Originally Posted by BadgeIsBack

What went wrong for you?

Agree with everything you say, its a lottery(!) But everyone has to discover for themselves, ultimately it might be a set of circumstances that do it for you. I don't have problem with 'whinging poms' like Arkon as he's quite funny with it and I know what he means. I'm not so impressed with the 'useless whinger'(!).

B

Originally Posted by LouiseD

The people who tell you to shut up and stop moaning and just get on with things are more often than not the ones who are happy with their lives and have no sympathy or compassion for those who are finding it difficult.

Originally Posted by MartinLuther

I've got some advice as well

- don't buy a farm if you know nothing about farming (unless you are prepared for a steep learning curve).
- don't buy any business you know nothing about unless you are prepared for problems.
- don't think that Estate Agents are any different to those found in England.
- don't think that sales people are any different to those found in England.
- don't buy in the middle of nowhere if you don't like living in the middle of nowhere.
- don't go around telling the locals this wouldn't happen in England (it does and the locals, justifiably, won't believe you).
- don't go around calling the locals thick when you don't know how to work the system.
- don't build a house in Aus if you think you're going to have an easier time than the people on Grand Designs.
- don't buy a huge property on the edge of town if you are not prepared to do the travel to work or pay for petrol.
- don't assume the way it's done in England is the best way for doing it in Aus: it probably isn't.
- don't assume that Australians are crying out for news from the mother country (unless you can travel back in time about 100 years).

just don't - OK

Originally Posted by BadgeIsBack

I'm not so impressed with the 'useless whinger'(!).

B

Originally Posted by arkon

I wish people wouldn't talk about vash that way!

Originally Posted by seasprite

I'll just get me coat then....

Originally Posted by Hutch

Nice thesis - but somewhat flawed. I doubt there's a single 'happy' person that posts on these forums that hasn't had serious problems of one kind or another. Rather there are those who are able to get on with life, whatever it throws at them, and those that curl up into a fetal position every time they see someone walking barefoot in a supermarket. Go read Bix's recent threads about his move to Oz - he's an upbeat poster on these forums I'm sure you'll agree; someone who likes his life here - but read all the crap he's gone through both to get here and then to live here and then tell me that all us happy bunnies behave as we do simply because we haven't felt the same pain as you. It's naive.

It isn't about sympathy or compassion, it's about your basic attitude to life. Some of us choose to get on with it and some of us choose to play the blame game.

Originally Posted by LouiseD

I think that the point I'm trying to make is that even though people have a whinge, they quite often are doing something to try to make it better for themselves and not just sitting crying about it. Whinging can sometimes help get things of your chest. Sometimes it's better to have a good old moan than to bottle things up. I certainly didn't mean that the happy folks haven't had their own problems, I'm sure anyone going to the other side of the world has had their fair share of them but there are different levels of problems and some people can be deal with things easier/quicker than others. I don't like condeming people because they can't deal with things and they feel the need to unburden themselves. I know there are people who will never be happy - I know a few of them myself but most on here are just releasing a bit of stress and anxiety.

The only person I blame for our mistake is ourselves. No-one else at all, there's no point is there? I'd would more than anything just like to warn others to be cautious as it's damned hard to lose everything that you've worked all your life for. I'm certainly not down beat about anything. I'm actually very positive about the future - I won't let something like this get me down and will use the time I have left here to do as much as possible and enjoy every minute. As I said, part of life's learning curves and all that

Originally Posted by redlion

And the difference is that you come across as a nice person Louise who is obviously having a hard time over in Australia and you have given a balanced and well put argument to back up your opinion, Arkon on the other hand continuously puts down every single thing that anybody says on here and once again contrary to whats been said previously its not with humour its with extreme bitterness. I am quite frankly offended by the fact that Arkon seems to be the foremost authority on all things oz and that every single one of us trying to make the move are doing so with rose tinted glasses NEWS BROADCAST ARKON!!!!! WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!. I do not think Australia is utopia nor do i think i am going to make my fortune, what i and my family do believe after much research and also listening to the people who have given constructive comments both positive and negative which by the way includes my own family that have lived there for 20 years and given me advice BOTH ways, is that we believe that we just may have a better life and certainly a change of lifestyle and way of living if we make the move, no i cannot guarentee that it will definately work out for us but believe me it wont be because of any so called advice that you give, if anything its more likey to come from somebody like louise who has been honest and not just totally and without exception negative. Actualy i do feel for you Arkon and i pray to god that we dont end up in a situation like you seem to be in, but only we will know about that if and when it happens, we will do our research and we will make our decisions based on that research, its how people do things in this life, if it goes bad god forbid then we will deal with it and move on but i promise you one thing, i will not sit on this site with a chip so huge on my shoulder that it weighs me down and try to put off as many people as i can, yes i will give advice where i can and then those people will make up their own mind. Try to stop the bitterness eating away at you the way it so obviously is Arkon. I pray that someone will come and buy your farm off you and then maybe and i mean maybe you will post one singular positive thread on here that you sold and you got out. Good luck Arkon, believe it or not i actualy mean that.


Nev.

Originally Posted by LouiseD

Well I'm with you Arkon and I can certainly see why you want citizenship, and planning for the future and I don't blame you at all. It sounds to me like you've been through enough heartache already.

People who haven't experienced it just don't understand. They think that you are simply sat whinging every night , trying to put others off coming here just for the sake of it cos you’ve nothing better to do! I had my doubts before moving here permanently, but everyone kept telling me how wonderful it was here and how perfect a place it is – family who were here and who had friends here (who now also realise it isn’t perfect). So stupidly we listened. If only I had read posts similar to yours I may not have risked it and saved myself a bloody fortune and stayed in the UK.

We have lost almost everything in our move to Australia - it was undoubtedly the worse thing we have ever done in our entire lives. We spent three years applying for a visa, researching, going to seminars, and looking forward to our new life here. We were going to do so much, see so much. We had been told by different people that life in Oz was wonderful, quality of life unbelievable, we would earn a fortune etc. etc. etc. Stupid us believing it all – I don’t blame anyone but ourselves but I do wish people wouldn’t exaggerate or base their findings on just a holiday or hearsay. The trouble is, by the time you get here and realise that it isn’t all paradise, it’s often too late – you’ve sold your house, spent a fortune getting yourself, your family and your worldly possessions over here, invested money into making a go of it here and then the realisation hits in that something isn't quite as it seemed. For some people it’s the best thing they ever did and they are more than happy with their gamble. For others it isn’t – it’s a huge mistake and one that will take many years to put right.

The people who tell you to shut up and stop moaning and just get on with things are more often than not the ones who are happy with their lives and have no sympathy or compassion for those who are finding it difficult. They can’t see other’s problems, cant see that you are negative for a reason and that you are actually working your butt off to make things right for your family.

I feel for those who haven’t moved out here permanently yet who have maybe visited on a holiday and think that its all going to be perfect! Because living here is just so different to holidaying. Those who come over here with their UK earnings and think everything is so cheap. Those who think that they will have a lovely five bedroom house with a pool, by the sea for next to nothing. They will get a job working only 30 hours a week, earn a fortune and spend the rest of their time surfing or sunning themselves on the beach or sailing in their boat. And have a barbie every week with all the lovely neighbours. And fly back home every year to visit the relatives. Explore all those lovely islands, Bali, Whitsunday’s, etc. Maybe some will – I’m sure there are people on here who have done exactly that – but for many others it’s not quite the dream it’s made out to be.

We do like Australia - it is a really beautiful country – the people are lovely, the weather is great and the scenery is amazing but unfortunately that won’t pay the bills or keep a roof over your head.

If I was to give one piece of advice to anyone it would be this: Don’t sell up completely. Save up enough to get you over here, try it out, rent and spend some time living and working here. Then if you find you like it and it’s financially better for you, as it obviously can be for some, then sell up.

Originally Posted by by the sea side

totally agree about the Holden and Ford rubbish.What is that all about?

Originally Posted by Wol

Christina wrote:

<<Australia DOES have its problems and people should be aware of them. As I have stated before, I do feel sorry for Arkon, not only because of the situation he has put himself and his family in, but also because its sad to see somebody so consumed with hatred. I truly believe however, he is doing Oz an invaluable service, because if people are stupid enough to base their decision on whether to migrate or not soley on his beliefs, I wouldnt want them here anyway.>>

I hope it doesn't sound patronising but that's a very insightful way of approaching the "negative" posts.

I probably come across as one of the negatives myself - many of my own posts have been concerned with things that I think substandard: not just in comparison with the Uk but with TROTW. But I too don't like to see folk, many of whom are not in a secure financial state anyway, upping and leaving a relatively secure existence and finding that the place they went to on holiday isn't the utopia that they may have seen at a fleeting glance.

Originally Posted by mr mover

After 20 years here you,ll understand ............ mm