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First Impressions of Oz

First Impressions of Oz

Old Jun 16th 2009, 6:30 am
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Default Re: First Impressions of Oz

Originally Posted by verystormy
Racism - Oh boy, Oz makes the KKK look tame. If you meet any indigenous people just ask!

BTW. What does KKK means?

The only Oz that turned up, walked in grabbed beers and left.
I think today is "THE SURPRISE DAY". Coming to know things, which i never expected to learn or know about australians. Where the so called "Multiculturism" of DIAC and Govt. of Aus. gone?

Really getting hardly beaten almost everyday by knowing more and more about ozland which i thought the place of my dream.

Racism, no manners, cruelty, rude behaviour - is this happening in ozland, city like brisbane, perth?
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Old Jun 16th 2009, 7:32 am
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Default Re: First Impressions of Oz

Originally Posted by lovetv
I think today is "THE SURPRISE DAY". Coming to know things, which i never expected to learn or know about australians. Where the so called "Multiculturism" of DIAC and Govt. of Aus. gone?

Really getting hardly beaten almost everyday by knowing more and more about ozland which i thought the place of my dream.

Racism, no manners, cruelty, rude behaviour - is this happening in ozland, city like brisbane, perth?
Yep. They are just like any other city and have all the same problems.
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Old Jun 16th 2009, 7:40 am
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Default Re: First Impressions of Oz

Your post reminds me in many ways of how I felt in my first weeks in Melbourne. I do like Melbourne now, but visiting always reminds me a little of how depressing it was to live in the CBD as a new immigrant. Moving to the 'burbs and finding a home/jobs/friends etc made a huge difference and I really settled into Oz life. I hope you will too.

Of course I am not really one to talk as after 4 years I buggered off back to Scotland, but I am hopefully going to join the ranks of the ping pongers soon

Hope you settle in soon

Mika
xx
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Old Jun 16th 2009, 8:03 am
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Arrow Re: First Impressions of Oz

Originally Posted by lovetv
I think today is "THE SURPRISE DAY". Coming to know things, which i never expected to learn or know about australians. Where the so called "Multiculturism" of DIAC and Govt. of Aus. gone?

Really getting hardly beaten almost everyday by knowing more and more about ozland which i thought the place of my dream.

Racism, no manners, cruelty, rude behaviour - is this happening in ozland, city like brisbane, perth?
Don't believe the hype.
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Old Jun 16th 2009, 8:57 am
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Default Re: First Impressions of Oz

I'll jump back in now as it seems a lot of people are skipping over what I originally said .

I do beleive that a lot of the bad experiences we've had so far can be attributed to being stuck in the CBD area for so long. As we don't have our own transport yet (picking camper up end of the week) we have been limited to where we can get on public transport. On that note as well, the Translink Public Transport system in Brisbane is astonishingly good, far and away the best PT system I've ever used!

Anyway, hopefully once we get out the centre and more into the burbs/country our perception will change a bit more. We have ventured into the suburbs already and had a brilliant time, New Farm, being a key one we went to. People much more friendly and more what we expected of Oz from all the research we did before we came.

Plus, for the people who are saying we basically had rose tinted specs on and unrealistic expectations before we came. Well, 2 days after we landed my wife was bitten by a white tail spider and has been on anti-biotics since to treat the infection. I was bitten by a load of ants, we noticed how expensive some items were in stores etc and lots more of things like that, but we knew these sorts of things (costs, bugs etc) were part of life in Oz so we accept that and are not fussed by them at all. If we were the rose tinted, unrealistic expectiions people some posters are making us out to be then I would have moaned about these as well, but I'm not because we know thats parts of Oz life and we're happy with that.

And for the people who understand how and why I posted the original thread, thanks for your positive comments.

And for the people who feel the need to slag me of and send stupid messages to me when they obviously haven't read what I said originally, grow up

Last edited by AndyR; Jun 16th 2009 at 9:00 am.
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Old Jun 16th 2009, 9:29 am
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Thumbs up Re: First Impressions of Oz

Originally Posted by AndyR
I'll jump back in now as it seems a lot of people are skipping over what I originally said .

I do beleive that a lot of the bad experiences we've had so far can be attributed to being stuck in the CBD area for so long. As we don't have our own transport yet (picking camper up end of the week) we have been limited to where we can get on public transport. On that note as well, the Translink Public Transport system in Brisbane is astonishingly good, far and away the best PT system I've ever used!
The CBD is never a nice place to be; everyone running around and biting each other like rats.

Well, 2 days after we landed my wife was bitten by a white tail spider and has been on anti-biotics since to treat the infection.
Good grief! I can see how that might have coloured your perception of events.

Hope you're both recovering well and that life gets better from here.
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Old Jun 16th 2009, 9:34 am
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Default Re: First Impressions of Oz

Originally Posted by AndyR
I do beleive that a lot of the bad experiences we've had so far can be attributed to being stuck in the CBD area for so long.
We live in Perth and I absolutely love it. I always find the people really friendly. But I am sure if we had to live in the CBD I'd hate it! Perth CBD is fine for work - but at the end of the day you want to get out ...

Haven't been to Brisbane yet, but I'm not surprised that living in the CBD hasn't been fun for you.

Really hope you manage to get to some other places on your travels (avoid those CBDs ) and can start to enjoy Aus.
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Old Jun 16th 2009, 9:37 am
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Default Re: First Impressions of Oz

Originally Posted by AndyR
Well, 2 days after we landed my wife was bitten by a white tail spider
and frightened Miss Muffet away.

Why is it that white tailed spiders only ever bite Poms?
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Old Jun 16th 2009, 9:51 am
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Default Re: First Impressions of Oz

Hey Andy,

I feel for you mate,

you turn up in a foreign country, everything is going at 100kph, you get bumped bruised, ignored by the walking dead in the streets, the local flora and forna attack you and your partner, you have to dodge the spit and ciggie butts littering the place, you witness verbal abuse and racism, all the men dislike women.

And your talking about staying!!

sorry to make light of the situation mate but, reading the things you have written and the way you have put them across portrays hell on earth.

if it was really as bad as you make it out to be you would be on the first plane home, I know some places in Aus have their problems, but hey, where doesn't. just put these series of events behind you and enjoy the vast amount of wonderful experiences that Aus has to offer.

Best of luck to both of you mate, enjoy.
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Old Jun 16th 2009, 10:35 am
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Default Re: First Impressions of Oz

like other posters have said if you feel like that now it wont get much better ive been here nearly 4 years moved states and still dont like the vibe everyone is different,it is what it is and its not going to change.z
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Old Jun 16th 2009, 12:01 pm
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Default Re: First Impressions of Oz

Originally Posted by WillBlack
and frightened Miss Muffet away.

Why is it that white tailed spiders only ever bite Poms?
Funny that, isn't it?

Been here for nearly 30 years and until about 5 years ago I'd never even heard of a white tail spider - let alone seen one.

At least four BE posters have supposedly being bitten by them within days of arrival.
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Old Jun 16th 2009, 12:23 pm
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Default Re: First Impressions of Oz

Originally Posted by AndyR
We arrived in Brisbane just over a week ago now as we plan on spending the year traveling while we wait for our 175 to be processed. We spent 3 weeks in New Zealand before we arrived and had the most amazing time, the people there were so friendly that it totally blew us away, so we arrived in Oz really excited.

However, its not exactly been the best time so far We had done a lot of research before coming so had our exceptions set and a lot of these (food prices, costs of items, bugs etc) are all as we expected so thats fine, however one this we didn't expect to encounter is the appalling attitude of the people here!!! Things we have experienced so far:-
  • People are NOT friendly round here. Tried talking to lots of people in shops/out and about and they are just rude as hell. Say hi when you get to a checkout and they ignore you for example.
  • How many people stare at you with an expression like they have just crapped there pants?
  • People walk round completely oblivious to anyone else
  • Constantly getting bumped into where-ever you go, and no one ever says sorry
  • The way blokes in shops/restaurants ignore women is plain rude
  • People spitting on the street all the time
  • Never seen so many people smoking!!
  • Does anyone ever wash there hands in this country? No wonder swine flu is spreading so quick in Oz! Also seen lots of parents telling there little kids not to wash there hands after using the loo as its only a wee/poo ?!?!?!?
  • Total lack of manners from people
  • Racism - WOW! Its so blatant around here. Even had to get off a train early because a group of lads were harassing people on the train who were Kiwi or British, plus saw some very proud Ozzies families on the City Cat acting like complete idiots just to cause a scene.
  • Never had so many people let doors go in my face
  • People always squeeze through in front of you and look at you like you were at fault
  • Been bumped into so many times and they then look at you completely gormlessly!
  • General gormless attitude of people when you walk round, its like being in Land of the Dead.
  • The pace of life seems SOOOOO fast. Feel like your getting your heels chomped on the high street people walk so fast and everyone always seems to be in a rush wherever you go.

Hate to moan as we had been looking forward to this place for so long, but its just draining now. Like I say, before we came here we spent 3 weeks in New Zealand and they people there were met, every single one was superb. Never once felt uncomfortable, people were always friendly, if someone ever bumped you in the street they apologized etc.

All it feels like at the moment in Brisbane is London with much better weather and thats a serious shock. Everyone makes such a thing about how nice the Ozzies are but so far the only people which have been polite/civil are the Chinese/Koreans we've seen. Not seen many brits yet but every single Ozzie we have come across has been a total nightmare, and the amount of racism/crude attitude of people is a real eyeopener.

Sorry to rant, just had to vent a bit thats all. Hopefully it'll all change when we get out of Brisbane and into some less populated areas.
I never experienced anything like this in Melbourne... to the contrary, in fact.
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Old Jun 16th 2009, 12:33 pm
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Wink Re: First Impressions of Oz

Originally Posted by WillBlack
and frightened Miss Muffet away.

Why is it that white tailed spiders only ever bite Poms?
Because we train them to do it.
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Old Jun 16th 2009, 12:40 pm
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Default Re: First Impressions of Oz

Originally Posted by WillBlack
and frightened Miss Muffet away.

Why is it that white tailed spiders only ever bite Poms?
Cos they've got good taste?
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Old Jun 16th 2009, 9:50 pm
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Default Re: First Impressions of Oz

Originally Posted by WillBlack
and frightened Miss Muffet away.

Why is it that white tailed spiders only ever bite Poms?
because we taste nice...
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