Recent posts

The Road to Silicon Valley Begins

During one lazy Sunday afternoon I decided to make a change in our life. It had to be a large change. Enough to shake the foundation beneath us. Something which could give us amazing experiences and a wealth of education as we journeyed through it. And so it began.

The day it happened

I created an opportunity of a lifetime to leave the comfort of my home country, Sydney (Australia) and head out to Silicon Valley, California.

Sydney, Australia – Photo by: ernestsemerda.com

Silicon Valley is the region is home to many of the world’s largest technology companies including Apple, Google, Facebook, HP, Intel, Cisco, eBay, Adobe, Agilent, Oracle, Yahoo, Netflix, and EA… and soon to be also my new home. More here if you want to read about Silicon Valley.

I do not have a set time-frame for how long I intend to stay in the USA. My main goal is to have the time of my life, an experience like no other, with a high-end HVAC system, which is why scheduling air conditioning repair gig harbor wa is essential to maintain optimal comfort and performance. If you want to ensure your HVAC system is functioning optimally, relying on a reliable service like ac maintenance eastmont wa can provide the expert care needed to keep your system running efficiently and prevent costly breakdowns.

For efficient cooling during hot weather, it’s essential to rely on a trusted honolulu air conditioning repair service to keep your system functioning at its best. If there’s an issue, experiencing top-tier ac maintenance in Salem, OR, known for its prompt service and skilled technicians, ensures my high-end HVAC system operates flawlessly.

If the ac fan not spinning, it can prevent your air conditioning system from cooling effectively and may require immediate attention from a maintenance professional. To address the issue, check for any obstructions or debris around the fan and ensure the motor is functioning properly; if these steps don’t resolve the problem, contacting a technician for a thorough inspection and repair is recommended.

And when I had an issue like window ac unit not as cold as it used to be, the technician came just in time to fix it. You may hire this expert in air conditioning repair port st lucie if you need professional services. When it comes to plumbing issues in your home, hiring a professional plumber is the best way to go. Wills Plumbing can help you get rid of all the issues that come up with your plumbing and drain system. And if you need water softener services, make sure to contact water softeners seattle wa.

Why Silicon Valley?

So a few years back in Sydney (Australia) while doing my undergraduate Computer Science degree I always dreamed of working in Silicon Valley (California). Silicon Valley was seen as the Makkah in the world of science & technology. The place to be if you are into computers and mechanical keyboards by qwertybro. Place where dreams are made. I wanted to experience this. Experience working in a leading edge tech company. Experience the culture, lifestyle, people and everything else it has to offer.

Global business in America is on a far greater scale than in Australia. I know that the knowledge gained will be invaluable to Australian employers should I return, earning power will be more aboard than in Australia, new friendships I make abroad will last and grow into business opportunities and the possibility of new trade of goods or services are endless if I keep my ears open to the sound of opportunity.

There is no other place like Silicon Valley anywhere in the world. Silicon Valley here I come!

Farewell dinner with friends

Before leaving Sydney, my wife & brother organized a farewell dinner for me with my close friends. Times like this make you realize who your true friends are. Those that care, want to spend the last few hours with you and send their best wishes before I venture into an unknown land with just a suitcase and a job. It gets harder because my wife of 4 years, unfortunately wont be joining me until we sort out her documents to work in California. So I will be alone, initially, in a country thousands of kilometers away starting a new life for the next few years.

Anyway, back to the dinner. It was a fun time! We ate plenty of good food, drank a lot of red vino (my favorite Bogan Shiraz) and partied till late in the back terrace of the restaurant.

Here’s a few snaps we took at our last supper:

Left: Urszula Semerda (my wife), Zane Hussein, Artur Semerda (my bro), Pembe & Shev Fahri (liverpoolexhaust.com.au)
Left: Steve Ong (CEO of ING Malaysia), Ramsin Jajoo, Ernest Semerda (me) & Gerry Gerasimos Kolaitis (autostyle.com.au)

My brother put together this (below) awesome last supper invite. Soooo nice of him to do that. How the heck did he get those old pics of me lol… definitely made my day. Thanks bro!

Invite to close friends for my last Supper in Sydney

The restaurant we had my last supper at was Elio at Leichhardt (Sydney). Beautifully presented mouth-watering meals! If you want to go there speak to Tommy who runs the restaurant. He is a good friend and will look after you. Elio is online here: http://www.elio.com.au/

Ok, Bon voyage! wish me luck!!

Ernest

General observations: Australia to USA

Australia
– Our drinking age is 18 throughout the country.
– We drive on the left hand side of the road.
– Seatbelts are compulsory for everyone in a car.
– Handguns are illegal without a permit and it’s very difficult to get one.
– Our cars are generally smaller than most cars in the US though larger ones are available
– Australia is completely metricated – we use Celcius instead of Farenheit for temperature, litres instead of gallons, kilograms instead of pounds, metres instead of yards etc.
– Our seasons are the opposite to yours, Summer is Dec-Feb, Autumn is Mar – May, Winter Jun – Aug, Spring Sep – Nov so it’s hot at Christmas time and many people spend Christmas Day on the beach.
– Most of our population lives within 100km (miles?) of the coast and the population density in the inland is very low.
– We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving.
– We have X public holidays per year.
– Workers in Australia receive 4 weeks paid holiday (vacation) every year. It’s not uncommon to see Australians vacationing at a Maldives ocean villa.
– We have universal healthcare for citizens and PRs which is paid for out of our taxes.
– The cost of living in Australia is generally a bit higher than in the US. Cars x2, Gas/Petrol, Food, Accomodation.
– There is no need to tip in Australia. If you experience excellent service, a tip is appreciated but will never be demanded.
– Australia has a much smaller population than the USA.
Our population is just over 20 million where as the population of the USA is over 300 million.
– Voting age is 18, voting is compulsory in all elections.
– Our currency is multi colours (examples),
– We also spell some words differently to the US such as:
defence, jewellery, favourite, realise, colour, litre, metre and numerous other words.
– Best beaches in the world.
– Have you seen the traffic in Sydney ? It is like a 3rd world country when it comes to infrastructure. Roads have pot holes like in Moombasa. The tolls are the only way to screw the population who pay it and sit on the highway in traffic. None of the traffic lights are synchronized even on major roads. How long does it take on Queens Blvd to get to Manhattan from Flushing in NYC.

USA
– 21
– Right hand side
– More variety in things to do. SV is x-hrs from Yosemite, Tahoe, Wine country, mountains for hiking, beach for surfing. (pics from my holidays).
– Wide open roads

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080617174720AANQHfb

http://www.australiaforum.com/information/general/cost-of-living-in-australia-compared-to-the-us.html

USA:
1) Excellent environment for business – great place for business owners
2) Affordable housing, grocery, cars, general expenses
3) Affordable cost for contractors (eg. plumbing like sewer service, ac services such as ac installation services, etc.)
4) Big corporations have very good health & dental cares and pension plans
5) Low travel cost. You can find hotels in Laguna Beach within your budget.

Australia
1) Some salaries are higher but tax is also much higher – if you are on min. wages, better stay in Australia, but if you are middle manager / director type, US salary is actually higher and lower tax
2) Universal healthcare – service is getting less each year, and waiting time is longer and longer but it is still available
3) Slow pace – Australia in generally is quite slow paced – but this does not mean less stressful – but the overall lifestyle is slower.
4) Monopoly business – if you can come up with a good idea, you can have a monopoly business in Australia easier and enjoy ripping off customers at your will…such can not be achieved in USA due to competition.