Guest Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 :laugh:...all because I refused to learn 'Strayan' and boycotted the AFL..... I can think of a poster who'd happily have you deported for saying that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Even though I have an obvious Australian accent I don't think I have ever once said arvo in my entire life. Asan aside this habit seems to be getting worse with literally every word being shortened, some I have heard lately include fisho for fisherman and birdo for someone who keeps birds. I'm still waiting to be introduced to a 'Consultant Paediatrician-y' or a 'Forensic Accountant-o!' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 [/b] I'm still waiting to be introduced to a 'Consultant Paediatrician-y' or a 'Forensic Accountant-o!' Oh the old Fory Accounto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Interestingly I have spoken with a surprisingly large number of Australians who voluntarily voice their own gripes about Australia with me even in a first conversation. Not something I had anticipated at all based on many of the comments in these forums. Must admit that I haven't done it myself though. I actually haven't had any negative experiences yet but, even if I had, would consider that as a new migrant it would be the height of bad manners to do so. Intriguing. What kinds of things are they critical of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Intriguing. What kinds of things are they critical of? The price of bananas and the quality of sausages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Intriguing. What kinds of things are they critical of? Abbott..........Turnball..........Refugee treatment........Muslim treatment........Ice addiction.......crime.........all the usual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Abbott..........Turnball..........Refugee treatment........Muslim treatment........Ice addiction.......crime.........all the usual. That's interesting. I don't know any Australians (apart from my O.H.) and the conversations that I overhear either at work or at the school gate are always overwhelmingly positive about Australia. It sounds like that's not universal though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 That's interesting. I don't know any Australians (apart from my O.H.) and the conversations that I overhear either at work or at the school gate are always overwhelmingly positive about Australia. It sounds like that's not universal though. How many other parts of Australia have you lived in? Australians are surprisingly different from state to state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 How many other parts of Australia have you lived in? Australians are surprisingly different from state to state. I've not been here that long. 2 years on the Gold Coast, followed by 5 in Melbourne. I know next to nothing about Australia or it's people though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amibovered Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 That's interesting. I don't know any Australians (apart from my O.H.) and the conversations that I overhear either at work or at the school gate are always overwhelmingly positive about Australia. It sounds like that's not universal though. What about Harpo? he's as dinky di as they come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 What about Harpo? he's as dinky di as they come. Bloody oath he is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 I'm at a loss as to this "subjective" argument having any validity. We have an Op who clearly, after only ten yrs, has come tpo realise that he hates Oz and Aussies and then tarnishes anyone, pom or otherwise, who has an affinity to an Aussie lifestyle as being moronic. We have another poster who interjects but infrequently (thank Christ!) merely to attack whichever country he resides in at the time stating, when challenged, that he returns to either for domestic reasons after previously stating his reasone as as being "hatred" (FWOABW) for the location/politics/economics of the country he is in at that particular time. We also have posters using the "subjective argument", asking us to make allowances for the aforementioned posters state of mind at the time, and to understand that their gross generalisations may be excusable/allowable due to their circumstance and "how they see it". Errrrrrm? Excuse me m'lud, I ask you to make allowances for the fact that the accused slit his wife's throat and then bragged about it to all and sundry, due to the fact that he was "in a dark place at the time". Give me a break! WTF is wrong with some folk that they can't differentiate from the truly deserving (of sympathy/empathy) and the feckwit who merely blames everything and everyone for their own prejudices/misfortunes? I can differentiate from the truly deserving!The OP was obviously suffering in some way,which to me,deserves empathy.I could of gone the other way and argued the toss that they were wrong or whatever,but it was their experience of the place,not mine.Even if they do blame the country rather than take the responsibility themselves,they need empathy for that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 You might if returning would cost money you don't have, and cause you to spend more emotional energy that you have already expended getting here, and if you have a good job and unsure prospects of getting one in the place you may want to go to. And if life where you are isn't intolerable by any means, is often enjoyable, and has many good points, it's just missing even more things that make the other place your 'home'. You can't really blame a place for your actions though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gbye grey sky Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Intriguing. What kinds of things are they critical of? Often it is the cost of everything. Bad tradies are a major one too. People being paid too much for doing too little (the primary reason for high prices), the heat and humidity in summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 (edited) I've not been here that long. 2 years on the Gold Coast, followed by 5 in Melbourne. I know next to nothing about Australia or it's people though. In that case, how can you express an opinion? I know you are desperately homesick - but how long did you give Melbourne before you decided you couldn't stand it? Melburnians are nothing like Queenslanders in my experience. Plus there's a lot of Poms in Melbourne too, including members of this forum. Edited October 16, 2015 by Marisawright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpodom Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 [/b] I'm still waiting to be introduced to a 'Consultant Paediatrician-y' or a 'Forensic Accountant-o!' Paedo I can see why it hasn't caught on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpodom Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 That's interesting. I don't know any Australians (apart from my O.H.) and the conversations that I overhear either at work or at the school gate are always overwhelmingly positive about Australia. It sounds like that's not universal though. I know plenty who express exactly those concerns that QSS mentioned, and aren't scared of a pom expressing such opinions. Like I said earlier, a lot of how you perceive others depends on who you hang around with. If you think everyone is blatantly materialistic and shallow for example, you're probably hanging out with the wrong people and need to get rid of them. Having no friends is better than spending time with people you can't stand! Come to think of it, you work for a NGO for the homeless, so all your colleagues are loony lefties (to use the accepted PIO parlance), surely?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 My experience so far is that the same conversations happen here as in UK - music, sports, politics, weather, tv, education . There is the same minor grumbling about weather or transport difficulties. The only noticeable difference is that people that I work with use expletives a little more, but then I have transferred from private practice to government and people seem a little more relaxed around their colleagues. I certainly haven't found any issues with lack of interests, culture, obsession with materialism or overly patriotic. It does strike me that a lot of migrants expect the local people to somehow entertain the newly arrived with their scintillating conversation - it is a 2 way street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Abbott..........Turnball..........Refugee treatment........Muslim treatment........Ice addiction.......crime.........all the usual. You missed ...the cost of dentistry.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 OMG I caught myself today calling my garage a garaage. The problem is that I am a natural mimic. I am going to have to make an effort to keep my English accent I feel. We all do it, just as you would with any other foreign language, you may not learn it but you will pick things up, Arvo, servo, ambo will be amongst the first though I have never picked up the G'day, but with my Yorkshire accent and hearing problem then what I sometimes come out with is a new language! Linda is always saying to me "what was that you just said" and I have got to repeat but in Yorkshire accent (she is a southerner but accepted in Yorkshire). We never had problems with our surname until we came to Aus, now we say it and spell it to be certain!!! Also my brother and I work at the same company (me 12yrs he 27yrs) when I say his name at work - Tony, some of the lads say who's that, so I say my brother ahh they say you mean Toeknee! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Let's be honest this Aussie mateship thing is by and large a myth, Aussies like to believe they are different to other people but they really are no different to anyone else. An Aussie will stab you in the back or rip you off just as anyone else would. The problem is some will be offended by that fact as they don't want to be seen as the same, they want to be special. I think that's pretty much accepted as myth among most thinking people ,with regards the mateship thing. The stabbing in the back is all too prevalent. Just witnessed it recently when was slightly struck back by the tone used by a 'friend' when referring to mutual 'friends'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 My experience so far is that the same conversations happen here as in UK - music, sports, politics, weather, tv, education . There is the same minor grumbling about weather or transport difficulties. The only noticeable difference is that people that I work with use expletives a little more, but then I have transferred from private practice to government and people seem a little more relaxed around their colleagues. I certainly haven't found any issues with lack of interests, culture, obsession with materialism or overly patriotic. It does strike me that a lot of migrants expect the local people to somehow entertain the newly arrived with their scintillating conversation - it is a 2 way street. Possibly due to the fact that many Brits have adopted with full gusto some of the more noticeable Aussie traits from the past. Obsession all to often with the mundane. Materialism pretty much on par. Patriotic symbolism pretty much the same if expressed slightly differently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 17, 2015 Share Posted October 17, 2015 In that case, how can you express an opinion? I know you are desperately homesick - but how long did you give Melbourne before you decided you couldn't stand it? Melburnians are nothing like Queenslanders in my experience. Plus there's a lot of Poms in Melbourne too, including members of this forum. Oh it's not really a fully formed opinion, more of an observation really, based admittedly upon very limited social interaction. My partner's friends, colleagues, neighbours etc all seem very positive about both Melbourne and Australia generally. That's one of the reasons why I've chosen to withdraw socially, as I felt I was being expected to express positive views about the place which I didn't actually have. In effect I felt like I was lying to people for the sake of appearances, and that's a bit self-defeating. I made a conscious decision to withdraw behind my own borders after about two years in Melbourne and it's been a huge help emotionally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted October 17, 2015 Share Posted October 17, 2015 Believe me it is not something you would have heard even a decade ago. I'd agree with that. Far more concern out there in recent times but not without due cause. Even anger in certain quarters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted October 17, 2015 Share Posted October 17, 2015 :laugh:...all because I refused to learn 'Strayan' and boycotted the AFL..... I'm afraid so. Not meeting the high standards required of our migrants. You can't say you hadn't time to learn the ropes and adjust. Anyway fun while it lasted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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