The Welcome Mat?
Jul 30th 2013, 10:39 pm
#16
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Re: The Welcome Mat?
Still Game
Did this discrimination mainly happen in the small towns and villages? I have only lived and worked in UK cities and have never had this. I worked in Finance and had no overt display of resentment of me taking someone's job.
Did this discrimination mainly happen in the small towns and villages? I have only lived and worked in UK cities and have never had this. I worked in Finance and had no overt display of resentment of me taking someone's job.
Jul 30th 2013, 10:44 pm
#17
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Re: The Welcome Mat?
just to be clear.. this happens all over the world in every country... it never happens to some people, I was just unlucky it seems. I do love it here (UK) and none of what has happened has put me in a big way living here very happily for nearly 13 yrs. I just rose above it, thought poor small minded folk are just that and moved on.
Last edited by Still Game; Jul 30th 2013 at 10:48 pm.
Jul 30th 2013, 10:46 pm
#18
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Re: The Welcome Mat?
Brissybee
WOW you are in a world of pain there! Where do you live in Australia - South West Sydney?
You are quite correct that we have our fair share of bogans here. Also correct in your assessment of manners - it is often every person for him/herself, particularly in the cities. Racial disharmony can be a problem - again mainly in Sydney.
Sounds like you have hit the perfect storm of neighbourhoods - my advice is to move to Newcastle NSW - we are all luvly up here
WOW you are in a world of pain there! Where do you live in Australia - South West Sydney?
You are quite correct that we have our fair share of bogans here. Also correct in your assessment of manners - it is often every person for him/herself, particularly in the cities. Racial disharmony can be a problem - again mainly in Sydney.
Sounds like you have hit the perfect storm of neighbourhoods - my advice is to move to Newcastle NSW - we are all luvly up here
Jul 30th 2013, 10:50 pm
#19
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Jul 31st 2013, 4:45 am
#20
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Re: The Welcome Mat?
Perhaps I'm in the minority however have personally experienced blatant racism and very unwelcoming behaviour, mainly from Scottish and English ladies I have worked with in the past. Awful, horrible and lead to many nights with me in tears. Also experienced it by little snidey passing comments from people at bus stops, in shops, even in a restaurant once. I have been told how very lucky I am to have been 'given' so many great jobs and how I should feel an enormous gratitude and guilt to be taking away good jobs from locals ... get on your knees and be thankful sort of attitude. Nothing to do with my capabilities?! And yes, actually I do feel blessed. Did make me smile one day where I overheard someone saying in the tea room that I was just after a British passport and willing to marry "ANYONE" ... when I've had a passport since I was 19 due to British father... but hey, you just go right ahead and think what you like small minded person. I'll not enlighten you to the fact I've had one boyfriend over in the UK and 10 years later we married...hmm.....
There is definitely a sense of seniority (? might be using wrong word here) over Australians/Kiwis etc.. in the UK. As in 'we own your country' and don't you forget that.
However... I have not met every single person in the UK and I have of course met many lovely people too. Friends that will be friends for life. A mixture of Scottish, English, South African, Polish, Aussie, Romanian and Irish. I have had wonderful time with lovely British people who tell me stories of them, or their children visiting Oz or NZ. How their relatives are there and how they would love to visit. They in turn are hungry for stories from 'home'.
For the sake of repeating myself in posts, it's a personal experience and unless we interviewed every single person who has lived in a foreign country we shouldn't be tarring every citizen with the same brush just because they live in a certain country. Some people are welcoming and some are not. It's down to the individual. There will be many Aussies who are awful to visitors, horrible. There will be others who are welcoming. Likewise with UK and the US and every country.
There is definitely a sense of seniority (? might be using wrong word here) over Australians/Kiwis etc.. in the UK. As in 'we own your country' and don't you forget that.
However... I have not met every single person in the UK and I have of course met many lovely people too. Friends that will be friends for life. A mixture of Scottish, English, South African, Polish, Aussie, Romanian and Irish. I have had wonderful time with lovely British people who tell me stories of them, or their children visiting Oz or NZ. How their relatives are there and how they would love to visit. They in turn are hungry for stories from 'home'.
For the sake of repeating myself in posts, it's a personal experience and unless we interviewed every single person who has lived in a foreign country we shouldn't be tarring every citizen with the same brush just because they live in a certain country. Some people are welcoming and some are not. It's down to the individual. There will be many Aussies who are awful to visitors, horrible. There will be others who are welcoming. Likewise with UK and the US and every country.
I do not for one moment believe this is the general attitude to Australians in the UK. This is the limb part: I do believe this is the general attitude to the British in Australia.
BUT; how do I know? I haven't lived in the UK for 36 years! All I can put up is a recent comment from my recently traced brother (after 43 years), of 'why would you want to come...(you know the rest)...we have some lovely Australians next door'. ( Bless 'im, he didn't see the irony of that!).
I also got the identical comment from one of the house clearance people a few weeks ago: the why thing,-them the comment that 'they really like Aussies over there don't they'?
Tbh, I'm damned sad that this has happened to you.
I agree. The UK is not exempt from xenophobia.
There can be a very unwelcoming and condescending attitude towards folks from other countries, even former colonies like Aus, Canada, S Africa. I worked with several Aussies who felt both overt and covert discrimination from small-minded native Brits around them, especially in the smaller towns & villages.
There can be a very unwelcoming and condescending attitude towards folks from other countries, even former colonies like Aus, Canada, S Africa. I worked with several Aussies who felt both overt and covert discrimination from small-minded native Brits around them, especially in the smaller towns & villages.
The point is, I TG that it is for places, not people! This stuff endorses it.
yes of course! I would never associate with friends or people who insulted me!
I was talking on the phone to my brother at a bustop once about the birth of my nephew and an old lady mumbled something like 'why don't you go back there then' or words to that effect... she wasn't smiling with happiness like I was.
Shops - asked if I was looking for work, when I was browsing and when said, 'oh no, I'm browsing thanks' and left the store (not due to that) heard one assistant say something about 'immigration problem' .. perhaps a coincidence..
Told when I was working at a holiday camp by a group of drunken 40 something male idiots 'we own you, we own your country love just get the drinks'.. charming
told by an older group of ladies 'it's disgusting the way the country is crawling with Australian's' to my face....
I won't go on.
No, I don't have a big mouth and I'm friendly to all, no idea why I seem to attract the nasties.
I was talking on the phone to my brother at a bustop once about the birth of my nephew and an old lady mumbled something like 'why don't you go back there then' or words to that effect... she wasn't smiling with happiness like I was.
Shops - asked if I was looking for work, when I was browsing and when said, 'oh no, I'm browsing thanks' and left the store (not due to that) heard one assistant say something about 'immigration problem' .. perhaps a coincidence..
Told when I was working at a holiday camp by a group of drunken 40 something male idiots 'we own you, we own your country love just get the drinks'.. charming
told by an older group of ladies 'it's disgusting the way the country is crawling with Australian's' to my face....
I won't go on.
No, I don't have a big mouth and I'm friendly to all, no idea why I seem to attract the nasties.
I think Australia has a chip on its shoulder and there is a healthy dose of community hatred out there as well.
I also believe there is an inferiority complex... Australians seem to always want to prove themselves to the British, Americans etc.
As for the hatred, watch in any shopping centre car park and see how many people exchange abuse over a simple car park... even walking can cause a problem...just the other day a woman deliberately shoulder hit me because I was walking towards her (I had a wall and couldn't move... she chose not to move... I know people who do this to people on purpose)... shop assistants resent you for asking a question, intelligent people look down on those not so bright, less intelligent people think intelligent people are "up themselves"... I know I'm generalising, but it seems to go on... bogans hate gays, whites and blacks hate each other, bosses and workers are frequently at each others backs and school bullying is out of control. Honestly, I'm just over the nastiness.
I haven't lived in the UK for a long time, but I hope this type of culture isn't rife there as well.
I also believe there is an inferiority complex... Australians seem to always want to prove themselves to the British, Americans etc.
As for the hatred, watch in any shopping centre car park and see how many people exchange abuse over a simple car park... even walking can cause a problem...just the other day a woman deliberately shoulder hit me because I was walking towards her (I had a wall and couldn't move... she chose not to move... I know people who do this to people on purpose)... shop assistants resent you for asking a question, intelligent people look down on those not so bright, less intelligent people think intelligent people are "up themselves"... I know I'm generalising, but it seems to go on... bogans hate gays, whites and blacks hate each other, bosses and workers are frequently at each others backs and school bullying is out of control. Honestly, I'm just over the nastiness.
I haven't lived in the UK for a long time, but I hope this type of culture isn't rife there as well.
(How many of you remember the vile little UK beat up on the 'Sunday' programme late last year? It was the tackiest piece of shoddy 'journalism' I have ever damn well seen).
Can't anyone see that if the UK was as bad as it is portrayed-then WHY do so many people want to return? (I'm not even talking 'permanently' here).
Or is there denial that this perception is rampant?
If Australia really is 'living the dream' (the phrase regularly used)-WHY do so many want to return to that SOT-the UK?
Or is there denial that this perception is rampant?
Seriously what is the point of all this? We need to find out for ourselves, don't we?
(SOT? ....On Trees
)
Jul 31st 2013, 5:12 am
#21
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Location: Canberra
Posts: 8,378
Re: The Welcome Mat?
Perhaps I'm in the minority however have personally experienced blatant racism and very unwelcoming behaviour, mainly from Scottish and English ladies I have worked with in the past. Awful, horrible and lead to many nights with me in tears. Also experienced it by little snidey passing comments from people at bus stops, in shops, even in a restaurant once. I have been told how very lucky I am to have been 'given' so many great jobs and how I should feel an enormous gratitude and guilt to be taking away good jobs from locals ... get on your knees and be thankful sort of attitude. Nothing to do with my capabilities?! And yes, actually I do feel blessed. Did make me smile one day where I overheard someone saying in the tea room that I was just after a British passport and willing to marry "ANYONE" ... when I've had a passport since I was 19 due to British father... but hey, you just go right ahead and think what you like small minded person. I'll not enlighten you to the fact I've had one boyfriend over in the UK and 10 years later we married...hmm.....
There is definitely a sense of seniority (? might be using wrong word here) over Australians/Kiwis etc.. in the UK. As in 'we own your country' and don't you forget that.
However... I have not met every single person in the UK and I have of course met many lovely people too. Friends that will be friends for life. A mixture of Scottish, English, South African, Polish, Aussie, Romanian and Irish. I have had wonderful time with lovely British people who tell me stories of them, or their children visiting Oz or NZ. How their relatives are there and how they would love to visit. They in turn are hungry for stories from 'home'.
For the sake of repeating myself in posts, it's a personal experience and unless we interviewed every single person who has lived in a foreign country we shouldn't be tarring every citizen with the same brush just because they live in a certain country. Some people are welcoming and some are not. It's down to the individual. There will be many Aussies who are awful to visitors, horrible. There will be others who are welcoming. Likewise with UK and the US and every country.
There is definitely a sense of seniority (? might be using wrong word here) over Australians/Kiwis etc.. in the UK. As in 'we own your country' and don't you forget that.
However... I have not met every single person in the UK and I have of course met many lovely people too. Friends that will be friends for life. A mixture of Scottish, English, South African, Polish, Aussie, Romanian and Irish. I have had wonderful time with lovely British people who tell me stories of them, or their children visiting Oz or NZ. How their relatives are there and how they would love to visit. They in turn are hungry for stories from 'home'.
For the sake of repeating myself in posts, it's a personal experience and unless we interviewed every single person who has lived in a foreign country we shouldn't be tarring every citizen with the same brush just because they live in a certain country. Some people are welcoming and some are not. It's down to the individual. There will be many Aussies who are awful to visitors, horrible. There will be others who are welcoming. Likewise with UK and the US and every country.
Jul 31st 2013, 5:19 am
#22
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Re: The Welcome Mat?
You said it! And I agree. I have done my damnedest not to offend, and have only discussed my frank views in private, but damn it! this is my opinion after nearly four decades here, and it is totally unnecessary! Totally. Australia has its merits for Australians, and good for them. I mean it. But that comparision is incessant and I'm sick to death of it.
(
Jul 31st 2013, 6:29 am
#23
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Re: The Welcome Mat?
Yes Quoll
Australia has punched above it's weight Internationally for the last ten years or so. Thanks mainly to the economic miracle delivered by turning the country into a giant mining pit. We are quick to call ourselves the smart country and point to our superior economic record. This track record will be tested over the next five years or so as the commodity cycle unwinds with a slowing China.
The key driver of any chip on the shoulder is our geographic isolation. As I have said before, when my family is in Europe we feel markedly more in the centre of International politics and endeavour - more in the Premier League, when back in Australia we feel more financially secure but definitely relegated to the Coca Cola League.
Australia has punched above it's weight Internationally for the last ten years or so. Thanks mainly to the economic miracle delivered by turning the country into a giant mining pit. We are quick to call ourselves the smart country and point to our superior economic record. This track record will be tested over the next five years or so as the commodity cycle unwinds with a slowing China.
The key driver of any chip on the shoulder is our geographic isolation. As I have said before, when my family is in Europe we feel markedly more in the centre of International politics and endeavour - more in the Premier League, when back in Australia we feel more financially secure but definitely relegated to the Coca Cola League.
Jul 31st 2013, 8:15 am
#24
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Re: The Welcome Mat?
yes of course! I would never associate with friends or people who insulted me!
I was talking on the phone to my brother at a bustop once about the birth of my nephew and an old lady mumbled something like 'why don't you go back there then' or words to that effect... she wasn't smiling with happiness like I was.
Shops - asked if I was looking for work, when I was browsing and when said, 'oh no, I'm browsing thanks' and left the store (not due to that) heard one assistant say something about 'immigration problem' .. perhaps a coincidence..
Told when I was working at a holiday camp by a group of drunken 40 something male idiots 'we own you, we own your country love just get the drinks'.. charming
told by an older group of ladies 'it's disgusting the way the country is crawling with Australian's' to my face....
I won't go on.
No, I don't have a big mouth and I'm friendly to all, no idea why I seem to attract the nasties.
I was talking on the phone to my brother at a bustop once about the birth of my nephew and an old lady mumbled something like 'why don't you go back there then' or words to that effect... she wasn't smiling with happiness like I was.
Shops - asked if I was looking for work, when I was browsing and when said, 'oh no, I'm browsing thanks' and left the store (not due to that) heard one assistant say something about 'immigration problem' .. perhaps a coincidence..
Told when I was working at a holiday camp by a group of drunken 40 something male idiots 'we own you, we own your country love just get the drinks'.. charming
told by an older group of ladies 'it's disgusting the way the country is crawling with Australian's' to my face....
I won't go on.
No, I don't have a big mouth and I'm friendly to all, no idea why I seem to attract the nasties.
Jul 31st 2013, 8:21 am
#25
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Re: The Welcome Mat?
I know it's hard to believe but they did happen I can assure you. None of the occurrences were nice or wish to be repeated. I've said tho if anyone read my posts I have loved living here for nearly 13 years and the occurrences above did not stop me living in this great country. Good and bad happens in every country in the world. Every country. And everyone's experience is different.
Jul 31st 2013, 8:27 am
#26
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Re: The Welcome Mat?
I think Australia has a chip on its shoulder and there is a healthy dose of community hatred out there as well.
I also believe there is an inferiority complex... Australians seem to always want to prove themselves to the British, Americans etc.
As for the hatred, watch in any shopping centre car park and see how many people exchange abuse over a simple car park... even walking can cause a problem...just the other day a woman deliberately shoulder hit me because I was walking towards her (I had a wall and couldn't move... she chose not to move... I know people who do this to people on purpose)... shop assistants resent you for asking a question, intelligent people look down on those not so bright, less intelligent people think intelligent people are "up themselves"... I know I'm generalising, but it seems to go on... bogans hate gays, whites and blacks hate each other, bosses and workers are frequently at each others backs and school bullying is out of control. Honestly, I'm just over the nastiness.
I haven't lived in the UK for a long time, but I hope this type of culture isn't rife there as well.
I also believe there is an inferiority complex... Australians seem to always want to prove themselves to the British, Americans etc.
As for the hatred, watch in any shopping centre car park and see how many people exchange abuse over a simple car park... even walking can cause a problem...just the other day a woman deliberately shoulder hit me because I was walking towards her (I had a wall and couldn't move... she chose not to move... I know people who do this to people on purpose)... shop assistants resent you for asking a question, intelligent people look down on those not so bright, less intelligent people think intelligent people are "up themselves"... I know I'm generalising, but it seems to go on... bogans hate gays, whites and blacks hate each other, bosses and workers are frequently at each others backs and school bullying is out of control. Honestly, I'm just over the nastiness.
I haven't lived in the UK for a long time, but I hope this type of culture isn't rife there as well.
I think Australia will be a much better country to live in when it grows up but it might be a slow process.
Jul 31st 2013, 8:32 am
#27
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Re: The Welcome Mat?
I know it's hard to believe but they did happen I can assure you. None of the occurrences were nice or wish to be repeated. I've said tho if anyone read my posts I have loved living here for nearly 13 years and the occurrences above did not stop me living in this great country. Good and bad happens in every country in the world. Every country. And everyone's experience is different.
My wife was in Australia for about a week so I took her to a friends party to help her meet some other people. During the night a bloke walked up to her and said 'Oh I hear you are from England' my wife thinking this is nice said yes I am, he replied 'I do feel sorry for you' and walked off. This set the scene for here entire long stay in Australia. Yes it does happen everywhere but I just wish it didnt happen so much in Australia.
Jul 31st 2013, 8:41 am
#28
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Re: The Welcome Mat?
I'm really sorry for those posters who have had such horrible experiences in Australia (and in the UK too). I feel incredibly fortunate that the Australia described here is not the one I know and love. Yes, there were things I didn't like and that made me uncomfortable. The same is true of the UK.
Jul 31st 2013, 10:09 am
#29
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Re: The Welcome Mat?
Im not doubting they happened, you do seem to be a magnet though
My wife was in Australia for about a week so I took her to a friends party to help her meet some other people. During the night a bloke walked up to her and said 'Oh I hear you are from England' my wife thinking this is nice said yes I am, he replied 'I do feel sorry for you' and walked off. This set the scene for here entire long stay in Australia. Yes it does happen everywhere but I just wish it didnt happen so much in Australia.
My wife was in Australia for about a week so I took her to a friends party to help her meet some other people. During the night a bloke walked up to her and said 'Oh I hear you are from England' my wife thinking this is nice said yes I am, he replied 'I do feel sorry for you' and walked off. This set the scene for here entire long stay in Australia. Yes it does happen everywhere but I just wish it didnt happen so much in Australia.
Yup happens in EVERY country. Every single one.
Jul 31st 2013, 10:09 am
#30
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Re: The Welcome Mat?
I'm really sorry for those posters who have had such horrible experiences in Australia (and in the UK too). I feel incredibly fortunate that the Australia described here is not the one I know and love. Yes, there were things I didn't like and that made me uncomfortable. The same is true of the UK.