Why Do People Do This?
Nov 8th 2008 | 7:49 am
#46
Banned
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 283
From: Perth
Re: Why Do People Do This?
I guess it's all about perspective and what makes you happy. I live in australia but my heart never left England.
The problems a lot of people describe such as crime are now universal problems that are happening in just about every community in most parts of the world.
Like I said earlier, people focus on knife crime in the UK and judge the UK by this problem but no one ever mentions the lack of gun crime because Englands police do not carry guns. However gun crime in Australia is a problem as are muggings and theft.
I think the other problems people don't realise is that if you're unhappy in the UK, moving to another country won't necessarily fix the problem because often the reason many people aren't happy is in their head.
I can understand it if you live in one of the UK's black spots, but this does not and should not reflect on the rest of the UK. The only reason anywhere has it's black spots is because of the kind of the people who live there.
THIS IS EVERYWHERE and it's just as prevalent here in Australia. There are ghetto's, black spots, ugly people and difficult social problems that neither governments nor do gooders can fix because they are too deeply ingrained.
The Gold Coast, unfortunately, is not a family place. This has just been vigorously debated publically. The tourism board is desperately trying to promote the area as a great place for the whole family to have the perfect beach holiday. The truth is it's wider reputation for being the capital of sleaze and gambling has sunk the image of being the perfect holiday destination. Families have been shocked and appalled at what their children have seen and been exposed to during their holiday. Global business corporations keen to build some of the worlds finest resort apartments in order to encourage their business clientele to invest in their money, have walked away and built in places like Dubai and Indonesia instead.
I work here and I am shocked!
Anyway, for me personally, I have always missed my garden, the seasons, the warmth of solid friendships, the access to the countryside, the shopping and my own personal development in terms of my career and business.
I didn't choose to leave the UK, I stood by my Australian ex husband, followed him here, he did the most unimaginable thing, the rest his history. Now I'm getting ready to return home.
The problems a lot of people describe such as crime are now universal problems that are happening in just about every community in most parts of the world.
Like I said earlier, people focus on knife crime in the UK and judge the UK by this problem but no one ever mentions the lack of gun crime because Englands police do not carry guns. However gun crime in Australia is a problem as are muggings and theft.
I think the other problems people don't realise is that if you're unhappy in the UK, moving to another country won't necessarily fix the problem because often the reason many people aren't happy is in their head.
I can understand it if you live in one of the UK's black spots, but this does not and should not reflect on the rest of the UK. The only reason anywhere has it's black spots is because of the kind of the people who live there.
THIS IS EVERYWHERE and it's just as prevalent here in Australia. There are ghetto's, black spots, ugly people and difficult social problems that neither governments nor do gooders can fix because they are too deeply ingrained.
The Gold Coast, unfortunately, is not a family place. This has just been vigorously debated publically. The tourism board is desperately trying to promote the area as a great place for the whole family to have the perfect beach holiday. The truth is it's wider reputation for being the capital of sleaze and gambling has sunk the image of being the perfect holiday destination. Families have been shocked and appalled at what their children have seen and been exposed to during their holiday. Global business corporations keen to build some of the worlds finest resort apartments in order to encourage their business clientele to invest in their money, have walked away and built in places like Dubai and Indonesia instead.
I work here and I am shocked!
Anyway, for me personally, I have always missed my garden, the seasons, the warmth of solid friendships, the access to the countryside, the shopping and my own personal development in terms of my career and business.
I didn't choose to leave the UK, I stood by my Australian ex husband, followed him here, he did the most unimaginable thing, the rest his history. Now I'm getting ready to return home.
Best post today...
. I love vegemite
Nov 9th 2008 | 7:16 am
#48
Weirdo Latin Dude
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,545
From: Hotter than hell
Re: Why Do People Do This?
Totally agree with that......Anyone selling an ex council house, down south 4 yrs ago.......Would of almost walked into Canada a millionaire 
I get so fed up with hearing people pull down and compare the Uk to Canada.
You could sit the whole of England in one Canadian province, so how the hell does that compare.......The newspapers and the News reports on the whole of the UK.
In Canada they generally only report on their own province, rather then the whole country......
I'll get me coat
I get so fed up with hearing people pull down and compare the Uk to Canada.
You could sit the whole of England in one Canadian province, so how the hell does that compare.......The newspapers and the News reports on the whole of the UK.
In Canada they generally only report on their own province, rather then the whole country......
I'll get me coat
Quite right as well, about the reporting on their own province. I have a couple of Canadian friends who live in the Ontario region of Canada and they have absolutely no idea of what goes on half the time in the rest of their country
I imagine the same probably holds true in the USA as well.
Nov 9th 2008 | 7:28 am
#49
Weirdo Latin Dude
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,545
From: Hotter than hell
Re: Why Do People Do This?
Are you stalking me
With regard to the South African lady, she tells me that South Africa is on a par with the UK crime wise although she hasn't been to the UK. I've never been to South Africa so don't comment but you'd have to be an idiot not to realise that in some parts of SA there is a serious crime issue. Whether it's all over the country I don't know. I used to work with a guy from Durban who wouldn't hear a bad thing about his home country and he is now back living there very happily.
I also agree with this post of yours. The thing is, as I've said before just because some British people live in some sort of hell-hole doesn't mean everyone does so why can't they understand that.
I have a lovely group of Aussie friends who have ALL been to the UK and other countries and understand there is crime/violence globally. One of them is quite vehement about how much more violent Perth has become in the last 4 years and as her husband is a policeman she's got a good grasp of the situation. I think it's unusual to have Australian friends who understand this and I wonder if subconsciously I've been drawn to them because they do think like that.
I find the British more likely to slate you for your decision to move home. If I meet new people here and they ask me how I like it I just say it hasn't worked out and we are moving back next year and nothing more. This invariably opens the floodgates for me to be called names by complete strangers. This is when I go into my Brit bating (as I call it) and ask them why the UK is a sh*thole
It amuses me when I meet people who post on the forum about how wonderful their lives are but will tell me to my face that they are unhappy, bored and miserable. Don't understand how people can't just be honest.
With regard to the South African lady, she tells me that South Africa is on a par with the UK crime wise although she hasn't been to the UK. I've never been to South Africa so don't comment but you'd have to be an idiot not to realise that in some parts of SA there is a serious crime issue. Whether it's all over the country I don't know. I used to work with a guy from Durban who wouldn't hear a bad thing about his home country and he is now back living there very happily.
I also agree with this post of yours. The thing is, as I've said before just because some British people live in some sort of hell-hole doesn't mean everyone does so why can't they understand that.
I have a lovely group of Aussie friends who have ALL been to the UK and other countries and understand there is crime/violence globally. One of them is quite vehement about how much more violent Perth has become in the last 4 years and as her husband is a policeman she's got a good grasp of the situation. I think it's unusual to have Australian friends who understand this and I wonder if subconsciously I've been drawn to them because they do think like that.
I find the British more likely to slate you for your decision to move home. If I meet new people here and they ask me how I like it I just say it hasn't worked out and we are moving back next year and nothing more. This invariably opens the floodgates for me to be called names by complete strangers. This is when I go into my Brit bating (as I call it) and ask them why the UK is a sh*thole
It amuses me when I meet people who post on the forum about how wonderful their lives are but will tell me to my face that they are unhappy, bored and miserable. Don't understand how people can't just be honest.
As for the lady that tells you crime in Sth Africa is on a par with the UK, well she must be living in a fantasy world. There are probably relatively safe parts of Sth Africa but through reading the SA forum here and the stories that I have heard about crime in SA, from people that have either been there or originate from there are pretty frightening.
The UK a hell-hole.........Well stick somebody in Brixton or Peckham and it is!!! But go 15 mins down the road (not in rush hour) and you are in say West Dulwich a very desireable place to live and you couldn`t be further from a hell hole. All this in the space of 15 mins.
Nov 9th 2008 | 9:48 am
#50
Account Closed
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 171
Re: Why Do People Do This?
I have family living in Durban so I hear what's it's like there. You don't walk anywhere at night it's not safe. My cousin (who's 33) will not drive from her parents house to her own at night as she is scared of even getting out of her car at the other end and getting in to her house! She stays there if she visits them and she is without her OH.
People don't go up to neighbour's dogs as dogs are trained to guard and kill there and I know S Afican's who have come here and find it great that they can pat and see other dogs close up here!
Houses have electric fencing around them and many people have guns for their own protection in their homes.
My family have been broken in to a few times but luckily have come to no harm as the offenders have not got past their guard dogs. People there will break in to steal but will kill you anyway.
Without a car it is not safe to walk anywhere and you are stuck in your home and the transport system is rubbish there. Even if you are in your car you have to be very careful where you go and at what time.
My family live in a very good area. It's a shame because the country is beautiful but the crime is terrible there.
People don't go up to neighbour's dogs as dogs are trained to guard and kill there and I know S Afican's who have come here and find it great that they can pat and see other dogs close up here!
Houses have electric fencing around them and many people have guns for their own protection in their homes.
My family have been broken in to a few times but luckily have come to no harm as the offenders have not got past their guard dogs. People there will break in to steal but will kill you anyway.
Without a car it is not safe to walk anywhere and you are stuck in your home and the transport system is rubbish there. Even if you are in your car you have to be very careful where you go and at what time.
My family live in a very good area. It's a shame because the country is beautiful but the crime is terrible there.
Nov 9th 2008 | 10:08 am
#51
Thread Starter
Banned
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,769
Re: Why Do People Do This?
This account of how life is being lived in SA makes the UK look a paradise. Australia is also relatively safe compared to other countries. Like the stabbings in the UK are mostly related to differences amongst ethic minorities (arent they?) most shootings here in Australia are related to drugs and the underworld.
It's only when crime spills into the ordinary lives of ordinary people that we all get a shock and our perspective turns to doom and gloom seeing the event as normal and therefore hard to deal with.
But I do not believe it is normal. I believe both the UK and Australia are very safe providing none of us take our own personal security for granted or fail to add the commonsense security measures within our homes.
I've never been a victim of crime in the UK or in Australia. Mostly this is because I've always lived in nice areas but even then bad things happened to others. When you read the circumstances, it's usually been because there has been an opportunity for something bad to occur.
For example, just recently, two girls were attacked and sexually assualted on their way home from a nightclub at 3am.
It shouldn't happen but the fact that the girls were drunk, scantily dressed, walking home at 3am through the back streets of an area known to be dangerous, well, it says it all.
While the girls should have been safe, they should have also had some level of responsibility towards their own safety.
This happens all the time because the opportunity is both provided and taken. It's life in the somewhat ironically named Surfers Paradise. Because of the nightlife, it's a breeding ground for all kinds of criminal activities. It's just how the world has always been and how it remains because it's the nature of the beast. There will always be dangerous people and situations out there. Going halfway to encounter them is not the smart thing to do.
It's only when crime spills into the ordinary lives of ordinary people that we all get a shock and our perspective turns to doom and gloom seeing the event as normal and therefore hard to deal with.
But I do not believe it is normal. I believe both the UK and Australia are very safe providing none of us take our own personal security for granted or fail to add the commonsense security measures within our homes.
I've never been a victim of crime in the UK or in Australia. Mostly this is because I've always lived in nice areas but even then bad things happened to others. When you read the circumstances, it's usually been because there has been an opportunity for something bad to occur.
For example, just recently, two girls were attacked and sexually assualted on their way home from a nightclub at 3am.
It shouldn't happen but the fact that the girls were drunk, scantily dressed, walking home at 3am through the back streets of an area known to be dangerous, well, it says it all.
While the girls should have been safe, they should have also had some level of responsibility towards their own safety.
This happens all the time because the opportunity is both provided and taken. It's life in the somewhat ironically named Surfers Paradise. Because of the nightlife, it's a breeding ground for all kinds of criminal activities. It's just how the world has always been and how it remains because it's the nature of the beast. There will always be dangerous people and situations out there. Going halfway to encounter them is not the smart thing to do.
Nov 9th 2008 | 1:41 pm
#52
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 948
Re: Why Do People Do This?
You mean like the kid who was walking home in the UK and chased at knife point by another group of kids up a tower block and forced to jump of 4 floors up, how is it that kids fault, all he was doing was walking home after school...
Nov 9th 2008 | 2:07 pm
#53
Thread Starter
Banned
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,769
Re: Why Do People Do This?
He didn't do anything wrong but the situation you describe is a completely
different scenario. I didn't read the story but it sounds more related to bullying.
different scenario. I didn't read the story but it sounds more related to bullying.
Nov 9th 2008 | 9:08 pm
#54
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 28,998
Re: Why Do People Do This?
I think the reason many aussies respond like this is because they are taught their whole lives, at school, by newspapers and TV that australia is the greatest place on earth. So they just cannot understand people wanting to live somewhere else, they just cannot comprehend it.
I have been in oz 2 years now and have thought many times that I might go back to the UK but perhaps I will try america first, I hear they like the english
I have been in oz 2 years now and have thought many times that I might go back to the UK but perhaps I will try america first, I hear they like the english
Quite right about the UK being able to sit in one Canadian province and as for trying to compare the UK to Canada.............Well you are probably better off trying to compare Europe to Canada.
Quite right as well, about the reporting on their own province. I have a couple of Canadian friends who live in the Ontario region of Canada and they have absolutely no idea of what goes on half the time in the rest of their country I imagine the same probably holds true in the USA as well.
Quite right as well, about the reporting on their own province. I have a couple of Canadian friends who live in the Ontario region of Canada and they have absolutely no idea of what goes on half the time in the rest of their country
I imagine the same probably holds true in the USA as well.
Nov 9th 2008 | 11:59 pm
#55
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 300
Re: Why Do People Do This?
It's certainly true that some Australians are still very insecure about themselves in relation to Britain (and the rest of the world) and feel that they constantly have to justify themselves, often by making derogatory statements about others - it's a bit like the petulant teenager criticizing his parents!
Just be grateful you weren't born that way yourself and ignore the ignorant ones that are... It just says a lot about their immaturity as a nation. Hopefully it is something that will disappear with time.
Just be grateful you weren't born that way yourself and ignore the ignorant ones that are... It just says a lot about their immaturity as a nation. Hopefully it is something that will disappear with time.
Well what do you expect when British people go around forever accusing Australians of being convicts, and then any tiny sporting victory over Australia is splashed all over the cover of The Sun for the next twelve thousand years?
Britain means very little to a lot of Australians these days. Even those who are of British origin have it so many generations back, or have had their gene pool mixed with many other cultures, that the only times anybody even thinks about it are when someone mentions becoming a republic, or when the the Commonwealth Games are on.
Last edited by SNH; Nov 10th 2008 at 12:01 am.
Nov 10th 2008 | 12:13 am
#56
Banned
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 283
From: Perth
Re: Why Do People Do This?
Well what do you expect when British people go around forever accusing Australians of being convicts, and then any tiny sporting victory over Australia is splashed all over the cover of The Sun for the next twelve thousand years?
Britain means very little to a lot of Australians these days. Even those who are of British origin have it so many generations back, or have had their gene pool mixed with many other cultures, that the only times anybody even thinks about it are when someone mentions becoming a republic, or when the the Commonwealth Games are on.
Britain means very little to a lot of Australians these days. Even those who are of British origin have it so many generations back, or have had their gene pool mixed with many other cultures, that the only times anybody even thinks about it are when someone mentions becoming a republic, or when the the Commonwealth Games are on.
Nov 10th 2008 | 8:24 am
#57
Bitter and twisted
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 17,503
From: Upmarket
Re: Why Do People Do This?
Nov 10th 2008 | 11:30 am
#59
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 8,913
Re: Why Do People Do This?
Well what do you expect when British people go around forever accusing Australians of being convicts, and then any tiny sporting victory over Australia is splashed all over the cover of The Sun for the next twelve thousand years?
Britain means very little to a lot of Australians these days. Even those who are of British origin have it so many generations back, or have had their gene pool mixed with many other cultures, that the only times anybody even thinks about it are when someone mentions becoming a republic, or when the the Commonwealth Games are on.
Britain means very little to a lot of Australians these days. Even those who are of British origin have it so many generations back, or have had their gene pool mixed with many other cultures, that the only times anybody even thinks about it are when someone mentions becoming a republic, or when the the Commonwealth Games are on.
Nov 10th 2008 | 7:45 pm
#60
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 164
Re: Why Do People Do This?
The NZ's media is fixated on foreign news with one proviso :A kiwi has done something (anything) overseas.
Then the local media jumps all over it (feeding frenzy) to promote the Kiwi who has made it big (for NZ standards) overseas.
Also, they will use the smallest possible link to a New Zealander to big-up themselves. Then they normally add something like :"Just shows what a bit of Kiwi ingenuity can accomplish"
My other pet-hate about the media is that they can't WAIT to claim a migrant as one of their own : if they have become famous!
Like the recent Korean teenage golfer :
http://www.newzealandeducated.com/us...tigers_record/
Here is a classic example of how somebody automatically becomes a "KIWI" when he/she becomes famous. But, if you are Korean living in NZ for 25 years and NOT famous, you can't be a KIWI.
I pity the fools.
Then the local media jumps all over it (feeding frenzy) to promote the Kiwi who has made it big (for NZ standards) overseas.
Also, they will use the smallest possible link to a New Zealander to big-up themselves. Then they normally add something like :"Just shows what a bit of Kiwi ingenuity can accomplish"
My other pet-hate about the media is that they can't WAIT to claim a migrant as one of their own : if they have become famous!
Like the recent Korean teenage golfer :
http://www.newzealandeducated.com/us...tigers_record/
Here is a classic example of how somebody automatically becomes a "KIWI" when he/she becomes famous. But, if you are Korean living in NZ for 25 years and NOT famous, you can't be a KIWI.
I pity the fools.
