stay or go

[Guest mercury]

Mercury, did you not research Australia at all? An open mind and a broad sense of humour is essential. If an Australian can be bothered to tack the piss out of you, take it as a compliment. If they don't like you, they'll just ignore you. The Australian way may not be to everybody's liking, but then neither is spending half the day whooping, high-fiving and shouting "go America!" You emigrated to another country yet you seem to expect it to be "just like back home".

 

Since being here I can't believe the number of locals who have gone out of their way to be helpful to my family and I. We both get called "bloody poms" on regular occasions, both at work and in social situations, but it is not racism. It is a way of showing that they're proud of their country and proud of the fact that people want to live here, while having a bit of a laugh at the same time. I usually find that calling them "criminals" and reminding them that they're **** at cricket moves the conversation on nicely!

 

My advice to you my friend is this: Put on some boardies and some thongs, go for a walk on the beach, sup down some cold ones with some mates at a barbie. If you really can't enjoy yourself here, then head home to "the glorious star spangled banner".

 

Ben

 

Thanks Ben-

 

Bring it on!

 

Who mentioned racism?? You lose me.

 

I have a right to my experience [just as you have to yours].

 

Why are you so threatened by the fact that I gave a dissenting point of view? Are you insecure?

 

I will go home to the stars and stripes when I WANT. Don't give me ultimatums. Might just decide to stay:arghh:

 

Oh and BTW, is the fact that you can't sue people easily the reason for mistreating people at will and expecting them to keep quiet?

[pablo]

Thanks Ben-

 

Bring it on!

 

Who mentioned racism?? You lose me.

 

I have a right to my experience [just as you have to yours].

 

Why are you so threatened by the fact that I gave a dissenting point of view? Are you insecure?

 

I will go home to the stars and stripes when I WANT. Don't give me ultimatums. Might just decide to stay:arghh:

 

Oh and BTW, is the fact that you can't sue people easily the reason for mistreating people at will and expecting them to keep quiet?

 

LOL,anyway..................your lucky in a way mercury,in that you've got such a huge,diverse country to go back to i suppose?im assuming your american btw,i used to go with a girl from louisville for about 18 months,very "sweet" she was as well,not a nark like a lot of liverpool girls anyway:biglaugh:

[Guest mercury]

Pablo,

 

Louisville, Kentucky?

 

Yeah, I am American. Wife from UK. I try to be respectful to everyone and don't like it when the anti-Americanism shows up for no reason. It is like as soon as they hear American, BAM! You can't have a dissenting point of view.

[pablo]

Pablo,

 

Louisville, Kentucky?

 

Yeah, I am American. Wife from UK. I try to be respectful to everyone and don't like it when the anti-Americanism shows up for no reason. It is like as soon as they hear American, BAM! You can't have a dissenting point of view.

Yes mate,kentucky,met her when we were both working in london,she was an aspiring actress,won amatuer director of the year in london but that was as far as she got realy,she was in a few west end plays but all unpaid,we split up because i had visions of having to follow her round the world for this acting dream,anyway she lives in new jersey now with some merchant banker,big house ,the boat etc,lucky escape for her eh!:biglaugh:americans are fine by me,suzers american as well isnt she?tbh tho i find it slightly suprising that with what 50?states( countries basically?)to choose from americans find their way to oz,but lifes an adventure i suppose,the only "trouble" ive found with americans is that they can never understand my accent lol,i was asked if i was german,austrian!and scottish,which is close i suppose! as regards the anti american sentiment..........i honestly cant comment mate,i wouldnt know,as i say their fine by me,plus my partners sister has lived in california( sadly in bakersfield!) for 15 years and the americans have been great with her

[Guest skoobzz]

Thanks Ben-

 

Bring it on!

 

Who mentioned racism?? You lose me.

 

I have a right to my experience [just as you have to yours].

 

Why are you so threatened by the fact that I gave a dissenting point of view? Are you insecure?

 

I will go home to the stars and stripes when I WANT. Don't give me ultimatums. Might just decide to stay:arghh:

 

Oh and BTW, is the fact that you can't sue people easily the reason for mistreating people at will and expecting them to keep quiet?

 

I'm with Ben on this one - can't imagine why you think he is threatened by your point of view. Seems to me that you're the one with the issue and he's just fed up with people wingeing on about Australia and not giving it a chance... as am I!

[Guest mercury]

I'm with Ben on this one - can't imagine why you think he is threatened by your point of view. Seems to me that you're the one with the issue and he's just fed up with people wingeing on about Australia and not giving it a chance... as am I!

 

Skoobz,

 

If asking about work culture is wingeing, so be it. What is the forum for? I thought we were free to express our views/ask about other peoples experiences?

 

Skoobz, please school me on this...

[Guest skoobzz]

Skoobz,

 

If asking about work culture is wingeing, so be it. What is the forum for? I thought we were free to express our views/ask about other peoples experiences?

 

Skoobz, please school me on this...

`

 

Oh, get over yourself!!

[DAVID.CHRISTINE]

Too many creepy crawleys and bugs ,at the gold coast

not to mention the humid climate

the roads are far more congested

i thought it was like blackpool but slightly warmer

very busy place

[Guest Stella and Dave]

sounds like you have a fab outlook about all this ' stuff ', we've been here a month now, hoping to start work in just over a week. we have met some lovely friendly aussies, no mates as yet. feelings up and down, hope to stabilise soon, or go a little bit mad! onward and upward, stel x

[Guest jorose]

....I said dont 'just' socialise with other Poms. I didn't say, 'don't' socialise with other Poms. There is a difference

 

I also started out in Adelaide as a mature student at an International college for a year and I was the ONLY person who wasn't Asian. However, I made some good friends (even though their English was pretty bad!) and 9 years later, I am still in touch with some of them.

 

We have all been through some very difficult times and wondered whether we could carry on. I am just suggesting that the wider your circle of friends, the more support you will have and the easier it will be. I really do hope things better for you

 

Yes I appreciate that you said don't "just" socialise with other poms. However, it is not a case of not being willing to make any effort with the 'locals' I am. I am willing to integrate too but at this point the opportunities to integrate are not in abundance. What do you advise? Walking around with a sandwich board on..."Aussie friends wanted"? Also it is not a case whinging about Australia or not giving it a chance, it is a case of expressing emotions on a forum where quite possibly other people are experiencing the same emotions. It is comparing social norms, obtaining confirmation that I am not a total fruitcake in feeling lonely and having down days. I am giving Australia a chance but just thought it might be useful to share feelings.

 

Thanks for your good wishes and I do apologise for possibly being one of the ones you are sick of whinging about Australia.

[Guest skoobzz]

Yes I appreciate that you said don't "just" socialise with other poms. However, it is not a case of not being willing to make any effort with the 'locals' I am. I am willing to integrate too but at this point the opportunities to integrate are not in abundance. What do you advise? Walking around with a sandwich board on..."Aussie friends wanted"? Also it is not a case whinging about Australia or not giving it a chance, it is a case of expressing emotions on a forum where quite possibly other people are experiencing the same emotions. It is comparing social norms, obtaining confirmation that I am not a total fruitcake in feeling lonely and having down days. I am giving Australia a chance but just thought it might be useful to share feelings.

 

Thanks for your good wishes and I do apologise for possibly being one of the ones you are sick of whinging about Australia.

 

My comment about wingeing was directed at someone elses reply to another comment I'd just read so please don't think it was directed at you!

 

I absolutely get what people are going through because I have been through it myself - in fact I'm still going through it 10 years on. I left the UK with 1,500 pounds in my bank account and I didn't know a soul in Australia. All I had was a backpack with my belongings in it and I didn't even have a coat! I left my friends and family behind and there are still days that I cry for hours because I want to see my Dad. I have had some really, really awful things happen since I arrived here (starting with the death of my Mother) and there are still times when I question whether I made the right decision.

 

However, unlike many, I don't blame Australia for this, it's just life and it's something I can learn from. The absolute truth is that we are responsible for everything that we attract into our lives and only we can make the changes that will make our lives better. So many people on this site complain about this and complain about that, but they don't actually take action to change their circumstances. They focus on how awful life is, instead of how amazing it could be.

 

If you look at the world with negativity then that is exactly what you will bring in. I certainly wasn't suggesting that you are one of those people, however I did suggest that there are most definitely things you could do that might help you meet more people.

 

You don't need to walk around with a sandwich board to make friends. Just put yourself out there with the right attitude and it will happen. It's all in the attitude. If you say you can't, then you can't. If you say you can, then you absolutely can. And yes, it does take some effort to do this!

 

I just wish that some of the other people on this site would consider the effect their negative attitudes are having on their experiences before being so quick to write off this country and the wonderful things it has to offer.

 

I still, of course, hope that things get better for you and I know how much courage it must have taken to start a new life out here.

[Guest ben&sharon]

Yes I appreciate that you said don't "just" socialise with other poms. However, it is not a case of not being willing to make any effort with the 'locals' I am. I am willing to integrate too but at this point the opportunities to integrate are not in abundance. What do you advise? Walking around with a sandwich board on..."Aussie friends wanted"? Also it is not a case whinging about Australia or not giving it a chance, it is a case of expressing emotions on a forum where quite possibly other people are experiencing the same emotions. It is comparing social norms, obtaining confirmation that I am not a total fruitcake in feeling lonely and having down days. I am giving Australia a chance but just thought it might be useful to share feelings.

 

Thanks for your good wishes and I do apologise for possibly being one of the ones you are sick of whinging about Australia.

 

I hope you don't mind me jumping in on this. I completely understand your feelings of loneliness and having down days. My wife started work less than a week after arriving here and it has taken me nearly three months to get sorted with work. During that time I had some really down days and questioned our decision to come here several times. It is a general fact that most social activity amongst adults is at work, that is where we spend most of our time (that and sleeping so that we are ready for another day at work!). It is also always going to take time to feel completely settled and comfortable at work and with colleagues. When I think about how long I've known my good friends back in the UK, it's not really surprising that I don't feel quite as comfortable with my new acquaintances over here. It is a huge step all of us have taken in moving over here, and it will take a while before we all feel truly "at home".

 

I am lucky in that I am a generally out-going person, so I took it upon myself to spend a couple of evenings in my local pub and get into conversations with people (both poms and aussies). I now have some new friends and I'm looking forward to those friendships growing with the years. My family and I also socialise with others from this forum as well as colleagues from both of our jobs. We still deeply miss our close friends from the UK, but we knew we would when we moved here.

 

I really hope that things work out for you over here, you've already taken the biggest step by coming here. Give it a bit of time and I'm sure the social side of things will become easier.

 

Best of luck

 

Ben

 

P.S. God, I went on a bit there didn't I!!! :chatterbox:

[laura girling]

Me and my family came here for a so called better way of life as well. Personally I have not had the best of starts and if someone offered me a ticket home I'd take it and not look back. When we landed on 4th August 09 we went to a friends house and lodged for our tax file numbers straight away. 28 days later I still hadn't got mine so I phoned the tax office to get some info. They had cocked up and then said I'd have to wait another 14 days.......thanks . Meanwhile I'm working and not getting paid because of that and I'm travelling up and down Adelaide and working like a dog which is what I didn't want for my so called new life.

We both needed reliable vehicles for work and blew most of our money on them as second hand car prices in Oz are ridiculous unless you want an old banger. By the way don't buy a car from Stillwell ford in main north road or rather main north rogue where you will find loads of car dealers ready to rip you off. As soon as they hear a pommy accent you are shark food because for some reason they think we're all loaded.

Cost of living is more than the Uk for sure and I'm sorry but anyone who says different must be going out at night poaching or eating road kill and drinking their own body fluids. Beer is more expensive, wine is more expensive, food is more expensive , road tax is way more expensive.

Positives are income tax is less, fuel is less ,the beach is nice, our house is nice and is a 15 minute walk away from said beach and we can watch the sun go down from our balcony and you can't put a price on that. Adelaide city is fantastic with a feeling of space and cleanliness unlike cities back home.

I do try to think positive but right now I keep getting pushed back down my own mountain. All I want to do is provide my family with a decent standard of living but all we do is shell out money for this and that and with not much coming in it's damn tough. There's plenty more I could say but you'd get bored and I'd be responsible for mass suicide.

Dissillusioned definitely !! Staying....yeah why not, after all a month isn't really long enough to give the place a fair go.

 

All the best

 

Hey Steve,

Stick it out, we were pennyless last year honest, we were going home, tiered had enough.

Just a few tips, We now shop at local markets our food bill used to be 150 pounds in Uk and here was 250 dollars.

We live western suburbs so we now get all fruit & veg from Farmer Joes I spend $30 this buys ample, my kids are glutens for fruit.

I them go to Gawler meats if you go there Sat morning you will have a free sausage sizzle, yum.

I pay about $25 for lots of meat, steaks are $499 per kg and chicken $6. per kg ect a lot cheaper than coles .

Then I buy in bulk at Banquet food cases of tin tom, beans, spaggetti, also a big bag of flour, washing powder for the largest there like huge is just $15

I also buy a case of beer $29 for 24 large bottles of pilsner or something similar 5%, taste great.

If we go out to eat we no longer go on a Sat night but a Tues or Wed At the Exeter Hotel, there's a good park there for the kids and all 3 eat for free when you order a meal for two, my kids all eat a lot lol.

If we go out on a Friday its at our local Life saving club where the meals are great value for example 2 big peices of fish with a large portion of chips $13 we order 2 to feed us all.

Also on Fridays in the Life saving club its happy hour $3 for all the great named wines or bottles of beer.

For a family to be apart of the club, which we are not, is really resonable somthing like $130 per year for as many fam members that you have.

We also joined Cleland for a years membership so we always had a special outing, this cost $100 for all 5 of us.

We have beach days for free also we walk around the port river to see the pods of Dolphins swimming up and down.

A family swim all day in the aquatic centre just cost $15 and you can take your own picnic they have bbq's there.

St Kilda has a huge Adventure playground with again bbq's.

Fishing on the jetty is probably our fav thing to do for free and the kids just love there crab nets. get them working for your supper,lol.

Just a few ideas I hope you can use some.

Have some fun.

Laura xxxx:daydreaming:

[Guest Guest75]

Hey Steve,

Stick it out, we were pennyless last year honest, we were going home, tiered had enough.

Just a few tips, We now shop at local markets our food bill used to be 150 pounds in Uk and here was 250 dollars.

We live western suburbs so we now get all fruit & veg from Farmer Joes I spend $30 this buys ample, my kids are glutens for fruit.

I them go to Gawler meats if you go there Sat morning you will have a free sausage sizzle, yum.

I pay about $25 for lots of meat, steaks are $499 per kg and chicken $6. per kg ect a lot cheaper than coles .

Then I buy in bulk at Banquet food cases of tin tom, beans, spaggetti, also a big bag of flour, washing powder for the largest there like huge is just $15

I also buy a case of beer $29 for 24 large bottles of pilsner or something similar 5%, taste great.

If we go out to eat we no longer go on a Sat night but a Tues or Wed At the Exeter Hotel, there's a good park there for the kids and all 3 eat for free when you order a meal for two, my kids all eat a lot lol.

If we go out on a Friday its at our local Life saving club where the meals are great value for example 2 big peices of fish with a large portion of chips $13 we order 2 to feed us all.

Also on Fridays in the Life saving club its happy hour $3 for all the great named wines or bottles of beer.

For a family to be apart of the club, which we are not, is really resonable somthing like $130 per year for as many fam members that you have.

We also joined Cleland for a years membership so we always had a special outing, this cost $100 for all 5 of us.

We have beach days for free also we walk around the port river to see the pods of Dolphins swimming up and down.

A family swim all day in the aquatic centre just cost $15 and you can take your own picnic they have bbq's there.

St Kilda has a huge Adventure playground with again bbq's.

Fishing on the jetty is probably our fav thing to do for free and the kids just love there crab nets. get them working for your supper,lol.

Just a few ideas I hope you can use some.

Have some fun.

Laura xxxx:daydreaming:

 

This is really great to hear Laura - so pleased you are finding your way now.:notworthy:

[Guest cherryn]

My Goodness , and dearie me come to mind ...me and hubby are planning to move out to Adelaide Jan 2010 all going well and this post disheartned me to say the least. Can i ask Donna is everything alright at home ? The reason i ask is hubby being supportive in the way you expect him to ,with both yourself and your son being unwell .Dont think that the grass is greener over in the UK the health system is well under strain and under resourced , unless you feel you have family ties and support over here. To tell you the truth i wouldnt come back here ,in the present economic climate, its not great.

Maybe you just havent had the support you need in Adelaide im sure here there are groups you can join ,through the nursery or such like).

I personally (and im not right all of the time like my hubby says lol ) things will work out for you , please let us know how you get on ?

Nancy ...

[adelaidenow]

I only read the first page and as I didn't see the answer there I thought I would post here.

 

You have to renew your car licence, whats that all about!!!!

WTF? Unless it has cahnged in the last 6 years, what's the disc on the front of every UK car? I like the way people expect, good roads, new infrastructure etc...but then complain that they have to pay for it.

 

Maybe I am missing something?

 

Also I HATE It when people say there is nothing to do, there is more free stuff here than in the UK, less paid for (Theatre, etc).

 

Those people who say there is nothing to do , are not looking hard enough or are incapable of making something to do. Last time I tried, taking a walk in the park was free and easy to organise.

 

I was once told that only simple people are bored, the brighter ones find things to do.....I agree entirely.

 

As for staying or going back. There is no right or wrong anser. My feeling is if you had problems in UK and thought that moving here would solve them you are probably not going to be happy. Whereas if you came here to give it a go and thought positive all the time you will enjoy it.

 

There are many things I dont like about SA (and Aus), compared to UK, but I love it here, probably because as soon as I landed this was my home, I had decided on coming for good so home is Aus.

 

I also have nothing bad to say about UK, I had a good life there for 34 years, I just hoped that my next 34+ would be as good if not better.

[Guest SA Great]

I only read the first page and as I didn't see the answer there I thought I would post here.

 

WTF? Unless it has cahnged in the last 6 years, what's the disc on the front of every UK car? I like the way people expect, good roads, new infrastructure etc...but then complain that they have to pay for it.

 

Maybe I am missing something?

 

Also I HATE It when people say there is nothing to do, there is more free stuff here than in the UK, less paid for (Theatre, etc).

 

Those people who say there is nothing to do , are not looking hard enough or are incapable of making something to do. Last time I tried, taking a walk in the park was free and easy to organise.

 

I was once told that only simple people are bored, the brighter ones find things to do.....I agree entirely.

 

As for staying or going back. There is no right or wrong anser. My feeling is if you had problems in UK and thought that moving here would solve them you are probably not going to be happy. Whereas if you came here to give it a go and thought positive all the time you will enjoy it.

 

There are many things I dont like about SA (and Aus), compared to UK, but I love it here, probably because as soon as I landed this was my home, I had decided on coming for good so home is Aus.

 

I also have nothing bad to say about UK, I had a good life there for 34 years, I just hoped that my next 34+ would be as good if not better.

 

Brilliant post Adelaide Now! You took the words right out of my mouth!

[adelaidenow]

No I didn't they are all mine......

[Guest SA Great]

lol!!! if its ok for meat loaf to say that then its ok for me

[Guest caoimhe]

Also I HATE It when people say there is nothing to do, there is more free stuff here than in the UK, less paid for (Theatre, etc).

 

Those people who say there is nothing to do , are not looking hard enough or are incapable of making something to do. .

 

:notworthy:Last month my hubby, myself, our 4 kids and 2 of their friends went to the drive in movie.....cost $20.........for 8 of us:biglaugh: Can you believe that. I now check online every week to see what kids movies are on so we can go back with the camp chairs...sit outside on a warm summers night with some nibbles, an esky full of soft drinks for the kids, some wine for me and beer for the hubby...............Can life get better:jiggy:

[cint&mark]

:notworthy:Last month my hubby, myself, our 4 kids and 2 of their friends went to the drive in movie.....cost $20.........for 8 of us:biglaugh: ]

Where was that at ???? Jacinta

[Guest soggy]

:notworthy:Last month my hubby, myself, our 4 kids and 2 of their friends went to the drive in movie.....cost $20.........for 8 of us:biglaugh: ]

Where was that at ???? Jacinta

 

The only drive in I know of is the one at Gepps Cross, on the Main North Road, 10 to 15 minutes north of the city.

 

Simon

[Guest caoimhe]

 

The only drive in I know of is the one at Gepps Cross, on the Main North Road, 10 to 15 minutes north of the city.

 

Simon

 

Yeah Gepps Cross, $20 per car, apparently they are suppose to charge extra if over 5 in the car and we have an 8 seater but they never looked or asked how many we had

 

Here's the link

 

http://wallis.com.au/cinema.php?cinema_id=7

[Guest Debbie]

Hey Donna

Sorry to hear that your not thrilled about it here atm

I do agree with what Django said, particulary why you left the UK in the first place

try and work out what you expected from being here and what from that you havent got so far

see if you can work out what you think would make a big enough difference to you and whether you can obtain that here or only in the UK

 

I went back last year and this year for 3 months at a time and really didnt like what i saw

 

I KNOW i made the right decision for my children

 

Me ? Im still acclimatising to it lol

[kildorragh]

The problem is that everyone is so different.

 

The majority of poms have never ever lived in Oz before making the move. This naturally follows that most were getting out of the UK as opposed to being intent on emigrating to Oz.

 

For those considering a return.....ask yourself the question...."Why did I really want to leave the UK in the first place". Take yourself back to the time you were formulating your reasons why you intended to leave. The reasoning you had back then still holds true today.....it's just got a bit blurred with your homesickness/fianacial worry/etc.

 

The grass is not greener....just a different shade. Returning now will only lighten the shade for a short time......it will soon darken, believe me.

 

Came hear for an opportunity to see my kids smile every day. Made it.

 

Good luck to one and all.