bigAPE

I can certainly understand if some people don't feel like they fit in, but being really honest about it have they tried ?

Within 2-3 months of being here our boys were in AusKick learning Aussie Rules Footy. We all made a heap of friends and the Aussie loved the fact that we tried to fit in and make a go of it. 15 months on I'm playing in an adult league with 20-30 local Aussie blokes (including our local mayor!), I'm battered, bruised and currently have a broken finger but I bloody love it. The one thing I have learned is that they have a great sense of humour and they love it when you "have a go", in fact I think they respect that above all else. We beat the crap out of each other for a few hours on a Sunday and then sup beer and talk about life. All really nice guys.

I came here knowing full well that it would be hard to get to meet people (working from home) and that I would have to make an effort. I firmly believe that you get out what you put in... it's that simple.

I also firmly believe a lot of people emigrate (regardless of where too) for the wrong reasons and without a realistic expectation of what will happen. Most people come thinking it will be the land of milk and honey, but liek all places in the world it has it's problems. Above all it's different and it's not England, so expect the worst and be surprised when it's not!

Al

Salma

I think immigrants worldwide thing where they are going is a better place without ever being there.

I am going with my eyes open and know it won’t be UK with sun but it is where I have chosen to set my roots.

Maybe because of my background 1st generation immigrant child the upheaval alineness ect will not be to the scale my mother felt when she arrived in the UK 35 yrs ago without a word of English, no skill set and a husband to rely on.

I read a lot on here and I feel they are accusing the Aussies of the same behaviour that my parent’s generation encountered of hostility with the host community.

I have always believed that life is what you make it and I work hard here and will work as hard if not harder in aus to achieve all my goals.

Only down side of aus my family won’t be their working on trying to persuade them to move but I know it won’t happen! (however much my 7 yr old nephew wants it to happen)

BadgeIsBack

You'll meet all types. Not all Australians are gushing Steve Irwins. It's a bit of a myth that all Australians are extrovert, forthright. Many are shrinking violets too, just like their UK counterparts.

I find Australians are as like as English people in many ways. There are funny people, grumpy people. Take them or leave them - they will do the same to you. If anything, Australians can be quite shy and circumspect, and I've met many a brash Londoner (I am a Londoner). Plenty of Australians will accept criticism of pretty much everything. Read the local free city paper!

You'd have to have a narrow band of friends, or watch too much tabloid TV to find that all Australians are all ''Go Aussie''!

Geelong Gent

Whey hey

Jamiem

[QUOTE=BadgeIsBack;6463178]
Badge,

I agree with you on that one.

Having made the move out here on my own, I struggled for a little while, relying sometimes on the support of friends in the UK via telephone, text message, e-mail and letters. However, coming up to three years later, I am genuinely over-the-moon with the new friends I have made here. The majority of them are Australians and I love them dearly. I have always considered Australians (at least the ones I have met) to be more open and willing to help/share (in my experiences, really quite selflessly), wherever they can. Maybe this is a reflection on my personality and how I treat people, but I doubt it.

Maybe they just put up with me because I normally turn up with heaps of alcohol

J

Geelong Gent

Comments from a loser in life.

Life will always throw obstacles and comments such as "Not my fault" is a complete cop out.

I disagree with seeking friends out for:

• What they can do for you
• What nationality, race, economic stratus they belong

Friends evolve out of your individual journey through above lifes obstacles.

uk_qld32

Hi, my first post on the forum...here goes....

We've been here 6 months now, came over to a new job and to see family. I've got to say I can sympathise with the original post, there certainly are differences between the UK and AUS in terms of frinedships etc, but then would you expect anything otherwise? That said, I've certainly mey people who I can see being long-term proper friends.

Ok, the real reason for the post, and one of our main dissapointments...the general arrogant approach of a fair few of the locals to, well, pretty much everything. We make a point of not whinging, and have learnt to behave like locals (i.e, at times, pretend you know everything - UK translation - 'speak out of your arse', even when you don't). It's really easy, but a bit depressing and one of the things that makes it hard to get to know people. Certainly not something we'll miss once we're home in a couple of years...

Pollyana

I have to agree with that. An Aussie said to me at work this week that he found it strange that I even wanted to talk to other Brits after 5 years here. He found it very strange when I said that I don't really care whether people are AUssies, Brits or otherwise ias long as they tick the boxes which makes our friendship work.

hippyboy1

I think you have absolutely hit the nail on the head here-how many people here had genuine friends who were immigrants in the UK?......a good chunk of them moved to the other side of the world to get away from them....let alone had cosy weekends with the new Pakistani family on the block.

hippyboy1

Pretty 'Eurocentric' comment there. I'm sure the Indonesians might be kind of offended.

Bernieboy

Why wait,go now

hippyboy1

One also might assume that educated Brits willing to work hard, with a real anal and 'honest ' (ars--licking the boss-terror of job loss), might be seen as a bigger threat to the jobs AND SALARIES of well paid middle class Aussies than Poles in the UK.

hippyboy1

In the last job I had, there was an office of relatively well paid , rather laid-back Aussies - basically doing alap (as little as possible)-and this one irritating British lady who worked oh-so-hard and genuinely pissed on the Aussies parade-with her grating UK office habits (aka giving a sh-t)...she wondered why no-one liked her.

DunRoaminTheUK

Two questions.

Firstly, do you always reply to your own posts?

Secondly, are you berating the hard working Brit or sympathising with her? I couldn't tell from your post?

hippyboy1

I do tend to argue with myself quite a bit.