who is sick of Australia?
Oct 9th 2008, 11:07 pm
#151
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Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 70
Re: who is sick of Australia?
Thought I'd add my bit as well.
Firstly its quite refreshing to have a thread on this topic that hasn't turned into a slagging match so well done all.
I'm looking to move to OZ in the next year and will give it 3yrs, if its not for me, I'll come home, at least I'll have got it out of my system and tried it. Went down on holiday several yrs ago and since then have always wanted to go back but now too old for holiday visa. Melbourne was my preferred choice as I like sport and wanted to make sure there was plenty to do to help me settle. As it happens, a close friend of mine moved from the UK to Melbourne a couple of yrs ago and will not be returning which gives me confidence that I'll settle into Melbourne life as well. As I'm in my early 30's, single and about to probably get made redundant here in the UK what have I got to lose?
Travelling/exploring has never been easier so seeing Aussie's leaving in record numbers doesn't mean much. I work in a company where I have colleagues from NZ, Australia, USA, Canada, Mexico, France, Spain, Greece, Holland and Norway! You only get one life, and people want to make sure they have lived it.
Firstly its quite refreshing to have a thread on this topic that hasn't turned into a slagging match so well done all.
I'm looking to move to OZ in the next year and will give it 3yrs, if its not for me, I'll come home, at least I'll have got it out of my system and tried it. Went down on holiday several yrs ago and since then have always wanted to go back but now too old for holiday visa. Melbourne was my preferred choice as I like sport and wanted to make sure there was plenty to do to help me settle. As it happens, a close friend of mine moved from the UK to Melbourne a couple of yrs ago and will not be returning which gives me confidence that I'll settle into Melbourne life as well. As I'm in my early 30's, single and about to probably get made redundant here in the UK what have I got to lose?
Travelling/exploring has never been easier so seeing Aussie's leaving in record numbers doesn't mean much. I work in a company where I have colleagues from NZ, Australia, USA, Canada, Mexico, France, Spain, Greece, Holland and Norway! You only get one life, and people want to make sure they have lived it.
Oct 9th 2008, 11:11 pm
#152
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 50
Re: who is sick of Australia?
Thought I'd add my bit as well.
Firstly its quite refreshing to have a thread on this topic that hasn't turned into a slagging match so well done all.
I'm looking to move to OZ in the next year and will give it 3yrs, if its not for me, I'll come home, at least I'll have got it out of my system and tried it. Went down on holiday several yrs ago and since then have always wanted to go back but now too old for holiday visa. Melbourne was my preferred choice as I like sport and wanted to make sure there was plenty to do to help me settle. As it happens, a close friend of mine moved from the UK to Melbourne a couple of yrs ago and will not be returning which gives me confidence that I'll settle into Melbourne life as well. As I'm in my early 30's, single and about to probably get made redundant here in the UK what have I got to lose?
Travelling/exploring has never been easier so seeing Aussie's leaving in record numbers doesn't mean much. I work in a company where I have colleagues from NZ, Australia, USA, Canada, Mexico, France, Spain, Greece, Holland and Norway! You only get one life, and people want to make sure they have lived it.
Firstly its quite refreshing to have a thread on this topic that hasn't turned into a slagging match so well done all.
I'm looking to move to OZ in the next year and will give it 3yrs, if its not for me, I'll come home, at least I'll have got it out of my system and tried it. Went down on holiday several yrs ago and since then have always wanted to go back but now too old for holiday visa. Melbourne was my preferred choice as I like sport and wanted to make sure there was plenty to do to help me settle. As it happens, a close friend of mine moved from the UK to Melbourne a couple of yrs ago and will not be returning which gives me confidence that I'll settle into Melbourne life as well. As I'm in my early 30's, single and about to probably get made redundant here in the UK what have I got to lose?
Travelling/exploring has never been easier so seeing Aussie's leaving in record numbers doesn't mean much. I work in a company where I have colleagues from NZ, Australia, USA, Canada, Mexico, France, Spain, Greece, Holland and Norway! You only get one life, and people want to make sure they have lived it.
Oct 9th 2008, 11:24 pm
#153
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Joined: Sep 2008
Location: AUCKLAND
Posts: 146
Re: who is sick of Australia?
What do you expect? America's been the dominant global power / economy for decades supporting some of the world's largest companies who have aggressively exported their culture / commodities / phrases wherever they're wanted (or in many cases not).
Look at early developments in Australia when the British Empire was the most powerful in the world: it was heavily influenced by tastes from Europe and, in particular, Britain.
The way things are going now, the all-pervasive influence of the States is likely to recede a little and new ones could take their place. As for Oz, it still has its own character, its own foibles as do the individual states and, in some cases, cities. You just have to look beyond the names of the fast food outlets on the end of your street.
Look at early developments in Australia when the British Empire was the most powerful in the world: it was heavily influenced by tastes from Europe and, in particular, Britain.
The way things are going now, the all-pervasive influence of the States is likely to recede a little and new ones could take their place. As for Oz, it still has its own character, its own foibles as do the individual states and, in some cases, cities. You just have to look beyond the names of the fast food outlets on the end of your street.
So, what you saying?
You all going to be speaking Chinassie soon
(Chinese cross Oz)? Mind you, the exposure I have had to Aus (mostly business) is that you seem to getting your fair share of Asians there (not a bad thing for me). Could be just to make the Poms feel at home
Sorry, just exercising my SOH as I don’t get that opportunity too much in NZ
Must be the French influence
Oct 9th 2008, 11:30 pm
#154
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Joined: Oct 2006
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Re: who is sick of Australia?
Oct 9th 2008, 11:32 pm
#155
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Posts: 14,188
Re: who is sick of Australia?
I always think that comments like that only come from people who have 'made it' and think that everybody else failed because they didn't work hard enough.... which is utter bullshit. The biggest factor in anybodies life is luck, plain and simple.
If you had been born in a Indian slum just exactly what do you think you would have made of your life?
If you had been born in a Indian slum just exactly what do you think you would have made of your life?
Oct 9th 2008, 11:44 pm
#156
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 50
Re: who is sick of Australia?
I always think that comments like that only come from people who have 'made it' and think that everybody else failed because they didn't work hard enough.... which is utter bullshit. The biggest factor in anybodies life is luck, plain and simple.
If you had been born in a Indian slum just exactly what do you think you would have made of your life?
If you had been born in a Indian slum just exactly what do you think you would have made of your life?
Have to disagree - been in Oz seven months.
My wife's been hospitalised with a serious ruptured appendix while in Sydney to meet her sister for a week's trip to Uluru and King's Canyon leading to a tense week in hospital and a lengthy recovery.
Our car was driven into while parked in the middle of the night by a hit and run leaving us to pick up the cost. :curse:
My wife is teaching in a school with kids far worse than any she taught in the UK and has turned down the offer of an extension even though it means we've no guarantee she'll have a job for January. I turned down a good paying job to go freelance and the gamble is yet to pay off.
We missed out on two rental homes we'd set our hearts on by a whisker.
So, is that lucky? I don't know. What I do know is we're having a great time, have made great Aussie mates, are experiencing everything we can and not letting these minor bouts of bad luck get in the way of our adventure. We ended up in a house far better than the ones we missed out on and are looking forward to the future.
"The harder you work, the luckier you get" - Gary Player.
Oct 9th 2008, 11:51 pm
#157
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,784
Re: who is sick of Australia?
I always think that comments like that only come from people who have 'made it' and think that everybody else failed because they didn't work hard enough.... which is utter bullshit. The biggest factor in anybodies life is luck, plain and simple.
If you had been born in a Indian slum just exactly what do you think you would have made of your life?
If you had been born in a Indian slum just exactly what do you think you would have made of your life?
also don't believe if you come and go home that this should be termed a failure in any way.
Oct 9th 2008, 11:52 pm
#158
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Posts: 14,188
Re: who is sick of Australia?
My point is that the vast majority of people on this planet get a crap deal out of life from the moment of their birth and no amount of 'hard work' for the bulk of them will make any difference to their lives. You, and me, by a sheer accident of our birthplace started out in life with a huge advantage over 90% of the people alive.
...and my beer is fine thanks. Its currently stored in a fridge that cost me the equivalent of four years average salary for a large percentage of people on earth... do I feel lucky... bloody right I do.
Oct 9th 2008, 11:56 pm
#159
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Joined: Sep 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 50
Re: who is sick of Australia?
That's better.
But if you really felt that bad about your advantages, you'd surely pack it all in and go and fight on the frontlines in Darfur or volunteer in the wilds of Northern Peru. So would I, but while I care, I've chosen not to and instead to try and live a good life.
So let's enjoy it
(PS Hope your beer's not a Carlton Draught. In that case, I'd advise spilling it quick smart...)
(PPS Coming soon - more platitudes from the likes of Thumper)
But if you really felt that bad about your advantages, you'd surely pack it all in and go and fight on the frontlines in Darfur or volunteer in the wilds of Northern Peru. So would I, but while I care, I've chosen not to and instead to try and live a good life.
So let's enjoy it
(PS Hope your beer's not a Carlton Draught. In that case, I'd advise spilling it quick smart...)
(PPS Coming soon - more platitudes from the likes of Thumper)
Oct 9th 2008, 11:59 pm
#160
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Re: who is sick of Australia?
Even all coming from the First World assumes that we all started out on a level playing field... which we obvioulsy don't. I was born in an East Manchester slum. Did that mean I started out from the same point as somebody born in, lets say Ascot?. Obviously not.
Oct 9th 2008, 11:59 pm
#161
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Posts: 10,784
Re: who is sick of Australia?
[QUOTE=iamthecreaturefromuranus;6861239]Wondered who would roll out the Gary Player platitude first...
not so much a platitude, more a factual statement
not so much a platitude, more a factual statement
Oct 10th 2008, 12:00 am
#162
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 50
Re: who is sick of Australia?
Even all coming from the First World assumes that we all started out on a level playing field... which we obvioulsy don't. I was born in an East Manchester slum. Did that mean I started out from the same point as somebody born in, lets say Ascot?. Obviously not.
Oct 10th 2008, 12:04 am
#163
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,188
Re: who is sick of Australia?
That's better.
But if you really felt that bad about your advantages, you'd surely pack it all in and go and fight on the frontlines in Darfur or volunteer in the wilds of Northern Peru. So would I, but while I care, I've chosen not to and instead to try and live a good life.
So let's enjoy it
(PS Hope your beer's not a Carlton Draught. In that case, I'd advise spilling it quick smart...)
(PPS Coming soon - more platitudes from the likes of Thumper)
But if you really felt that bad about your advantages, you'd surely pack it all in and go and fight on the frontlines in Darfur or volunteer in the wilds of Northern Peru. So would I, but while I care, I've chosen not to and instead to try and live a good life.
So let's enjoy it
(PS Hope your beer's not a Carlton Draught. In that case, I'd advise spilling it quick smart...)
(PPS Coming soon - more platitudes from the likes of Thumper)
Oct 10th 2008, 12:04 am
#165
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,784
Re: who is sick of Australia?
Even all coming from the First World assumes that we all started out on a level playing field... which we obvioulsy don't. I was born in an East Manchester slum. Did that mean I started out from the same point as somebody born in, lets say Ascot?. Obviously not.
this does not define you, and your situation however