Americans have it the best....

[Ecclecticmum]

Well you do.

 

I am now constantly harping onto hubby "if only I was in the US I would....." about 20 times a day.

 

So lets see, if only I was in the US I would:

 

- Get a BRILLIANT boxed science curriculum with dirt, wood, pulp, and every single item that isn't allowed to be shipped here (basically anything earth-made)

- Go onto etsy and buy that Natural Starfish barette

- Get every single boxed all-supplies-at-the-ready curriculum I can

- Purchase monthly from Rainbow Resource (just 'cause)

- Purchase Whole frozen animals -intact- for my dogs (yes, I found a site that could deliver even rabbit heads, fur and all, to my door. My dogs eat raw, and I have to supplement with a lot of vitamins and stuff precisely because my dogs can't access the feathers, beaks, feet, fur and other stuff that has essential nutrients in it.)

- Live absolutely large and get my dogs a bulk lot of fresh tripe (THE MOST nutritious stuff for dogs) every month. Its illegal to sell unbleached tripe out here, consequently bleached tripe is useless, all nutrients have literally been "bleached" away, it has nothing useful left.

- Go insane at all the suppliers that only ship within the US

- Buy an I love the USA T-shirt, because, ya know, if I lived there and was able to get all the above things, I absolutely would love it.

- Get so many more things in paperback format rather than buying PDFs

- Go to every homeschool conference/sale/event there is anywhere near me (nothing like that out here, nothing at all)

- Meet SWB.....probably just stare and look like a total idiot, but would still do it. Thats pretty much a perogative

- Meet all the wonderful people I have met through here.

- Get Discovery Streaming, Netflix, PBS Play and all the stuff I have missed out on getting on Homeschool Buyer's Co-op

- Finally be able to purchase the Scooter & Me Box Set, because it is seeming to be impossible to get it shipped out here.

- Finally I would get a very american house with a cellar and bunker and a massive attic. (no cellars, bunkers or attics anywhere out here).

 

Yep, it would be sweeeeet.

 

:drool5::001_tt1::hat::thumbup1:

 

That is all.

Edited July 13, 2012 by Ecclecticmum

[CatholicMom]

LOL :iagree: America IS the best. :thumbup:

 

Maybe I missed it, but where DO you live? The UK? So dh isn't convinced?

 

I've wondered before how people in Europe order some stuff online. It seems like everywhere I order from is coming from somewhere in the US. I didn't realize we were privileged to receive peat moss in the mail, though. :lol:

 

 

:patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

[Amy M]

I hear ya! :bigear: I just tried to buy a 10-volume CD set for main composers that SWB recommends in WTM. It is only $1.99 on MP3 download right now at Amazon. Amazing deal. And Amazon wouldn't let me because I'm not in the US right now! :glare: (Though my account is US.) Boo.

[CatholicMom]

Did you know you can get mail order seeds, trees & other plants, too? You can order "barefoot" trees that have no soil on them and them root them in water and plant them!

 

America! Heck yeah! :lol:

[Dory]

lol most of that is available here too. I sometimes wish I was in the US simply because homeschooling is less regulated there and there seems to be more extracurricular choices available for the kid.

[Ecclecticmum]

I'm in Australia. I love my land :D One line goes back to a a notable Reverand in the Colony days of Aus and the other to Katherine Parr (6th wife of Henry VIII). So Aus, and probably therefore England is counted as home (I like Tescos :tongue_smilie: just don't like the cold)

 

But I just miss out on soooo much not being in US. So many homeschooling & dogs rawfood stuffs I miss out on :( Sad Panda.

 

I do like hersheys kisses. Last time I was in the US I think I ate a packet a day (whoops! lol, and found out Nick's Fishmarket wasn't actually a fish&chip shop, but a very very expensive restaurant (the wallet felt that one, and the waiters were very amused by our beach clothes :lol: I chose the calamari......and they didn't come as rings,.....but whole baby octopi sitting on my plate :ack2: )

[stripe]

I hear ya! :bigear: I just tried to buy a 10-volume CD set for main composers that SWB recommends in WTM. It is only $1.99 on MP3 download right now at Amazon. Amazing deal. And Amazon wouldn't let me because I'm not in the US right now! :glare: (Though my account is US.) Boo.

 

Which one is that?!

[kesmom]

Just looked it up - I think it is this set

[justamouse]

I have yet to find a brilliant boxed science curriculum. The rest is true. :D

 

:lol:

 

OP :grouphug:

 

Is there any way we can help?

[kristinannie]

As much as we complain, Americans have a lot to be grateful for. If you ever have a need for Hershey kisses, let me know. I will mail you some!!!! I had a German penpal that always asked for Hershey's chocolate. And he would send me real beer. Although I guess that probably wasn't legal... :lol:

[Annie Laurie]

Let's trade, I want to move to Australia. I've met some of the nicest people ever online, and they're all from Australia. Plus, they live in Brisbane and I'm always hearing about awesome things for kids to do there, like the Powerhouse.

[reign]

What is a "bunker" ? Should I assume it is a basement cause that is my new favorite word. I will be calling my basement a bunker from now on. If you want to visit Michigan come on over! My great aunt owns a natural pet shop and we will hook you up with all sorta of frozen animals :)

[LittleIzumi]

I'm in America and I wish I could do some of those, too. :lol: Mine would be more of an, "If I actually had money in America" post. :tongue_smilie:

 

Although I do know a homeschooler here who moved from Australia to the US for a lot of similar reasons. ;)

[Pen]

I am interested in this because I would love to have some homeschool be actual time abroad. Up till now, I had thought that there was difficulty with the cost of things being sent, but now I gather that it isn't even legal to send many things?

 

Aside from lack of homeschool materials and other things being able to be sent through mail, how is it? Very expensive cost of living in general? Difficult regulations regarding homeschooling? I'm not sure if we would have to comply with the rules in the country we were visiting or not.

 

Are you in Australia? Australia is one of my places of potential interest! (Maybe if someone could help me figure out a place to go for an abroad experience and how to go about finding a place to stay long distance, etc. etc., I could somehow travel with the things that are desired--if that is allowed--I think somethings cannot go because of fear of importing plant diseases etc. from one place to another. But extra curriculum stuff, I assume I could travel with. I guess. I don't know what current restrictions exist for that as it has been years and years since I did anything more than a single carry-on.)

 

BTW within the US, there are places plant starts and so on cannot be (or at least are not supposed to be) sent or gotten from because of problems with transferring plant illnesses from one place to another. For example, Hawaii and California both have restrictions last time I went to either place (which has been a while though--only been on a plane once since becoming a mom).

[Tanikit]

I'm from South Africa and we want to emigrate (though not to the USA as its hard to get in there) and almost everything needs to be imported here - we can't even really get any math manipulatives without bringing them in. Shipping costs are shocking and book prices here are terrible because of it and taxes they add on. We don't want to emigrate because of postage of course but its another pro :) I think it would be great to order anything from the internet and get it in 24 hours - while there are a few sites that we can do this on here, the selection is very limited - we usually are waiting up to a month or more or paying and paying to get it here in just over a week.

[serendipitous journey]

... Shipping costs are shocking and book prices here are terrible because of it and taxes they add on. ...

 

a physicist friend who emigrated from the USSR (as in, back when it was the USSR) bootlegs books and DVDs shamelessly b/c he can't fathom that information should be too expensive to buy :). Some aspects of market capitalism have clearly passed him over, but it's a good point that society benefits from books being AFFORDABLE, at least ...

 

ETA: just for the record, I'm not suggesting that the Soviet sponsorship of writers and thinkers is to be preferred to democratic processes ... just wanted to be clear on that ...

[BinahYeteirah]

I liked homeschooling in Australia. In Victoria, there were zero requirements of homeschoolers when I started. By the time I moved, they had just begun to require a notification letter. Very, very easy. My kids were younger then, and I didn't use as much curriculum. I didn't want it, so I didn't miss it. The libraries where I lived were also better than many of the American ones I've used. Any time I wanted a book they didn't have, they'd either do an inter-library loan, or, failing that, they'd buy it for me. I did live in the Melbourne area, so we had lots of local resources.

 

I like homeschooling where I am now, too, but there is more regulation here than there was in Victoria. My local libraries aren't quite as nice as those I used in Australia, either, but they're pretty good. I do know what you mean about being able to buy the things you'd like. I didn't need the homeschooling things so much, but I missed many of the other products I'd come to love from the US. I often ordered things from the US, but I knew that it wouldn't be worthwhile to return things, so once I'd bought something that was it. It gets very expensive.

 

One thing I really miss about Australia is socialized healthcare. That is one thing I think is much, much better in Australia. Don't take it for granted. Despite all the negative talk about "Obamacare" online, I, for one, would love to see the US move even farther in that direction.

[stripe]

I think it would be great to order anything from the internet and get it in 24 hours - .

 

:lol: so would I, but it's never happened!

[Mommy22alyns]

One thing I really miss about Australia is socialized healthcare. That is one thing I think is much, much better in Australia. Don't take it for granted. Despite all the negative talk about "Obamacare" online, I, for one, would love to see the US move even farther in that direction.

 

I have heard so many great things about this. It makes me want to move!

[sewingmama]

I'm in America and I wish I could do some of those, too. :lol: Mine would be more of an, "If I actually had money in America" post. :tongue_smilie:

 

:lol:

 

My mum moved from Australia to the USA -she would agree with you. She has no insurance and waits till she visits Australia to get medical care because she can't afford it in the US.

 

I've lived in Canada -I've visited the US -I prefer Australia. Sure it's fun and convienient to have all those things available to you - but it's just stuff if YKWIM.

 

One thing I really miss about Australia is socialized healthcare. That is one thing I think is much, much better in Australia. Don't take it for granted. Despite all the negative talk about "Obamacare" online, I, for one, would love to see the US move even farther in that direction.

 

Well I'm probably one of the few Australians who thinks our health care system is bogus. :glare: It's great if you're poor and have a health care card but if you're actually earning your own money it's not so great. I broke my toe this week and couldn't afford to go to the doctor to have it looked at. $60 for the doctor visit and then $150 for the x-ray -just didn't have it spare. Every time I need to pick up a repeat prscription it costs me $60 -just to have the doctor fill out a piece of paper for me :glare: Nothing is bulk-billed in my area because our clinic is "private" (we live rural so there is no other choice to go to). If you go to the doctor on the weekend you have to go to the hospital and they charge you after hours fees - so basically - if you are sick on the weekend and don't have $150 spare you are screwed because they won't see you.

 

The last time I took my DS to the doctor because he has really sick with flu they told me unless I paid the money up front they would refuse to see him :001_huh: Who refuses treatment to a very sick 4yo because of $60 in a country where medical care is supposed to be free

 

 

Anyway :D that's my one off-track rant about living in Australia - but I still don't think the USA is better just because more "stuff" is available to you

[craftyerin]

if it makes you feel better, we have no bunker or basement, and a really crappy attic. I do have a nice shed, though. You can't build basements here in New Orleans because the city is below sea level.

[sourpatchbaby]

Heck yeah America rocks! I don't have to use a communal outhouse anymore or cart water into the house for washing and bathing. Hooray for indoor plumbing!!

 

 

 

and yeah to the other stuff you said too:lol:

[Ecclecticmum]

I forgot about Amazon prime! Me wants that too :D

 

Its more that everything I would like/end up putting on my list to purchase for next year, I find isn't available to me.

 

Lots of things can't be sent here. Anything alive or that was once alive could carry microscopic organisms , fruit flies, or anything else. If you go on youtube and type in border Security, that shows a lot of people coming from overseas who bring stuff they shouldn't in.

 

I took my childhood wood puzzle pictures to UK, it was fine getting them there (when we originally thought we would be moving to the UK) when we had a relative bring them back, apparently there was a big fuss, because its made of wood. They ripped the staples and twine off the back of the picture and we had to pay to have it irriadiated (which cost a fair bit).

 

So if you come to Australia, read the rules! lol. A lot of people get caught out because of ticking "no food" on their customs form, then their baggage has food in it (but it's just snacks, or its just herbs that I use medidicine, not food) if its edible, its food.

 

Anything that could potentially carry "live" things isn't allowed (or is a pain to get here) wood, soil, sand, shells, etc.

 

I know some people in Aus have had some luck getting stuff through (like sonlight science kits) but honestly, I wouldn't chance it. If it has something on the regulated/disallowed list, just for a 50-80 dollar kit, your chancing fines, the authorities, paying out extra money to have it shipped back/something done it it. or them just confiscating it. To me, its not worth the tme and effort to even try. And I can understand why they do it.

 

Australia has a delicate balance, and doesn't have many of the diseases (food and food related) known to other countries. Bringing a Banana in, means fruitfly, if that fruitfly manages to get near the Australia Food Market, millions of dollars of destruction could happen, people losing their jobs, companies shutting down. All so you could have your banana. Or that one leaf, could have disease on it, same thing.

 

I get annoyed about people that come in and get upset thinking we're just trying to take away their banana. They don't see that its dangerous, and their snack could destroy an industry.

 

The show itself is funny though, how many people try to bring Bird's Nest in.

 

I'm just having a little fantasy dream. It would be better if I could just drag a few choice companies to Aus, then I would be ecstatic :tongue_smilie:

[justamouse]

I know I'm latching onto the weird thing here, but you don't have fruit flies in Australia?

[NASDAQ]

Oh dear. I thought you were Canadian, and I was going to suggest getting a parcel drop just over the border (some 90% of Canadians live near to the US border; It's cold up there). That's what we do.

 

I think it should be very inconvenient to live in Australia. The shipping alone . . . still, the wildlife is pretty!

[NASDAQ]

Oh! US-tastic stuff:

 

- Wal Mart. MAN. You guys do not know what customer service is like in the rest of the world. It is an art form and the Americans have it DOWN.

- Target. See above.

- Car seats start at $40, but we can't use them in Canada.

- Kit Kat bars are kosher there.

- Margarine is usually non-dairy in the US.

- Loss leaders.

- _Prompt_, inexpensive shipping.

- No 12% sales tax

- No customs taking a month to rifle through your school books before sending them on to you with a $20 charge for their trouble.

[Ecclecticmum]

I know I'm latching onto the weird thing here, but you don't have fruit flies in Australia?

 

LOL. Don't worry. I tend to latch on to the weird parts of peoples diatribes too :D

 

Yes, we have fruit fly, but it is "different" from American fruit fly, I know that. I just don't know "how" it is different.

 

Australia has a number of native fruit flies, but most of these do not attack crops of economic significance. In contrast, exotic fruit flies present in neighbouring countries can infest commercial crops, causing crop devastation and trade disruption and requiring expensive eradication campaigns.

 

More Info:

Papaya Fruit Fly Failure of Quarantine

Fruit Fly Info

Qurantine & Customs

What Can't I take into Australia?

Exotic (Non-Aus) Fruitflies (where quote came from)

[ThePW]

I hear ya! :bigear: I just tried to buy a 10-volume CD set for main composers that SWB recommends in WTM. It is only $1.99 on MP3 download right now at Amazon. Amazing deal. And Amazon wouldn't let me because I'm not in the US right now! :glare: (Though my account is US.) Boo.

 

Download Tunnel Bear or Expat Shield, it will hide your ISP and you should be allowed to download from Amazon and watch stuff on US websites if you have it set for the US.

[awisha.]

Well you do.

 

I am now constantly harping onto hubby "if only I was in the US I would....." about 20 times a day.

 

So lets see, if only I was in the US I would:

 

- Get a BRILLIANT boxed science curriculum with dirt, wood, pulp, and every single item that isn't allowed to be shipped here (basically anything earth-made)

- Go onto etsy and buy that Natural Starfish barette

- Get every single boxed all-supplies-at-the-ready curriculum I can

- Purchase monthly from Rainbow Resource (just 'cause)

- Purchase Whole frozen animals -intact- for my dogs (yes, I found a site that could deliver even rabbit heads, fur and all, to my door. My dogs eat raw, and I have to supplement with a lot of vitamins and stuff precisely because my dogs can't access the feathers, beaks, feet, fur and other stuff that has essential nutrients in it.)

- Live absolutely large and get my dogs a bulk lot of fresh tripe (THE MOST nutritious stuff for dogs) every month. Its illegal to sell unbleached tripe out here, consequently bleached tripe is useless, all nutrients have literally been "bleached" away, it has nothing useful left.

- Go insane at all the suppliers that only ship within the US

- Buy an I love the USA T-shirt, because, ya know, if I lived there and was able to get all the above things, I absolutely would love it.

- Get so many more things in paperback format rather than buying PDFs

- Go to every homeschool conference/sale/event there is anywhere near me (nothing like that out here, nothing at all)

- Meet SWB.....probably just stare and look like a total idiot, but would still do it. Thats pretty much a perogative

- Meet all the wonderful people I have met through here.

- Get Discovery Streaming, Netflix, PBS Play and all the stuff I have missed out on getting on Homeschool Buyer's Co-op

- Finally be able to purchase the Scooter & Me Box Set, because it is seeming to be impossible to get it shipped out here.

- Finally I would get a very american house with a cellar and bunker and a massive attic. (no cellars, bunkers or attics anywhere out here).

 

Yep, it would be sweeeeet.

 

:drool5::001_tt1::hat::thumbup1:

 

That is all.

 

:iagree: to some of the above.

We need an Aussie Rainbow Resources, or any sort of curriculum provider, that is actually cheap and who doesn't charge nearly double the US prices even though USD and AUD are similar... :glare:

[awisha.]

And I would love to have desk apprentices and better binders :lol:

[Ibbygirl]

Oh! US-tastic stuff:

 

- Wal Mart. MAN. You guys do not know what customer service is like in the rest of the world. It is an art form and the Americans have it DOWN.

- Target. See above.

- Car seats start at $40, but we can't use them in Canada.

- Kit Kat bars are kosher there.

- Margarine is usually non-dairy in the US.

- Loss leaders.

- _Prompt_, inexpensive shipping.

- No 12% sales tax

- No customs taking a month to rifle through your school books before sending them on to you with a $20 charge for their trouble.

 

Wow! Ya'll pay 12% sales tax?? :svengo: We pay exactly half of that in my county. It's amusing though that you use Target and Walmart as examples of good customer service. :D hehehe You must not have ever been to my local Walmart. :lol: :lol:

 

To OP, maybe you can get a "board buddy" who is in the US who can send you stuff? I do this for Rosie when there is something she needs from here. :)

[Dicentra]

lol most of that is available here too. I sometimes wish I was in the US simply because homeschooling is less regulated there and there seems to be more extracurricular choices available for the kid.

 

Consider moving to Ontario. :D I send in a form letter at the beginning of every year to the local board with my dd's name and age stating that I will provide appropriate education at home (they don't really give a definition of "appropriate", either) and they send a form letter back stating they received my letter - that's it. If she had never been in the public school system (she attended for JK, SK, and Grade 1), I wouldn't have to even send the letter - just keep her home and school her.

 

The extracurricular choices here are minimal but that's probably because we're in a small rural community.

[Pen]

I forgot about Amazon prime! Me wants that too :D

 

Its more that everything I would like/end up putting on my list to purchase for next year, I find isn't available to me.

 

Lots of things can't be sent here. Anything alive or that was once alive could carry microscopic organisms , fruit flies, or anything else. If you go on youtube and type in border Security, that shows a lot of people coming from overseas who bring stuff they shouldn't in.

 

I took my childhood wood puzzle pictures to UK, it was fine getting them there (when we originally thought we would be moving to the UK) when we had a relative bring them back, apparently there was a big fuss, because its made of wood. They ripped the staples and twine off the back of the picture and we had to pay to have it irriadiated (which cost a fair bit).

 

So if you come to Australia, read the rules! lol. A lot of people get caught out because of ticking "no food" on their customs form, then their baggage has food in it (but it's just snacks, or its just herbs that I use medidicine, not food) if its edible, its food.

 

Anything that could potentially carry "live" things isn't allowed (or is a pain to get here) wood, soil, sand, shells, etc.

 

I know some people in Aus have had some luck getting stuff through (like sonlight science kits) but honestly, I wouldn't chance it. If it has something on the regulated/disallowed list, just for a 50-80 dollar kit, your chancing fines, the authorities, paying out extra money to have it shipped back/something done it it. or them just confiscating it. To me, its not worth the tme and effort to even try. And I can understand why they do it.

 

Australia has a delicate balance, and doesn't have many of the diseases (food and food related) known to other countries. Bringing a Banana in, means fruitfly, if that fruitfly manages to get near the Australia Food Market, millions of dollars of destruction could happen, people losing their jobs, companies shutting down. All so you could have your banana. Or that one leaf, could have disease on it, same thing.

 

I get annoyed about people that come in and get upset thinking we're just trying to take away their banana. They don't see that its dangerous, and their snack could destroy an industry.

 

The show itself is funny though, how many people try to bring Bird's Nest in.

 

I'm just having a little fantasy dream. It would be better if I could just drag a few choice companies to Aus, then I would be ecstatic :tongue_smilie:

 

Paper based materials, books and such, would they be okay? Or is that like wood because it could have pests (and it could, things like silverfish and according to an IEW exercise some sort of mite as I recall). Leather? Cotton? Wool? All once were alive. I guess little homeopathic sugar balls would be "food"... --wow... Still, it does make sense, and it is more than losing an "industry"--it would be losing a whole area of local healthy sustenance.

 

What is Australia's stance on GMO's btw? That is a big problem where I am because they contaminate crops of growers that don't want them, but they blow in the wind often.

[Amy M]

Download Tunnel Bear or Expat Shield, it will hide your ISP and you should be allowed to download from Amazon and watch stuff on US websites if you have it set for the US.

 

 

Cool, thanks! :)

[Amy M]

Just looked it up - I think it is this set

 

Yes, that's it. :)

[Grover]

ohh yes, I agree on most of the OP. Except on the actual living there part :-) I won't trade my little patch of Aotearoa, but yes, shipping is a killer, and I'd love to visit with an unlimited spending budget (including a shipping container to get it home again). We have lots of restrictions on imports too and it's a real pain at times. I recently discovered that I can't ship caffeinated candy here. Huh? Apparently there's a law here that says candy's for kids and caffeine isn't so no caffeine in candy. Weird.

 

Freight forwarders and/or friendly people to forward things is great (keeps my laffy taffy addiction fulfilled). But the actual cost is prohibitive on many things. I've discovered it's often cheaper to ship many things to friends, get them to box it all up in to LARGE boxes and send it that way.

 

On the other hand, sometimes the shipping from the US is almost as fast as if I were there - I ordered some gifts from thinkgeek at 9pm one Sunday and they arrived at 9am on Tuesday... wahoo! (Then again I've had some things take 3 months too <sigh>)

 

Oh... I'd like to add Ikea to my list of wish I had too. <drool>

[Ecclecticmum]

Paper based materials, books and such, would they be okay? Or is that like wood because it could have pests (and it could, things like silverfish and according to an IEW exercise some sort of mite as I recall). Leather? Cotton? Wool? All once were alive. I guess little homeopathic sugar balls would be "food"... --wow... Still, it does make sense, and it is more than losing an "industry"--it would be losing a whole area of local healthy sustenance.

 

What is Australia's stance on GMO's btw? That is a big problem where I am because they contaminate crops of growers that don't want them, but they blow in the wind often.

 

Normal Paper books are fine :D

I would think Parchment and Papyrus would have to be irradiated or not allowed.

Skins & Meat can be brought in if you have a permit, and they have to have certain treatments you pay for (a hunter with a permit to bring his "kills" into australia has to comply with having it taken to a taxidermist, identified, and treated)

Leather - I am unsure about. I would say "commercial" products would probably be fine natural/handmade ones are the ones I would be unsure about.

Cotton/Wool - Nope. Commercial Fake stuff is fine. I like making 3d felt sculptures, but I can't get core wool or the type of end wool product I like (which are readily available in the US) and it can't come here, and if it can, probably needs to be treated, which I don't want for a product that will be near my children.

Yep, a lot of people don't seem to count "medicinal" products, even though they are still counted as "food"

 

Re:GMOs - I'm sadly unaware of what I should be regarding this, DH is the resident food expert in regards to Safety, Handling & stuff. He works in the Dairy Industry, and attends all those boring Food Safety/laws/boring people in suits speaking conferences, so here's some links.

GMOs and Australia

http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumerinformation/gmfoods/

http://www.truefood.org.au/truefoodguide/

[stripe]

Doesn't NZ have all that wool? Can't you get anything decent from there that is cleared for Australia?

 

The US restricts meat and dairy foods too. I bought some cheese in Amsterdam airport that they assured me was fine, and, although Customs did clear it, I had to keep x-raying my bag and have it looked at in a separate area.

 

I'm with Ibbygirl on customer service at Target and Walmart. The best they can offer is vaguely helpful. Usually there is no employee to be found. Their employment practices are also somewhat suspect in some cases, so I am not sure these deserve export. I believe Japan corners the international market on excellent customer service.

 

I am fascinated that taxidermied animals interest you for import. I haven't a clue about that, but the US regulates live and dead animals heavily. A lot of people strap turtle eggs to their body or whatever to try to raise expensive animals for sale. This is illegal!

[kolamum]

But I just miss out on soooo much not being in US. So many homeschooling & dogs rawfood stuffs I miss out on :(

 

But you're really not missing out. I live in Australia too {Tassie actually} & am an American. Trust me, you're not really missing out cause if you COULD order all that stuff.. you'd be kinda broke. ;)

[Ecclecticmum]

Doesn't NZ have all that wool? Can't you get anything decent from there that is cleared for Australia?

I am fascinated that taxidermied animals interest you for import. I haven't a clue about that, but the US regulates live and dead animals heavily. A lot of people strap turtle eggs to their body or whatever to try to raise expensive animals for sale. This is illegal!

 

Actually I saw it on TV on Border Security ;) Then looked it up to double check. I'm not really the hunter type, more than hugging trees (then screaming about bugs on me) type :lol: I just thought it was funny, because it was this fat package that was apparently quite "ripe" and had the customs guys perplexed. The rules of wherever the "kill" was from apply too (so they can't kill an animal that isn't in "season" or whatever in the US, then bring it out here)

With regards to wool, what I want is core/batting. The only version I have been able to find is the packed/condensed sized of a king size bed. so $400 plus freight :001_huh: they don't sell small amounts. As for the other what I want is a type of roving. Out here they decide the word is interchangable with tops. Basically roving doesn't exist, its called batts and I finally found some "skinny" batts, but they have limited colours. Such a drama just to make a doll. What I have been using is "tops" for everything, which has been brushed/carded too many times, and so has a "lined" look. I just have to get round to speaking to the alpaca farmer I met at the markets a couple of weeks ago :D

 

But you're really not missing out. I live in Australia too {Tassie actually} & am an American. Trust me, you're not really missing out cause if you COULD order all that stuff.. you'd be kinda broke. ;)

Yep.....pro-bably. :tongue_smilie: I spose I would just get PBS Kids, a couple of interesting things for the dogs, run around someones attic looking at all their old stuff, and get Scooter & Me, then call it a day, come back home, and watch the kookaburras laughing at me and trying to steal the dogs food.

I'm a bit of a weird aussie though. Apparently I sound American/British and Aussie, depending on whom I am speaking too. And I don't have much of a love for Aussie mammals. Koalas stink & are heavy (sorry kolamum :tongue_smilie: ), kangaroos have some wicked nasty claws that scare me and..

 

Emu's chase me and are scary buggers. Don't like emu's at all.

 

I do like echidnas (such funny walks! wiggle-wiggle-wiggle) wombats (like cement-truck teddy bears) and Dingos.

 

Only problem I have with where I currently live is there is a lot of snakes, and foxes (the foxes yells sound like a woman's blood-curdling scream, so that gets to be my lullaby of late)

 

Besides if I lived in the US, I wouldn't get anymore people from overseas asking me if I (in all seriousness)regularly ride kangaroos around, use emus to fly, and if we genetically altered two species to make the platypus. :lol:

[Grover]

Any of these useful to you? Happy to forward a parcel if they won't ship to Aus.

 

http://www.kanecarding.co.nz/Kane_Carding_Felting.html

http://www.wheelsandwhorls.co.nz/shop/

http://www.cobwebcottage.co.nz/Supplies.html

http://www.thefeltmaker.co.nz/

[rebeccabillington]

i am from the UK, but live in the US now (16 years), all I have to say is....

 

 

"The grass is always greener......"

[Mom-ninja.]

 

- Wal Mart. MAN. You guys do not know what customer service is like in the rest of the world. It is an art form and the Americans have it DOWN.

 

I could not *disagree* more. Hate Walmart with a fiery passion. I was thrilled when Germany booted the company out of the country. Yea, for Germany.

 

 

Really, the US is really not the dream land that many think it is.

[Dolphin]

But you have paw paw ointment. I will send you some Hershey kisses if you send me some paw paw ointment:D

[thefragile7393]

I could not *disagree* more. Hate Walmart with a fiery passion. I was thrilled when Germany booted the company out of the country. Yea, for Germany.

 

 

Really, the US is really not the dream land that many think it is.

Ehh Walmart isn't that great in customer service either. I live here, enjoy some great things, but I see other things that are more important to me that happen in other countries. Sweden, Finland, parts of Canada...those are places where I wouldn't mind living.

[ThePW]

Oh! US-tastic stuff:

 

- Wal Mart. MAN. You guys do not know what customer service is like in the rest of the world. It is an art form and the Americans have it DOWN.

- Target. See above.

- Car seats start at $40, but we can't use them in Canada.

- Kit Kat bars are kosher there.

- Margarine is usually non-dairy in the US.

- Loss leaders.

- _Prompt_, inexpensive shipping.

- No 12% sales tax

- No customs taking a month to rifle through your school books before sending them on to you with a $20 charge for their trouble.

 

That's not been my experience, the only non-dairy spread that is available locally (at vast expense) is Earth Balance. Our local Walmart recently started to carry it, but up until then they only had brands with some form of milk in them. I usually would stock up on it when in another town.

[sewingmama]

I spose I would just get PBS Kids

 

ABC for kids is just as good ;)

 

and you can get Hershey Kisses at a lot of places in Australia - the cheap stores stock them a lot. I just bought Lucky Charms there the other day (what is up with the horrible, sweet cereal -nasty )

 

I never liked American chocolate - Aussie chocolate is by far better -even my Canadian DH agrees. We don't have as many nasties in our food either -a lot of chemicals allowed in the US are banned here.

 

The US does have a bigger variety of food -but it's not always better. They might have two kinds of Fruit Loops - but really who needs Fruit Loops with marshmellow candy -as if the original wasn't already enough to send your sugar levels rocketing :001_huh: Original Oreos are yummy -but they went to far when they added in the strawberry filling or double cream :ack2: -you get the idea.

 

Don't get me wrong -the US is fun - you've never been to an all you can eat buffet till you've been to one in Las Vegas :001_huh: and they have so many great, fun places to visit. Stuff is cheap to buy -BUT their wages are a lot smaller. There are a lot more social problems that Australia just doesn't have.

 

We have Costco here now - go there for a visit if you live close enough. ;) And if you are envious of Walmart -go to Big W - they are very similar.

 

And I know I'll get flogged for this - but I've been to Disneyland and I wasn't impressed. I thought our Dreamworld was better.

Edited July 15, 2012 by sewingmama

[Carla]

Wow! Ya'll pay 12% sales tax?? :svengo: We pay exactly half of that in my county. It's amusing though that you use Target and Walmart as examples of good customer service. :D hehehe You must not have ever been to my local Walmart. :lol: :lol:

 

To OP, maybe you can get a "board buddy" who is in the US who can send you stuff? I do this for Rosie when there is something she needs from here. :)

 

Sales tax varies by province. My province does not have provincial sales tax, and our federal goods and services tax is 5% (GST). The 12% mentioned was the 5% GST plus 7% provincial sales tax (PST).

 

I don't think I've EVER been in a Walmart or Target with good customer service and I've lived in both Canada and the US! :confused:

[NASDAQ]

Wow! Ya'll pay 12% sales tax?? :svengo: We pay exactly half of that in my county. It's amusing though that you use Target and Walmart as examples of good customer service. :D hehehe You must not have ever been to my local Walmart. :lol: :lol:

 

To OP, maybe you can get a "board buddy" who is in the US who can send you stuff? I do this for Rosie when there is something she needs from here. :)

 

We have 7% PST (provincial sales tax) and 5% GST (goods and services tax). They were going to combine it into HST (harmonized sales tax) but gave up because of public outcry, because HST would apply to a bunch of stuff that PST exempted . . . or GST does . . . oh, nevermind. I forget which.

 

Anyway, not that long ago it was 14% -- 7% of each. Taxes have been going down in Canada.

 

And if you think your Wal Mart is bad, come to Canadian Wal Mart.

[Mom in High Heels]

German chocolate is far better!

 

Amen. If it's your every day chocolate though, American chocolate seems exotic. It's far sweeter. We had movers come in during the winter one time and they go so excited when I made them American hot chocolate.

 

Wow! Ya'll pay 12% sales tax?? :svengo: We pay exactly half of that in my county. It's amusing though that you use Target and Walmart as examples of good customer service. :D hehehe You must not have ever been to my local Walmart. :lol: :lol:

 

 

In Germany we pay 19% sales tax. As Americans, we can turn in VAT forms (which we have to buy) to get the tax back, but unless you're spending a minimum of €75-100, it's not worth the cost of the VAT form or the hassle of waiting to get it filled out. I do use them at IKEA though!

As for customer service, WM is hardly the gold standard. In fact, I wouldn't even give it bronze. Or brass. Target is *slightly* better, IMO, but not by much.

 

I could not *disagree* more. Hate Walmart with a fiery passion. I was thrilled when Germany booted the company out of the country. Yea, for Germany.

 

 

Yeah, I had no problem with WM being booted, but if the Germans would just give Target a chance!

 

 

So, after reading this thread, I have come to a decision. I am going to team up with RR to set up a satellite company and move to Australia where I will make my fortune selling and shipping to hsers.