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Why the difference...

Why the difference...

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Old Jun 14th 2008, 11:26 am
  #46  
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Default Re: Why the difference...

Originally Posted by MartinLuther
Okay.

As someone who is happy with his life in Aus and with no desire to return to the UK I obviously have no balls.

Could someone explain what 2nd best stuff and problems I'm putting up with here that I didn't have to put up with in the UK?

I'll give you pubs.
You and me are clearly in group 4 mate which has not yet been defined.

The ones who just like it here, without how or why we like it having to be qualified.

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Old Jun 14th 2008, 11:31 am
  #47  
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Default Re: Why the difference...

Originally Posted by Buzzy--Bee
You and me are clearly in group 4 mate which has not yet been defined.

The ones who just like it here, without how or why we like it having to be qualified.

Buzzy
Group 4!

Aren't they the company that kept losing prisoners when transporting them from court to gaol in the UK? At one point they were losing so many that it was causing a housing crisis.
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Old Jun 14th 2008, 11:32 am
  #48  
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Smile Re: Why the difference...

Originally Posted by MartinLuther
Group 4!

Aren't they the company that kept losing prisoners when transporting them from court to gaol in the UK? At one point they were losing so many that it was causing a housing crisis.
Yes I was thinking that at the time I posted it.

Buzzy
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Old Jun 14th 2008, 12:56 pm
  #49  
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Default Re: Why the difference...

I am happy where I am, I like my life, I have a nice home, a good job and a good standard of living. We don't have loads of debt, we don't have loads of problems. Our lives are not about amassing more and more 'stuff'

The world is a big place and, as I see it, there are lots of places in the world to see and places where we can live differently.
I want to experience living in another country, not because we expect it to give us something that we are lacking here in the UK, but because we can. We are aware that it IS different to living in the UK. There will inevitably be opportunities for comparison with our old life. I fully expect some things to be better and others to be worse. One thing I don't expect is for it to be the same.
Which means that we will have Change, and change is difficult for everyone. I guess whether someone manages to be happy in Australia is down to how well the individual handles the changes, because if the changes are uncomfortable, many will simply go back to what was comfortable and familiar.
Those who do well in a new life are those who manage to adjust to the changes that challenge their new lives.
In essence it's not about how much money you do, or do not, have compared to your old life, but whether you're able to live with the changes in your life and circumstance.
I'm not there yet, but I hope that I am able to handle the changes and make a new life down under.

Ali x
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Old Jun 14th 2008, 1:16 pm
  #50  
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Default Re: Why the difference...

Originally Posted by alipally
I'm not there yet, but I hope that I am able to handle the changes and make a new life down under.

Ali x

.....and so did the people who now find they can't settle.

G
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Old Jun 14th 2008, 1:27 pm
  #51  
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Default Re: Why the difference...

They are free to choose to come home!
Nobody is keeping them there against their will.... it's not a prison, it's another country!

Accept that you may not like it... act on what you think is best for you, but KNOW that it WILL be Different!
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Old Jun 14th 2008, 1:55 pm
  #52  
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Default Re: Why the difference...

Originally Posted by Buzzy--Bee
As you know Badge, and JonD, all others known personally to me, I have had the most ridiculously positive experience since the wheels touched the ground. If people are having a bad experience in Australia, they don't like me banging on about how good it is. I've been described as a liar, a fantasist and as a broken record.

- If you whinge about the UK, you will probably whinge about Australia. I've been criticised before for saying that those who are escaping the UK will be the first to return there. I stand by that statement.
- Australia is home. Look forward, not back.
- Find a positive in everything, even if it looks negative.

I love living here. But then I loved living in London too.

Buzzy
This post sums it up for me really and gives me great hope.
Buzzy - you have a positive outlook on life. You accept there is good and bad everywhere and just get on with what's right for you and your family.
I think that's why you've had such a positive experience.


Having said that - I think there are people who have very bad luck. Finding out you can't get employment in your field must really hurt and also there are people who suffer terrible home sickness.

Last edited by Kapri; Jun 14th 2008 at 2:05 pm.
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Old Jun 14th 2008, 2:08 pm
  #53  
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Default Re: Why the difference...

Originally Posted by alipally
They are free to choose to come home!
Nobody is keeping them there against their will.... it's not a prison, it's another country!

Accept that you may not like it... act on what you think is best for you, but KNOW that it WILL be Different!
No they are not all free to chose to come home. As addressed on the belonging thread, I cannot leave legally with my children (as ex husband is Australian) so unless I want to go back without my kids I am stuck here for another 8-9 years. Not much choice in that What would you suggest oh wise one?

I think you are being extremely simplistic. If you actually read others posts on here who find themselves in the position you appear to deride you may have more understanding of the breadth of situations which stop people returning. It's not always black and white so enough of the amateur philosophy already.
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Old Jun 14th 2008, 2:47 pm
  #54  
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Default Re: Why the difference...

Originally Posted by alipally
They are free to choose to come home!
Nobody is keeping them there against their will.... it's not a prison, it's another country!

Accept that you may not like it... act on what you think is best for you, but KNOW that it WILL be Different!
As already stated, its not always that easy to "go home".
I know that I am not the only person on BE who is living in Australia purely because I am married to an Australian. One of us will always be living in a foreign country. Try and remember this before you make such sweeping statements in the future.....
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Old Jun 14th 2008, 9:37 pm
  #55  
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Default Re: Why the difference...

Originally Posted by Pollyana
As already stated, its not always that easy to "go home".
I know that I am not the only person on BE who is living in Australia purely because I am married to an Australian. One of us will always be living in a foreign country. Try and remember this before you make such sweeping statements in the future.....
So true! Life isnt black and white!
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Old Jun 15th 2008, 3:39 am
  #56  
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Default Re: Why the difference...

I sat last night and wrote a really long post for this thread ... then deleted it.
Then i went to bed and instead of sleeping thought about it some more.
I came online today wondering if any of those who are not happy in oz had actually had the courage to reply ... the usual suspects () have but most have not.

But then can you blame them? They have already been labelled as having the wrong/negative attitude, having come here with some sort of warped vision of oz, they have been called whingers and accused of lacking balls ...

... and not only this but if you actually ask them you will probably find that most CANT even form a reply for your thread because quite frankly they cant find the words to explain how they feel to those close to them never mind people they have never met and on top of this they probably cant even define a particular reason why they are unhappy ...

Those of you who have made the move and love it are imo very very lucky. I didnt come here with a warped perception of a 'perfect' place or a 'uk with sun'. i didnt come here with a negative attitude (surely no migrant does?) and if you ask most who know me they will tell you that i am a positive, glass half full person who makes the best of everything and everyone around me.

But here i am and i have struggled. I cant define why. I dont even miss the uk (my home is where my oh and my kids are - always has been and always will be) not even in my worst moments have i actually considered moving back - after all me being happy or not is not going to be decided by WHERE i live.
i dont come on the boards and whinge about oz. in fact i really like it here. the people are great, the scenery is breathtaking we have a lovely house in a lovely area, my oh and kids all love it here .... but i have struggled to feel happy. Why? i have no idea ... and to be perfectly frank all of you who have posted why others are not happy have no real idea either. You havent been there and you dont know.

I dont think i will come back and read the replies to this. I dont think that i need or want to. I just hope that writing this has helped those who are struggling to realise that they are not alone (even though at times on here it feels as if you are)
I am more upset after writing this than i have been in weeks ... sometimes it doesnt help to think things through. So i am going to go back to thinking positive now and put the rest out of my mind ...

Adele x
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Old Jun 15th 2008, 4:20 am
  #57  
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Default Re: Why the difference...

Originally Posted by Tiggs+Graz
I sat last night and wrote a really long post for this thread ... then deleted it.
Then i went to bed and instead of sleeping thought about it some more.
I came online today wondering if any of those who are not happy in oz had actually had the courage to reply ... the usual suspects () have but most have not.

But then can you blame them? They have already been labelled as having the wrong/negative attitude, having come here with some sort of warped vision of oz, they have been called whingers and accused of lacking balls ...

... and not only this but if you actually ask them you will probably find that most CANT even form a reply for your thread because quite frankly they cant find the words to explain how they feel to those close to them never mind people they have never met and on top of this they probably cant even define a particular reason why they are unhappy ...

Those of you who have made the move and love it are imo very very lucky. I didnt come here with a warped perception of a 'perfect' place or a 'uk with sun'. i didnt come here with a negative attitude (surely no migrant does?) and if you ask most who know me they will tell you that i am a positive, glass half full person who makes the best of everything and everyone around me.

But here i am and i have struggled. I cant define why. I dont even miss the uk (my home is where my oh and my kids are - always has been and always will be) not even in my worst moments have i actually considered moving back - after all me being happy or not is not going to be decided by WHERE i live.
i dont come on the boards and whinge about oz. in fact i really like it here. the people are great, the scenery is breathtaking we have a lovely house in a lovely area, my oh and kids all love it here .... but i have struggled to feel happy. Why? i have no idea ... and to be perfectly frank all of you who have posted why others are not happy have no real idea either. You havent been there and you dont know.

I dont think i will come back and read the replies to this. I dont think that i need or want to. I just hope that writing this has helped those who are struggling to realise that they are not alone (even though at times on here it feels as if you are)
I am more upset after writing this than i have been in weeks ... sometimes it doesnt help to think things through. So i am going to go back to thinking positive now and put the rest out of my mind ...

Adele x
that mate is one of the best posts I've ever read on this forum, well said.
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Old Jun 15th 2008, 4:57 am
  #58  
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Default Re: Why the difference...

Originally Posted by Tiggs+Graz
I sat last night and wrote a really long post for this thread ... then deleted it.
Then i went to bed and instead of sleeping thought about it some more.
I came online today wondering if any of those who are not happy in oz had actually had the courage to reply ... the usual suspects () have but most have not.

But then can you blame them? They have already been labelled as having the wrong/negative attitude, having come here with some sort of warped vision of oz, they have been called whingers and accused of lacking balls ...

... and not only this but if you actually ask them you will probably find that most CANT even form a reply for your thread because quite frankly they cant find the words to explain how they feel to those close to them never mind people they have never met and on top of this they probably cant even define a particular reason why they are unhappy ...

Those of you who have made the move and love it are imo very very lucky. I didnt come here with a warped perception of a 'perfect' place or a 'uk with sun'. i didnt come here with a negative attitude (surely no migrant does?) and if you ask most who know me they will tell you that i am a positive, glass half full person who makes the best of everything and everyone around me.

But here i am and i have struggled. I cant define why. I dont even miss the uk (my home is where my oh and my kids are - always has been and always will be) not even in my worst moments have i actually considered moving back - after all me being happy or not is not going to be decided by WHERE i live.
i dont come on the boards and whinge about oz. in fact i really like it here. the people are great, the scenery is breathtaking we have a lovely house in a lovely area, my oh and kids all love it here .... but i have struggled to feel happy. Why? i have no idea ... and to be perfectly frank all of you who have posted why others are not happy have no real idea either. You havent been there and you dont know.

I dont think i will come back and read the replies to this. I dont think that i need or want to. I just hope that writing this has helped those who are struggling to realise that they are not alone (even though at times on here it feels as if you are)
I am more upset after writing this than i have been in weeks ... sometimes it doesnt help to think things through. So i am going to go back to thinking positive now and put the rest out of my mind ...

Adele x
This just goes to show there is no easy answer as to why some people like Aus and some don't. People are complex creatures and have their own views and opinions based on their own individual experiences.

Adele, I'm wondering if your coping mechanism is to not think about it? Again, different people cope in different ways.

In a nutshell people can still be relatively happy or even love it here whilst at the same time see the downside. Some chose to ignore the downsides as "it is what it is".

Good post. I suspect that was hard Adele. You've got balls
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Old Jun 15th 2008, 5:00 am
  #59  
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Default Re: Why the difference...

Originally Posted by Buzzy--Bee
As you know Badge, and JonD, all others known personally to me, I have had the most ridiculously positive experience since the wheels touched the ground. If people are having a bad experience in Australia, they don't like me banging on about how good it is. I've been described as a liar, a fantasist and as a broken record.

- If you whinge about the UK, you will probably whinge about Australia. I've been criticised before for saying that those who are escaping the UK will be the first to return there. I stand by that statement.
- Australia is home. Look forward, not back.
- Find a positive in everything, even if it looks negative.

I love living here. But then I loved living in London too.

Buzzy
I think you possibly inhabit the same parallel world I do. We have been blessed (for lack of a better word) since we arrived. Yes shit has happened but life's like that so it's kind of irrelevant to us. We came with the attitude of 'what the hell, let's go for it'. We didn't have to struggle for TRA nonsense, or long drawn out visa applications so we had less stress on us, it was just a change of home and it's worked. I have no idea why, it's not something we try to rationalise - if it any broke..... comes to mind.

However I know others who have come with the same attitude and it's gone pearshaped. There's no specific reason why but once it starts going wrong there appears to be no way out except to go back to the UK and continue life there. Nothing wrong with that either - it's how it's meant to be.

Originally Posted by Mikeyc
I think the differences are because there are 2 different groups of people that move to Australia.

Group 1:
The un-happy people out here are ones who wanted more out of life, who expected more, who have high goals and dreams and who aim high, people who want to come 1st and not put up with having 2nd best. These people usually leave, but in a lot of instances cant (it’s harder to go back once you have given up everything), so the longer they stay here un-happy, the more they dislike the place, the more they find other things you dislike about the place. The more they whinge about things.

Group 2:
The happy people out here are ones who put up and take just what’s given to them (no matter how bad), they lack balls and are happy to just settle with what they have. These people are happy to settle for 2nd best. They don’t want much out of life and aim for the generic “aussie dream”. But as long as they’re happy with that, as long as they are happy to go through life just settling for what’s here, then it’s all good and good luck to them.


That’s my opinion.

Mikey
That is your opinion and you are totally entitled to it. I am also entitled to completely disagree - especially with Group 2 which is total balderdash in my opinion. We have high standards and don't settle for second best. Since living here we've had first class service from every walk of life and business. Is it the Aussie Dream? I have no idea, I had no Aussie Dream except one where I was never cold again - that one didn't work but we have a woodburning stove.

I loved living in the UK and I love living here - first class both of them.
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Old Jun 15th 2008, 5:21 am
  #60  
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Default Re: Why the difference...

I can't help feeling that there's an undercurrent of superiority running through some of these posts.

i.e. those that love Australia unconditionally imply that if everyone has a positive attitude or perhaps have seen more of the world than the UK then they will love the place just as much.

For me, I've travelled extensively and in the places that I've lived have always seen the good and bad. This forum can often provide an outlet to talk about those aspects of Australia which are frustrating. I'm not so sure that you can infer from this that people who complain about Australia on here have a different (poor?) attitude to those who only post positive things.
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