Aibu to wonder about the perception of life in Australia?

[TheVoiceWithin]

im British living in Australia.
Everybody seems to think the Australian way of life is constant BBQ's/swimming with dolphins/working 10hrs a week and bringing home $300k a year. Everybody spends everyday at the beach. Nobody can't surf. Etc.
It's ridiculous. So, Aibu to wonder what gives people this idea?

Is it the TV shows? I've seen wanted down under (once) and I have to admit I was a bit at the whole thing, because the particular family hadn't seemed to have done a bit of research, figured out they'd be financially worse off AND she'd have to go back to work too. but they wanted to go anyway. But couldn't because neither would qualify for a visa anyway. if not that, then what?

I always find the Australian threads hilarious. People’s comments about judging a whole country after knowing a couple of Australians or living in one place in Australia - Australia is a massive country. You can fit the UK into Australia sonething like 55 times - it takes something like 5hrs to fly from East to West. It is such a big country that the climate is completely different all over. Unbearable hot in some places and wet and green in others. And like other big countries - the people are different all over. Each part of Australia has its own culture and feel about - just like other countries do - yet I don’t see any other threads with people saying stupid things like judging a whole country on knowing a few people who lived there!

Riiiight.hmm

Your posts imply that your living conditions are the norm - that they are, indeed, the typical or ordinary person's.

A bit like your sweeping statement about accents.

Migrants offshore leaves a bad taste

What about the thousands dead drowning while trying to reach the country? No-one thinks manus or naaru are great, but the alternative was appalling. Coupled with the fact that aus takes refugees in at a rate not dissimilar to countries like the U.K. and Italy and is one of the highest net takers of migrants generally it's not exactly unwelcoming.

What about that export Rolf Harris?

Now you just feel like you're being goady.

Ive been in australia for 5 years now, and cant believe some of the nonsense stereotypes on here. Re racism, have heard racist comments from 2 people here, 1 guy is now locked up for drug dealing and the other was a londoner who came from the Met and joined police here. Certainly heard more over racist comments where i lived in sheffield to be honest, neighbours were shockingly bad and had rubbed off on their young kids too.

I live on west coast, and its extremely varied in terms of climate and types of lifestyle. Im in perth, which has becone much more cosmopilitan even in short time ive been here. Theres a great range of bats and restaurants, food is fabulous generally, lots of festivals and things to do all year round.

If youre into sport, which we are, theres nowhere better. I do paddle boarding, regularly see dolphins up close which is magical. The weather is far from extreme, this summer has been mostly early 30s, beautiful days, but once winter comes it does get cold, there is definite seasons. If you head down south theres all the wineries and the boranup forrest, as well as beautiful, unspoilt beaches. Its also cold but lush, heading up north you get both deserts and tropical areas, along with wonderful coral reefs.

I work in IT, wages are fantastic compared to uk, working hours are less, and as a senior manager ive been lucky not to experience any sexism so far.

Housing does vary, some of the newer estates seem very similar to new builds in the uk, but with more space. On the other hand, particularly on the coast you get so.e spectacular modern architecture. I adore the old queenslanders, but theres also much more scope for buying your own land and customising what you want, particularly outside of perth metroplitan area.

You couldnt drag me back now, but i do love sunshine and bbqs, not to mention my swimming pool in the garden.

That sounds lovely Det - but what about the 🕷 spiders?

The spiders are crap. We live in the sub-tropics of Australia.
Night before last while in bed asleep, I woke up thinking my hair was brushing my chest, so I grabbed it to shove it away, and it wiggled in my hand.
Tossed spider onto DH's face where it wiggled some more.

Unhappy DH. Swear words. Spider got tossed out bedroom door.
I went back to sleep.

We found the corpse of a large huntsman on the floor in the morning.

So gross, and not the first time.

I don't mind the spiders so much...they don't bother you if you leave them alone.

I DO mind the possums at night....they make a weird noise, like a cross between a gurgle and a hiss. They have massive scraps outside my window and are horribly violent towards one another.

Commander - that sounds terrifying. And not something I should have asked before I go to sleep...

I must not think about spiders. I must not think about spiders...

Ive only seen 2 redbacks, we spray round perimter regularly. Theres not been a death in something like 40 years from spider bite, they're really not much of an issue. Only seen 1 snake, loads of lizards which are cute, and the whales, dolphins, koalas and kangaroos make up for it! Next year we are heading up to ningaloo reef to swim with whale sharks, meant to be unbelievable experience.

We go to penguin island quite a lot, 30 mins southof perth and thats amazing for wildlife, dolphins, penguins, seals, sealions and all sorts. Sharks do scare me a bit, especially when ive paddled out a bit too far, but thats my risk going into their territory!

AjasLipstick I hate to say it, but I'm one of those dreadful people that feeds possums. They are just so appealing, that I can't resist them. I suppose that's a copout for doing something that those in the know say you shouldn't.

I used to be visited by a mum and baby. The baby became so tame that he/she would see me at the door and come running to me. If I didn't go to the door, he/she would climb up the screen door and swing and rattle to get my attention. It also liked to be hand fed and would put a paw on my hand to steady itself while it ate with the other. That didn't work well as they've got sharp little claws.

Did you realise that they are an animal with 4 opposable thumbs? The world would be their oyster if they had a bigger brain! (Scientists, please, don't tell me I'm being too simplistic. I like the image of a super possum)

Oh, talking of cuteness, the quokkas on rottnest island are adorable.

DetMcnulty

Most marsupials/monotremes are adorable, and rate very high on the cuteness scale, but I wouldn't want to get too close to, say, a 2m male kangaroo if he was feeling territorial.

Quokkas are a bit like bilbies - a sort of hidden treasure. And thankfully, quokkas hop rather than scuttle like a rat. Probably the Dutch sailors didn't get too close to spot the differences when they first saw the quokkas.

The sausage sizzle. There's been one outside every polling station I've ever been to. I remember reading, and hope it's true, that at Federal Elections, they have a sausage sizzle outside the Australian High Commission in London, to get the Aussie voters in.

Well, they did it here:

www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/federal-election-july-2-polling-day-sausage-sizzle-goes-global-20160620-gpn607.html

Frankly with this interminable winter I would gladly leave it all behind and live in oz - poisonous spiders, expensive pizzas or weeping grannies and teens aside I want some sun!!

Love the democracy sausage.
The conditions of offshore detention are inhumane. Most Western countries are dealing with large numbers of aspiring immigrants as so much of the world is unsafe for people to make their lives in. Australia is a highly tolerant and multicultural society. 1 in 4 Australians were born overseas. Many of us are not happy with what the government is doing in our name to asylum seekers.
I live in an old (1920s!) house and see the occasional huntsman or daddylonglegs spider high on the wall. Personally I am much more freaked out by rodents.

I recall our daughter in NZ talking about the polling station sausages!

I don’t understand all these posters saying Australia lacks culture. Of course Australia has a culture - every society in the world has culture. All the major cities have plenty of cultural attractions - museums, galleries, theatres, festivals, etc. Australia has 40,000 years of Indigenous culture and history. Australia is a immigrants - and those immigrants have taken their culture with them! What you mean to say is that you prefer your own UK culture to Australia’s. That’s fine, the majority of people probably feel the strongest cultural connection to the culture in which they were raised but that doesn’t mean other places are lacking culture just because that culture is different to your own.

Same thing with history - of course Australia has history, again 40,000 years of Indigenous history. Major cities are packed with lovely 19th century buildings - that’s historical enough for me! For me personally I’m also more interested in the historical cites of the UK but that’s a matter of preference.

I also find there’s a weird kind of historical amnesia on this thread with people talking about Australia’s historical treatment of Indigenous peoples. A lot of people seem to have forgotten that for the first 100+ years of colonisation prior to federation Australia was purely a colony - that is nearly all white Australians were British. Genocides have been committed time and time again by British colonizers and I don’t think it’s helpful to say “well that wasn’t us it was the Aussies who did all those awful things”. I think it’s important for all people to acknowledge the sins of their ancestors as we more towards reconciliation.

And as others have said - of course Australia is racist, but I’ve yet to discover a country where people aren’t racist.

A good deal of you are talking in stereotypes- and I don’t blame you, as that is all you know, really, from TV shows and the like. But Australia and Australians are more than stereotypes. It’s a huge country with a variety of landscapes and climates - take your pick of what suits you best. We have plenty of culture; some places more than others. You don’t have to live your life outdoors if you don’t want to - I don’t in the heat of midsummer. Creepy crawlies keep to themselves generally and you learn to live with them and simply take precautions (shake your shoes out before you put them on! Don’t walk in long grass! Don’t put your hand into a dark crevice! etc.) And yes, on Election Day there is always a BBQ and cake stall at every polling station (usually the local primary school) and there is a charity BBQ every day at Bunnings.

PS. I’m not racist, as far as I’m aware.

ittakes2 is talking sense. Every place in Australia is different to the next.

If you live in a small town on the beach in Qld it can absolutely be all bbqs and pools and beach without working much as your rent will be very cheap. You will have to deal with small town people though, and small town people all over the world tend to be less experienced than people who live in cities, thus they tend to be more racist etc. (Don’t compare small town in a densely populated country. I mean small town and a long way from civilisation.)

Meanwhile if you go to Melbourne (which most Brits miss because it’s not well connected to the airport) you will have nothing but coffee and culture. It’s all about lovely food and museums, theatre shows and very good local wine. It is very expensive. Don’t go there if you want beaches.

You can find everything in between in Australia. They’re just normal people the same as the UK. Having lived both places I can say I have met just as many miserable racist sods in both. I have also met just as many lovely people in both places. The weather IS nicer in Australia and there is far, far less crime. Living standards are much higher for those with a lower income. Really, almost anywhere is nice if you have lots of money.

I just came on to wave at DetMcNulty. I live near Penguin Island, and have partcipated in a wold record breaking attempt to be the largest group of people dressed as penguins. There were over 500 of us in full penguin suits including feet. If that's not culture I don't know what is! .

Seriously though, where I live is a little piece of paradise and I still pinch myself that I'm lucky enough to live somewhere so beautiful. I loved living in the UK and Ireland too, but moving here was like upgrading our lives from 3 star to 4 and a half. No where is perfect, but some of the perceptions of Oz on this thread are just ridiculous and down right wrong.

Beautifully said dozy

You will have to deal with small town people though, and small town people all over the world tend to be less experienced than people who live in cities, thus they tend to be more racist etc

Um, no. I’ve lived in both, and - nope.

What does “less experienced” even mean? You’ll have to be a bit more precise than that.

TheClaws, it means they have fewer experiences...