Is it really that bad?
 

Just curious to know how many people are liking their new lives in Australia.

We currently live in Italy with our 2 young kids, and my husband is in the process of dicussing a new contract (IT) job opportunity in Sydney.

We've lived in Australia before (7 years ago, in Melbourne), liked life there and thought after travelling more it would be a great place to live in, or even settle down in, with kids.

However, I'm half Italian and have also always toyed with Italy. It's fabulous for kids, even though there aren't many things to do with them, and they are accepted everywhere!

On the other hand, though, the dreamy, olive-picking, wine-drinking, 24/7 relaxing in the sun days don't really exist. We're all a bit depressed as my OH never sees the kids anymore, work-wise and ambition-wise the future's not that shiny, and wages are amongst the lowest in Europe.

However on the Italy forum most people don't moan as much as on the Australia forum even though the financial problems are huge here (and we haven't even started a recession yet...), people are incredibly broke, and the government under Berlusconi is as corrupt as ever!

In Australia, are a lot of people suffering from whinging-pom-itis or is it really as bad as most of you make out?!!

I know that some people should have probably bought clear, long-sighted lenses instead of rose-tinted specs before landing down-under (as we probably should have done before fulfilling our Italian dream!), and that some have trouble coming to grip with the fact that the recession, rising prices of oil, working hours etc do also affect the Southern Hemisphere, but after realising all those things is Oz really that pants?!

Just an observation... don't want to get hugely slated but would love to hear from some people that actually like, even love, life in Oz!!!! It won't change our mind as we're only going if the money's good (oh, so greedy!!) as we know Sydney is more expensive than New York!

Anyway, before everyone screams at me, I don't mean to offend, and am just curious... :o

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

Now if ever there was a how long is a piece of string question - yours is it!

You will probably get a lot of answers most of them polarised between "yes, we love it, sitting outside sipping wine all the time" and those that hate it "long way from home, miss my friends etc."

My suggestion (and perhaps a way to get a better answer) is to make a list of the top five things that are important to you and the top five things that irritate the hell out of you. That will give people a bit of context against which to comment.

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

This is about demographics, not Australia or Italy. Specifically in terms of the British, a lot of tradesmen, etc., go to Australia, while Italy would generally attract professionals. I think this explains the difference. And the less educated and/or travelled you are, the more likely you are to find problems with your new location.

Also, I add in edit that many of the tradesmen get to Australia and realise that they can't charge the outrageous sums they have been getting away with in the UK, yet housing costs are the same, so they are often much poorer. This doesn't help.

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

Ha Ha!! At least you made me laugh!!

...So, how long is it?!

Cheers for the reply anyway!

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

I love my life here. Don't live in Sydney though :lol:

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

I will add that my previous post is a generalisation, which contrary to popular opinion can be a good thing to get a basic understanding. Not every last carpenter and gas fitter in Australia is unhappy. In fact, my reading of these forums over the years has shown me it is more often than not the wives of these people who are the unhappiest.

You have already lived in Australia, so you already have a good idea of what to expect.

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

Life's what YOU make it :)

Do I like Australia? find out here: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=556569 :)

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

I love some aspects of my life here and dislike others. We had a good life before moving to Australia and have an equally good one here. I think so long as people keep in perspective that Australia is no utopian society and that they will probably have to work just as hard as they did before they will probably adapt just fine. It's the ones who think that emigrating will solve all of life's prolems that tend to run into trouble.

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

I have a suggestion for the difference.

Most Brit migrants go to Italy expecting it to be different. They tolerate the difference (especially the bureaucracy).

A lot of Brit migrants come to Aus expecting it to be similar. They find it hard to tolerate the differences (especially the bureaucracy).

I love it here. Have no (extra) problems here. Life's good.

PS: I liked the short time that I lived in France but I couldn't get used to the minor corruption that the French seem to accept as normal (and a gallic shrug).

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

Where in Italy are you? My husband (Italian) and myself (Canadian) are moving to Australia in 10 days. I love it here in Italy and he hates it, go figure, so we have decided to try out Australia for a little bit. We live in Padova.

As for the moaning, I think it happens in every country. I was a moaner when I was living in Canada but not so much a moaner her in Italy:)

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

Hi Roxy,

I just noticed that you're moving to Brisbane and are Canadian. Have you figured out where you're settling yet? I'm on the East side in the Bayside suburbs.

I see your husband is Italian so I guess there's not much point in mentioned that there are hockey rinks here!

Good luck with the move.

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

Well........its quite long actually :p

It would take me a VERY long time to explain all the things that I personally don't like about Australia. But it is a personal thing. Happy to PM you if you want more details.

Good things? Well the sun shines more often. :o

Although I am originally from the UK, I haven't lived there for almost 10 years and before we came here we had lived in continental Europe.

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

Buongiorno!

Can I recommend that you come back to Melbourne & settle somewhere in Carlton? Then you'll get the best of Australia with a strong Italian influence as well - best of both worlds?! ;)

Having lived in Milano, Sydney & Melbourne, my personal opinion is that Melbourne has a more 'European' feel to it, whereas Sydney seemed a bit more 'US-influenced'.

It all depends on what you like doing. There's heaps for kids to do in both Melb & Syd. Also, I can relate to your stress from living in Italy; I found the bureaucracy there totally mindblowing!

Good luck with your move.

Ciao!
G.

PS: to answer your question, I've been very happy living in Italy & Australia. Both places have lots of different good things to offer (and their share of disadvantages too). I marginally preferred Melb over Syd because it felt more 'European'.

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

Alternatively, in Sydney Leichhardt is the Italian capital.

Re: Is it really that bad?
 

Don't forget that most of us happy people don't tend to post much once we are settled here so you don't get an accurate view from BE - and I guess more people come here than Italy which is why you get more whingers on the Australian forum, also it's a bit more difficult to go back from here than from Italy.


We are very happy here, but it has been a shock to see how the cost of living has gone up over the last 5 years and Sydney is very expensive so make sure the money is good!