The big O.E
by Becky Tappin
As my University days are numbered, like many others I begin to wonder what we will do with our newfound freedom.
There are many paths that we can tread, but the big O.E has to be one of the most well travelled.
But despite the attraction, the O.E is a bit more complicated that simply jumping on a plane and jet-setting around the world footloose and fancy-free.
The ever-so-desirable O.E requires much more thought and planning than most of you would think and/or like. Believe me I know, as I am going through this process right now, and have been for a couple of months.
Firstly, there’s the issue of your passport, making sure it is current and if it isn’t, getting it renewed which will cost you $150 and can take up to a month to be processed.
Then there’s the Visa. If you’re travelling to the U.K (like myself) it will cost you about $580 - depending on the type you require, and can take up to two months to process.
Oh, and then there’s the endless amount of paperwork you have to supply, again dependent on your selected Visa, but most require every passport you have ever owned, application forms, a C.V and three months’ worth of bank statements to prove your financial stability.
And once that is done, you’ll need to get a bank account to set up (which can be done through your bank, but yet again could take from six to eight weeks to be confirmed).
Finally, you can get around to buying your flight ticket. This is possibly the easiest part about organising the whole trip.
There is also insurance to think about, as well as buying a backpack and any necessary clothing you will need in your new environment.
What I am trying to explain (based on current experiences) is that the ever-so-sought after O.E is not as simple as jumping on a plane and hoping things will work out; you must plan and allow time for things to be processed and approved properly.
As I am also finding out, if you do these things early, the remaining time before you take flight is a lot less stressful and leaves more time for more important things - such as farewell parties.
But, if you’ve learnt anything from your time at University, it’s probably the art of time management…or maybe not.