Originally Posted by Olibeneli

Agreed.

Australian History, in comparison to, say, European History would take all of 5 minutes to cover in class.

And you won't get a global oulook living in either Australia or the USA. The BBC is a world best at delivering news from around the world.

I met a worryingly high amount Americans & Australians that had never heard of many European countries, never heard of some historic inventors or explorers ...I could go on. Most people I know here have heard of Georgia and Sir Walter Raleigh being 2 examples.

Originally Posted by quoll

You are so right! An example in our family is my daughter in law - nice bright girl with a uni education. I was doing her family tree in order to fill in gaps for my granddaughter (should she ever be interested in family history) and discovered that she was a direct descendant of Oliver Cromwell - my DIL had absolutely no idea who her 10gt grandfather was nor what he did!!!

Originally Posted by Motorboater

We have been in Australia for 25 years now, and although we are Australian citizens, have paid taxes, own our house, and have superannuation, we will never be "ozzies" for as long as our ar*es point downwards. Basically the "real" australians just seem to resent anybody who they perceive as not "true blue". After a while even the allure of beaches and sunshine fades. This will be hard for those still in the UK to comprehend. We have just returned from a holiday in UK and it was great to hear our own accents spoken everywhere. The feeling of being in our own home country was very real. People in Australia often say "you haven't lost your accent" I reply, "that would be very careless of me, and what would I replace it with?"
Many times some ignorant true blues try to mimic my accent to make fun of me. The accent is Scottish by the way. You are expected to support Australia in every sport they play, even against British teams. Just to comment that Johny Wilkinson was a good rugby player brought a torrent of abuse on me.
I dont think we can return to the UK though, as or finances are tied up here and we have become accustomed to the Aus costs and pay rates. No wonder newly arrived UK immigrants think its cheap here.

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond

I just asked my daughter if they learn about English historical figures like Cromwell, and she asked if the English kids learn about Australian historical figures like Wills, Burke, Leichhardt, Henry Parkes etc.

Isn't it terrible that another country doesn't learn what they teach in English schools ?

It actually reminds me that I used to think exactly like that back in my early years in my first Australian migration.

But now I realise that England is England, and Australia is not.

And any British person "expecting" an Australian to learn "English" History, will get on the wrong side of an Australian very quickly.

Regarding not knowing who a 10th great grandfather is ? Well, my daughter knows who her ancestors are, and why one got a knighthood, but only because I taught her. I don't expect the Australian schools to teach that, although I would have expected a British one to do so.

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond

I just asked my daughter if they learn about English historical figures like Cromwell, and she asked if the English kids learn about Australian historical figures like Wills, Burke, Leichhardt, Henry Parkes etc.

Isn't it terrible that another country doesn't learn what they teach in English schools ?

It actually reminds me that I used to think exactly like that back in my early years in my first Australian migration.

But now I realise that England is England, and Australia is not.

And any British person "expecting" an Australian to learn "English" History, will get on the wrong side of an Australian very quickly.

Regarding not knowing who a 10th great grandfather is ? Well, my daughter knows who her ancestors are, and why one got a knighthood, but only because I taught her. I don't expect the Australian schools to teach that, although I would have expected a British one to do so.

Originally Posted by manc1

That's interesting. Who are the very adaptable nationality's?

Originally Posted by Margaret3

I don't believe that new arrivals to Australia think that it is cheap anymore, far from it infact. Where abouts are you in WA M?

aint that the trut!!! i find its brits who have been here a long time think its cheap, am sure it was when they came but not compared to the u.k any more.

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond

Brits who have been here a long time, tend to have more "Australian" work experience, than newcomers, and maybe get higher rates of pay ?. They also may know the best places to buy things, at the better prices and probably do not do the comparisons in the same way as newcomers.

Costs also depends on what you buy. In the UK we used to buy fruit in season, we tend to do the same here.

Another thread mentioned how expensive fruit is in Australia, quoting the price of Limes, which are about 5 times the price of the UK, yet no mention of Strawberries, which are much more popular, and less than half the UK price.

I am able to compare the UK today with Australia today, and I know which standard of living I prefer.

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond

Almost any country where the people expect Australia to be very different to their own country.

The British tend to feel it should be similar, hence so many comparisons.

How many Chinese will complain that they don't teach about Oliver Cromwell in an Australian school ?

It is easier for them to adapt, if they want to, as they "expect" everything to be very different.

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond

Brits who have been here a long time, tend to have more "Australian" work experience, than newcomers, and maybe get higher rates of pay ?. They also may know the best places to buy things, at the better prices and probably do not do the comparisons in the same way as newcomers.

Costs also depends on what you buy. In the UK we used to buy fruit in season, we tend to do the same here.

Another thread mentioned how expensive fruit is in Australia, quoting the price of Limes, which are about 5 times the price of the UK, yet no mention of Strawberries, which are much more popular, and less than half the UK price.

I am able to compare the UK today with Australia today, and I know which standard of living I prefer.

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond

Almost any country where the people expect Australia to be very different to their own country.

The British tend to feel it should be similar, hence so many comparisons.

How many Chinese will complain that they don't teach about Oliver Cromwell in an Australian school ?

It is easier for them to adapt, if they want to, as they "expect" everything to be very different.

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond

SNIP yet no mention of Strawberries, which are much more popular, and less than half the UK price.

I am able to compare the UK today with Australia today, and I know which standard of living I prefer.

Originally Posted by quoll

I think most Chinese would expect (quite rightly) that kids in Australia would know what the capital of China is, that there is a Great Wall and that Chairman Mao drove the Cultural Revolution - that's of similar ilk! Similarly I would expect them to know that America had a Civil War interlinked with slavery, that there was apartheid in South Africa until quite recently, the basics of WWII as it impacted on the world - very much more of a world view than the little insularity that happens now.

But, as Rabsody said, with a European heritage, there is much more cultural intertwining and relevance. Australia has an inverted snobbery with respect to England - especially in the past 20 years or so when it hasnt been fashionable or PC to acknowledge that history/heritage.

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond

I am able to compare the UK today with Australia today, and I know which standard of living I prefer.