Grayling

He is just as trapped as they are....your views are simplistic in the extreme, and dare I say it, very naive.

No one knows what is round the corner.....or how they will deal with it

paulry

I remember that. It was aired in the UK as well. The old dear brimmed with optimism at her new old life back in Blighty

Beedubya

Exactly!

The "I'm alright Jack" attitude from some on this thread shows a lack of humanity.

None of us know how things will turn out, do you think he emigrated here with his young family with the knowledge and support you lot have? Do you think he emigrated thinking he would end up divorced with grown up kids and no other family here?

You have no idea of how much harder and more isolating it was back then. All we had was a 10 page booklet from Australia House and airfares were almost the same as they are now with wages being a fraction of what they are now and when you left the UK it really was almost a case of "We'll never see you again."

Let's hope none of the events that have happened to the OP's colleague happen to you......

Beedubya

Do you or Creature remember the name of the show, maybe it's on youtube, I'd love to see it.

paulry

I'll try and find it for you

paulry

This is the one, I think

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Try a search for "Timewatch - Ten Pound Poms"

I think that's the one.. split into six parts on youtube.

paulry

Yup, thats the one

...The lady in the red blouse

iamthecreaturefromuranus

snap

Beedubya

Thanks Creature and Paulry I am off to watch it now.

I was not a 10 pound Pom, but rather we were "Independent Migrants" who knew very little of Australia except from the said booklet in 1981 and my mum's brother who came back to England for the first time since the 1950's and what a right load of old BS he spun about his fantastic life downunder on his "property" and no wonder as we found out when we came here.

He and his family lived in what can only kindly be described as a shack on an acre of land in the bush in Nowra and they didn't even have a proper toilet but a "dunny"!!

Now there was a shock to the system.

Actually I should have written about this on the other thread.

quoll

It was put up as an alternative to the first load of sh*te dumped on the poor bloke about how he must be a total loser and needs to get off his backside etc. No one knows if he is or isnt although it wouldnt be an unusual scenario for him to find himself with situational depression. He may be a raving axe murderer for all we know and his wife was lucky to escape with all her fingers. It was just another suggestion and a kinder one than was initially being proposed.

Either which way, the poor bugger did what he thought was best for his family and has been the unhappy sacrificial lamb in the process. I hope he does read MBTTUK and gets some inspiration from it.

Pollyana

Tell that to the residents of Christchurch.

Indeed. And for a lot of us we don't realise until we need them that suddenly realising that your family, friends, everyone who "made"your life here just aren't there anymore. Its a scary feeling that suddenly you ARE alone and you have to cope in a country that after years may still not seem like home. And like I've said before, some people have an instant inner strength to cope, some just aren't that tough and cave in a lot quicker even if they later manage to take stock and move forward.

and not necessarily progress for the good.


And he may even feel himself that he wants to get off his backside and fix things, but it ain't always that easy, especially without that support network around you.

CEM

Exactly.

Vegemite Kids

Wow! I get home from work to 5 pages of thoughts and advice.


Thanks everyone, especially for the suggestion about MBTTUK, I'll mention that to him tomorrow. Dont know if he'll use it (or at least not straight away) but maybe just knowing that its there might get him thinking.

I do think he has himself locked into a certain way of thinking. Maybe MBTTUK will start to give him alternatives. I hope so for his sake - and mine cos then maybe he won't be such a GOM anymore



Beedubya, good luck with your move and I hope you love life back in UK.

Pollyana

He can always read it, even if he doesn't actually want to contribute