Revitalise Me Deodorant

     As far as natural deodorants are concerned I am well educated on the subject. I have tried mineral deodorant sprays, crystal sticks, Toms, home made recipes... Just about every type you can think of and sadly none of them have done the job, meaning I stink. Now I know that the smell of your sweat has a lot to do with diet and the bacteria on your pits but I'd rather not go into too much detail on that...
     There are many reasons why you may choose to give up standard deodorants. For me it was evidence linking aluminum (found in most antiperspirant deodorant) to cancer. It was also the fact that some deodorants made my skin break out in a rash. Looking at all of these chemical filled deodorants on the shelf designed to stop my body from doing what it's meant to just felt wrong. So I made the switch and after trying many brands, types and even making my own I resorted to the fact that natural deodorants would never compare, I was wrong.
     I can't remember how it is that I stumbled across The Physic Garden on Instagram but I do remember calling it The Psychic Garden for a good few weeks. The Physic Garden is a relatively small online business located in Melbourne, Victoria and is run by a naturopath and healer named Charelle. The store is stocked with natural, handmade vegan skin care from deodorants to balms. The entire aesthetic of this website makes me want to become more sustainable myself. Charelle created The Physic Garden as a way to connect people to the healing properties of nature everyday. If that wasn't enough to sell you the prices on this site are great too! If you're interested in purchasing any products I will link the website. Some Australian stores even carry her brand in stock so make sure to check the stockist page on her website.
     I purchased the 30g Revitalise Me deodorant as a trial size. It contains Shea Butter, Bi-Carb Soda, Arrowroot powder, Olive Oil infused with Calendula, Candelilla wax, Essential oils (Lemon Myrtle, Rosemary and Tea Tree) all organic ingredients. She also has relaxing and sensitive deodorants available which sound just as lovely.
     So on to the review! I have to say the packaging was very neat and beautiful and even though I only ordered such a small product it really felt like a lot of care went into my individual purchase. The first thing I had to do was a sniff test. You can really smell the lemon myrtle with a hint of tea tree although it is NOT overpowering. To use this product I have a tiny wooden stick and I apply a pea sized amount to my underarms. You could use your fingers but I prefer not to. I haven't noticed any smell, excess sweat or uncomfortable caking.
     The real test came today when I did a long and hard work out. Typically this is where all of the other deodorants fall short. I am so excited to announce that after this treacherous work out I smelled fresh! I did a little victory boogie and immediately began planning out this blog post. I will continue using this deodorant and possibly try out the other scents. If you're like me, and have been searching for The One, here it is! A huge thank you to Charelle for making such wonderful products.

Website -  https://thephysicgarden.com/collections/all

How to Move to Australia - Getting Health Cover

     Welcome to my second addition to this series all on how I moved to Australia. This post will focus on healthcare options while traveling or moving to the country. Please note that all information provided is my experience only and it is always very important to do your own research.
     The first time I came to Australia I was on a temporary visa, meaning I did not have the intention on moving permanently. The best health care option for me was to buy insurance created for those traveling in Australia temporarily. There are plenty of insurance options within a reasonable budget, you can visit sites like compare the market to find the best deals for you. It's pretty straightforward from there, you will get a healthcare card and be covered for what was specified in your plan. Most of this is for emergency cover meaning ambulance, and hospital fee's.
     If you are planning to move to Australia or stay here for longer than a holiday period here is what I chose to do. I arrived on a working and holiday visa (temporary) and signed up for a BUPA plan. This covered me for ambulance, hospital, $350 worth of dental and a small optical plan as well. BUPA has tons of options so you can add on whatever suits you or your family. If you don't have healthcare to put in in perspective a typical doctors appointment will cost you out of pocket around $70 dollars. My average cost for prescription medication ranged around $14 dollars and my average dental hygienist appointment was $95. So if you choose not to be covered these are some costs you can expect to pay and that doesn't include emergency situations.
     Becoming a resident means that you will want to enroll in Medicare. Australia has a universal healthcare system that provides free or subsidized healthcare. Meaning that if you went to the doctor with your medicare you would pay $70 but receive $45 back. So your appointment now costs $35 instead of $70. To enroll in Medicare go onto https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa/Visa/Medicare and make sure you are eligible.
      I applied for Medicare by downloading and printing the enrollment form at home, I then filled out my information and went to the Centrelink/Medicare facility. (I will link the Medicare enrollment form below). Make sure to bring your passport and all identification with you to the office. I only needed my passport, Australian drivers license and my permanent residency form. When you enter into the facility make sure you tell them that you are a permanent resident enrolling in Medicare and it cannot be done online. They often usher you in without listening and then find out that the application cannot be done online resulting in a longer waiting period. Once you get called to the desk you will then hand over your completed form and all identification listed previously. They will check your passport to make sure the visa is linked and sign you up for Medicare. After that you will be issued a temporary Medicare card and a new one will be posted to you in the mail. The temporary card will work for any appointments so don't worry. The entire process is very smooth as long as you have all of your documentation and information filled out correctly. I hope this article helped you and good luck on your journey!

Medicare enrollment application - https://www.humanservices.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/3101-1306en.pdf

How to Move to Australia

       

-Questions to ask yourself-

For what reason am I moving?

What is my current financial situation?

Is there anyone in Australia to help make the transition easier?

How tied am I to my homeland?

Do I need fast internet?

     Ok, so the last one is a joke. But if you’ve ever used Australian internet you can surely relate. It’s important to ask yourself these questions because moving here isn’t the easiest or cheapest thing, and you need to be set in your decision. Reasons for moving may include change of scenery, a new job opportunity, education, or a partner to name a few.

     What is your financial situation? This is critical because moving to Australia can be very expensive, and not only for the application fee. Anticipate background checks, health checks, and possible taxation from your home government if you’re working in Australia while you wait for your residency.

     Do you know anyone in Australia to help make the transition easier? If you have a partner, family, or job willing to sponsor you it can make the whole process a lot easier.

     How tied are you to your homeland? Even if you’re coming from a western culture, Australia will be very different from what you are used to. Unless you’re from California, they always fit in here. I strongly encourage you to visit or temporarily live before deciding to apply for a long-term visa.

     I recently had my permanent residency visa granted within 9 months! My waiting period was supposed to take anywhere from 12-16 months, but I got through very quickly. This is most likely due to my reason for moving (my Australian fiancé), hiring a migration agent (Godsend) and having a clean record (both medically and criminally). So for anyone looking to get a partner visa here is how I did it.

     I started off moving to Australia on a working and holiday visa. This allowed me to stay in the country and work for 12 months. I applied for my permanent visa before my temporary one expired, which switched me over to a bridging visa. So, first of all my partner and I had been together for four years which meant we had plenty of evidence to back up our relationship. Second, we had lived together for at least 12 months prior to applying. Then we registered our de facto relationship through New South Wales. This set up our successful visa application. After that we searched online for a migration agent whom we felt comfortable with, had good pricing and amazing success rates. It’s important to do your research so you don’t get scammed. I will be writing a post about my experience with a migration agent another time. So working with the agent we were able to fill out the application step by step, get my medical exam done and hand in our evidence. The final step was getting my criminal checks done by both Australia and America. For this I also had to be fingerprinted. Once this was all done it was just down to waiting. The way the visa process worked for me was we did things step by step rather than all at once. Once your visa is approved you are all set! If you are getting a permanent residency you will be able to apply for Medicare right away! However, you will be on a temporary residency for 12 months, sort of like a trial period. This will grant you the same rights as a permanent resident though so don’t worry! There really is so much to cover on this topic but I wanted to start by outlining what I went through for this process and then I can go into more details in the future. If you have any specific questions please feel free to comment! Good luck with your visa process.