northernbird

You know what Badge, as Chris himself says CF=0. I have my friends here and I care what they think not what Chris and his little posse of followers do.

BadgeIsBack

Good.

I don't like to see an injustice being meted out in front of me eyes, that's all....

(Chris has followers? I thought he operated alone...)

chris955

Oooooooh I'm being ganged up on....heeeellllpppp

eddie007

Can I join the NBFC please? do we get a membership card? Signed photos? The chance to go back stage and meet her after the gig? What about NBFC bumper stickers... They'd sell well... And a badge... Yes... One of those cool pin badges ... They could come quite collectable one day... Like my Dr Who and Thunderbirds ones.... Can you post me a link to the website please?

Cheetah7

I have no regrets at all, where we lived in the UK, people kept themselves to themselves, here neighbours pop in to see us and vice versa, we look out for each other.

We have a brilliant set of friends that include Aussies who I cannot imagine not being in our lives.

When we apply for citizenship which is meant to be next week but finances may prevent that, we have our friends that will come to the ceremony and then a piss up in the pub afterwards, cant wait.

It hasnt been easy but we have no regrets whatsoever and certainly no 'rose tints' either.

sammax

Absolutely no regrets, had no problems at all settling in either

Amazulu

Yeah, everyone keeps knicking my formula!

carolinephillips

Hope the citizenship test is a breeze- got to wait till August for ours.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Download the book http://www.citizenship.gov.au/learn/cit_test/practice/ put it in your toilet and just read it while sat on the throne. Easy.

Rljacobs

That's interesting as I've heard that most 'real' Aussies are very insular and tend not to mix very well. Which part of oz do you live in? Maybe it's a state thing!

Cheetah7

Perth - SOR, we are the only Brits on our street, our neighbours have a key to our house for emergencies and they look after it if we are away. I got locked out last week so our neighbour climbed into our garden for me (im too small to scale fence) and let me in.

We lend each other stuff as in garden furniture etc, I have baby sat their puppy for a couple of weeks when they had reno's done and they gave me a $50 voucher to say thanks. We got them wine for looking after our house.

When he goes away, his wife who has a young baby knows she can call on us. The old guy that lives opposite has often invited us in for a glass of wine or a coffee, when my husband had his car accident, the old guy used to come and check on him and even take him for a drive in his car.

My neighbour and good friend down the road often comes round, and I call in and sit with him and his mates and have a beer with him. In fact I am looking after his red heeler for him for the weekend and I did over Christmas as well, he bought me a present to say thank you - he is brilliant, really nice guy and a good friend.

Our other neighbours are elderly so we look out for them and they enjoy passing the time of day, I am a bit of an old woman catching up with the older ones on neighbourhood gossip.

If we moved to a bigger house, I would love to take my neighbours with me.

As for friends, in my first job in Australia I made friends with a group of Aussies that very quickly become like my family, we all just clicked. We were at their house over Christmas, it is always a privilege to be invited to someones house to share their Christmas.

Two of the girls are like my daughters, my spare room is their spare room, in fact they know if they need somewhere to stay the night, my room is there. There is usually someone round for dinner, no pretence, just curling up on the sofa with the girls enjoying each others company.

I have never met people like it, I remember one of 'my girls' and her partner offering to pay our mortgage when my husband was in hospital, we managed without but I will never ever forget that offer.

I personally haven't found them insular but I have heard of others that have.

Rljacobs

Wow, I'm very surprised! I lived in Perth years ago but was young, however I do remember most Aussies being really unfriendly towards my parents and so materialistic! Sounds like they have thawed a bit since I've been in uk! What suburb by the way?

Boa

Everywhere is different, around here the neighbors are friendly enough, some will give you a wave and others won't, like anywhere I guess. I haven't found people here to be any friendlier than anywhere else we have lived, they are all individuals, I don't think people here are somehow born with a gene that makes them go out of their way to help others. Neighbors are a lottery, we have usually had pretty good ones wherever we have been but we consider ourselves good neighbors which helps.
I do find many Aussies fairly insular and cliquey.

Rljacobs

Yeah it's strange isn't it? But they all came from britain originally didn't they?! They should love expats! Oh well, it won't put me off, I shall have to grow a thicker skin to deal with the rude ones!

carolinephillips

I've already got a hard copy, and have done the practice tests - and passed. a lot of it is common sense, but I am also trying to listen to the news and sport sections so I can get a better understanding of politics and topics of conversation.

I was hoping that Cheetah finds the test a breeze!