AnxiousMum Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Hi guys, Just wanted to moment to let off steam. I was looking for previous threads about lifestyle in OZ. Came across some threads by the above mentioned Len. Have to say I am disappointed to say the least. I must be extremely naive, I thought going to Oz would be a good idea, not only to escape our immigrants who do nothing to help our Country. Only to find that native Auzzie's appear to have the same opionion of us. Am I being really sensitive here? I dont want to live in a Country where the Oz orignals resent me for coming to a country where I believe I can give my family a better life. Then I thought some more I realised that there must be some immigrants in UK who have contributed to our country and are tarred with the same brush as we appear to be getting in Oz (if this person Len is anything to go by). Anyway just wanted to say thanks to Len2000 for giving me second thoughts and making me realise my fears of being an outcast on OZ appear to be confirmed.:arghh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Cheer up, honey. Oz is like anywhere else. There are bound to be some xenophobes but they tend to be few and far between and are easily ignored. Best wishes Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnxiousMum Posted May 31, 2008 Author Share Posted May 31, 2008 Thanks Jill, Have to admit I was really angry with the threads I read (and they were back in April!!!). I dont want to live in a country where I'm not sure if I am liked or not just because I am british. This is the second time tonight I have heard that the Auzzie's dont like English people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy123 Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Hi please take this message a little tongue in cheek but something to think about. If you don't know already I am an Australian living in England with my partner and children. Australians aren't racist they hate everybody!!!!! We even hate ourselves!!!! Every nationality has a nickname (good or bad!!) and we will stir the proverbial wooden spoon. If you have a thick skin and can give as good as you get I believe that you will fit in. Be glad that you don't come from New Zealand!! They get the most stick from the Australians followed by the English!!! A small piece of advice, change your accent when England are playing Australia at cricket, rugby etc etc !!!!!!! Go with an open mind and an open heart and a quick wit (the Australian sense of humour does take some getting used to!!). Most of all make up your own mind and don't let other people's opinions sway you. Good luck and follow your dreams Best wishes Geoffrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnxiousMum Posted May 31, 2008 Author Share Posted May 31, 2008 Hi Geoffrey, Thanks that has helped, it made me laugh. I do have a very dry sense of humour, so as long as they do I should be fine. I was just shocked at the amount of anger that came from that person through written word:biglaugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 The best way to handle abusive Auzzies is to be even more abusive back, I work with a few and its a mistake to try and agree with them on anything.... especially sport, under no circumstance conceed tht their team was better and deserving to win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest been there before Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I grew up in Oz and have memories of racial abuse (I'm english)while at school, but I guess as every one matured it kind of fizzled out somewhat.I don't know what the aussies have against us brits anyway because I reckon 90% of them have british blood in their veins anyway from the convict days haha I used to be told to "Go home you pommy b****" and I would reply "Atleast my ancestor's were'nt convicts"haha Aussies are a proud nation,but that is what the brits need here is'nt it?I'm proud to be british,but maybe aussies are abit too proud if you know what I mean!My kids are aussies but are not proud of it,infact when we moved to the UK they told everyone they were english!!!(And still do) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy123 Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 The best way to handle abusive Auzzies is to be even more abusive back, I work with a few and its a mistake to try and agree with them on anything.... especially sport, under no circumstance conceed tht their team was better and deserving to win. :realmad:we all know Australia is better at everything!!!!!! you sir are just deluded!!!!! (that sound about right????):wacko::goofy::cry: lol b4 you yell back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnxiousMum Posted May 31, 2008 Author Share Posted May 31, 2008 I just hope the kids dont get too much stick when we get to Melbourne and they start school. It will be bad enough for them as it is!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 :realmad:we all know Australia is better at everything!!!!!! you sir are just deluded!!!!! (that sound about right????):wacko::goofy::cry: lol b4 you yell back yeah, so deluded I had to see a shrink when I started imagining that England left Australia crushed, demoralised and crying in their beer in the last two Rugby World Cups, good thing Auzzie beer is already watery! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy123 Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 the teachers and principal will keep an eye on them, as ive said to other people if the kids take something small from England some Blackpool rock, something thats English that they can hand out to their new class mates the battle is half way over. if they can make a scrap book of things that mean something to them that they can show people. Maybe you could speak to both schools and start a pen pal program from the old school to the new one that way your kids are the centre of attention rather than being in the back ground does that make sense? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy123 Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 yeah, so deluded I had to see a shrink when I started imagining that England left Australia crushed, demoralised and crying in their beer in the last two Rugby World Cups, good thing Auzzie beer is already watery! when did that happen? are you sure you didn't wake up with wet sheets??:skeptical: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 As an immigrant into a new country in search of a "better life" you can expect the same sort of welcome as you give to immigrants to UK who come there in search of a "better life". Why should the Australians be any different? If you resent the fact that people are flooding UK then that is just how the Aussies feel. They really couldnt give a toss about where you come from as long as you fit in - lose the english accent and for heavens sake, dont ever say "back home we ...." Laugh with them when they call you a whinging Pommy bastard and expect to be "teased" mercilessly every time Australia beats UK at something - anything really! Being English is big non event here - if you come here they expect you to be Australian not English living in Australia. They dont see why they should be grateful to you for coming. Console yourself with the thought that the flood of Poms is not generating the most national anger at the moment - in the 40s, 50s & 60s it was the Poms and the wogs (Italian, Greek), in the 70s, 80s and 90s it was the Yugoslavs, Asians and Christian Lebanese that got the "we dont want more of them" message. Most recently it has been the influx of muslim nations who have been having the most trouble assimilating and so previous rounds of migrants are now part of the "us" gang against the "them" who are still sticking to their old homeland ways. If you havent been to Aus, you may be shocked, it isnt a white country it is very multicultural - in the centre of cities especially Sydney you could be excused for thinking you are in Shanghai. If you keep your head down, you will be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Ditto Jo ,, We neither have heard any racist comments ye ,you get called pommy and when i arrived around here i was nicknamed pommy bird !! its just their language ad in no way offensive ,laugh and give the banter back the aussies will then laugh with you!! If you get uptight and snotty they will give it you more Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 I agree with Quoll in respect of why should Australians treat Migrants any differently than we treated Migrants in the UK, but I personally haven't met with any hostility because i'm an immigrant.. We're still relative newbies to Aus arriving in Jan 07. The only person who has told me to go back to England was a patient I was giving an injection to against their will and they were from the British isles. As a family, we've had no problems with abuse and my children are happy and settled at school and have not encountered any difficulties at all. My hubby partakes of the pom v aussie banter at work and has a laugh. I've been called a POM but it hasn't been said in an offensive way, and I call myself one and say I'm entitled to whinge because of my Pommie status. I've got a shared sense of humour with alot of the aussies i've met and in many ways it's just like living in the UK - you'll meet people who you like and get on with and those you don't - and it probably won't have anything to do with Nationality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fatpom Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 I think Quoll has got it pretty right with her post. Aussies like any other nation only get really nasty with immigrants when the economy is on the low side of its cycle. I see that in South Africa recent immigrants there are currently copping some nasty stuff from the locals?... all nations and races are clearly capable of it. :smile: Currently its not much of an issue in Aus. Still exists though, but poms aren't on the receiving end of it... its other more visually obvious migrants who are copping the flak. To say it doesn't exist is to be living in a bubble, its still here, just not a major problem. If jobs get tough to hold on to and living standards drop (which they will) then we'll see a resurgence of anti-immigrant feeling... its not right... its not reasonable but it will happen. As others have already said if you're smart you can easily deflect it with humour. BTW I recently read a report on a survey conducted on women here... apparently amongst other things they're all for gay marriage but not at all happy about immigration. :smile: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gemmahey Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Hi There Anxiousmum, I have just been back and read the thread, Please don't worry about that, My fella is Aussie I went over last November to meet all his family, friends, aquitances etc..... and they were great to me, made me feel right at home. I met some rowdy drunk lads on nights out and got asked where I was from thousands of times and not ONCE did any one say anything about of being british and I am a proud Brit at that! Please don't worry:wubclub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salma Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi guys, Just wanted to moment to let off steam. I was looking for previous threads about lifestyle in OZ. Came across some threads by the above mentioned Len. Have to say I am disappointed to say the least. I must be extremely naive, I thought going to Oz would be a good idea, not only to escape our immigrants who do nothing to help our Country. Only to find that native Auzzie's appear to have the same opionion of us. Am I being really sensitive here? I dont want to live in a Country where the Oz orignals resent me for coming to a country where I believe I can give my family a better life. Then I thought some more I realised that there must be some immigrants in UK who have contributed to our country and are tarred with the same brush as we appear to be getting in Oz (if this person Len is anything to go by). Anyway just wanted to say thanks to Len2000 for giving me second thoughts and making me realise my fears of being an outcast on OZ appear to be confirmed.:arghh: This is the exact attitude I have reffered to, peolpe leaving UK coz of the immigrants but becoming one yourself! My in laws are aussie as is husband plus my originate from pakistan so my Father in law got stuck in all the above. I have not been there for long enough to see if me having an english accent will be a help or a hinderance. But I have experienced racism as I child so im sure I will cope! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mandisfam Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 In the 6 months I lived in oz, I can honestly say hand on heart that nobody was every rude to me to or made me feel that the english were hated. Yes, they used the word pom in front of me, yes they digged about how crap the english are at sports but none of it was ever meant in an offensive way and it was just there sense of humour. In fact when I look back at my time in oz, all the aussies I meant were very hospitable and generous. They aussies I house shared with even let me off paying my share of the rent. I only contributed to household bills. If you go with an open mind and you are not over sensitive then you will do just fine. Mandisfam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy123 Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi all after doing some digging i found the post, personally i did not think it was that bad (sorry) he was just saying what he felt. Lets face it some people are like that you get the same type of people in the Uk. Me im glad im Australian, i hate everyone it makes life so easy! how can i be a racist when you hate everyone? Lets face it we are all boat people we just arrive on different boats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wardy Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 we have just returned from a validation trip to Perth and unfortunately my OH was at the end of some nasty abuse after returning our hire car. He was at the train station waiting for a bus when a group of aborigines starting throwing abuse at him he was on his own and it could have turned quite nasty. Fortunately for him security was present at the station. This wasnt friendly in any way and did turn what was a great trip into a bit of a sad ending. we know to expect pommy banter and heavens knows we are prepared, living in newcastle and married to a geordie we have the anti makem/geordie banter all the time. This was probaly and by the sounds of it quite unusual but it does happen and my hubby is the prove of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy123 Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 we have just returned from a validation trip to Perth and unfortunately my OH was at the end of some nasty abuse after returning our hire car. He was at the train station waiting for a bus when a group of aborigines starting throwing abuse at him he was on his own and it could have turned quite nasty. Fortunately for him security was present at the station. This wasnt friendly in any way and did turn what was a great trip into a bit of a sad ending. we know to expect pommy banter and heavens knows we are prepared, living in newcastle and married to a geordie we have the anti makem/geordie banter all the time. This was probaly and by the sounds of it quite unusual but it does happen and my hubby is the prove of that. If anyones got a right to be angry at the English it would have to be them!!!! (lol) Stuff em though, they think everyone needs to go home!!!! No time for people that think a country owes them something (aborigines that is):realmad: Sorry i'll go back in my box now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobcat Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 we have just returned from a validation trip to Perth and unfortunately my OH was at the end of some nasty abuse after returning our hire car. He was at the train station waiting for a bus when a group of aborigines starting throwing abuse at him he was on his own and it could have turned quite nasty. Fortunately for him security was present at the station. This wasnt friendly in any way and did turn what was a great trip into a bit of a sad ending. we know to expect pommy banter and heavens knows we are prepared, living in newcastle and married to a geordie we have the anti makem/geordie banter all the time. This was probaly and by the sounds of it quite unusual but it does happen and my hubby is the prove of that. Wardy................ sorry to hear Neil got into a bit of argy-bargy with the locals............ it's definitely not the norm; although it does happen frequently in what we call 'no-go' areas. Whitfords isn't one of them so Neil was maybe a tad unlucky to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Johnno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wardy Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Wardy................ sorry to hear Neil got into a bit of argy-bargy with the locals............ it's definitely not the norm; although it does happen frequently in what we call 'no-go' areas. Whitfords isn't one of them so Neil was maybe a tad unlucky to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Johnno Hi Johnno Yes he was unlucky but it worried me more than him :biglaugh: hes been to enough world cup finals and been threatened 10 x worse than that when there. It was great to meet you and still love that house you showed us. :smile: xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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