Help me understand oz

[Ashby Dicko]

PLEASE READ THIS EMAIL SENT TO ME AND HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND AUSTRALIA

 

 

My brain and emotions have been turned upside down with the total hate for the Aussies and the country from this guy.

Do the Aussies really hate us POMS? (is it just a few)

Are we wanted?

We have our visa's submitted with Immigration SA awaiting a case worker.

We planned on selling our house, (but now not sure whether to rent it out)

Do we really need to plan for the BIG IF. How I see it if your making such a big move then shorely leaving a house open in the UK for a return will make it less likely that you'll give it a DAM GOOD GO!! and make it work.

 

 

Please note I have deleted names from the mail!!

 

 

 

 

Dear Neil,

I have received an email from Mr X (!!! group) electrical engineers in Melbourne Australia this morning. X & I have spoken on the phone a few times over the last few weeks and he tells me that you and you family are interested in moving to Australia for a better life.

 

The wife and I moved out there in February 2008 and after 6 months we came back to the UK. I am or should I say was a qualified gas engineer with corgi reg and ACS certified installer status. The wife is a qualified care home manager specialising in the care of elderly dementia service users.

 

We seen Australia for everything it had to offer and due to the fact that on your passports it states United Kingdom we were more or less ridiculed to say the least.

 

Neil my friend, we have never spoken on the phone or even met before but before you make any decision to up sticks and move please email me with your contact numbers and a suitable time to call and I will answer any questions you need answering about that place down under. Its so serious that we have the MP's looking at our case.

 

There are certain things in the information regarding living and working in Australia that the authorities fail to mention until the question arises. This information is not available until you get to that god forsaken country.

 

Sorry to be the messenger of bad news Neil but I would hate to see yet another decent hard working UK family fall victim to Australian bull****.

 

Neil I hope you do get in touch mate. If I can help you I have done some good from my own personal experience.

 

Please forward your details buddy.

 

Kindest Regards

 

Mr Y.

 

 

 

 

I know Mr Y is talking about VIC, but all the same!

I have now spoken to Mr Y, and he went into detail about employment (needing Licences and Insurance) which in all fairness I do know that I will need gap training, but as an Electrician I will need to gain a restricted licence first. I'm trying to find out what sort of starting wage it could be as to sort out an idea of cost of living etc... Mr Y said it could be as little as $50 a week Apprentice (bloody ell) I'm 33 with 15 years experience!!!!

 

 

He has also touched on schooling, saying that Oz kids are 3 years behind etc...

 

 

I didn't really want to hear it but I suppose that someone's bad experience will help to gain a picture of reality rather than all smiles and rose tinted glasses.

 

 

We will still be emigrating but it has made us nervous about what the future holds.

This mind you is the only bad luck story that I have come across so far.

I'm in contact via facebook with people in OZ and Adelaide and they LOVE IT!!

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this and hope someone will comment, to put my mind at rest.

 

 

Thanks Neil.

 

 

I do also realise that there isn't much work about at the moment, hopefully in about 6 months time when we come over things should look abit more promising.

[Guest Team 'W']

Hi

 

I think you hit the nail on the head when you said it is 'the only bad experience you have come across'. Can't comment really as still in the Uk till September only to add that one persons bad experience shouldn't put you off, for every one bad post on here regarding Aus there's probably ten positive posts so follow your heart and live your dream because positives always outweigh negatives. What doesn't work for one family will work for others and in all honesty nobody should be trying to put anybody else off living their dream as everyones circumstances are always different.

 

Good Luck

[Guest Guest75]

"Mr Y" seems to have had a rough old time of it doesn't he?

 

Yes ,you do need licensing for certain trades and yes you will need to complete the course here to gain Class A certification.

 

A lot of people don't seem to know this or find out in their research.

 

I've heard of at lest 2 sparkies in QLD saying "stuff em,I'm not going on that course and paying em' $500 (or whatever) "

 

These 2 blokes are without work most of the time or in low paid jobs - and very bitter and vocal about this country.Pride before the fall and all that.

 

Hint of Mr Y in there??

 

There is not much of an attitude towards Poms - i you re prepared to work and adapt to slightly different work ethics.

Yes employers will be a little more wary of someone just arriving into this country - but that will happen anywhere in this world.

 

I'm not saying it's a bed of roses here or that Mr Y is way off the mark - just depends upon your research and attitude.

 

Jury's out on sell / keep the house.

Keeping it means it's just a little too easy to return and some will give up a little too easy - when a few more months would make all the difference.

[Guest ReadyPenny]

Hi Guys

 

It's a hard one because everyone's circumstances are different. But here goes. We arrived 3 March 09, hubby already had a job to go to. We sorted TFN, ABN, Bank acs, Medicare etc etc all with the help of some lovely Australian people. To date, we have not met a single Aussie who has been rude/nasty to us. They have embraced us and made us feel more than welcome. They are all interested in our story of coming here in the first place. Saying that, our time here has been relatively easy, compared to some. Sean's boss sorted us some temporary furnished cheap accommodation, so that we didnt have to worry on arrival. He also picked us up from the airport and gave us lunch at his! Since then, we have sorted a beautiful 12 months rental, I have got a job and Amber is settled in school. The education system here is different, but I for sure, don't feel that Amber is 3 years behind. Yes, she has covered some stuff in school that she did in England 2 years ago, but the maths homework she brings home is definately challenging. The education system is one of the differences that you just have to embrace, and the key there is, researching the best school/s for your child/ren.

 

We have experienced NO problems whatsoever here and have made a few friends from this site who are the same. However, there have been a few horror stories on here recently about people being treated appallingly by employers. Some have even had to return to the UK. If you have permenant residency and are free to work where and for whom you wish, you are prepared to embrace the culture differences and accept the Aussies for what they are, you will have no problem.

 

I know it's difficult when still in the UK, but you must try to look at the bigger picture and not at one family's experience. In addition to this Adelaide IS different from other states. It's quieter and a little more sleepy and that's what I love about it.

 

Good luck and please don't be put off, and do remember, this is just my experience and my opinion.

 

Mandy

[scooterdan]

We have experienced no probs at all.... We love it here and it is a much friendlier place than the UK (in my opinion)

 

Some people will have bad experiences, and they will slag the place off....i think it comes from being upset that it wasnt working for them for whatever reason.

 

You have to try it in opinion before you can have an opinion...at least he did and it didnt work....but you are someone else who will have different experiences.

 

Dan

[Diane]

As long as you remember that you're moving to a foreign country, not "England with sun" you should be ok! We've had our ups and downs here like everyone, but I've met some lovely people of all nationalities, and generally found that the "locals" (what is "local" for Australia? Alot seem to have come from either interstate or overseas, yet all consider themselves at heart "Australian"!) to be a lovely, laid back, friendly and helpful lot, and to actually be proud that someone from overseas should have chosen to come here!

 

Just try to keep any critical thoughts to yourself to start with as like most people, aussies don't take too well to someone coming here and then comparing everything unfavourably to "back home" (you are perfectly entitled to those thoughts of course, it just takes some consideration as to who you share them with!) and keep an open mind, look for the positives and you'll soon start to see them as a priority.

 

And in terms of schooling, both my kids (14 and 12) have already gone beyond my maths knowledge and I did A Level in the UK! That was obviously a few years ago now though....!!!

 

Diane

 

(PS Don't think I have ever been 'ridiculed' for being English, but the aussie sense of humour is a little different to the UK one so if you get called a "whinging pommie bastard" it is quite possibly a term of endearment rather than ridicule - you just have to take it in good humour!!)

[Guest kangomik]

I had someone email me like that before moving. They told me i should keep at least one property in the UK for when i do return. at least ONE crikey i wish.

They went back for what ever reasons.

The aussies are great, if you managed to find a bad one you would find 10,000 tell you what a tosser he was. The take the mick, as do we out of them. You will be a migrant, but you should be happy, meet lots of friendly people and feel a lot safer.

Kids school, yes they go back a year kind of. But my kids know the Australian national anthem, they did after a few months yet they don't know the english one and lived there for 10 years with one of them never missing a day at school in their life!!!!!!!

They are happy to go to school and get to do many sports and meet children from all over the world.

 

Aussies tend to be amazed at us pommes, they class them selves as travellers, but are intigued by what we have done.

 

Give it a go, whats to loose... afterall it could just be Vic....LOL... like the West End Beer ad. "come to south Australia"

[Guest SA Great]

As long as you remember that you're moving to a foreign country, not "England with sun" you should be ok! We've had our ups and downs here like everyone, but I've met some lovely people of all nationalities, and generally found that the "locals" (what is "local" for Australia? Alot seem to have come from either interstate or overseas, yet all consider themselves at heart "Australian"!) to be a lovely, laid back, friendly and helpful lot, and to actually be proud that someone from overseas should have chosen to come here!

 

Just try to keep any critical thoughts to yourself to start with as like most people, aussies don't take too well to someone coming here and then comparing everything unfavourably to "back home" (you are perfectly entitled to those thoughts of course, it just takes some consideration as to who you share them with!) and keep an open mind, look for the positives and you'll soon start to see them as a priority.

 

And in terms of schooling, both my kids (14 and 12) have already gone beyond my maths knowledge and I did A Level in the UK! That was obviously a few years ago now though....!!!

 

Diane

 

(PS Don't think I have ever been 'ridiculed' for being English, but the aussie sense of humour is a little different to the UK one so if you get called a "whinging pommie bastard" it is quite possibly a term of endearment rather than ridicule - you just have to take it in good humour!!)

 

Good post and spot on!

[jim and adel]

An obvious point, I know, but everyone's experience is different. For Mr Y to think that your experience is likely to mirror his suggests quite a narrow view of the world.

 

For what it's worth, we've been here just over a year and a half and have felt at home since touching down. I pinch myself over how fortunate I've been landing the job I've got and working with such great people who welcomed me as part of the team from day one, but not all employers are the same and there are some horror stories over how people get treated. Do I get ribbed for being a pom? Of course, and I give it back in more than equal measures.

 

We have a three year old son, Thomas, and one of the things which struck me was how many people came to Thomas' birthday party a few months ago; not just mums and their kids, but lots of dads too and all got stuck into helping out and playing games. Certainly we've had no sign of being unwelcome here; we've been accepted, invited out for meals, bbqs and trips etc and now know a lot of Aussies as well as other nationalities.

 

We considered keeping our house in the UK and renting it out, but decided that if we were doing this we were doing it 100%, so the house went on the market and fortunately sold quickly. We're currently in a rental and going through the slooooowwwww process of having a house built (no physical evidence of a build at this stage, just a nice empty block of land ...) Once we have our own place, I think we'll feel even more settled.

 

My advice: do your research (then when you think you've done all you can, do a bit more), weigh up the good and the bad, expect problems along the way but remember why you want to do this - then take a deep breath and go for it!

 

Cheers, Jim

[Toni]

There are racists everywhere unfortunately. I'm born and bred in Adelaide and love it here. Have travelled to many countries but love Adelaide. It is like a very big country town. I work with some lovely people who are from the UK and I've got one very good friend who I met through work who has been here 20 years and she would never go back. Her parents moved here too. My parents came from Europe and they certainly experienced racism but you know you got to stick up for yourself wherever you are. I think if you are a decent person and have a good sense of humour you are more than half way there. You can only try and if it doesn't work out - you have choices.

[Guest sandar1]

My parents immigrated here many years ago, I have been in and out of the country living in britain, the us and india. Things have changed over the years ozzies do love to have a go, but most of the time there's nothing malicious about it. They think they are being funny, it works when you're feeling okay, but can be upsetting when you are having a tough time. They even do this when they live overseas themselves, so just learn to ignore it or laugh with them. Adelaide in particular is a city of immigrants, if your next door neighbour hasn't come from elsewhere, you can bet your boots that their parents or grandparents did (no many true ozzies around), it has helped to build a state of workers, most of us working hard because our parents went without for us to get where we have. Adelaide is a small city, very different to Melbourne, I am sure that you will enjoy it and make lots of friends. I have friends you have come over as electricians and they have found work and some even started own businesses which are going well. If however, and I am sure you are, you are worried about the licensing situation, look into it well before you go so that you do not get any surprises. With regards to education my son and wife were here and also my daughter in laws sisters, they did get moved down when returning to the US (but of course that is not britain). They returned to the US and wish that they had stayed here, miss the wonderful lifestyle and the friends and the home that they had here. Would come back but my son has started his own business and now it would be too difficult to move. For what it was worth, they did keep their house here, and we also in turn have kept our home when we have been working elsewhere around the world. We knew that we always had somewhere to go to in an emergency. I believe in the UK you can get a decent rent for properties, if you can afford to rent your house out there and rent a property here for a year until you are sure where you want to settle it could be a good move. It is always good to suss out even suburbs before you make your move to buying a house, and also to check out the schools neighborhoods etcetera. I am sure you will make the right decision, don't let people rain on your parade.

 

Sandra

[Ashby Dicko]

Thank you to all the kind replys (even Facebook), it is very lifting.

[Guest caoimhe]

We have been here 6 months now. When we got here we stayed with my aunt for 2 weeks and then got a rental from a family friend..he had plans to knock the house down to rebuild and only let it to us till we bought, the house was falling apart. I took us 3 months to get jobs so we were living off the profit from our house sale at home. The job my husband got is a lot less money than we thought, in fact he has never been on such a low wage in the 10 years in his field, I didn't work at home but am working 3 days a week here for a picture framing company as a Matt cutter. We are here on a temp visa so are not entilted to any family benefit and when we bought our house we did not qualify for the $18000 1st time buyers grant. We are struggling financially and have NO spare money at all.

Would I go home? Not in a million years!!

My boys have all settled, they have joined soccer clubs and it cost me in $ what I would have paid in £'s at home. We spend every Saturday morning as a family at various Soccer pitchs eating BBQ and supporting the kids. I can do so much with them for free here that I couldn't do at home. They play outside a lot more and are not constantly stuck in fromt of computer games. We can do a lot more as a family here. My O/H told me last week that he has never been happier in his life than he is here.

We sold our house at home because we couldn't have come otherwise and IMHO it was the best thing for us and I know that when the homesickness kicks in (and its does) I can remind myself that if I wanted to go back it wouldn't be the same life I left anyway. Sometimes I would give anything to go home and see my family and then get on the next plane back here. Things have not been easy but so far the struggle is worth it.

I think the Australians are lovely people and I honestly think they have an admiration for anyone who is prepared to pack in their lives and move to the other side of the world to start again. They are very friendly and helpful, from shops to government offices, far nicer than those at home.

As someone else said if you constantly moan about things here and compare it to "back home" then of course the Australians will be annoyed, would you like to hear an immigrant in the UK putting your country down and comparing it to their home country, NO you would tell them to p*** off back where they come from.

This is a different country with different laws and different ways of doing things, some of which you will love and some you will hate, that's life. This is Australia not the UK with sun.

Good luck with your decision

[Guest steve&tracy]

Me personally have had no problems at all with the ozzies at work, and i too am on less money than the u.k., but as long as you work hard and join in the banter you will get accepted very quickly.Dont beleive than the ozzies are laid back as 90% of the employees at work,work a damn sight harder than the people i used to work with in the u.k. I have only been at the company less than a yr and they have paid for me to do a management course e.t.c. which is really good of them. The wage structure in SA in my type of work is alot less than Melbourne/sydney but i'd rather be here than in the u.k. Me personnelly would give it a go and see what happens,the lifestyle here is alot better than what we had in the u.k. and the kids love it here. As for the schooling my daughter loves school and is doing really well. So i wouldnt change anything.

[Guest marty]

I am an electrical contractor, we employ a few tradesman, including a couple of poms, our 1st year apprentices take home $278:00 after Tax, a bit more than $50:00, I came here over 30 years ago from the UK, I did my apprentiship in the UK.

Most of the UK sparks I have come across are very good the only reason you have to "retrain" is because we do things a little diffrent here.

Australian work sites and tradesmen are know for taking the P*** out of everyone and everything, I guess Mr X or was it Y was one of the few poms who spent the whole day going on how good the UK was and how we have no idea on what we are doing etc etc with the right attiude you will have no problems and there is still a lot of work around but it has slowed a little, keep you plans and you won't regret a day when you get here

[ianb]

Australian work sites and tradesmen are know for taking the P*** out of everyone and everything, I guess Mr X or was it Y was one of the few poms who spent the whole day going on how good the UK was and how we have no idea on what we are doing etc etc with the right attiude you will have no problems

 

 

In my experience so far on oz building sites the comments above are spot on

 

I have not come across one "ozzie" on a building site that i have not got on with. Take a bit of stick and give some. Its much better laughing at work. No one wants to actually be there so much better to make it as enjoyable as you can. At the end of the day 90% of "ozzies" are immigrants. I'm a POM and proud of it!!

[Guest graandjac]

I think that this would make anyone question what they are about to do..!!, but you could speak to anyone and we all know someone who either headed back or is planning to.

 

The bottom line is is dosent matter who you are, how much money you come with, how much you earn here..................you either like it or not, its something inside . You WILL have hickups along the way , we all did ,but its the way you attack them that counts.

 

Its easy to blame these hickups on Australia as so many do, or how they do things but just because they do things differently......is this wrong...??. Maybe the schooling is a little behind but my 10 and 11 year olds have bloomed in there personalities.

Some of their teaches are know by their first names, different but is this wrong..??

 

The only way to find out is to give it ago, and I agree with the selling the house theory to give it 100% you need to let it go:D

 

As for the pommy thing ......B****ocks, everyone here has either emigrated or there parents did they ALL offer support and friendlyness.

 

Good luck not that you need it:)

[maria]

We've been in Australia for almost 3 yrs, though only in Adelaide for 2 yrs. The only regret we have is that we moved to melbourne first

We very nearly went back to the UK after just 6 months in Melbourne, but fortunatly moved to SA first (had to give it 110% and then some), we'd also sold up back in the UK and had little/nothing to go back for.

obviously everyone is different and Aussie life certainly isn't for everyone, but if you don't try you might spend the rest of you life thinking what if..... and so what if you dont like it, at least you have tried.

OH suffered terribly with homesickness, and even now gets a pang at the strangest times, he's decided that he needs the closure so is going back for a holiday this year, Hes going on his own though as neither me or the kids want to.

SA has a really nice feel to it, and is a far cry from some of the *bigger* cities, but we love it