Is OZ REALLY all that?

[Guest hoffer]

I think a countries economic prospects should be irrelevant in any discussion personally. My point being that its you who makes your own prospects.

 

With the right mentally, work ethic and ability you should be able to be a success in either place.

 

With a booming economy it just makes it easier and papers over the cracks. I guess i am maybe being a little harsh and that's not really my intent but i am a firm believer that if you can make a success of things when times are tough that when things pick up you will be ahead of the others that couldn't.

 

Also on a separate point to my first one in this post and more inline with my previous one in this thread we all live to our means some people will always look for the cheapest way of doing things because that is what they can afford and good luck to them. Personally for myself yes i love a deal on things who doesn't but ive got no interest in having multiple solutions just to watch a bit of TV and save myself a few bucks and i want to live in the nicest house i can afford.

Also property is expensive here but if you consider that for $4000 a month i live overlooking the sea and 19km from brisbane CBD to me thats a bargain. What i mean by bargain is that compare the house i live in now to somewhere 19km from central london and its not possible unless you are mega rich.

 

You will also have people on here that will be very pro oz and very negative as well. Try and find the balance

 

RANT OVER sorry

[Que Sera Sera]

Call me old fashioned, but I have great trouble in understanding why people need to spend the above amount. We pay $110 a month for unlimited broadband and home phone, which includes calls to UK, I also know that I could get this cheaper, but with moving house soon we are not bothering with changing yet. My wife just got a $5 Aldi sim with $5 dollar credit included, should just last her the one year then we will have to do a $15 min top-up. Ok I have a work phone, but if I had my own, it would have the Aldi sim too! Don't need foxtel either.

I suppose the once big difference between wanting (must have) and actually needing has merged these days to mean the same.

 

Ah I never said we had to have it, like I said we choose to have it, although we had unlimited broadband our son used all the download so it regularly slowed .My OH is Fifo so "likes" to have unlimited download. We have full package Foxtel in two rooms again our choice. II'm not moaning about cost we are lucky and can afford it easily in fact we live quite frugally compared with many of our friends who have at least twice our mortgage and big posh cars. Its all in the choice. Oh I should add too that I use my phone for work purposestoo so need to send lots of picture messages everyday too. Plus face time my OH

[Guest hoffer]

Ah I never said we had to have it, like I said we choose to have it, although we had unlimited broadband our son used all the download so it regularly slowed .My OH is Fifo so "likes" to have unlimited download. We have full package Foxtel in two rooms again our choice. II'm not moaning about cost we are lucky and can afford it easily in fact we live quite frugally compared with many of our friends who have at least twice our mortgage and big posh cars. Its all in the choice. Oh I should add too that I use my phone for work purposestoo so need to send lots of picture messages everyday too. Plus face time my OH

 

I dont see why you should need to justify it personally some people earn more than others some people spend more than others. I have unlimited broadband with the fastest speed 100meg i can get. Do i need it? Does it matter? i have it because i wanted it and for an extra few bucks a month who really gives a ****

[Bobj]

Hi, When we moved over we thought we'd both buy a cheap $1000 car to tide us over until we worked out what we needed. Using English car prices as a guide I assumed we'd be buying a 5-8 year old Mondeo or simular. Well thats not the case, $1000 buys you something that looks like its been parked underwater for 10 years and then set on fire! I ended up spending $10,000 on a 2003 Nissan Navara and only just changes it recently (3 years on)

 

What I am trying (badly) to say is that in our expereince EVERYTHING costs 4 times as much as you would expect.

 

When we moved over we said that we didn't want to gwet here and only associate with other English people, so even tho the English we met were very nice and welcoming we shyed away and expected to be able to join in with the locals. This was also a mistake. The locals, (on average in MY expereince only) are the most closed minded racist and unfriendly people you could meet. Lesson there, acept any and all that offer friendship at the start! 3 years on and I know 2 Australians and 8 other English people that have become friends.

 

As for will it be a better life for you/anyone here, I'd say it could be. I met a guy who was on holiday here visiting his girlfriend and he loved every second of his time here. I however hate it. But he said he comes from a "dirty little town up North and works in a cigarette factory" I lived out in the country and worked as a body guard to anyone with enough money and reason to want a escort. Horses for courses, or, if the only way is up then come here!

 

The weather is a MAJOR factor, I live on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, or 'The land that time forgot' and the weather here is fine if you like boiling hot and humid in the summer and really hot and raining, in the winter. I realise that I am in the minority in liking the cooler weather but you do need to consider how you will go living day to day sweating and having less energy and staying indoors as much as possible under the AC. I used to trail run and cycle lots at home but can't do that here as its to hot and so built up and busy that cycling on a main road doesn't really appeal as I used to cycle on country lanes and through forests.

 

As a positive I do a lot more kayaking and have started fishing. I surf most days instead of making the 5 hour drive to Devon its now 3 miles away which is nice. But the waves here are no where near as good as at home, just warmer with a lot more people.

 

Good luck in whatever you decide, and you know what, I reckon its better to regret a mistake than constantly wonder "What would have happened if......"

 

Jonathan

 

I take it that you weren't very good at researching...:laugh:

 

Cheers, Bobj.

[Guest]

ahh crap, there's no ski season at the Sunshine Coast?

 

I bought all the stuff from aldi a couple of weeks back!

[Keith and Linda]

Ah I never said we had to have it, like I said we choose to have it, although we had unlimited broadband our son used all the download so it regularly slowed .My OH is Fifo so "likes" to have unlimited download. We have full package Foxtel in two rooms again our choice. II'm not moaning about cost we are lucky and can afford it easily in fact we live quite frugally compared with many of our friends who have at least twice our mortgage and big posh cars. Its all in the choice. Oh I should add too that I use my phone for work purposestoo so need to send lots of picture messages everyday too. Plus face time my OH

 

Sorry Que sera, sera ,:embarrassed: I was not picking on you personally, more on the expense that's really not that needy compared with say mortgage, rent, food, etc. If people are happy to pay that then all well and good that is their choice, but it would then be difficult for them same people to complain about not being able to afford some of the other more needy things in life.

 

I must admit that we do have good holidays, which quite a few people would say are too expensive for them to afford, but then I also think that a McDonalds is expensive (not their 30c ice cream though) and its the money I save from not spending on things that I see as not needy that have enabled me firstly to own my house, and secondly have these holidays. Life's choices I suppose and we all have to live by our own.

[Que Sera Sera]

Sorry Que sera, sera ,:embarrassed: I was not picking on you personally, more on the expense that's really not that needy compared with say mortgage, rent, food, etc. If people are happy to pay that then all well and good that is their choice, but it would then be difficult for them same people to complain about not being able to afford some of the other more needy things in life.

 

I must admit that we do have good holidays, which quite a few people would say are too expensive for them to afford, but then I also think that a McDonalds is expensive (not their 30c ice cream though) and its the money I save from not spending on things that I see as not needy that have enabled me firstly to own my house, and secondly have these holidays. Life's choices I suppose and we all have to live by our own.

 

Thanks yes I agree with all you are saying, so many say they struggle here but have to have the very best of everything it does make you wonder sometimes.:yes:

[jack13]

Answers to quotes of my quotes;

 

I like Melbourne because you have a variation in weather. And it never snows. i cant deal with snow. It never egts to minus figures. Their winter isnt as bad as a Uk winter. OK in greece you can have an ok climate, maybe similar to melbourne but you have to put up with the different culture.

[jasepom]

No rainforest in Victoria and winter temps definitely not 20+ in winter but don't let facts get in the way of a good emotive argument.

 

In fairness Melbourne does have the Dandenong ranges which does feel slightly tropical at time.

[Megha]

i married some one in aus thinking its all that and better life. But its boring here. And after a point not much to do. Plus ridiculously expensive.

 

so if is leave and go back to my country will i be automatically be granted divorce ?

[Bobj]

i married some one in aus thinking its all that and better life. But its boring here. And after a point not much to do. Plus ridiculously expensive.

 

so if is leave and go back to my country will i be automatically be granted divorce ?

 

Is that Australia's fault, or yours??

 

Cheers, Bobj.

[engaus]

Answers to quotes of my quotes;

 

I like Melbourne because you have a variation in weather. And it never snows. i cant deal with snow. It never egts to minus figures. Their winter isnt as bad as a Uk winter. OK in greece you can have an ok climate, maybe similar to melbourne but you have to put up with the different culture.

 

It also has the Otway NP on the Great Ocean Road which I always loved. Dramatic cliffs and gorgeous beaches on one side and rainforest on the other

[Marisawright]

Long story short, husband worked in OZ few years ago and said to me about emigrating.....mmmmm.....ok

 

Fast forward 3 years, 2 kids later and 1 marriage, we just put in our application for the visa.

 

I have my doubts that we wont be able to survive on his wages alone....I see OZ as stupidly expensive from what ive read online about day to day living. Im terrified our 30 grand savings wont go far and he'll work longer just to keep us afloat until we can put both kids into kindergarden.

 

Has anyone moved and done ok on one wage? I think my husbands looking through rose tinted glasses.

 

You will not live on a carpenter's wage. The only way he'll earn the rate he's thinking of is to become a FIFO (fly in, fly out) worker in the mines. That means leaving you to manage on your own during the week, every week, with no family or friends to help you out. Plus, of course, it means he'll only see the children on weekends.

 

I'd bank on your 30 grand savings disappearing fast. Sit down and work out the cost your air fares, plus cost of shipping your stuff, a few weeks in a serviced apartment while you look for a home, a rental bond (a month's rent). You can find all that information here or on Google. I'll bet there's half of it gone already, and most of the rest will go on a car (you'll need at least $10,000 for a decent second-hand car).

 

Even worse - if you're not happy, where will you get the money to get home to the UK and start again? You'll need to have the cost of your air fares, shipping your stuff, etc etc to do it all in reverse.

 

As for starting a business - you need savings to start a business. If you're going to spend the savings you've got, and you're going to move to a more expensive part of the world, you're actually making it less likely you'll be able to afford to start a business. Plus consider the population is much smaller than the UK, so your customer base is always smaller. Start a country cattery and there will be hardly any customers close enough to use it.

 

I agree with one poster - if your husband is really reluctant to give up the dream, say you'll do it on condition he moves first and gets a job, then you'll follow when he's proved he can earn what he promised. That way you don't burn all your bridges and you've only wasted one air fare and a bit of rent money. And I wouldn't recommend Perth - it's the centre of the mining industry so a good base if he's going to FIFO, but it's very expensive. Much better to start in Melbourne or Brisbane - bigger than Perth but cheaper, and easier to travel round the rest of Oz if he needs to.

 

Australia has many good things about it - I love living here - but it's not heaven on earth. It's not better than the UK, just different.

[paul1977]

Is that Australia's fault, or yours??

 

Cheers, Bobj.

Australia's

[Peach]

Australia's

 

Bulldust, life is what you make it.

[paul1977]

Bulldust, life is what you make it.

Go move to Somalia then

[Peach]

Go move to Somalia then

 

Compares Somalia to Australia. Love it. Am sure even Somalia has whingeing poms.

[paul1977]

Compares Somalia to Australia. Love it. Am sure even Somalia has whingeing poms.

Life's what you make it

[Petals]

i married some one in aus thinking its all that and better life. But its boring here. And after a point not much to do. Plus ridiculously expensive.

 

so if is leave and go back to my country will i be automatically be granted divorce ?

 

If life is boring its our own fault, we make our own fun. Australia is only boring to a boring person, sorry but get a life for goodness sake, I lost my husband a year ago this month, did he think he would not be here this year, no, but at least he lived every day and was never never bored.

[Belinda Au]

I don't really understand all of these kinds of "blanket statement" posts.

 

Nowhere is perfect.

 

Nowhere is everyone exactly the same - good or bad.

 

 

You enjoy the good stuff about a place or people and you navigate the rest as you can.

 

I'm Australian. I don't think I'm particularly rude and arrogant but yeah, I have my days where I can let rip. :laugh:

 

I love living here and I love the UK as well which why I'll probably be ping-ponging it for the time being.

 

Do I love everything about both places and the people in both places? No. Is there a lot I love about both? Yes.

 

 

See again my living plan: You enjoy the good stuff about a place or people and you navigate the rest as you can.

 

 

Peace out. :wink:

[flag of convenience]

Compares Somalia to Australia. Love it. Am sure even Somalia has whingeing poms.

 

As the saying goes if you can make it in Somalia.......

[flag of convenience]

Thanks yes I agree with all you are saying, so many say they struggle here but have to have the very best of everything it does make you wonder sometimes.:yes:

 

Makes you wonder about the big debt taken on living beyond their means, often for appearance sake.

[flag of convenience]

i married some one in aus thinking its all that and better life. But its boring here. And after a point not much to do. Plus ridiculously expensive.

 

so if is leave and go back to my country will i be automatically be granted divorce ?

 

It may well be the way you find it but by using the dreaded "B" word you will leave yourself open to personal slander. Better to say something along the lines of "I find life around me rather dull here, or words similar. That suggests more an observation of your surroundings than a personal reflection of feeling.

[Bobj]

It may well be the way you find it but by using the dreaded "B" word you will leave yourself open to personal slander. Better to say something along the lines of "I find life around me rather dull here, or words similar. That suggests more an observation of your surroundings than a personal reflection of feeling.

 

That leaves you wide open as well...Sort of, "haven't you got the intelligence to..."; or, " you chose that place, so don't...":wink:

 

Remember, the title is "Is OZ REALLY all that?". 'OZ' is only a lump of land and vegetation; it is what one does on that lump of land that counts, so no one should be complaining, if so, it is of their own doing.

 

Here endeth the lesson.:laugh:

 

Cheers, Bobj.

[Xenon4017]

Answers to quotes of my quotes;

 

I like Melbourne because you have a variation in weather. And it never snows. i cant deal with snow. It never egts to minus figures. Their winter isnt as bad as a Uk winter. OK in greece you can have an ok climate, maybe similar to melbourne but you have to put up with the different culture.

 

Oh Jack, you could fill a book with your comments.

 

Melbourne has the second largest Greek population outside of Athens. And you really think they don't bring their culture with them? Haven't you noticed that a bag of chips there comes with a topping of yoghurt, not ketchup?