Roberto Live!

I don’t know where she is, and unless I want to join the underworld business of Carmen, I need visas to work abroad.

Anyway, the promised visa post. Long-story short: commenting about the difficulty to find a sponsor in Australia (and that was the reason to get abroad), a friend commented out about using job agencies. And he was so correct, I wrote to a few agencies and Robert Walters called back, they were interested in my skills and they said that if I find a contract they’ll work out the visa.

Now the question is: should I try to work in Europe anyway? I don’t necessarily need to leave Australia now.

I know I haven’t updated the blog in more than a month, which is a bit weird but I’ve been busy planning for the future. If you know me well, you already know how I like traveling and meeting different people and loving all the security and open-source stuff in the way. The plan is to do all that stuff at the same time.

So what’s up with me? Well after quitting from Websalad I started a Postgraduate Certificate in Policing, Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism at Macquarie Uni. I’ve never been in a Faculty of Arts before, I guess that makes me a cross-over of Science and Arts now, how cool is that? The main reason for taking this certificate is to expand my skills in national/organisational security and because of the class of cyberterrorism. The cool thing about this class is the fact that you can take it online if you need, then no problems with moving overseas. And no, we can’t still spy on anyone and I don’t have a licence to kill like James Bond, but I have my hopes.

The hot topic that everybody wants to know: how are the visas going? Well, last word from the British was a few weeks ago saying that they couldn’t reply in 28 days and probably in September. Yeah, so slow. The funny stuff is that they advise you not to apply 3 months before of your intended date to be in the UK. Guess what? The application is in 5 months now. Anyway, I’m not in rush at the moment. Danish visa was the backup visa, however Denmark start sounding interesting although I can’t possibly understand the language, well I can read a bit now.

Am I working now? Nope, I couldn’t because of my previous visa. However, a friend of a friend, very kindly advised me how recruitment agencies can sponsor me, solving the problem of the sponsorships. Sort of. I’ll explain more in detail later. I wanted to go to Europe mostly for work experience, although apparently I have the option to stay in Australia now… uhmm hard to decide. Also, it seems there are also opportunities in Shanghai, a quick google showed me that it can be easier than I thought before, still not sure about that.

Now it’s official. Just in case you didn’t know it I applied for a visa to work in the UK! Yeah I know, it’s exciting especially for the financial institutions crashing over there, but hell, if things are too easy where’s the fun? So, the plan is to get a Tier 1 visa, leave Australia in maybe two or three months and get a good job in London that allow me to travel in Europe.

Also I’m applying for Skilled Independent Visa in Australia, which allow me to come back. Like my plan?, so do I, the beauty it’s in the perfect timing of all these things happening.

Now I have a job for you my faithful reader: get me a job or a contact in the UK and I’ll send you cookies!

My dad commented the other night that he was about to watch the match between the Mexico and Australia in the World Baseball Classic which is taking place now (this is real World Series, not like the American World Series in which only two countries, but for unknown reasons has that name). Amusing, since Australians barely know what baseball is. However, to my dismay next day I found that Australia won!! But that wasn’t the worst part, it won 17 to 7. How’s that possible? The bloody Aussies has never ever won in baseball in history. Man, 17? And that wasn’t even mentioned in the news here in Sydney.

Something is utterly wrong in this world.

I went to the Powerhouse Museum with Catherine, James and Brendan the day after my birthday. That museum is awesome, and it was even more awesome that there Star Wars exhibition was in there (follow the link for pictures), which was an excellent post-birthday gift.

Walking on Pitt Street in my way to the meeting of the ACS and having 30 minutes free I just passed by JB Hi-Fi. What a surprise when I found a shelf  with the new CD of U2: No Line on the Horizon, just in there, and with a discount: $18.99!! I immediately went after the disc to make sure it wasn’t the single or something, but no it was the shiny new album of U2. I grabbed my credit card and I’m listening the album right now.

The album was supposed to be released first in Ireland tomorrow 27th of February (on my birthday) and worldwide the 3rd of March. What a great birthday present!

Because you were good today: double post!

A good Mexican friend who I met here in Australia, just started a small consultancy company. Considering she’s quite smart and has a shiny new MBA from Macquarie University and a good amount of experience I have no doubt she’ll succeed very soon. Right now she’s in Singapore and the innovative part of her business is that the service can be hired online, very convenient for the clients. And very convenient for my friend, I can already picture her working on a laptop overlooking Singapore skyline and having a cocktail. The perfect job.

Then, good luck Maria Jose and remember to hire me for securing your information systems.

This is what you were waiting: pictures of Villahermosa. I know, I took more pictures in Amsterdam. It’s just I was being lazy in Mexico.