dejags

Just out of interest really.

There are some people who absolutely love Oz from the minute they arrive but more and more people seem to hate it from the word go.

sonlymewalter

Love at first sight.

Can see it's failings - but overall wins hands down

dejags

Sheesh. Branding an entire country as Tw@ats... a bit strong, I'd say.

This thread is supposed to be lighthearted. Let's try and keep it that way.

worzel

Brilliant! We haven't had a good troll on here for ages.

dejags

Yawn......

Trippety Trap.....

worzel

Oscar Wilde couldn't have put it better!

Sleeping Beauty

he he.............i've just seen another post from this geezer elsewhere.............classice

in reply to this one, i couldnt really answer. i didnt hate it, just found it so different, and it did take me a wee while to settle. i dont love it, everywhere has their faults, but, i cant see myself going back to the UK.

ACE

Visted several times before moving over, loved it from day 1, have been here 18 months, haven't had 1 single day of home sickness.

ACE

worzel

The moment I got off the plane I felt like I had come "home". Never had a minute's regret. Love the place, people, culture... I am not saying it is perfect but for a city of 1.5M people I can't imagine it being any better.

Pomster

poll needs another option:

felt ambivalent (it was an adventure) but has grown on me...

Cheetah7

When we took off from Singapore I had started to think 'What have we done? I have no home, no job, what the hell have we done?'

When we landed at Perth, I wanted to feel all the emotions I had planned on feeling for 4 years it took to plan this event in our lives but I didn't, I felt flat and kept on thinking how much I wanted to be in Namibia (not to live but a few months would be nice)

This was replaced by fear/sheer terror that we were there with very little money and we had to get jobs - and fast.

I never loved it, or loathed it - I appreciated its beauty and the friendliness of the people immediately.

I got absurdly excited at the parrots and wildlife and just enjoyed the surroundings. The feeling of vulnerability and fear never left me.

Gobbyjock said that things would be better once we got the keys to our own rental and how right she was.

Mr PP got a job almost straight away and I got a job once we moved to Freo. I still feel vulnerable financially even though we are trying to save, I would love my own home but the rent is so much cheaper than a mortgage and yes I know I would have my own place but the payments would cripple us.

When I am out with my work mates and really enjoying their company, or I look forward to going in to work as they are such a good laugh, I have to pinch myself that my life is really like that.

I am so laid back now I am almost horizontal, if I only have 2 minutes to get my train I don't give a toss, I get the next one - I really don't care.

I had my first proper 'God I am in Australia' moment when I saw my first dolphins in the harbour.

And I regularly see things like the Aussie flag or something and think back to the days where we hadn't even applied and I think 'shit we have made it!'

I have days where I feel wobbly, vulnerable, cry where I miss my family. Today for instance I panicked as I couldn't remember what English money looked like - the notes. I found a 50p in my bag and my UK friend and I stared at it for ages

Sometimes I could be walking down the street and the fact that I am in another country suddenly catches up with me and I panic.

But no way would I move back and yes after a while, I do love it although the emotions and the physical effects of the whole process scare the crap out of me.

I cannot imagine living anywhere else and I am actually very proud to live here.

Jackier

Brilliant idea for a poll - just shows that those who are really enjoying being here are not the same people who sit on BE & whinge all day long! Sometimes I'm glad I didn't really look at the Barbie while I was going through the visa process - the negativity in here sometimes would've put me right off, and this just proves there is another side to the coin.

Lovin it so glad we made it

janicebks

Years ago, I got my new passport, bought a ticket to Australia and when I landed... I knew immediately, it was home.

quoll

It needs another category - "it was fine to begin with but now can I go home". Lived here for years without the slightest sign of homesickness, regret etc (apart from a few moments of angst about the education system) but always had the slightly surreal feeling of my head telling me this was home but my heart telling me I was just a tourist - and vice versa when I went home. Really weird.

Caroline G

Same here.