ozzieeagle

Thought I'd post a poll in relation to how Australian people feel. I'd say this question goes a lot deeper than it would first appear. For instance I've been here now for almost 2/3'rds of my life, plus I've an Australian wife and 4 "Adult" Aussie kids. Where others may have come here as children with parents that migrated... lots of scenarios really, right up to the recently arrived with a partner that had to come.

I would imagine that the people that feel the most Australian wouldn't dream of even entertaining living back in the UK. Whereas the ones that feel the least would probably be out of here in a heartbeat.

So does happiness in being here actually fully relate to how Australian one feels.

Over to you.

ozzieeagle

Got to add, I'm right on the edge of being 8 out of 10..... Right now I'd say I'm a 7 out of 10. Give it another 5 years and when I've done a few years of retirement here with total leisure, enjoyment and travel time.

Dreamy

Perhaps you should start off with what "feeling [insert nationality]" means?
We've been here almost 12 years, we're citizens, kids have grown up here, we love our life here and there are definitely no circumstances I could see that I'd move back to the UK (or anywhere else, for that matter) - but do I feel Australian? Nah mate. There again, I don't feel British either, I'm not sure what it even means to feel a nationality.

I don't think I feel defined by the country I live in, or where I'm happy/unhappy. I'm just me, wherever I am.

quoll

First thought - not at all and never will but having lived in UK now for 8 years after 3+decades in Australia there are the odd times when I've thought there was a sought tinge of Aussie-ness in there. Usually to do with the concept of distance and, negatively, sometimes not letting someone into the stream of traffic because it didn't occur to me to do so (very bad and once I've realised I let every man and his dog in for miles after!) and definitely some vernacular (still busting my sides l stuffing when one of my mates continues to have trouble with her "rooter"). It'll be interesting whether my heart gets with the head and calls it home when we get back but I still can't bring myself to say "I am going home" which may well be before Christmas. I can honestly say that I've missed very little about Australia per se - the son and granddaughters of course otherwise having a good knitting chair, my shower and the wide car parking spaces are about all I miss.

spouse of scouse

I'd vote but I may skew the results

BEVS

I just did.

spouse of scouse

Ok, all bets are off!

DeadVim

15 years in I don’t particularly “feel Australian” but I am comfortable here with my very Australian family and not considering moving back to the UK.

Eventual retirement to Tasmania or NZ (or the grey nomad thing) seems more appealing.

I am militantly English when it comes to sporting loyalty and when anyone questions this (“But you live in Australia now!”) I look at them like they’re from the Planet Zog.

moneypenny20

This. I have no clue what being Australian feels like in comparison to what being English feels like. I'm not even sure what being English feels like. I just feel like me. I refuse to pronounce pasta, vitamins or maroon etc incorrectly if that helps and I have an (possibly) irrational dislike of Steve Irwin and his family.

ozzieeagle

Yehp, couldn't believe Maroan when I first arrived. Victorians tend to pronounce that both ways, so you never know what your going to get. . However, here's the litmus... Pronounce "Castle" Tip properly like it's supposed to be done.... The London way

Got to admit being personally confused re the pronunciation of Pasta though.

moneypenny20

Car sel. How else is it pronounced?

ozzieeagle

Exactly and some Aussies do say it that way, although in Melbourne it's "Casstle"

spouse of scouse

You didn't expect us all to speak like British people did you?!

Pollyana

I swear people at work use the word maroon several times a shift cos they know how much it winds me up when they pronounce it wrong!

Have to say, the longer I spend here, the less I feel I fit, which I guess means I am growing even more un-Australian by the day. Roll on the day QSuper pays out.........

ozzieeagle

Adelonians give it a half decent bash. Problem is some of them seem to have adopted the weirder UK traits as well.... more than their fair share. If anything out of the ordinary happens it happens over in SA.