After several attempts to change my residential address to Australia so I can vote here in the Venezuelan presidential elections this October (post 1 and post 2), finally today I could do it.
As I got here to Australia one of the things I had on my mind I had (should) do before getting a full time job was this: changing my electoral registry, so I started evaluating the options all of them to go by myself:
- Staying in Canberra over night: regarding that there were two options; the first one was paying for a hotel or hostel, at least that was going to be at least 50$, so NO; the second option was waiting for a friend who is arriving in Canberra in about 2 weeks, and that option was also out of the question (in fact I even didn't tell this option to my friend, she may find about this as she reads this post) because I thought she and her family were just going to be settling and I was going to be in their way.
- Going and returning in the same day: well that was the only option so I started looking for a way to go...
- By plane: around 220$as cheap each way, so in total 440$, so NO
- By train: around 80$ a return trip, more affordable, so COULD BE
- By bus: a return trip in 50$... THAT WAS IT
-
Besides that I had to think about the transport expenses in Canberra, and in the possibility of having to take a taxi home from Parramatta, because of the hour the bus gets to Sydney. In the end it was going to be quite a bit of money but I was going to go for it because I think it's an important thing to do.
The day I decided this I got from 3 different friends (Kathy. Arturo and Carlos) a mail saying that the guys that organised the "Operativo" in Sydney in December, were organising another "Operativo" but this time to go to Canberra to register ourselves.
It was 50$ a piece, for renting a bus that was going to take us straight to the embassy and back.
Today, Saturday, was that day. I have to say that this was also possible because the embassy opened their doors a Saturday for us to come in to do this errand.
From Sydney in the bus we were 14 people, from Melbourne were around 80 something, there were people from Perth and Brisbane who went by themselves, as well as others from Sydney... in total we were around 190 people changing our voting address to Australia... we did it!!!
Here are some pics of the event and the group.
On our way… a little bit of rain
Still on our way
A glimpse of Canberra
The Parliament
The entrance of the Embassy
The embassy and the Venezuelans waiting to come in…
Playing one of the national sports (Domino) while waiting
On the bus…the group
More of Canberra
More of Canberra
Some estrange sheep on our way back home
SO GOOD you could do it, there you have it 180 votes for ..... :) It looks like there are a lot of venezuelans in Australia.
ResponderEliminarAle.... those 187 voters are just some of us.... here in Oz there are already about 700 voters registered!!!! :D
ResponderEliminarThis is GREAT Gaby!!! So proud of you! :) I hope more and more migrants change their address so they can vote in the October's election.
ResponderEliminarBy the way, thank you for taking time of your days to write in your blog. It's great read all the impressions and stories from a newcomer :)
@TavoToOz
The domino as a national sport??? I wouldn't go as far as to indicate to any of the fellow readers the domino is a national sport in Venezuela when the baseball clearly defines what a Venezuelan think a sport could be :P
ResponderEliminarIn any case, what did you think about Canberra? Couldn't find anything mentioning the small impression you could have formed during the... 4ish hours in the capital of Australia :)
Blessed are you who you can go to Canberra by bus. I live in the Northern Territory and I have to take 3 planes to get to Canberra. By the way, I have to go next week to find the passport of my son who was born a month ago.
ResponderEliminarRod:
ResponderEliminaryes.... Domino can be one of the national sports!!!!!! About Canberra, I think it's lovely, a really nice and quiet place to live; with good architecture and a great urban layout.
I didn't say anything on this post, because this was about the election registry :P... but indeed Canberra is beautiful
Anonimo:
Wow... 3 planes!!!! that's incredible!!!!.... good luck mate ;)... well you could take this chance to register yourself, if you hadn't done that before. :)
Wow!! that's a lot of people wanting to vote next October overseas. Way to go fellas, also the mate from NT a big wohoooo!!
ResponderEliminarRegarding the domino, I would say it's the tipicall and autochthonous sport of drunk people (or I should say drink walkers??))
Nice pics btw.
Regards.