web development, usability, analytics

Here is a short list of things that might be helpful to those who have moved or are going to move to AU/NZ. As I think of more I will add them…

Sports:

Lets face it, the only sport that you will miss while being overseas is the NFL. (Unless you become a rugby fan like myself.) If you are really craving the sport, the best thing in the world is nfl.com/gamepass. About $100 gets you a full season and you can watch any game live or on demand on a variety of devices. And you get “The Red Zone”!

I think when/if we move back to the states I will get a foxy proxy server (listed below) outside the US as it is cheaper than getting the sports package in the states!

TV:

The best (arguably legitimate?) way to get access to all of your shows in the US is to get the Firefox plugin, Foxy Proxy with a US server. This will let you have access to Hulu and all the other networks that only stream content to users in the US.

Foxtel (Australia)

Now unfortunately you have to get an australian xbox AND an australian xbox live account in order for this to work but this gets you access to foxtel for quite cheap ($20/month). I highly recommend the sports package (for an extra $10/month) so that you can be clued in to sport for the water cooler conversations.

Staying in Contact:

Whats App – This is a cross platform messaging application that will allow you to message your friends all over the world for FREE.

Google Voice – Get a US number and you can text anyone in the US from your Android phone whilst abroad.

Buying shoes:

The first time I went to buy shoes in a store here in Australia, I nearly had a heart attack. (250 for a pair of runners.) Enter eastbay. It is well worth the $20 or so you need to pay to get the shoes shipped down here. Pro Tip: Go into a store, try on a few pairs and write down which ones they are to order them later. The guy helping me out at a shoe store did this for me as he was well aware the prices are insane and doesn’t get paid on commission…

More to come…
As I stated above, I will probably be adding more to this post as I think of things but wanted to get it out there. So comment/subscribe below to stay informed of updates.

Melbourne retailers have been complaining of slumping sales in the industry but that is probably because of the outrageous pricing of items here. (This post focuses on shoes but most clothing, apparel etc is too expensive…)

The internet is the great equalizer… You cant expect people to pay $200-250 for a pair of shoes that can be purchased online for less than half the cost. (yes shipping is $30 but you are still saving a lot of $$$)

So retailers, lower your prices. In the meantime, myself and friends will order our gear from Eastbay

Apologies for the off topic post but just wanted to get this out there.

You should donate to John’s project, providing a library to children in Cambodia, especially during this holiday season. What a great way to change lives in an area that needs it. Read more about John here and the non profit Room to Read.

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It doesnt seem possible that these two shops can be on the same street but here you have it.

The first mall in Tanzania:

The other side of the street:

Sidenote: They have a theater at the mall and it was really odd to see ‘The Kingdom‘ playing when a large part of the population here is Muslim…

So I had the good fortune to go to church with a fellow employee the other day and man was it awesome!  We got there by taking a short dirt road just off a street in town.  The church is undergoing renovations so the back of it is missing at the moment.  Church service started at 9am and we were a little bit late so when we walked in, you can imagine a lot of people’s surprise when I came in.  Sitting down was difficult as well as there was only about 8 inches in between each of the benches.  Sunday school is from 9-10am (in the same building as the main church) and from what I had translated to me, was about Samual chapter 7 and being a commando for Jesus.  After that was the most rousing worship/singing service I have ever witnessed.  People were singing and dancing and the energy!  It was amazing!  Of course I had to bust out the handy dandy canon and take some videos to capture it on digital memory which is much better than mine. (the vids will be uploaded as soon as i get somewhere with a decent internet connection)  After the one and half hour worship session came a time where everyone was praying.  And not ‘bow your head and close your eyes with no one looking around’ prayer…  This was from the heart, emotion filled, honest and open, passionate prayer!  Some people were shouting, some were (potentially) speaking in tongues, others seemed to be exhorting God for deliverance right there!  It was incredible!  Being a ‘blue’, I was nearly moved to tears; nearly.

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