I\u2019m still here. It\u2019s a fiasco. Instead of smugly blogging from summertime Auckland, I\u2019m feeling slightly bitter in bitter-cold London. All warm clothes are packed. I\u2019d hoped the NZ Medical Council registration would have arrived, but alas, I\u2019m still waiting. In my quest to career around this week, I\u2019ve learned two lessons.<\/p>\n
Lesson 1<\/p>\n
Medical checks<\/p>\n
To work in New Zealand, you need to have evidence of immunity to:<\/p>\n
Measles<\/p>\n
Mumps<\/p>\n
Rubella<\/p>\n
Chickenpox<\/p>\n
Hep B<\/p>\n
An MRSA nasal swab<\/p>\n
And here\u2019s the rub, a Heaf test or chest X ray. Has anyone out there ever had a Heaf test? At all the places I\u2019ve worked, occupational health have had a look at my BCG scar, seemed impressed and sent me to work. For most jobs, you need to have these tests done within three weeks of your start date. Don\u2019t get them done too soon. You\u2019ll just need to be re-bled when the paperwork comes through. Having an abundance of Heaf tests isn\u2019t exactly the jolliest January activity.<\/p>\n
Lesson 2<\/p>\n
Know your limits<\/p>\n
Check baggage limitations and be realistic about what you can carry. If you are working abroad for more than six months, you are probably going to need to ship some of your belongings. Apologies if this sounds patronising, but until last week, I was planning to carry my triathlon racing bike under one arm and check it in as excess baggage. It really is worth shopping around between different shipping companies as quotes vary vastly. Unlike planes, you pay by volume, not weight. Unfortunately the required shipping red tape, customs forms and insurance papers comes in volumes too. I suggest making a list of everything as you pack it. This makes both insurance calculations and customs procedures easier than un-sticking and re-packing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I\u2019m still here. It\u2019s a fiasco. Instead of smugly blogging from summertime Auckland, I\u2019m feeling slightly bitter in bitter-cold London. All warm clothes are packed. I\u2019d hoped the NZ Medical […]<\/p>\n