I came to Oz and it didnt work because......................

[Guest pegasus 90]

Hi Bertie,

I think some people tend to embelish the truth by blocking out the reality; as by nature of migrating we have all invested time, money & sacrifices to be here. Therefore it is easy to see why they block it out as they do not wish to raise hard questions about living here to justify their decision.

One other thing I noticed while living here (9 yrs), that the media tend to cock a deafen towards crime in general (especially local crime); a kind of concious denial. I'm not saying that there is a conspiracy to not report; but for some reason it doesn't get the coverage that it does in U.K. Maybe it just doesn't sell papers.

BTW I live in a very safe area in Perth with very little crime, although I have a friend who is a Det Sgt in WA Police who told me that there were two armed robberies at the local shops recently. I tried to find it in local papers/internet.....not a dickie bird.

P90

 

 

 

We have been here for 18 months on a 457 VISA and wondered why do people feel the need to embelish the truth are they trying to convince THEMSELVES they made the right choice?? We saw a post on here when we were still in the UK and someone had said about the graffitti in Melbourne and they were shouted down by people saying there was hardly any and what there was it is ART well we have seen graffitti in Melbourne,Sydney and Cairns and its not art just this TAGGING on peoples fences,cars and anywhere else so why lie about it when we arrived we were shocked with just how big a problem it is and the drug culture over here is massive we lived in Leeds in the UK so not really an idylic hamlet!! We do like OZ in the main but why not tell the truth about matters so that people can make an informed decision??

[Guest proud2beaussie]

Australia is unique in it's own way just as parts of Europe are but having been part of the hospitality industry in this country for many years,and been a travel agent for 12 years I can say that the thousands of people who come here each year don't want Austria or Spain or England,they want Australia.

If you go a country with the attitude of "The beaches are nice but the one's back home are better" then you won't ever discover the inner beauty of any country let alone Australia.

You have to seek out the real Australia to discover it's beauty,the real Australia isn't about beaches or shopping malls,those things exist in every country,(Even London has discovered shopping centres)the real Australia is not to be found on the Gold Coast or anywhere even remotely like that ,it's found in coastal towns of states like Tasmania,the south coast of NSW,towns in the Adelaide Hills -I could go on,and you don't know Australians until you see the sort of community spirit that exists in these towns,the sort of spirit that drives a man working as a volunteer fire fighter to go out and help fight a fire on a neighbours property whilst the fences on his own farm burnt.

Don't get me wrong,as a travel agent I too have done the "Cakes in Vienna" thing,and I've seen ancient wonders of the world like the pyramids,and I have been amazed and awe inspired by the things I have seen and I can't wait to see more of Asia,but I will never compare them to Australia because Australia is unique in it's own way.

Funny too how a previous poster mentioned

americanised splurge of joints peddling fat and grease on every corner.

,because one of my abiding memories of the three months I lived in London last year was taking my girlfriends dog for a walk every morning and trying to stop it eating bits of discarded take away food like "kebabs" and burgers that had been dropped on the footpath outside her house.And just about every town in N/E Victoria where I live has a small bakery,a butcher,a bank (probably not open all the time though)a pub,a post office,and numerous other businesses.

Just as there is more to the UK than London and Buckingham Palace there is more to Australia than the Queensland beaches-it's easy to find-once you know what to look for.

Edited to add:

BTW I'm a dual UK-Australian citizen and I spend a lot of time in the UK each year and I treasure every moment I spend there because when I am there I am with the most important person in the worl d to me-my girlfriend,I love the UK and I'm moving there in December for a few years,I'm looking forward to it immensely,but I too will come "home" but in my case it will be to the Australia that I know and love,despite the problems,of which,like any country,there are many.

[Quoll]

Nige, this is the "it didnt work because .... thread" remember, not the "I need to defend my country and say that UK is just as bad thread"!:biglaugh:

 

However I do agree with you that many migrants never get to the real Australia which certainly isnt found in Bourke St or Pitt St or on the Gold Coast. I really like the country towns - they arent suave and sophisticated but they are generally much more of a community than the bling touristy bits or the faceless city bits. I have been involved in post fire recovery a few times now and am always inspired by the community response to recovery - not just the local community which is brilliant but the wider community (even if people do want to dump their "good" junk which can be a bit of a problem) where every man and his dog wants to do "something". Sometimes that community response continues but other times it is a short hit and then we are back to every man for himself. In the smaller towns though there is a much better sense of cohesion but unfortunately like most small towns, the kids dont want to stay and unless you are within cooee of a big place where there is fun and jobs there is that usual sad exodus of the young in search of adventure. Some places have found a niche and are attractions for one reason or another but others are dying a slow death and I think that is really sad.

 

Australia is just like any other first world country with respect to all the things that make people want to leave where they are - crime, politicians, immigrants, tv, food, whatever - but Australians need to accept that it is OK for people not to gel with the place for whatever reason and not (like the arrogant newbie above who hasnt quite worked out what forum she is heaping her defensive Aussieness on) jump on anyone who may find it not to their liking. It's very much horses for courses and if history is your bag then Aus probably isnt going to float your boat but if you are a died in the wool surfie then you wont find the mudflats of Essex much of a turn on either. It's quite OK if people dont like England, it's quite OK if people dont like Australia. There are loads of stories on here from nice pleasant people who have given it a go and decided that it isnt for them - no need for anyone to rubbish or dismiss their feelings and experiences.

[Guest proud2beaussie]

Quoll,

I suggest you read the post again without your Uk glasses on because nowhere in my post did I say "the UK was just as bad"I simply pointed out,quite pertinently that Europe is great for some things and Australia is great for others.

 

And just as some members thought it was their right to jump in on the "Jetlagged but worth it" thread earlier,I don't see any problem with me expressing my opinion about the differences between Australia and other places.

A previous poster made several very pertinent points about the expectations of people who come to Australia thinking it is paradise and being disappointed when it turns out not to be,I was simply making a point that in my opinion,paradise is what you make it,for some people Europe is home and they see it as their own little corner of paradise despite the problems,I have my own little corner of paradise here, (In my opinion)there are parts of many countries that are spectacular and I don't for one minute discount peoples opinions about other countries,or Australia.

I was just expressing a view that Australia isn't about the Gold Coast ,neither is the UK about London,the real Australia and the real UK are hidden deeper than greasy take aways in either country.

I apologise if I gave the impression that I was discounting or rubbishing others opinions.

[Quoll]

Nigel, I was actually agreeing with you but having a gentle shot because of your doggedness at keeping another topic on track when even a hint at a comparison was jumped upon hence the :biglaugh:. I was absolutely not attributing you with the dissing of opinions - I know you are not one of that crowd but I can see how it was written that you may think so - I was more having a not so gentle shot at the intolerant newbie further up the page. I do apologize if you thought I was having a go at you. BTW In case you didnt notice I didnt have my UK glasses on, just my "please respect individuals' opinions" specs.

[Guest proud2beaussie]

Fair enough Quoll,I also apologize if my initial reply to you was sharp,I have edited that bit out, I meant no offense really and just got a bit hot headed,apologies again.

[NigelWaring]

I'm had a far more interesting and fulfilling life since I left England 40 years and three days ago. I shudder when I think what I might be doing if I hadn't emigrated.

[Bod]

I'm glad that you boys have found what you're looking for now that you've left Aus, it make me feel so much better that yout lives are now fulfilled because you've found good quality products, although some may feel it rather shallow that you based your whole experience on a sausage. But hey, it takes all sorts and if you two missed your sausages then that's a good enough reason to go home in my book ... Well done for making the decision

 

 

It was not the only reason I left Aus. When his wife told him that my sausage was bigger than his and had a whole lot more flavor, he bassically chased me down the Bruce highway to the airport.

[keily]

Hi Bertie,

I think some people tend to embelish the truth by blocking out the reality; as by nature of migrating we have all invested time, money & sacrifices to be here. Therefore it is easy to see why they block it out as they do not wish to raise hard questions about living here to justify their decision.

One other thing I noticed while living here (9 yrs), that the media tend to cock a deafen towards crime in general (especially local crime); a kind of concious denial. I'm not saying that there is a conspiracy to not report; but for some reason it doesn't get the coverage that it does in U.K. Maybe it just doesn't sell papers.

BTW I live in a very safe area in Perth with very little crime, although I have a friend who is a Det Sgt in WA Police who told me that there were two armed robberies at the local shops recently. I tried to find it in local papers/internet.....not a dickie bird.

P90

 

you dont live in canning vale by any chance :idea:

mrs keily

[Guest guest30038]

It was not the only reason I left Aus. When his wife told him that my sausage was bigger than his and had a whole lot more flavor, he bassically chased me down the Bruce highway to the airport.

 

Was it covered in real pork skin or synthetic? :biglaugh:

 

kev

[Bod]

Was it covered in real pork skin or synthetic? :biglaugh:

 

kev

 

 

Keep it clean please Kevin