halcyon 52

Hi all.
I have read threads about Australian people and how they are so friendly its embarassing or either so rude you want to say something to them. I have been to Perth this year and found that to be true.
I have spoken to 2 people recently here in the U.K who both have friends in Oz and they have said their friends have found it very hard to intergrate with the Australians, one guy at a conference even had an Australian refuse to shake his hand because he was a pom. I know you will get this anywhere but my point is that in Perth the prices have risen and there are many reasons given but surely the mass influx of migrants has added to this. Have the Australians started to resent us for this ?
It will not put me off going if I get accepted but I am curious to how the Australians view us particularly in Perth.

Tableland

Anyone who decides whether or not to shake someone's hand based on race is not worthy of a handshake.

comet555

I'm wondering about this myself only I'm from Canada.

I recently had a long talk with another Canadian who spent two years working there. He said it was very difficult to make friends there. The only friends he and his wife had were other Canadians. And all of their Canadian friends only had Canadian friends as well.

He gave me the impression that the Auzzies pretty much keep to themselves and don't make friends with outsiders. Just wondering how true this really is.

I'm not sure if this matters much but this couple didn't have any children and I don't think there friends did either. I wonder if it is easier for people with children?

Haley

halcyon 52

I agree tableland.

The people in Oz apparently also only know other English people although when I was in Perth I saw a kids birthday on the beach and there were young English couples and Australians so they do mix. I dont know but I would think if you have kids in school then you will get to know other parents from all countries.
My wife chats to anyone and we know at least 2 or 3 couples from other cities and 1 South African family so it should not be any different in Australia.

Ian & Sharon

My experience living in New Zealand (soon to be moving too Oz) is why should people let you in to their circle of friends that they have history with. Would you let a Ozzie/Kiwi in to your group of friends ?

It is hard to be accepted but you do get there in the end !

jad n rich

If you go to aus on holiday, australia seems V friendly, all the how are you in the shops, the goodays on the beach, even the kids in supermarkets have to ask after your health, so you get this really good instant impression.

The difficult part is getting beyond that, it means nothing really the kid in the supermarket has asked 300 people how they are, its the job they dont actually care. It looks good that is all it is.

Aussies are probably going to have made their mates at school or uni years ago, if they move on probably made new friends at work, they also have family, they already have an established circle of people, again you might get a gooday, even an invite to a barbie but close friendship is a different matter.

Poms out here stick very much together, even employing each other, so it works 2 ways, aussies usually already have their mates, poms are often seeking poms.

Pom women seem very different from aussie women more outgoing/modern maybe, I can honestly say of all the poms and aussies we know, cannot think of a close pally friendship between a pom woman and aussie woman, they dont really seem to click, take a look at any school all the pom mums hang together, same with the aussies. Poms blokes seem to mix in better, especially the ones who drink and love sport.

acbh2

[QUOTE=is why should people let you in to their circle of friends that they have history with. Would you let a Ozzie/Kiwi in to your group of friends ?
[/QUOTE]

We already have in Bonnie Scotland my hubby has oz friends and I am friendly with a Kiwi girl, (oh and I am English living in Scotland and let me tell you the abuse I faced during the world cup will blow anything an Oz has to say out of the water). Surfice to say their nationality had nothing to do with my being friends with them but more to do with the fact I like them and we have common ground.

I can't believe in this day and age people can be so narrow minded and if they are its them that are losing out I mean I am the best mate a girl could get but I don't have time for ignorance from anybody be they British, Oz or willie wonkas umpa lumpas
Andrea
xx

sparkley23

I went on a tour round Europe recently where I was the only Pom amongst Kiwis and Aussies and I made some fantastic friends. Unfortunately most of them live in Melbourne and I am going to Brisbane so if I can't break into any circles of friends there then maybe I'll give Melbourne a go! Maybe it was cos I was hanging out with people of the same sort of interests and stuff. I was also quite a tourist attraction in a way as I was actually a "European". Most of the aussies had come to London, hung out in Shepherds Bush with all the other Aussies and not even met any Londoners! So they were quite interested in me! I'll let you know how I get on making friends in Brissie. Going on my own so I have to make friends or be a billy no mates forever!

ElshaUK

Never had a problem when growing up in Australia....mind you, we quickly settled in and became 'Aussies'.

All the banter I ever heard about 'poms' was friendly.....

But I agree, someone who refuses to shake your hand because your not an Aussie does not deserve a handshake!

annqldau

Can't say I have had any major problems just light hearted jokes. There are so many different nationalities here that think it would be hard for the Aussies to be really resentfull. At the rate things are going think the Aussies will be in the minority soon anyway and think they hate the NZ's more than us anyway and the Asians. Had never come across Asian racism till I came here.

Most of our new friends are British but that is only because it is the British who are on the look out for new friends who can stay up past 8pm and not the Aussies. The Aussies already have their friends circle and although not hostile just aren't as open to going out on an evening in general. We do have some Aussie friends but they tend to be the ones that buck the Australian norm and don't need to be locked up indoors by 8pm.

Australia_bound?

Would be more nationality rather than race!

But many years ago I had a white South African friend and the grief he got! instantly looked on as a raving racist, by lots of people, couldn't have been further from the truth.
People will judge people by what is portrayed by the media i.e. people from Northern England race whippets and wear flat caps and all have a thick Yorkshire accent! Or the ignorance of their parents is passed down the generations.
Either way I take people as I find them try not to prejudge anyone and if someone refuses to shake my hand I wouldn't give them a second thought!

annqldau

Take it you are not here yet...LOL...they won't think you race whippets and wear flat caps and have a thick Yorkshire accent they will think you are Scottish, Irish or Welsh as they won't be able to understand a word you say and English is the last thing they think of. I say this as someone from Co. Durham who has now resigned herself to being a Geordie as Newcastle is the only place they have heard of 'Up North' when you say it very slowly for them. Think they think we speak German or something. The Aussies say can't you speak English then not happy when you point out well actually you are the only person who is and it must be them speaking something different.

sour kraut

I've had exactly the same experience when I first moved to the UK, people were very friendly, very generous, but it took a long time to connect with someone. Might have something to do with them not being sure how long I'm around for and if it's worth it, get my drift?
Anyway, I stuck around for 6 years and now consider it my second home and all poms I meet my 'fellow brits' *gg*.
Well, didn't stop me from buggering off to Oz... But I guess what I'm trying to say, give people and yourself a chance and don't be impatient.
Prejudice is around everywhere, that's how we all identify each other. Gee, in Britain I got forever accused of bombing everybody's chippie. But it wasn't me!
In my experience all the pommie jokes over here are rather friendly and well-meaning. And I've always admired the brits for being a people that can laugh about themselves.

BadgeIsBack

Agree with some of what Jad says but find it different :sounds like QLD and WA is more restrictive.

I agree with Jad in that lots of Aussies will know each other from school etc. Just like in the UK. This can work for you though- often people like to meet refreshing people from somewhere else there is less baggage. The fact you can't remember the time a girl wet her pants in Year 9 might endear you to someone(!) We know stacks of Aussies.

We only know one English family we see on a regular basis. There aren't really any English people in the village like you get on the new estates. One road in the estate down the hill I know is all English -and they all socialise together. One of the blokes is a nice bloke who invites me down once in a while where he has his regular mates from his road. Once one of the blokes get a drink in him, he gets anti-Aussie, and he encourages the others to turn to that "my car is bigger than yours" type conversation, others are real gents. I can't remember the last time I heard my Australian friends talking like this, I find them more tolerant. But again, it's a village thing, people seem content to concentrate on their health and wellbeing and their interests. It's a mix and I enjoy their company but am glad to get out of the English thing if truth be told.

We find alot of interesting Australians - personally I find especially more so because often they are very pragmatic in a way English people aren't - men and women, but we live in an area that attracts that kind of person, with an independant streak. English women seem to want to goss more, I find Australian women more interested in activities, interests, and life in general! One women we know is always planning walking trips to the outback, is a conservationist, raised 4 kids and works part time! We've met a fair few young Australian families that are well educated, focused and fun to be around with smashing kids. We also know people from Latin America and North American - all married in to Australia.

English kids do get told to say Hello in the supermarkets too - only they don't.
So it is a cultural thing.

I think it depends where you live. Certainly areas of Perth and the SE Qld coast seem to make people feel it's all English.

Australia_bound?

No not in Aus as yet!
Not from Yorkshire and don't have the accent. But do love where we live and wouldn't want to live anywhere else in UK.
Is terrible going anywhere in UK and being branded a Geordie when you come from Teesside . Have also been accused of being Scottish, funny how when I head South I don't think everyone is a cockney
Didn't really find anyone had any trouble being understood in Aus when I was in there, but then again my accent is not as pronounced as many from Northern England...

One thing I do find funny is my (Irish born and raised) Grandma, when in UK sounds like Dame Edna, when in Aus sounds extremely Irish. Not sure if she's aware of her accent changing, but was very apparent to me!