ems

Hi all
We leave for Melbourne in 2 weeks and have been through a whole list of things to do/see in Uk before we leave. This morning got myself a lovely tattoo, something permanent to remember my roots by. (its a celtic design to represent my welshness, was going to have a welsh dragon but thought it was going a bit too far for me!)

Has anyone else done this? Weirdly I felt virtually no pain, I thought it was supposed to hurt!

Anyway v happy with me new tattoo

em

WBB

congrats on the move and hope all goes well for you.

wales's loss is australia's gain.

arlene

billy

love the new avatar, havnt noticed it before, feel like microwaving a few people at the moment

bondipom

From the moment the plane touches down you will be a Pom to the Aussies. You will be lumped in with the English, Irish and Scots.:scared:

WBB

depends how you look at it really, i would prefer to think that from the moment the plane lands you are an australian.

as i am moving to an area with a strong welsh presence and culture i am sure the transition from welshman, to pom, to ozzy will be a smooth one.

wolfens_wife

We have been in Melbourne 6 weeks now.
Im from Cardiff. We all went for a Hungry Jacks (burger king) and the free toy that comes with the meal was a Welsh Rugby Bear!!! I was in floods of tears.......Its little things like that which can really bring on home sickness.

renth

Your'e in for a surprise there welshboybilly. Bondipom is right most will consider you a pom.

jayr

They certainly won't think you are an Australian, and nor should you. You are a foreigner in a foreign land, your children may become Australian.

Ceri

never been called a pom in all my time here, tell a lie - only once, or was that twice in six years. It's not much diff to Britain here regarding what they call you, all welsh are usually called Taffs... actually I do not get called by much names, except my real name. People tend not to recognise my accent.

You never forget your "welshness", at least every welsh person I know doesn't. Mate of mine been here thirty years, has a son who was born in aus.. his son wears a welsh rugby jersey, calls himself welsh, although he is half welsh, half Asian, au born.. even he his proud that he is half welsh. I bumped into an old lady the other month, been here 50 odd years.. she spotted my accent, I couldn't shut her up.. Yap, yap, yap. oohh I wish I could home dear but I'm too old now and the cold would get me.

Been out of the country for 11 years .. I'm still welsh... it's in your heart - not what you wear or the way you speak.

If you bump into another welsh person out here, be prepared to get out the deckchair to sit down.. as you never can get away from them.. talk, talk, talk.

In regard to the welsh bear/welsh things... Rebel sports is selling welsh rugby jerseys. Angus and robertson online (aus bookshop, but the online one has a greater stock) has heaps of welsh books if you look (everything from novels to fact), and if you are in Sydney there is a welsh club. The one in Brisbane is cr*p.. they just meet up (no clubhouse) and sing, mostly old people. DVD's - you can get twin town here.

My packages from Britain at Christmas etc usually contain
Laverbread
Barry welsh (well not literally! He wouldn't fit into the parcel - dvd's)
welsh tshirts, jackets, jerseys
stickers
flags, towels
blow up hands and balls (not what you're thinking!) welsh stuff.... I'll be well kitted if I go to this match.

.. mum in-law keeps sending me stuff.. I'm sure she's trying to get in my good books (she misses her son)

Cymru am byth

P.S Jayr is right, the only time that you may be called an aussie is when you go visiting Britain By British people who do not have a ear. You (an adult) will never be an Aussie to true Aussies who were born and bred here... no matter what passport you have.