A Venezuelan wacky guy living his Australian dream

One day after the elections, we (Venezuelans) have the opportunity to see how our leaders react with the results.

Yesterday Venezuela had a regional election in every state except the Amazonas state. This means we had to elect our governors, mayors, great mayors and council members. As the day went off and the night came the CNE (responsible for electoral results in Venezuela) didn’t showed any signal of being processing partial information until today at 12:00 a.m. when began to express the results state by state. Here you have some statistics:

Participation: 65.5% (record compared with the last few years which didn’t reach 50%)
Abstention: 34.5%

Results by state you might check it here. Is kind of pointless to write it here.

What those results means?
Well, opposite factors to Chavez government will rule on 5 regions (states and districts) of Venezuela and pro government factors will rule 19 regions. But interestingly, those 5 regions (Grand Caracas, Miranda, Táchira, Zulia and Carabobo) where opposite factors were elected represent the 45% of the total Venezuelan population and the abstention was higher on the lefting states. In addition, Venezuela is not very attached of second rounds or filter candidates, selecting those with real chance to win and then match it in the elections, which means that some of the votes were distributed among several candidates not attached to government proposition neither opposite factors.

Which reaction did we watch on the government?
The president started blaming the local government as the responsible of failing earning people heart (“but isn’t his fault at all”) then continued saying “We lost where the rich people lives… for example, we didn’t won on Sucre town because those zones are filled up with golf fields, luxurious restaurant and exclusive places were rich people goes to drink… There you can find rich and racists people who force the black people to work as slaves doing tasks as ironing, cleaning and driving…”…

I am going to show you with pictures the rich’s town where the government didn’t get the results they wanted.

Awesome resort alike places...

Expensive deluxe restaurants

Kids enjoying a play in the golf field...
"Those rich bastards...."

See the baseball and golf field, plenty of medical centres and even the opera house?
No? Well, there isn't any.
This is how poor people lives in Venezuela.
Crowded places with endless hallways as laberiths.

Venezuelans are preparing for tomorrow’s elections to vote for their governor, mayor and other regional positions. This time, the elections have huge importance because it will determine the course of the entire country for the next 4 to 5 years in the best case...

Why?

Because the Venezuelan current president is trying to get elected for undefined amount of time and this is a way to achieve it. I am going to mark this post with my political point of view of Venezuela (sadly, but if I am emigrating from Venezuela it is more than obvious I am doing it because unpleasant issues bothering the day to day).

Last year Venezuela had another electoral process to determine if the president could be elected unlimited times plus validate Venezuela as socialist based society; the result of this electoral process was deny any constitutional changed proposed by the president for the rest of his period. But he managed to find a way to stick to the presidential position (not attached to any constitutional dictation or regulation). Seriously I would like a change for the Venezuelan people, at least someone else who might do something good and try to fix this government mistakes; for my family sakes and for those who don’t want or can’t leave Venezuela pursuing happiness somewhere else.

I would really love to see every Venezuelan voting tomorrow but the truth is, Venezuelans don’t like to do their responsibilities, such as voting. Instead (and highly possible) most of the people will be travelling to the beach, mountain or any other recreational place to forget about the government, economical situation and other daily problems. The future looks uncertain for now.

What will I do?

• Bring a thought to those who don’t think Venezuela might have hopes.
• Promote the responsibility of voting between the people I know.
• Help and guide as much people I can.
• Finally but not less, I will be voting as well.
  

Well, the financial crisis around the world begun a month ago, so it is pointless try to explain how exists and what is it… Thus I am going to relate this post with the fact of moving out overseas.

• We (Australia) need to protect the Australian market and funds.
• We need to assure work places for those who might lose their jobs and are currently in Australia.
• We don’t want people arriving at Australia, looking for job, because Australia might have a rough time.
• Workless people means an impact to the national budget, and the budget must be protected at all cost.

What is the result of this (my point of view, you might share your own on comments)? Well, the process to approve or reject postulants or candidates will take as long as they want to… Why? Because they surely know they are going to need more people to expand the Australian economy (with or without the world financial crisis), because they already have good candidates waiting for the visa any time soon... so, what’s the rush, right?

Making story short, if you are waiting for the Australian visa at the moment, make your mind for an unprecedented delay for grant letters and approvals. Plus you got to include the high risk of your company to consider you disposable in case they are running out of funds, messing up a little bit more your process.

Please, express your feelings, is important for me to know what you think around the world.

Till the next post or comment.

Cheers

First… those whom are reading this blog (or my blogs in general) thanks for checking it every now and then. Also thanks for the feedback, is very important for us.

Sleepy Hollow? ... I don't think so...

• If your electrical devices have AC/DC adapters check the specs for the multi-voltage label. This label says you will need just a plug adapter from A&B (or the one used on your country) to I or V plug type because your adapter already transform the electricity for your device.
• If you have compatible electricity systems with different plug type, all you have to do is get one of those adapters.
• If your device is 110V-120V or the frequency is different, you will have to buy an electricity converter (which isn’t recommended because consumes lots of electricity) plus in some cases, the proper plug type.
• Most of the hair driers, iron and those stuffs with inner electric resistances used to generate heat is better to be sold and get a new one in Australia. Otherwise get the converter paying high price for your electricity consumption.

What type of plug adapters do I need?
The picture shows the Wa-16 travel plug adapter for Australia, Chine and Argentina compatible with the I Plug (the V plug doesn’t have the middle stick). But keep in mind you may be needing an converter in most of the cases.

More Information check out this website

The sponsored family visa is designed to allow people overseas to visit their family living in Australia. The applicant for this visa must be relative of an Australian permanent resident or citizen willing to sponsor them. The sponsor must ensure the Australian government that their guest will leave the country before the visa expires. Support is provided to the sponsor by the visa decision-maker. This visa costs US$100 and has to be lodge by the sponsor.

The requisites for this permit are:

• Be outside of Australia.
• An adult (over 18 years old) permanent resident or citizen has to be the sponsor settled in Australia, with no unsuccessful attempts records in the last 5 years.
• Applicant must be healthy. So medical examination is required. Health insurance will be requested but isn’t mandatory.
• Applicant financial status proves.
• If the applicant is underage, must present a parental permit.
• Fill and send the required forms. [More info]
  

Does this visa have any other benefit?

The granted visa could provide a stay up to 12 months (several circumstances may apply), and it is highly possible to be granted because your sponsor acts like a backup in some cases (and has the obligation to make you leave the country). The visa should be granted faster than the tourist visa.

Cons?

• The visa can’t be extended, so you will be requested to leave the country at the end of the maximum allowed term.
• Is valid for one entry only.
• If you want to apply for the visa again, you must be overseas.
• Can’t work. Can’t study. Only visiting.
• Medical insurance. If you are at a risky age, make sure you buy a health insurance before travelling Australia. Otherwise you might pay the full price of a good health system.
• A security bond may be requested if there is a possibility that the applicant do not leave Australia when the term is done. The bond will be refunded once the visitor leaves the country and it variates from US$ 5,000 to US$ 15,000 or (depending on the case) any other amount.
  

For further information read this: Immi web site.

Links to the other posts
Main post “How to: visit Australia.”
How to: visit Australia (tourist visa).
How to: visit Australia (ETA permit).

The tourist visa is the one you want to use when you are visiting Australia for a holiday, recreation studying (up to three months) or even visiting family. With this visa you may do anything in the term of 3 three months except working and it cost US$ 100.00.
The requisites for this visa are:

• At the moment there are no health requirements to request this visa.
• Character requirements. You got to request the police checks as prove of your good behave.
• Financial requirements. You got to prove you have enough money to go back and forth.
• Children of underage. You need to have the common permits from your parents to travel.
• Passport.
• Plus a form, which you may want to take it online or if you prefer send it by standard mail.
  

Does this visa have any other benefit?

Well yeah, in case after a couple of months in Australia you want to stay a little longer, an extension can be requested to the migration department, in some cases the extension could be up to 6 months.

Cons?

There are some remarks which you have to review just in case you are sure you want this visa to be the one to use.

• You can’t work. At least not a paying job. Voluntary is accepted. It’s ok; you surely don’t want to use a recreational visa for working, are you?
• Medical insurance. If you are at a risky age, make sure you buy a health insurance before traveling Australia. Otherwise you might pay the full price of a good health system.
• If you are planning anything longer than 3 to 12 months (case to by studied) you should start thinking about this visa doesn’t fulfil your requirements.
• Takes a couple of weeks to be approved. The visa requirements are checked at Howard, Tasmania, so it might take a while before you know if you get on of these. If your country belongs to the common wealth or to the European Community you should check the ETA permit which is way faster and cheaper.
  

The ETA permit is a visitor permit designed for those who are outside Australia and wants to visit Australia for holidays, tourism, recreation and some studies or training, but it is exclusively for citizens (or passport carriers) or the following countries [click here]. You will be charged for US$20.00 to cover the service use.

The requisites for this permit are:

• Be outside of Australia.
• At the moment there are no health requirements except if you are going to have studies at a class-room environment in which case you will requested to get a chest x-ray examination.
• Have a valid and listed passport.
• Each family member must request their permit.
• Fill up the online form.

• The permit can’t be extended, so you will be requested to leave the country at the end of the maximum allowed term.
• Can’t work. At least not a paying job. Voluntary is accepted with some limitations.
• You may be requested to have medical examination.
• Medical insurance. If you are at a risky age, make sure you buy a health insurance before traveling Australia. Otherwise you might pay the full price of a good health system.
• Even if you are from the list of allowed countries, you got to be legally clear. If you have convictions then you have to apply for a tourist visa, the ETA will be automatically rejected.