Handyandy180

Silly question I know but as we were watching 'A Life Downunder' channel 4 5.30 pm. It got me wondering, just how good are we Brits at intergrating??

You couldn't help noticing how channel 4 went to great lengths to impress on the veiwer about all the ex-pats that were there.
I believe it was the Davies's who threw the BBQ, for all their new found British friends. Not a mention of the local Australians, whom I am sure have welcomed them into their neighbourhood with open arms.
I say this with some conviction as after our months holiday last year we fell in love with the place its people and its ways.
Would love to hear good news about caring locals.
Good luck to all that are trying
Regards Chris and Andrea

TrickyTree

Think it helps me as I am going over their with an Aussie.

I have got to know most of her friends on my last visit and being the great bloke that I am (modest to ) I seem to have been accepted into her social circle. Think it will be difficult getting real close friends like mates I have known here most of my life but i'm sure it will happen in time.

TT

ANA123

Before we came I would never have dreamed that we'd mix mainly with other Brits, I would have expected to avoid such situations but nonetheless, the people here that I like the most and see the most of are english. That said, I have made a couple of ausie friends, along with other nationalities, and its still early days. I do find the ausies very friendly and welcoming, almost without exception.

Pollyana

Except for Mrs Dagboy, I can't say I've actually made any Aussie friends - not for want of trying, but the only ones I see are at work, and are just not on my wavelength - lots of needlework and stuff is not really me! I've made friends with a Kiwi at work, she is great and we will keep in touch when I leave there, apart from that I've just got lots of new British mates - weird!

guest81707

When I get there I have all chrissy's friends who are brilliant, plus some old school pals who I hadn't seen for 20 odd years who i contacted vie friends re-united and it was as if it had only been a couple of weeks. We've already organised footy nights, rugby nights and darts nights for when i get there, so hopefully I'll be making friends right across the spectrum, also chrissy has Kiwi and Greek friends, its all so cosmopolitan compared to my present life in "Sleepy Hollow"......a dying little seaside resort not a million miles from the Lake District, one thing I might miss is the view across the bay to the lake district mountains.......but hey when you come out of our apartment block the view is of the bridge and the opera house across the harbour.......now come on it aint bad is it....................

rudo1ph

Nearly all my friends are Aussies. I only know one other British person well - she happens to have a daughter in the same class as mine at school......have to say - don't much like her though!!! I have a couple of South African friends, but around here people are mostly Aussie, and friendly

Maybe it helps having school age children?

HeatherandTim

I have to admit that after having lived in Oz for over 7 years, most of our friends are Brits. Its to do with having a British culture in common. Our sense of humour is the same (Aussie humour is different). Like attracts like. It seems to be true.

bundy

Like TT, going over with an aussie and as we met over there, and I lived over there with him for a year, we have stacks of aussie friends.

And even over here, where we've been for 4 years, a good percentage of our friends are aussies too. Birds of a feather and all that.....

jopaulss

We have found it quite easy to mix with the locals and have a great circle of friends from all parts of the globe. In our street we have 3 families that we are close to all aussies, i have good friends i go to Tafe with, paul has good mates at work and the kids defiantley havent had a problem fitting in with the kids. I think we have been accepted but then i would talk to anyone and paul thats just the type of people we are, easy to get along with.
Joanne

renth

A lot of it depends on where you end up. You're about as likely to find a born and bred Aussie in some of Perth's northern suburbs as you are a bacon sandwich at a bar-mitzvah

joh117

Hi all

We were quite lucky in that we already knew 4 aussies (one of the reasons we decide to come) and my hubby had a place in a local cricket team set up so we have made loads of friends through the cricket and we have been accepted there and then we now go to the local footy club where one of our aussie friends plays for a drink on a saturday afternoon and we have made loads of friends there too.

There are a few people at work that I would class as being able to speak to about everything and anything although we do not socialise out of work as we all live so far from each other. We do go to the pub on a friday for lunch on a regular basis though.

We have met two other british couples and the rest of our friends are Australian.

Jo

owieb

The majority of our friends are Australian. Either we have met them through work or through other friends or out doing activities. We have a few English friends, but they tend to be a couple where only one of them is English and the other is Australian.

Totally agree with Renth that depending on where you live could have an impact on the people you initially meet and socialise with. One of the reasons we chose to live where we do is the fact that it's not heaving with british expats and most people around us are Australian.

mlbonner

Majority of my friends here at the moment are Aussies, mainly because I live with two (my boyf and his housemate) so I socialise with them. I also play netball as a sub and everyone down there is Australian. I so have a couple of kiwi and British friends... and I'm hoping after next Fridays night out in Brisbane with the girlies from here I'll have some more

Ceri

Majority are "aussies" , as I'm living and working amongst them.. (what is an Aussie?most Aussies I know are either foreign born .. i.e. came here years and years ago as children, or their parents. grandparents did. I am classed as an Aussie too by the government - lol. I tend to think of Aboriginals as true Aussies, right or wrong) . I don't tend to mix in Expat circles.I.e. with Brits.I have some Brit friends/acquaintances.. not on purpose though.but they are way in the minority.. I can can count on one hand the Brit friends I have here. The people around me are mostly "Aussies" and not Brits (surprise, surprise.. Aussies in Aus..lol ) . And I don't go out actively seeking fellow Brits to socialise with.

I suppose if you live in a Brit neighbourhood ( is there such things here in Aus.. I've never lived in such a place in the Brisbane region.. can't speak for places such as Melbourne etc) your friends will be Brits
I suppose that's why I use this board.. to see Brit's in action, and the humour.

welsh1

I am Tony Davies of 'A new Life down under' the BBQ was put on for our Welsh friends who had helped us settle in Patterson Lakes also invited were some of the Aussie neighbours, although its been pretty good for us here we have been subjected to racist taunts from our next door neighbours such as "go home no one wants you here" and my wife gets regular comments shouted at her whilst entering or leaving the house, one notable comment was "british bitch" also my daughter was singled out in school the first day with similar comments, luckily the school situation has been resolved but not so with our next door neighbours but never mind we are moving soon. I must say that these are the only times this has happened to us,the rest of the time it is perfect here.