Why has it taken you so long I realised after 3 weeks that Oz was not for me.

And that is the thing Quoll ,some of us because of our experiences capitulate with them so they dont focus on you ..
You have chosen to hide your true inner self so as not to upset anyone ,whereas i have chosen to accentuate my acccent and make sure they know what i am but i as a male am stronger physically and can take the physical aspect of the insults if it comes to that .
I would hazard a guess it must be hard for you to feel like you are hiding your true self ,well thats how i would feel anyway .
I have read some of your posts and i hope one day you will get what you need [thatched cottage in a lovely town] ,close to the seaside and decent sized city maybe .Good luck to you .

i sort of knew the day we came ,i honestly didnt want to get off the plane but i would say after the altercation in pub [here 2 weeks then] then the warning signs were up .
But im a stoic bastard and i wont admit defeat easy and i have given it a go ,but my original outlook hasnt really changed from the first month we arrived .
In every other aspect of my life has been perfect ,business wise ,materially ,holidays galore ,so australia has delivered for me ,except good friends and matters of the soul ..Still im flying back on tues 19 for five weeks and this will be a recce and i cant wait ,oh and i will be in stratford -upon -avon for a looksy too .

Thought this thread would bring out the resident plastic Aussies. I'm wondering what the Aussie citizenship test is like these days? "I solemly swear to uphold the Aussie tradition of pom-bashing, because even though it's really just insults it means we can tell everyone how we've got a great sense of humour and the poms should just get over it. I also swear that if any pom gives us anything back, or even *slightly* suggests that Aus isn't paradise on earth, then I promise to throw my teddy as far as I can and start blubbing like a great big baby".

Probably something like that.

There was a thread in the Barbie where I suggested that the good natured banter had its roots in a not so good natured racism on the part of Australians. Some people had said in the thread that they go along with it because it is 'all good fun' and 'breaks the ice'. I said that if you took the average 'banter' conversation with an Aussie and replace the word 'Pom' with 'Black' then you can see how it isn't something that is all good fun. Especially if you have to play the game for years and years. I said my husband had got sick of it. I was pounced on with comments saying my husband was a big baby and we were too sensitive etc. I even 'had an agenda' apparently!

I also said that banter is a two way street and asked what happens when the 'Pom' gives back any of it. I met with silence. However I knew the answer already. Australians can give it but they can't take it. And I know that is when the nasty side shows through. If you even dare to jokingly criticise Australia as part of the banter then you see their true colours. One sided banter is not banter. However the 'Uncle Poms' don't want to know...

Before I went to Sydney in 1978 I can remember loads of lowie thicko's telling me what a hostile reception I could expect. I should have realized that their experience of Sydney was limited to a few pubs around Circular Quay - The First & Last, Paragon and Ship Inn probably.

In eighteen years there I never copped any anti-Pom abuse. Of course you meet dickheads in pubs but then that is alcohol + lowie thicko (God I love that phrase).

TBH

Im think the phrase "Uncle Pom" will be way over the head of the average migrant or wannabe.

They won't have a clue about what you mean.

G

We'll see your 18 months and drop it to 6!

I know full well that us Brits can be arrogant, but the Aussies really do knock us into a cocked hat on that front. They are also, as others have said, narrow-minded, parochial, and unsportsmanlike.

In our humble opinions of course...

Mr and Mrs JJS.

And you lasted 6 with an attitude like that?

Must have been a joy to be around.

I usually appreciate 80% of your humour Vim, but in all honesty, you know f*** all about our experience here. As I plainly stated this is our humble opinion, and it is just what we have found. We have done nothing whatsoever to alienate anyone we have met, but we just can't avoid seeing what's in front of our eyes.

Did she say she actively let people know her opinions?

The same to you KK

Your original statement was talking generalised bollocks, I stand by my assessment. I have enough evidence to the contrary to say that tarring every Australian with your brush is, at best, ignorant.

Based on the information I have (and I can't judge by anything else) I suggest your attitude is at least partly to blame for your failure, can't be any plainer than that.

This obviously isn't part of the 20% you like but then again this isn't humour either.