Diary of an immigrant (2)
 

Hi there folks,

Well, another few weeks have passed in "Sunny" Brisbane!!! Unfortunately the weather here over the last couple of weeks has been decidedly like England - very wet and quite chilly - or perhaps I`m just acclimatised?

We`ve just spent a FANTASTIC week in Sydney - wow what a place - it`s really buzzing, full of life, so much to see and do, the public transport (ferries, buses, trains) ran on time and were exceptionally clean. In fact the cleanliness astounded me. So unlike London and so many other cities in the UK. People in Sydney really do seem to take a pride in their environment.

The mix of the "old" and "new" was also great - they`ve obviously a great sense of civic pride down there - again something which we felt was rapidly going down the drain in the UK.

The people there were REALLY friendly - and this refers to a reply I received to my first "Diary" entry - Yes, I have to agree having been here for a bit longer now, that the Queenslanders are a bit "false" and a bit full of the old "bull". This was not the case with the Sydneysiders though. They were genuinely friendly. BIG DIFFERENCE.

In answer to one of the replies to my earlier post, we lived with relatives for the first 6 weeks (not easy) but luckily found our house quickly, and with the 30 day contract settlement period which is standard here, were soon able to move into our new home.

Have to report a slightly negative note now - sorry - when we came back from Sydney I noticed how very Americanised Brisbane and its surrounding suburbs are - from the cars they drive, the shopping malls, the general feeling is definitely one of "hey - is this australia or the US?"

Wish we could afford to live in Sydney - would definitely prefer to live there!!!

Rosy

Glad to see you are settling in and getting more used to the real view of Brisbane/Australia, I agree that it is very Americanised, all those advertising hoardings everywhere for a start. Where in Brisbane have you settled (and I would agree with an earlier post of yours on quality of primary teaching)

Rosy Summers been very cool this year. Totally opposite to last year when we boiled from Sept to May and wished we would never see sun again. Dont worry about the cool come Sept/Oct I bet it will be back to a nice? 38ish.

Re: Diary of an immigrant (2)
 

...prove it...!!!

Re: Diary of an immigrant (2)
 

As someone hoping to head for Sydney in Sept, that's great feedback, Thanks for the insight.

From what I have seen of the two cities (albeit only as a tourist last xmas) I'd have to agree. Sydney seems to have its own style and identity, Brisbane is a bit of a 'wannabe'


Kev

Re: Diary of an immigrant (2)
 

Phew...that's it I'm in Total Awe...you guys need to go into business...you'll make a motza...fortune telling...

Hi

Thanks for the feedback we hope to go to the Sunshine coast, I agree but I thought all of Oz was very American looking, Perth, Adelaide, Sydney etc. Not just Brisbane. We where suprised with the amount of skyscapers in each city.

I too loved Sydney but just abit expensive for us as I loved Palm beach.

Carrianne

Sorry about that...didn't know you were coming...what would you like...???

We'll get the decorators in next Tuesday...

Re: Diary of an immigrant (2)
 

Good idea, let's start with you.....

You'll continue to resent all things positive .... and end your days as a sad, lonely isolated winger who feels threatened by change.

Other than that, you'll be loved by all ... and live the American dream.

Good luck. You'll need it!!!

Re: Diary of an immigrant (2)
 

No dreams...no wingeing...just sick to death of those without a clue spruiking your generalistic crap and insults...

Brisbane is not a "wannabe" anything...and how would you know...

Brisbane people individually may or may not be "full of IT"...and how would you know...

You lot make sweeping generalisations tagged with abuse and think you know it all...

You don't...nor do I...but then again I'm not here spruiking about the places and people I know nothing about...you are...

Opinion and perception ... two pillars of personal choice.

You may view our comments as idealistic drivel based on wildly inaccurate generalisations

BUT they remain our opinions and perception - and certainly nothing within your 'contribution' (sic) has helped change our obviously misinformed views

Your respond suggests you feel it as a personal afront when anyone passes an opinion. That says more about you than the people posting a personal view.

Don't cut yourself on that sharp tongue Florida_03;)

Rosy

Thanks for your honesty and keep your views coming.

footie chick

here here . Would love to know more. Started off a good thread - same old happened.

great post rosy
as someone heading for Brisbane in Aug its great to hear views from people who are already there.
Please keep posting your 'diary' as its nice to hear personal opinions on people and places-good or bad !
keep well
wendy

Thanks for the info Rosy us 'normal' posters appreciate all comments made from new immigrants.

We could not believe how similar to the US Queensland looked, I actually liked it as I love the US! As we have spend a lot of time over there it felt quite familiar to us.

I wouldn't agree with your thoughts on Sydney though I didn't really like it. Too busy, expensive unfriendly etc. Heaps better than London , but not attractive enough for me.

Keep posting.

Re: Diary of an immigrant (2)
 

OK -

Sydney - Example 1 - young man on crowded bus from Bondi getting up to give me his seat
Example 2 - man on ferry, overhearing me saying to my husband that I wished I knew what a certain building was (no it wasn`t the Opera House!) turning to me and letting me know, and saying that if I wanted to know what anything else was, please don`t hesitate to ask him, as he was a local.
Example 3 - barman in pub - on being asked if he could please replace the glass of wine I`d ordered with another as I`d asked for sparkling and this one was flat "Yes of course - sorry, must be the end of the bottle"
Example 4 - middle aged couple on train striking up conversation with my children and keeping them amused for the whole journey!


Brisbane - Example 1 - barman in bar - same scenario as example 3 above - "that IS sparkling - do you want it or not?"

Example 2 - checkout girl in Woolworths - asks "How`s your day goin`" and then before I have a chance to reply turns immediately to her friend on the next checkout and starts up conversation with her. (Yes, Ceri, you were right, I`m afraid! It was just me being a naive newcomer!).
Example 3 - I`m waiting for a man to reverse out of a parking slot in an over-crowded shopping mall car park, when a woman comes up to me, taps on the window and asks, very nicely, if I could move forward so she can get out of her space. I do, and the woman promptly appears in another car and shoots into the space I was waiting for!!!

Sorry if you thought I was generalising - I just try and speak as I find - the good and the not so good are everywhere!!!

Re: Diary of an immigrant (2)
 

I remember in my early days here at K-Mart the checkout assistant striking up conversation at some length (I thought 'how friendly') and then had the damned cheek to ask to see in our bags that we hadn't stolen any of their cheap tat! I hate it when they ask to do this. In Big W once as I left from checkout carrying only a Big W bag of stuff that I'd just paid for the woman at the door asked to look in the bag! What was she looking for???

I think the search your bag thing here is a real pain, but shoplifting is huge here. So all they are trying to do is keep costs down.

My kids worked in supermarkets while at school, really awful stories, of old ladies stealing essentials like tea bags, right through to grown men eating the fruit and veg as they went around the store. People giving their kids drinks and chips as they shop and not paying at the end, people seem really hard up or something.

I agree that Brisbane may appear more American than Sydney but that's only in it's appearance - certainly not in the way people act here. Also, I think there may be some confusion in comparing Brisbane/QLD to the UK - one has a (hot) tropical climate - the other a (cool) temperate climate - this obviously heavily influences that way new buildings/roads/houses are built. So Brisbane is not so much American as just non-british (or european, etc).

Don't forget Brisbane was just a big country town as little as 20 years ago - no real scryscapers were built until the 80's. Also a large number of people still seem to have a kind of (insular) country attitude - friendly but with a 'take-it-or-leave-attitude'. It may seem a little off-putting until you get used (and indeed some migrants will never get used to it). Sydney is more sophisticated and much more geared up for the tourist industry with more mature touist/customer service - Brisbane is not the Gold Coast.

Probably the open-plan style of most of the stores has resulted in a big shoplifting problem - there is no personal slur intended by asking to look in your bag - they virtually always look in the storage area under prams too. Some stores have only started to properly electronically tag of goods recently.

If you keep going to the same store regularly- you'll probably find that some store assistants will strike up a conversation and appear to be genuinly interested in what you have to say.

As said in many posts before - don't come to Brisbane if you are hoping for good, courteous driving habits.

And 38-ish in September - not this old rot again!

AndyH

Re: Diary of an immigrant (2)
 

lol- I'm keeping out of it - fed up with abuse from some quarters. Totally agree with you by the way. I've never lived in Sydney but used to live in Newcastle. And your writings I can understand - I prefer Newcastle to Brisbane - given the choice I would rather live there - difference in people is a major one

Good luck :)

Re: Diary of an immigrant (2)
 

I don't know if you're a man or woman - but if you're a woman ,carry a small handbag ( actually, that's a bit sexsist isn't it - some men may want to carry a handbag too lol). Anyway a bag which is smaller than an A4 paper - most shops it's only bigger bags - they don't check the small handbags. Some shops have this rule - it's the size of your bag, small ones they don't check.

And yes I totally resent this of checking bags at the till, or if you walk back out at Kmart they will check your bag - Maybe one day I'll put a dead, mouldy old rat, in my bag or something before I go shopping - that will shock 'em lol

cheers:)

Ceri


I'm a man by the way. I notice it tends to be more prevalent in the supermarkets and the cheap shops (Target and K mart) and not at all at Myer and DJs. They have the cheek to 'welcome' you as you enter the store and then ask if you've been thieving as you leave.

Yes my local Kmart does it every time I go there - My local coles will also do it, but only now and again. I must shop in more upmarket establishments in future - do you think they will let me in with my mouldy old rat lol . Take no notice - just had a b*gger of a day, and It's still only 3.30 - you've got to laugh or you'd cry sometimes.

cheers:)

Woah Florida - time out dude!

If you have information the would be of use to people on this site then please share it with us and educate us - that's what the site is for.

If all you can manage is sarcastic comments then why waste your (and our) time?

Does anyone know if they actually have a right to look in your bag. I would understand if they have actually seen you pick something up and place it in your bag but when it comes to the crunch do you have the right to tell them to bugger off?

I think I would put a porno mag in there so when they looked in you could report them to their boss for viewing pornographic material while at work !! :D

Re: Diary of an immigrant (2)
 

We have something similar here in Florida and, again, mostly in the big stores (Kmart, Target, Walmart etc). They usually check your receipt as you leave and give your items a cursory and pointless glance but what I don't get is that if you have already been thru the checkout and have a receipt and a carrier bag then what do they hope to find? Surely they should be looking in your pockets, under your coat etc of the folks who have not bought anything. It must be pretty hard to hide stuff as you go thru the cashier??? Maybe I'm not a natural shoplifter and therefore have a skewed view of the subject!

Goodness I have never laughed so much at the thought of Ceri and a mouldly old rat !!!!

Never being searched in my year here in Sydney, though plenty of signs in Kmart, Woolies etc that state I might be.

having grown up in Belfast I still remember my embarassment at entering a UK mainland store and offering my bag and stretching out my arms to be searched ...on entering!!! I think it was to a general doorman, my sister was wetting herself watching me. I think back now to all the searching I had....oh for that mouldy rat!

Also Ceri Newcastle is tops, get me the job there and I will go!

Cheers Sandra

Re: Diary of an immigrant (2)
 

Our B&Q over here in England do the same thing. You pay at the till then show your receipt to the assisstant on the exit they briefly check you have paid for everything. I expect they get a lot of things pinched as well.
I can't see M&S doing this though, you can wear a pair of knickers and take them back and they will still change them- shows you how much money they must make if they are able to do this!!

Mind you sometimes the staff are the most prolific shoplifters, I have heard so many stories about people letting their mates through and not charging them for half of their goods.