crystal23

Now ain't that the truth

rabsody

I was talking about this very thing with my English mate today, the thing that really gets me is the narrow mindedness. The Aussies are so unworldy (or maybe it just rednecksville aka Queensland). "Aus is the best this that and other", but how on earth do they know if they haven't stepped foot off the soil! And I get sick of the whole England is so much more expensive to live than Aus, you pay double over there. Well - newsflash - just because that's what you read in your pathetic, parochial Aussie "newspaper" does not necessarily mean it is true people! Grrrr!!!

northernbird

Seriously though don't you think you get those attitudes everywhere. The village I was brought up in has many people with those kind of attitudes. My MIL is one of them. Didn't leave the UK till she was 53 and that was to visit us in Canada and wouldn't have even bothered if we hadn't have lived overseas. Dislikes anyone not Lancastrian and to her my step mother who is a Londoner might as well be the devil incarnate! She believes everything she reads in the Evening Post and if it isn't happening on her doorstep she just isn't interested. I am sure it goes on the world over.

Honest_H

My thoughts exactly, it doesn't matter where you are in the world, it always the same. There are so many people with narrow minds in this world, and they just don't understand anyone who wants to broaden theirs.

rabsody

I agree with what you are saying, but I honestly don't recall one person I know in UK ever saying "UK is the best place in the world to live and best at this that and the other, why would I even want to holiday anywhere else". Here, you get that on a regular basis, it's drummed into them from birth

Fleaflyfloflum

I think a lot of it is to do with an inbuilt inferiority complex. Bit like little kids in the playground yelling "my dads bigger than your dad"

Australians often appear super confident on the outside, but it is obvious from body language, and their sometimes daft behaviour that all is not what it seems. Of course i am generalising a bit here, but thats the feeling i was so often left with

cassandra_trotter

wot a great sentence and super advice karma to you!

Kath & Graham

I kept it from my close friends in UK how unhappy I was here only my dear old Mum took the brunt of my moans and groans (God love her).

Anyway, when I told them I was coming home (my friends) were over the moon, not one of them said any old crap about Australia better life, etc.....

Now to me, that means more to me than anything, and they are my best and closest friendss and I love 'em to bits...........roll on 5 November..... Stuff all the others

Kath
5 November and counting (between the wobbly moments)

cassandra_trotter

Europe is civilization and culture. America sadly ISNT.

Bohemian

Hi Folks,

My first post here.

I've lived in Australia for the last 35 years in just about every state; and you are all right about Australians.

Mrs. & I have never really liked it here and it all boils down to the narrow-minded "unworldlyness" (as someone above put it) of the people... and the lack of culture.

Two trends that irk me the most: 1/ The extreme materialism that Fleaflyfloflum' speaks of above, it really is masking low self esteem. 2/ The American style jingoism that has really crept in here that others have talked about. i.e. Australia is the best in the world blah blah (spew) blah!

Notwithstanding the above, Australia IS a great country and a certain type of person really loves it here and thrives. Just not for us, and a great many British/European people. You would be amazed how many are unhappy here but believe they are stuck (because of money, children in school etc.)

Finally, after being fish out of water for so long, we're out of here! Nov 7 we lob at Heathrow never to return if we can help it (but Mrs has family here so will probably visit at some stage).

We've moved around enough to know to toss the rose tinted glasses, but UK is HOME, and boy am I looking forward to it... even with Crash Gordon at the helm.

Finally, Britain bashing is somewhat of a national pastime of us Poms, and you know what? Britain has it's problems, but it is still a GREAT place with some GREAT people.

It's really nice to hear some folks sticking up for it.

Cheers
Anthony

crystal23

I'm sorry I've lost her too. I'd love to agree to disagree with her but unfortunately she has tunnel vision as far as Oz v UK. According to her the UK is crap and Oz is utopia - end of. Even I can see that some things are better here than the UK but some things are worse too.

I met her when I first came to Oz on holiday as a kid and we kept in touch through letters, we have worked together both in London and when I lived in Oz for a couple of years before, gone out clubbing, had daughters within days of each other and believe me it really hurts that 30 years of friendship has been lost because I have dared to say what I think.

I remember her absolute nightmare was the London Underground. She complained it was dirty, overcrowded and expensive and I agreed with her. When I said to her a couple of months ago how surprised I was that Perth didn't have a train out to the airport she jumped down my throat and said the Ozzie Transport Sytem was the best in the world.

When I said I was surprised at the amount of graffitti she told me that there wasn't any where she lived and she didn't believe there was any in Perth either - errm hello even the most true blue Ozzie has to admit the graffitti is horrendous here - I'm not saying it isn't in the UK either because it is vile over there in some places but please try and see both sides.

And the ironic thing is she hasn't even been to Perth

crystal23

OMG - are you serious - 35 years and you are going home after that long in Oz. Personally I just don't think you gave it long enough

Honest_H

Sounds as if she needs an insight to living in her own country!

It seems that it would be very hard for you two to make up now. Such a shame. Well, onwards and upwards.

northernbird

I see what you are saying and no that wasn't my experience generally in the UK. However it hasn't been my experience here either.

Bohemian

Well I know it's a bit woosey; you think we should give it another 5 years or so?