What you forget to do, IMO is use the smilies. A few times you have made a "joke" but not put a wink, poking tongue out, roll eyes smilies and people reading fast get offended. A few more smilies and you (possibly) won't get nearly as many stroppy replies.

I know, I know, Australian humour is like the American humour but a bit more basic. So I need to shout more and make it much more obvious when I'm joking JIC they can't tell. BUT BUT BUT I'm on a British expat forum where most of us have a more sophisticated sense of humour and can either read between the lines or tell the difference between whats a joke and whats not. It's not my fault the place has a few alien gate crashers with less sense of homour than a wet fish.

There you go, that wasn't hard was it But But But - you are writing and no one can see your expressions so you have to paint a picture Obviously don't use too much paint being as it's so expensive in your neck of the woods

Resort to smilies as a last resort.

So you would prefer it if the Australians, and those Brits who have settled and become more Australian, did not frequent this forum to pass on their knowledge to newcomers ?

Leave it to those who have just arrived ?

No it's a free country and hopefully a free forum, but the point I'm making is that I won't apologize for using good old British humor, on a forum predominately used by and for British expats just because some of the Australians on here don’t understand it. I also won’t sink to the incredibly poor toilet type humor that seems to tickle their fancy or just resort to SPEAKING OUT LOUD in the hope they might get it.

As for giving people information, why not? If its asked for then give it if you know the answer, you like to give help and statistics and that’s your prerogative I on the other hand like to give my experiences as they happen to me, Just because I’ve had a particularly bad 1st year doesn’t mean it didn’t happen and if I tar the whole country and people with the same brush then that’s because from where I’m sitting it’s a totally justifiable opinion.

Today we had a delivery man come here and when he deduced with his infinite intellect that I was not Australian, he asked where I came from, to which I answered the UK. He then said “where’s that? Is that the USA”. No I say it’s the United Kingdom, or Britian… you know England…to which he replied “well how was I supposed to know I’ve never been out of Australia”

Well now tell me why I should have confidence that this is the right country to send my boy to school? Because based on this conversation and many many other incidents in the last year I for one have no confidence in the country. (No smiley)

This is a forum for people who, for one reason or another (not all happy joy-joy reasons either) took the rather humungous decision to up sticks and remove themselves entirely from the UK. Does it *really* come as that big a surprise to you that some criticise it, or that they defend their new home?

I realise some people will never settle in their new country (wherever it might be) and have a 'them' and 'us' attitude which is only ever going to be devisive. I strongly believe that attitude comes in part from a 'superior' British sensibility that manifests itself in all sorts of unpleasant ways.

Then why call some people on here "alien gate crashers" ?

Instead, you prefer to refer to people who disagree with you as "immature idiots", and that was only on your 5th day on the forum ?

If you remember correctly this was in relation to Myself, Badge and a couple of others who disagreed with you.
In my opinion, for one of your first few posts, your comments did not exactly endear you to me, but I have learned something about you since then, which explains a lot

I agree, and in your shoes I would have no confidence, and I doubt that things will change wherever you are. Fortunately though I am not in your shoes, and am very happy here now

Im not sure if he realises what a racist bigot he comes across as, but hey ho, its all just a joke & he doesnt mean any of it, so it doesnt matter what he says about aussies, does it? .

Err. Because they are.

Well I'm glad it finally came out in the wash! I never did find the post to which you were referring to me calling you an immature fool, and as you never replied to my PM’s to sort it out I didn’t know how, when and where I had obviously upset you., my post actually said:-

The word you seemed to have missed that as a result you got upset with me and have ever since taken any opportunity to “put me right” is the word MOST! I said most of the above have already had a pop at me when referring to MikeStantons list. Most means not all and unless you had already had a pop at me in the preceding 4 posts then it obviously didn’t include you.

Classic! Racist bigot am I? That’s rich, although now I’m in probably one of the most racist and bigoted countries in the world where even the politicians don’t mind saying racist stuff out loud I should fit right in. Oh and good evening MrsDagboy getting ready to sharpen your sword? If you are you might want to leave it for another night as I’m off to bed now. Got to go and dream bigoted dreams…….

I've said it before on here & I'll say it again, insert any other nationality eg Pakastani, Indian, black american, african etc where you say aussie in any of your posts & see how many people would jump on you before you could ever draw breath & call you a racist. But because you are being derogatory towards australians it is somehow OK. You arent the only one to do it, but it sure as hell doesnt make it any less racist.

Racism does NOT only exist between people of different colour.

No sword sharpening here, just telling it as it is. If you don't like it, that's not my problem. Dont make the comments.

If you really want to had to your saga in Oz let us know with who and when your travelling so I can make some calls to arrange on your day of departure:

Just so your departure is memorable

WW

Spot on.