I have seen a few posts recently where people have mentioned it being hard to make friends and Aussies being superficial being a part of that. I just thought I would offer a genuine appraisal of how me and Sam found it in the hope it helps other people.

Both of us had really good old mates we saw once a year for a weekend or those we got on well with and enjoyed a regular social but were only reasonably close too. This suited us both. I am lucky that I think of Sam as my best friend. (I don't believe I am going to publish that - you will all be reaching for a sick bag!)

For me, I have found it easy to make 5-10 friends (mostly via BE one way or another) close enough to call a night out every so often and feel comfortable chatting to openly. I have also got on well enough with colleagues at work to go for a few beers after work but no more. (Probably wouldn't want to overlap work and pleasure anyway!).

Sam doesn't work but via the Thursday lunchtime meets at Hillarys has made really good friends. She meets with some of them regularly outside this too and even though it has only been a few months she is gradually building these friendships up to a very close level.

So I guess what I am trying to say is that if friends you have in the UK are good enough for a laugh and a drink but no more you will soon build up to that level once you get here. But if you had friends in the UK that took decades to build to the level where you can share intimiate secrets etc then of course that is going to take many years to recreate out here. Some people seem surprised by that. At least you should be able to find expats who you can strike up a conversation with as you have something in common.

Also remember that you won't have a history or even common memories nor be able to discuss that AFL final of 1998 etc. So making Aussie friends is harder. Aussies don't like negativity so avoid talking about how much better the UK was (obvious you would think).

Our daughter (8) has struggled more than we thought too. She did 4 weeks before school hols and got on well but they re-jigged the classes this year and she lost most of the friends she made. We moved house and moved her school and she is much happier now and going round to a friends house (Aussie!) tommorow for a play for the first time. While kids adapt easier than us - they still go through it a bit for a while. So don't neglect them.

So there you have it - another one of Worzel's - open and honest appraisals of Aussie life. I haven't done one for a while. I think I need a few now and a lie down.

No disrespect but you have made friends with expats it seems from your post. A far different breed from local aussies. Correct me if I am wrong in this assumption.

Hi

Thought your post was very honest and true. It does take time to make new friends. I had a few very good friends in oz and some of them i am still in contact with others i am not. Its taken 7 years to get close friends here in the uk and really their is only probably 2 that i would call very close friends and now we are heading to oz at the end of the year.

Anyway great post.

Tracey

I didn't get that at all, kiwi. Some expats, maybe, but I got the impression Worzel was talking about Australians.

I have never had a problem making friends in Australia. I find Aussies to be warm and open hearted sorts of people. I have an added bonus in that my hub is an Aussie so I have had introductions to all his friends too.

At the end of the day, people are going to react to the person you are. If you give off negative suspicious vibes, you're not going to be attractive.

If you're bright, happy and easy going, you'll make friends. It's simply the way of human nature.

I did say it is harder to make friends with Aussies (they have established social networks so aren't looking to make friends as hard as we are), so yes we have mostly, made friends with poms.

After just 5 months I would prefer to focus on the fact that we have made plenty of friends - people we can share our experiences with, help us settle etc. While I would like to make Aussie friends in due course I don't see that as a trophy. I even get on well with a couple of South Africans and a Kiwi

It's the quality of the people you mix with that counts in the end and i am glad to hear you have made friends, regardless of their nationality

We have found nearly everybody we have met to be kind and helpful. As soon as we have asked for help or people have realised we have just moved here they have fallen over themselves to help out.

I think that the thing is that you have to make friends - you have to put effort in to it. I have met several people - one in particular through expats - who have really helped me settled down. I meet people at work etc. and I can honestly say they have been great. For me though, if I am honest, at the moment I miss my UK mates - I knew I would - and as you say it depends on you and the relationships you had in the UK. Most of our really great mates have invested in broadband and webcams and make sure we stay in touch. However you still get nights like tonight when you just miss being able to see them and chat etc.

Oh well take the good with the bad hey!

Mrs Ee (missing home the UK today!)

[QUOTE=iPom]I didn't get that at all, kiwi. Some expats, maybe, but I got the impression Worzel was talking about Australians.

Read on: they r expat brits, sth africans and a kiwi

The east coast is definitely diff to perth but that said others who have gone to east coast have also ahd problems developing a social network that was meaningful to them. I am not alone in my sentiments.

[QUOTE=kiwichild]
Yeah, I read.


All I said was that I didn't get that from her post.

Who does it matter who Worzel makes friends with, as long as they're friends?

Can't say I can see why it's important to know the nationality of the person you are becoming friends with. Surely it's irrelevant and if you then spend time dissecting the reason why you are friends with X Y or Z, you are wasting time.

My best mates in the UK (still are, just don't meet for coffee anymore ) I have know for years. There is no way I can replicate that in four months or even two years. Also aware I might never replicate that, I consider brilliant friends to be a bit like your husband or wife - they might be the only "one" out there for you.

You've also got to remember peeps have got to know each other through here before the leave, and then perhaps meet once they get to their chosen destination, a relationship has already been founded. e.g Wendy know everything about everybody

I thought that was a lovely promising post, the only saddness i feel is it is from perth, where we are no longer going

Cheeky mare

Good point. Trouble was everyone we met at UK meets ended up on the other side of the country (I could take that personally!).

Plenty of other places in oz margaret and with luck you might find them enjoyable. Highly recommed tasmania from my research.