, i'm sick of school, i'm sick of work - i just wanna leave for a year or two and start anew. i've really got no ambitions and no motivation. i have no idea what i wanna do when i finish school, so i think travelling would be good.

i wanna go to europe for a year or so, get a job in england in a bar or cafe or something, travel from there and basically just have the time of my life. i figure i've gone through 13 years of schooling, i think i deserve a year's break before i possibly return and continue with education.

my question is - am i being unrealistic in my goals? has anyone done this or know anyone who has? i understand it's very expensive to live there, but i've already got quite a bit saved up, will continue to do so, plan to sell my car and a lot of my possessions before i go, and, quite frankly, i don't care if i'm staying in shitty youth hostels or in a gutter somewhere, it'll all be part of the experience. i also have friends and family in a number of countries all over...

please just give me any advice or stories or help. anything will be much appreciated.

thanks for reading, yo.

 

[2Pax]

Finish your education first it will be invaluable to you in your later life. I mean if you've gone through 13 years 1 more year is nothing.

I doubt very much you're going to have the time of your life living off a wage from a bar or cafe job as they don't pay that well, and you need to take expenses into account.

Where about's in England are you planning on travelling to? You say it's expensive to live here but apart from London I doubt whether it's more expensive than living in Sydney.

I'm in a similar situation, i've just finished 13 years of school and 2 years of college, but i'm taking a year out now before I start University. In which I plan to travel across the world and enjoy the experience before returning to complete my education.

You need to seriously think about your situation and the consequences of just 'packing' up and leaving.

 

[ill-matic]

so you want to defer? i hear that usually when people defer for a year, they are extremely reluctant to return to education.. like they just "dont know" how to put up with full time university

 

[The.Menace]

Finish school - believe me, there's enough time 2 travel afterwards, do what you gotta do.

Well, if you want to travel you need money, simple as that. It's nice to hear that you want to work but I wouldn't rely on that cause first of all you gotta find a job and if you're workin official, I'm not sure if you don't need a permission to do so and how hard it is to get one for a aussi. Obviously your chances to find a job would be better in an egnlish speakin country then somewhere else.

Ok - so you are tired of your town and want to go away, I think first of all you gotta find you where you want to go. What do you want to see? You're runnin away from somewhere but you have no idea where u want 2 run 2 - and that's bad. Sit down, take your time, make up your mind. Where you wanna go? What do you expect?

 

[simo]

I also advise you to finish your high school education. Even if further study at university isnt your thing, i think its very important that you get your HSC, particularly if you only have one year left. You can travel anytime you want, but its going to be alot harder to do year 12 when you realise that you made the wrong decision. After all its only one more year.

Have you thought about doing a trade? I also advise you to get at least some kind of qualification whether it be thru tafe or college, as you dont want to be a process worker or labourer all your life.

good luck with it all, just make sure you think it thru before you make your decision

 

[_carmi]

totally agree with the people over here. finish that one year of school and then go travel all the time you want. you have a lifetime to travel. and you wanna get rid of school as fast as possible.

if you're sick of everyone, then get a trade like simo said. that could be a nice possibility.

anyways think twice before making your final decision.

 

[aloivas]

sorry, i wasn't clear at all in my post - i mean i will definitely finish this last year of school, do as well as possible, and then hopefully travel for a year before returning to (ideally, counting on reasonable uai mark) tertiary education (university).

i didn't mean leave right now... i've got about 9 months left of school, then i plan to work a lot and save up until about this time next year and hopefully leave then.

Where about's in England are you planning on travelling to? You say it's expensive to live here but apart from London I doubt whether it's more expensive than living in Sydney.

i really don't know much about england... i guess i was hoping to stay/work right in the city somewhere... i don't know - i've got family living in manchester - is that in london or is it a separate town/city? how far from london is it?

first of all you gotta find a job and if you're workin official, I'm not sure if you don't need a permission to do so and how hard it is to get one for a aussi. Obviously your chances to find a job would be better in an egnlish speakin country then somewhere else.

i was speaking to a few people and they said i wouldn't have too much trouble finding bar or club work over there. ideally, it would be england. yeah, i would have to apply for a working visa, but they aren't too hard to get.


thanks heaps for everyone's help. sorry about the confusion.

 

[S O F I]

People tend to think that travelling the world will bring about some sort of epiphany and will fade all the problems away. It may work for some, but in my opinion, I'd rather sit down and think really hard before embarking on some sort of adventureous journey, lol.

 

[The.Menace]

but what do you expect? where do you wanna go?

 

[lii]

well i think u should do it! travelling is great. i was in ur position in grade 11, i never completed my last year, instead i did a 6 month tourism course and then decided to go travelling a few times by myself over 2 years and it was the best, i had friends to stay with though. its crazy how much more confident and mature u become from travelling, it shook me up but i survived and i needed that. ofcourse u come home to what u were sick of in the first place but atleast u realize theres more out there and sometimes the experience of different cultures can make u appreciate what u have at home way more. or maybe ull find a place overseas u really love and want to continue ur studies there.

 

[Amara]

sorry, i wasn't clear at all in my post - i mean i will definitely finish this last year of school, do as well as possible, and then hopefully travel for a year before returning to (ideally, counting on reasonable uai mark) tertiary education (university).

Sounds like a great idea. I went straight to university from high school but honestly, there is no rush. Even once had a lecturer say he thought it should be compulsory for students to take a year off before coming to uni. Plus it will give you something to look forward to in finishing school. A reward at the end. And after travelling you will more likely have the energy and desire to be back studying. All too often I think kids burn out coz they go straight to uni... I'm thinking of taking a semester off later this year because I've been studying for like 16 years or something ... blah!!

check this out... http://www.owh.com.au/http://www.owh.com.a

 

[aloivas]

but what do you expect? where do you wanna go?

europe... basically all over. i just want to experience a new environment. i've never really been overseas, so i think it would be great experience and since i've really no idea what i wanna do, it may provide oppurtunities or ideas. i've heard too many times people saying they wish they took a gap year before uni. as i said before, i'm going to have completed 13 years of school in a row - it's my way of rewarding myself, like amara said.

to people saying it's like i'm trying to go on some crazy adventures to get rid of my problems... i don't see it that way. i'm not trying to run away from my life, i'm just sick of the same old shit.

well i think u should do it! travelling is great. i was in ur position in grade 11, i never completed my last year, instead i did a 6 month tourism course and then decided to go travelling a few times by myself over 2 years and it was the best, i had friends to stay with though. its crazy how much more confident and mature u become from travelling, it shook me up but i survived and i needed that. ofcourse u come home to what u were sick of in the first place but atleast u realize theres more out there and sometimes the experience of different cultures can make u appreciate what u have at home way more. or maybe ull find a place overseas u really love and want to continue ur studies there.

exactly... the same way i see it.

Sounds like a great idea. I went straight to university from high school but honestly, there is no rush. Even once had a lecturer say he thought it should be compulsory for students to take a year off before coming to uni. Plus it will give you something to look forward to in finishing school. A reward at the end. And after travelling you will more likely have the energy and desire to be back studying. All too often I think kids burn out coz they go straight to uni... I'm thinking of taking a semester off later this year because I've been studying for like 16 years or something ... blah!!

check this out... http://www.owh.com.au/

word. thanks for the site. it seems to be down at the moment though.

 

[Amara]

word. thanks for the site. it seems to be down at the moment though.

Oh really? Bugger. Well check it out later. It's really good. It's run by flight centre... they can organise work in the UK, Asia, Canada, US, France... plus find you flights!

 

[The.Menace]

I don't think it wreid to take a year off after school and I don't think it's only runnin away, you can learn a lot and I think it's important.

europe... basically all over. i just want to experience a new environment.

I really think you should make up your mind a lil, Europe is big man and before you go and a trip like this you might work out a plan.

 

[aloivas]

I really think you should make up your mind a lil, Europe is big man and before you go and a trip like this you might work out a plan

word em up.. good advice. i realize i haven't really got a good plan worked out and may still seem a bit vague... that's basically because i'm still trying to figure out if it's really what i want to do and if it's plausible. i plan to go in about a year from now, so i've still got a while to plan it.


thanks again everyone./

 

[aloivas]

Oh really? Bugger. Well check it out later. It's really good. It's run by flight centre... they can organise work in the UK, Asia, Canada, US, France... plus find you flights!

just browsing the site now and it's fucking amazing. very helpful.

 

[Illuminattile]

Every pub in England has Aussies working behind the bar, so you're certainly not alone

 

[2Pax]

i really don't know much about england... i guess i was hoping to stay/work right in the city somewhere... i don't know - i've got family living in manchester - is that in london or is it a separate town/city? how far from london is it?

I live in Manchester also, great city . It's a completely different city from London. Manchester is in the North West of England whilst London is down South:



As you can see they're quite far away from each other.

 

[ArtsyGirl]

I'd say you got a great idea, when I went on a trip just me n my ex it was the first time I'd done something independantly and just going interstate made me feel good, so overseas is just huge.
I'd suggest to start planning now, dont wait til a month before you leave to start you'll be suprised by the costs involved in it. Dont leave without travellers insurance. I knew someone who ended up homeless and nearly died because he had no insurance so thats important. Good luck

 

[aloivas]

Every pub in England has Aussies working behind the bar, so you're certainly not alone

lol... that's what i heard aswell. good shit.

As you can see they're quite far away from each other.

yeah, thanks for the geography. do you have any idea how far in time? it looks to be about 3 hours or so, but i've really got no idea... also, what transport is there.. like, are there trains and shit between the towns/cities, or buses, or would i rent a car?

Dont leave without travellers insurance.

damn... i didn't even think of this. i wonder how much it would be. does that cover me for stuff which gets lost/stolen?