jdt3000

You want a post about the lifestyle/culture here? Fine...Here we go:

1. It's nice to go out at night without worrying about whether tonite is the night you are going to get stabbed or not.

2. It's nice to be able to plan a day out and to be pretty sure that the weather isn't going to play up on you like it does in the UK.

3. It's great to be able to do such a range of stuff outdoors, that doesn't cost you the earth. In the UK, most of the stuff to do involves you spending money: Cinema, Pub, Bowling, Eating Out, Paintballing, Go Karting etc. At least here you can do a range of stuff without even having to get your wallet out.

4. It's nice to be able to walk down the street and not have some nasty piece of S**T sneer at you when you make eye contact and say good morning/afternoon to them.

No, Australia doesn't have any real culture in terms of theatres/arthouses/buildings/heritage, but those kind of things aren't important to everyone. Everyone I have met offline loves it here.

The reason I think you are posting in the wrong place is for this reason: Who do you really think you are helping by posting such negative and deconstructive comments?

Hutch

I think my record speaks for itself with regard my and Arkon's 'interaction' on this board. But... he has every right to post. He, Polly. Kiwi, Jadnrich and a few others have serious problems with the place, but they're still expats and this forum has always been about finding like-minded people to give you a bit of support when it might be lacking in your personal life. Can't say I agree with much of what Arkon's said over the years and he does play to the camera - but it's his life and he tells it his way. If nothing else it rams home the point loud and clear that no matter how great your expectations are for a move abroad, it doesn't always work out the way you wanted it to.

WEBBS

The reason I think you are posting in the wrong place is for this reason: Who do you really think you are helping by posting such negative and deconstructive comments?[/QUOTE]

I think this point is one of the most important points about the forum..people can post and listen to some very frank comments, negative, positive and most of all realistic views from people who do not feel the need to pretend about how things are for them. I think people would much rather listen to honest comments than some made up tosh about what someone thinks they should say!

Peter

JaneandJim

You want a post about the lifestyle/culture here? Fine...Here we go:

And in reply:

1. It's nice to go out at night without worrying about whether tonite is the night you are going to get stabbed or not.

Some poor guy went out a couple of weeks ago in Brisbane and was killed by the bouncers in a club. OK, not stabbed but still dead.

2. It's nice to be able to plan a day out and to be pretty sure that the weather isn't going to play up on you like it does in the UK.

We've been trying for the last three weekends to go out in our boat on Moreton Bay. It's been too windy.

3. It's great to be able to do such a range of stuff outdoors, that doesn't cost you the earth. In the UK, most of the stuff to do involves you spending money: Cinema, Pub, Bowling, Eating Out, Paintballing, Go Karting etc. At least here you can do a range of stuff without even having to get your wallet out.

The things we do here outside were also free in the UK, going to the beach, walking in National Parks.

4. It's nice to be able to walk down the street and not have some nasty piece of S**T sneer at you when you make eye contact and say good morning/afternoon to them.

This is state dependant. Cross the border into NSW and you'll find a marked difference in this. And Sydney is positively unfriendly. (In my humble experience)

No, Australia doesn't have any real culture in terms of theatres/arthouses/buildings/heritage, but those kind of things aren't important to everyone. Everyone I have met offline loves it here.

We've just come back from watching the Classical Spectacular at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. OK, dumbed down classical music, but classical just the same. There are plenty of historical buildings in Brisbane if you care to look for them. OK, they're not ancient, but old enough to be interesting

The reason I think you are posting in the wrong place is for this reason: Who do you really think you are helping by posting such negative and deconstructive comments?

People reading this forum need to be aware of the downsides of living here, otherwise they are in for a rude awakening when they get here. For one thing, it may help them re-evaluate their choice of lifestyle over here. Its probably more than one expats dream to own some land and a small farm out here. They can definitely learn from Arkon's mistakes and experiences.

Also, people often post their negative experiences because they would like some support and reassurance, and people here readily give it.

If you don't like it perhaps you should set up your own website, EverbodysahappybunnyinAustralia.com and you can then ban any negative posters.

Wol

>> 1. It's nice to go out at night without worrying about whether tonite is the night you are going to get stabbed or not. <<

That used to be true in Australia - but certainly not now.
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>> 2. It's nice to be able to plan a day out and to be pretty sure that the weather isn't going to play up on you like it does in the UK. <<

Absolutely!
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>> 3. It's great to be able to do such a range of stuff outdoors, that doesn't cost you the earth. In the UK, most of the stuff to do involves you spending money: Cinema, Pub, Bowling, Eating Out, Paintballing, Go Karting etc. At least here you can do a range of stuff without even having to get your wallet out. <<

To some extent, but remember the toll roads, the state park parking charges etc. But, in general, yes - you can get out more here.
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>> 4. It's nice to be able to walk down the street and not have some nasty piece of S**T sneer at you when you make eye contact and say good morning/afternoon to them. <<

It happens everywhere, if you are in the wrong area at the wrong time. The assaults here tend to be of the "glassing" variety - it being a generally inebriated population with a bottle in it's hand.
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>> No, Australia doesn't have any real culture in terms of theatres/arthouses/buildings/heritage, but those kind of things aren't important to everyone. Everyone I have met offline loves it here. <<

Some of the best things I've seen have been here; plays, music etc.
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>> The reason I think you are posting in the wrong place is for this reason: Who do you really think you are helping by posting such negative and deconstructive comments? <<

He is helping open-minded people who want to know what others feel about life in Australia. There are good things and there are bad: posting nothing but the former is hardly helpful, IMO.

mr mover

Wol dont use the term Australia in your postings , your refering to NSW where you live , the rest of us Dont have half the problems your state has ................. mm

jdt3000

Well, it's obvious to me now that you all seem to empathise more with the whinging variety of POM rather than the positive kind, so I'm just not going to bother posting in these types of threads anymore. Some of you are obviously out to make ME the bad guy because unlike some of you I enjoy my life here down under, feel pride for my new country and don't want to hear people putting it down.

You can all sit and be miserable together for all I care. Just keep convincing yourselves that life down under is out to bite you in the arse. Meanwhile I will be looking around realising how lucky I am to have gotten my VISA and gotten to this stage...

Yes both the UK and Australia have their bad points, but I would much rather be in Australia; The bad things aren't as prominent down under...

Regards,

JDT

Pollyana

Right now I'd rather be in the UK, I had a permanent job there.

MikeStanton

We also realise how lucky we are that "you have gotten your VISA."

Amen.

iPom

Mike, are you poking fun at his grammar? 'Gotten' is actually a valid word - a past participle of 'get' which fell out of favour for a long time in the UK, but is now making a comeback. It is dated back to Middle English.

If you're not poking fun, consider this lesson over.

jdt3000

Why thank you MS, it's always nice when someone wishes you well like that...I have to say I'm so sad that you felt you needed to leave, Australia is just not the same without you...

cresta57

I've read a lot of your posts and you do seem to be enjoying your new life here. Good on you for that and far be it from me to point out that at some point when you decide to cut the apron strings and move out of mummy and daddy's nice home your going to have to be earning a bloody fortune to come anywhere close to the lifestyle your enjoying at the moment courtesy of the U.K housing boom and the £ against the $.
A lot of parents moving here are saying they are doing it to give their kids a better lifestyle. The problem is the kids don't have the enormous amounts of equity the parents have. A mate of ours daughter lives with them in Mountain Creek she's left school and has a job earning a fair wage for a 19yr old. She wants to move out and buy a place with her boyfriend yet take a look in the property guide and tell me what is available at 3 X their annual salary, around 60k. That combined wage won't buy jack shit anywhere on the coast or even up here in the sticks. The only way they could afford to buy would be if 4 of them combined salary and bought 1/4 shares in a renovator out in deepest darkest nang nang country.
I'm not having a pop at you for being so happy with your life at the moment but unless your going to be earning around a 100k per annum where are you going to be living when you move out? And will life still be so good if your working to hard to be able to enjoy it?
If I were your age again with the lifestyle that Australia can offer I'd be as happy as a pig in shit as well, but with the wisdom of age I'd be saving every cent I earned to get a foothold on the property ladder
Don't be so quick to condemn people their experiences are very real and provide a balance however they chose to post it.

MikeStanton

No, I was not poking fun at his grammar. If you read my post again, you'll notice there is an emphasis on the word we (there it is again).

For our Aussie readers, I'll put it in sophisticated Oz speak "jdt3000, mate. Good to hear that you like it Down Under. Strewth you got yer visa, so the UK Poms can rest easy. Now, go forth and multiply."

seang

Oh, think twice, it's just another day for you and me in paradise.Words by the great philosopher Phil Collins.

Hutch

"If you want the rainbow, you've gotta put up with the rain." Do you know which 'philosopher' said that? Dolly Parton! And people say she's just a big pair of tits.David Brent