ABCDiamond

I lived for 12 years in Sydney, and, to some degree, agree with that comment, but I find it totally different up here in QLD, much nicer

Toryglen-Boy

I am curious, do Australians think that every country in the UK is alike? have you ever been to Scotland, Northen Ireland, or Wales? or is the true "Pom" an Englishman?

just want to get this clear ...

Hutch

Check the nationality of the principle grumblers on this thread and I think you'll have your answer ...

lostpom

Maybe the just that the Scots, Welsh and Irish find a closer quality of lifestyle here to back home ?

There I go again, I've probably just offended the rest of the 'United' Kingdom

iPom

Oh come on! There are more cultures slapped together in one place in Aus than I've seen anywhere else. Absolute rubbish what you say about the aboriginal people... I've travelled extensively in Australia and seen a huge amount and experienced many different cultures by being open minded enough to go explore them.

You could holiday forever in Australia and never get bored. Australia is still a changing and developing country. If you're going to say that it will always be the same, it's time you retired to somewhere up North where they ban films about gay cowboys and the police can't explain why there are so many aboriginal deaths in the local jail.

Really, I despair.

lostpom

[QUOTE=iPom]Oh come on! There are more cultures slapped together in one place in Aus than I've seen anywhere else. Absolute rubbish what you say about the aboriginal people... I've travelled extensively in Australia and seen a huge amount and experienced many different cultures by being open minded enough to go explore them.[QUOTE]

Uh? Perhaps you could enlighten me as to what many other cultures exist in Australia with majorly different cuisines and histories apart from 'white Australia' and the indiginous peoples. Maybe I missed them.

Surely you're not suggesting that Australia is the equivalent melting pot of cultures, cuisines and history that Europe is ???

The_Pom_From_Aus

I have been in Australia now for 9 years and i must say my family and I was looking for something different in living and lifestyle. I do think most people from the UK "Expect" everything free and also expect no change in situation and in family & lifestyle.

I would say this to any persons thinking of migrating to aussie, keep an open view of the country you are migrating to, and at the end of the day if you dont like Australia then return to your Old lifestyle. sitting in front of the TV watching crap like coronation st. (wonderful & professional programs)
(I think NOT). Also Just another note to people who complain "WHY" did you decide to leave the sunny shores (Joke) of the UK.?????? I wonder why

Love from an ordinary man from the north of england.


art

jad n rich

[QUOTE=lostpom][QUOTE=iPom]


Oz is very multi cultural just not that obvious in some rural areas, although thats becoming less so, Victoria and NSW have areas you could easily play spot the aussie. MIL (white aussie still holding a torch for the white australia era ) was in Perth last month and said it now resembles little asia, or little china compared to her last visit 6 years ago.

Migrants tend to group where the work is, often cities. Recent quote from cultural diversity week ads claim one in 4 australian residents were now born overseas, 231 races exist in melbourne alone.

Personally Ive noticed an improved mix of races here even on the sunshine coast which is a bit of a traditional aussie strong hold, but our kids have school mates from singapore, Papua New Guinea, , NZ, UK, african heritage americans, the fish and chip shops just been bought by eastern europeans and we are building a house for a fantastic Indian family, they came to us on a recommendation through South african clients. Very mixed and TBH I think its an improvement.

The S's

Oh come one everyone, carry on slagging off "chick flick", it was more fun.
Just another "look at what I have" poster who it all went tits up on

lostpom

[QUOTE=jad n rich][QUOTE=lostpom] Oh, I have no doubt that parts (um...mostly the capitals though?) of Australia have fantastic mixes of cultures, and its probably getting better all the time.

In my post (which was in itself only referring to ipoms comments), I was meaning cultures unique to Australia. Of course, go to just about any city in the world, and you will find a great mix of races and cultures from Asia and Europe.

Say Namaste to your Indian clients from me !

OzSheila

Funny how people have different experiences!

As a Sydneysider who has spent the past 13 years in the UK I would have to say that Londoners and then those from Surrey would have to be some of the most reserved people I have met in my life. In all that time I was only once ever invited to a social function for my husband's work whereas when we both worked in Sydney it was nearly always the two of us invited everywhere. It was made quite clear to us in the early days in the UK that you do not just "drop in on people" - you must wait to be invited! In 8 years I was never once invited into my neighbour's house despite the fact we had a very good relationship. We've been back here 4 months and I have already been into my neighbours twice for functions.

If you found London shop assistants friendly it may well be because most of them are foreign!

I found it very hard to break into English social "cliques" and whilst we made very good friends in the end - bloody hell it wasn't easy. And funnily enough my best friend there was a Kiwi!

blowers

Are you australian?
If so, maybe its just an Australian/English thing. Londoners seem cliquey to you, but maybe they don't take much interest in Australians as they see so many passing through?
And Australians aren't social and inviting to Brits for the same reasons.
I found that Londoners were always going to the pub after work,sort of thing, which made it easy to make friends, while here, people all have their mates going back to childhood so stay in their little circles.
But maybe its just an old fashioned case of people sticking with their own kind?!
Of course if you're not australian then i've gone and written a load of ol twaddle!

blowers

If you found London shop assistants friendly it may well be because most of them are foreign!

[/QUOTE]

By the way, i never meant to imply London shop assistants were friendly !

kiwichild

[QUOTE=blowers]I do have to say, in all fairness, this is a very nice country to live in.
But Australians here in Sydney (and its the only place i can really talk of) are not at all friendly. Londoners are actually warmer people. This may sound shocking, but its true. My local shop assistants ignore customers, talk to each other and throw your change at you.

As I tried (way back in the earlier days of this thread) to explain to Chick Flick, this perception of friendliness of aussies (or any nationality) like any perception of any country is all subjective personal experience. This however seems too difficult concept for some to grasp.

I agree I found poms far friendlier and that was my real life valid experience.

Exile

[QUOTE=kiwichild] I've noticed quite a few people saying that Aussies tend to be very friendly initially and at the casual level, but getting beyond that can be difficult. That fits with my experience in Perth, but then again it could just be me. As you say, it's all subjective really.