Dear all, we are very curious to find out people's opinions re whether us Brit's ever really get accepted by the Aussies, or would we/are we always just regarded as "pommes?"
I would like to think alot of this depends on the way we interact with them, ie with a positive, outgoing attitude...or not, as the case may be...
We feel this could be very important regarding our long term happiness, and ability to settle in...
I can't answer your question from personal experience yet (not until 1st Feb anyway! :) )...but I can tell you the information that I have been given by my in-laws who moved out to Melbourne 4 years ago.
Apparently the Australians are the friendliest bunch of people they have ever met (and they have done lots of travelling), and when they told people they had moved there to live the Australians shook their hands and congratulated them and were just so very nice. They have made many friends and they feel totally accepted. It's true I think that us Poms come in for a little bit of stick but it's all friendly banter and should be taken in the spirit in which it is meant.
My husband also spent 2 weeks over there earlier this year and he too was blown away by just how friendly everyone was...even when just going for a walk people would stop and talk to him.
Anyway sorry for writing an epic but just felt I would share with you the good things that I have heard. I think you just need to be yourself and show how much you want to live in their country i.e. not bemoaning all things Australian because it's not what we're used to if you see what I mean. I think the most worrying thing for me is not whether the Australians accept me but whether I accept and take to life there!
Today I've received the information from my daughter's new pre-school in Melbourne and amongst other things it said that she wasn't allowed to wear "thongs"....it took me quite some time to realise that what they were talking about was flip flops!!! It's all good fun though!
Dear all, we are very curious to find out people's opinions re whether us Brit's ever really get accepted by the Aussies, or would we/are we always just regarded as "pommes?"...
This won't be a problem... Australia has less than 20 million people. Almost half are either direct immigrants or sons/daughters of immigrants... and 75%+ plus can still tell you their family's counry of origin.
The firm I work for is areal hotch-potch of nationalities... Scots, English, Irish, Italians, Greeks, French, Dutch, Germans, Yanks, Kiwis, Chinese, Vietnamese, Singaporeans, Philippinos, Argentinians, .......
As I have said elsewhere... I have been here ten years, still speak with a Scots accent, took out citizenship a few years ago, and have written Aussie environmental regulations...
My mate Steve (English) has been here almost 40 years...came as a kid of a ten-pound-pom... speaks with an Aussie accent and does all "Aussie things" ...never took out citizenship, (so technically is still a Brit).
My Uncle came here in the 1950s as a kid... still has a half-scotish accent... served in the Aussie Army... yet never took out citizenship.
One of the guys in my office is French...speaks with a French accent...drives a ute, goes camping up in the bush, goes fishing, drinks beer and does a mean barbie...
Another one of my guys was born here... of Macedonian parents... speaks with a slight european accent... eats "wog-food"..
You will fit right in.... 8)
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Geelong, Victoria's second largest City
Hi there, My now wife and I went travelling around Australia for 12 months on a working holiday in September 2003. I had just sold my house and my share in a business I part owned so we didn't do the whole pommie back packing as such although we did take back packs.
After a few weeks of travelling through Asia where we met some great Aussies who were on their way to the Uk.
Once we arrived in Aus we stayed in a hostel for a few days, but it was full of english.
We took a 6 month rental out on an apartment on Manly beach, we spent 2 weeks sight seeing and exploring, we didn't really meet any Aussies until we took on some work with a local agency, My first day was spent taking so much stick and insults from the Aussie workers there including the Director!! although I tried to take it all as a joke I was very annoyed to say the least ,it was like racial bullying. I come home not wanting to go back but I did and after a few days of taking and giving out stick I ended up maing some of our now closest friends.
We moved up north to Noosa, Queensland, were we found more of an Aussie life, and met more great Aussies.
We reluctantly came home as our visa expired after 12 months of living the Aussie life. We married in May this year, and had 6 great mates travel over to the UK form Aus to enjoy our special day with us.
I know i've rabbled on a bit but from our experience the Aussies like a bit of banter, they like to wind us pommies up but they truley are some of the friendliest people I know, thats why we are hoping to be joining them next year.
Neil
Dear all, we are very curious to find out people's opinions re whether us Brit's ever really get accepted by the Aussies, or would we/are we always just regarded as "pommes?"
I would like to think alot of this depends on the way we interact with them, ie with a positive, outgoing attitude...or not, as the case may be...
We feel this could be very important regarding our long term happiness, and ability to settle in...
Hi Anita. Interested to see what you had written as your reply. We are hoping to move to Melbourne next year, and seeing you wrote about your daughter's pre school made me realise that we are perhaps in a similar position to you.
We have a daughter who is due to start school next year. We have no idea where to live and our only wish is to live near a good school. Would you mind telling us how you chose the area you'll be moving to?
I can fully understand this question - I remember getting quite concerned about it myself before comimg here.
I'm pretty sure a lot depends on yourself entirely. Its probable that I've met some genuine pommy bashing but I can't separate it from the regular good humoured banter. The banter I speak of is similar to what I know as northern english humour (which is probably typical of all UK). If you give as good as you get they'll love you for it & you're guaranteed a laugh a minute. However if you behave like a pompous prick - I suspect your life will be a living hell, but you will at least provide hours of entertainment for others.
As the saying goes "if you can't take a joke you shouldn't have joined" - the human race that is.
We chose to move initially to Rowville, Melbourne because we have family there. My husband spent 2 weeks there back in Feb and said the area in which they live is lovely so we kind of thought we should live near them as at least we would know someone! While he was there my husband and sister in law spoke to the local council who advised them of the better schools in the area and they went and visited some of them and then hubby brought all the info back here for me so that I could use the internet and the information he had to help us make a decision on a pre-school.
If for any reason we don't like living in Rowville then we will certainly travel around and see what other places there are to live however from what i've hear I don't think I will be disappointed.
