Copperben

I lived in Italy for a while, absolutely loved it but never thought about living there permanently, the language is a barrier but not for too long, you soon learn it when you have to! I have Italian blood so it has always felt like "home" but not enough to live there.

A job took me to NZ, I loved it so have decided to stay (pending residency).

I suppose I am a bit different as I didn't wake up one morning and say to myself "I know I want to move to NZ" - it just sort of happened and everything fell into place.

dotty

British Media has a lot to do with this and distance breeding a certain amount of ignorance.

Brit Media, can really hype up OZ, what are you going to see in the UK, its not the OZ News is it?, its not a current affair showing some 10 year old in Ipswich set alight for his pocket money is it?

Its holiday shows, get a wonderful new life docos, life in the sun docos, Holiday Ads, piccys of beaches more beaches, sun koalas. Over half the people coming out here have never been here, its 10,000 miles away its very easy to kid oneself that OZ is some sort of Paradise.

Now try that with Spain, people have probably been there, know someone who bought a bar and went broke working all hours, seen overcroweded beaches, dirty streets. Or Try saying I am moving to the USA because its crime free, my kids will play out all day, I will work less hours, people would laugh because they have been there and seen the reality.

ABCDiamond

Isn't most of the British Media owned by Australians, or is that just the papers ?

Don

I have noticed the UK media are already - with EU accession in view - hyping up the cheapo apartments/ farms/ holiday pads in Poland, Czech, Hungary, Croatia and including Bulgaria and Romania (where they really ARE dirt cheap, eg GBP5K gets you a small rundown farm).

My money would go on a top of the range holiday villa on the Black Sea. Bulgaria could easily join EU in 2008.

WheelsOfSteel

I kinda fell in to the NZ thing and it works well for the moment. I find the fact of living in a reasnable rural area but still working for a reasnable IT/Finance savy international firm quite unique.

The language issue in Europe would sort itself out (Speak slowly and loudly), so that was never an issue ona personal level, but making money was. However, saying that, I couldn't exactly buy a business until I spoke the lingo and so any rural area was out.

So feasable only the major cities like Paris and mainly Frankfurt were the options, as I can get away with English and I do speak enough German to get by.

I would certainly live in these places but more for making money to bring back out to a place like NZ.

bondipom

If I married a European instead of an Aussie who knows where I might be now.

My comment was slightly tongue in cheek but the Sydney WASP will be outnumbered. The food increasingly reflects the changing demographics.

I have seen the hoons on the wrong side of the road a few times.

Lany

nice one!!!! too true! i find that there are more non english speakers in melbourne thatn english speakers! and job ads frequently ask for fluency in chinese/greek/italian rather than english

janeyray

I think it's because the majority of people (the one's who've never visited OZ) coming here from the UK think Australia will be an extension of the UK. In Europe there are the language barriers.

For some reason they 'may' think it's a whole different culture in Europe and itsn't in OZ???!!! Big mistake if thats what they think!!!

Ailsa

We have 2 countries on our shortlist NZ & France and we have no-way finally decided. France gains on distance and ease of entry. NZ, well my daughter is there, 'nuff said'

I have always felt an affinity with France although only managed to start visiting regularly the past 10 yrs or so. Language would be the main barrier, not for me but for my husband who has hearing problems. Still, he can order a meal and a drink and shop in the supermarkets, what else do you need

So I keep an eye on the French option while concentrating on info about NZ at the moment.

Again, have to point out we are retired, different situation to most of you, different criteria.

HiddenPaw

Hi Merlot
We went to Oz to travel far away, be close to family and opportunity to work overseas - it provided us with all that we wanted at that time of our lives. We just couldn't see ourselvles living in Oz forever tho.

We have since talked about moving to France (Corsica or S.W) and although we never had any expectations about Oz, we are far more aware now of what moving overseas is about, and the things to look out for. Language isn't a barrier for me as I have lived in France and Spain before - but husband cannot speak the lingo, which would initially put the onus on me to work....and with a baby on the way, it's not feasible at the moment.

This may sound daft but one of the things that puts me off France is the number of road deaths - twice the rate of Uk. With a husband who is out on the road cycling 500km a week, I fear for his life anyway. The standard of driving and number of road deaths in Oz (also far higher than UK in terms of population) did play a major factor in our decision to return to UK. Ideally, I'd live in a place with no cars!

Spain is a country of amazing beauty, once you get away from the holiday zones. I would consider living in the north.

Are you thinking of heading to Europe?

HP

Larissa

We looked into Greece - love the culture etc. and have family there. I speak some Greek - got Greek GCSE, but it's not enough. Plus hubby is cr@p at languages - he would really miss having friends to speak to properly, though our greek neighbours love him to bits, it's not the same if you can't have a "deep" conversation. Also, schools - I don't want to take my kids to some snotty English private school, but I want them to have a decent education. Also money would come into it. I'm a teacher, but wouldn't be able to teach in Greece, unless I did a load more exams etc.
However, I didn't know you could get certain jobs more easily in Aus if you can speak Greek - must look into that. Does anyone know what areas have big Greek communities?

bondipom

Melbourne has the largest Greek diaspora in the world. There are plenty in Sydney as well. A lot settled around Kogorah, Rockdale and Brighton le-sands.

Vegemite Kids

Well we left the UK 4 and a bit years ago and came to Germany and have previously been in a few other European countries in our time as well as Asian (Hong Kong, Singapore et al..)

Didnt fancy going back to any of the countries we'd already left (if they were that great we wouldnt have left them in the first place ) apart from maybe South Africa but the political situation there isnt good at the moment, although we are keeping our house there just in case.

Already left UK, gone back & left again, so didnt fancy going back a third time.

Two of the major criteria for us was it had to be a warm climate (I have arthritis) plus english speaking.

After 4 years in Germany our german skills are quite good, enough so that we attend business meetings in german, can converse happily in supermarkets, pubs, parties etc...

But Letters and mail ......

Thats a whole different story.

No matter how fluent you might be in every day conversations, it just doesnt help. Most of our mail seems to have subtle little grammer points that change the meaning of the sentence & I keep getting caught out. How I've never been prosecuted for non-payment of bills I dont know I'm almost at the stage now where I dread opening mail each day, cos I know I have to sit and double-check my translation for an hour or so, and even then I'm not confident I've understood it correctly. Speaking is no problem, cos everybody can hear that I'm not a native german speaker, but letters etc.............


So............ I was born and brought up in Australia, Chris is very open to new experiences and adventures, why not Australia ??????

Larissa

Thanks Bondi
Would you know if Perth has a Greek community - I gather Adelaide has. If my parents come over permanently, it would be good for mum to have some Greeks to chat to / coffee places to visit etc.
Larissa

bondipom

You will have to speak to a local about that. Megalania might come up with some stats.