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?

Have to say it doesn't appeal to me. My DD spent some time there and she could not get over the price of goods, for instance a pizza in a supermarket that would cost say £2-3 here would be £9-12. She was on a budget so found it hard.

Another reason to put me off... I met lots of Australians my age last year (I'm old!) and I was in shock at how racist and homophobic they were. They used terms I haven't heard since the sixties! (Won't repeat them here, but it was the worst you can imagine). I can only hope the younger generation aren't like this.

I enjoyed backpacking around Oz but agree the racism, homophobia and dreadful treatment of the aboriginal people would put me off living there. Away from the cities the attitude of the people in the towns seem to be stuck in the 50s.

Friends of mine moved there from a UK city a few years ago, their main reason being to give their kids an outdoor lifestyle. Whilst her and her DH seem to embrace it, neither of their kids have (now age 12 & 15). They both hate the heat and the beach, so spend much of their free time in the house. I have other friends who have lived in Oz for years, and they spend half their time on social media taking the piss out of the UK weather, and the other half moaning that it's too hot/humid over there. I'm not sure how much they like it in all honesty!

I live in Australia. Paid 2-3 times as much as I would have been in the uk for the same job with cost of living not much higher in my area (food IS expensive if you eat processed- I don't so much because of the price which is a bonus! Eat seasonal fresh excellent fruit and veggies) I have a well insulated house with fans and no air con with solar panels so barely any bills. I spend pretty much every day off at the beach in summer surfing, swimming and snorkelling (and I am a fat non sporty person) I have become more fit and healthy. I like BBQs. I have a social life. I spend all the time I can outdoors. I have seen one poisonous spider which I killed. I have seen about 3 snakes in a decade despite a lot of hiking. My life is more amazing than I ever though possible so yes Australia is in fact awesome FOR ME.

The politics makes me want to cry (but so does British and US politics) and the racism can be scary (I refuse to engage with it and spend time with whoever I like, mainly people who aren't racist) There is heaps of culture if you look for it, lots to do and if you search there is even some sort of alternative culture beyond the shooting fishing crew which I explore. If you are Aboriginal I imagine it is pretty shit and that bit makes me hugely angry. All I can do is give my voice against the bad bits and my vote and I am not sure that the UK is actually that much better. No it is not a perfect place but I can honestly say my life here is so spectacular compared to my old life that I feel GUILT that my family are back there and not getting to have this

I couldn't live there. The spiders would terrify for one thing, but the heat and sun would probably kill me. I'd spend all year in the shade or under an umbrella. It's that or risk severe burns. My skin just burns really easily, even with sun cream on. Kind of pointless for me.

I haven’t watched Neighbours for a while but I don’t recall them spending that much time outside, it was mainly in the coffee shop, in Lassiter’s or inside each other’s houses. That lovely pool hardly ever got used.

A lot of people think that the places they visit on holiday are much better than the uk. We stayed in a swanky pad in Sydney. If we actually lived in Sydney we’d probably be in a boring suburb similar to where we live in London. And when you’re on holiday you tend not to watch the local news so you don’t think that the country has gone to the dogs the same way as you do in the UK. It wasn’t amazing weather when we visited Australia, even though it was in December. But I’d agree that the Facebook version of Australia is idyllic.

One of my DDs lives in Melbourne and I went out to visit her a few weeks ago. Food didn't seem THAT much more expensive and loads of fresh fruit and veg were cheaper. The weather was warm and reliably warm too - none of this 'oh we might go to the beach but have to wait and see what the weather does'. And not one spider did I see.

Wages are high because everything is astonishingly expensive, I thought? I've also heard people tend to be very racist (although I know lots of lovely Australians who are NOT racist!) and sexism seems a bit more overt there - interestingly one of my Australian friends was shocked when I recounted that the men at one place I worked would be openly sexist in front of me/expect me to join in as "banter" - because in her expectation, men are sexist but only when no women are around.

The weather looks amazing and I do think that the lifestyle of beach/BBQ/lots of outdoor stuff looks lovely too. I'm not sure I'd want to be so far away from everyone I know, though. I prefer Europe - better weather, better lifestyle, but not hours and hours away. And I'm a bit scared of the wildlife!

I have never been there so this is a totally uninformed opinion but that's what you asked for. I bet it would be a lovely place if you were born and grew up there but I've got no desire to live there myself. The remoteness is probably the biggest nope for me and everything that comes with that - from long flights to just the very very differentness of the flora + fauna (I think that would make me horribly homesick) and then the high cost of living too.

Everyone I know who has ties to Australia though has either moved back there or plans to move out there eventually. So I can see it must be a wonderful place.

2006 data: "TUS found that men spent more time than women participating in most recreation and leisure activities, in particular sport and outdoor activity (25 minutes a day compared with 17 minutes a day).

Between 1997 and 2006 the amount of time men spent on sport and outdoor activity reduced more than for women (8 minutes less a day for men and 3 minutes less a day for women)."

Is 20 minutes a day average = "an outdoor lifestyle"? You tell me.

I grew up in South Africa during the apartheid (didn't agree with it fyi) and I was appalled at the open and constant racism in Australia; far more open and normal than in SA bizarrely. Also found the Australian's constant 'we have the biggest...; we have the most of....; we are the best at....' very irritating. Beautiful scenery though and the vastness and diversity in scenery was wonderful. Would agree that you can't escape normal life of work, bills and chores, no matter where you are.

2016: "Australians spend 10 hours a day on internet connected devices"
I guess if there's 9 hours for bed, toileting, dressing, etc., that still leaves 5 hrs/day to be out on the beach.

~2012: 54 minutes a day spent commuting.

2009: Aussie Children spend < 30 minutes/day after school playing outside.

tbf, that Aussie time might be close to double what UK kids do.

My DH is half Australian and half english. Spent til early teens in Oz then has been back and forth until just before we fell pregnant with our first. He is dying to go back but I’m digging my heels in. Whilst I loved my holidays out there, I’m not sure about living. It’s very expensive and everything is so spread out. Plus we’d be away from my family who are most involved in our children’s lives. Maybe when we have older kids but for small ones, England is the place to be I think!

I am a 18 months into my life in Australia after leaving the UK with my Aussie hubby and two children. It's been a long hard journey settling and I'm not settled yet. Even though Australia and the U.K. Are similar they are also very different. And there is definitely an image portrayed of Australia and Australian life and I think it's due to TV soaps and films. Australia is always sunny and surfing at the beach, no dramas etc etc but it isn't like that in real life.

The longer I am here though, and the more I learn about Australian life, I can see how this is a great place to live and bring up kids. If you are Australian with all of your family and friends here, why would you live anywhere else on earth? This place has everything - year round sunshine, golden beaches, winter snow and mountains, desert and rainforests.... it's amazing.

My sister does live close to the beach, but also spends quite a lot of time at vinyards...

Been to OZ about 5 times. Weather better but obviously not a lot of historical sites to visit, so a tad tedious at times. There is a lot of casual racism and denial of the legacy of their own history. Have never been tempted to live there.

I haven't read the thread yet but I certainly don't think that! An aunt and uncle of mine raised their children in Australia and their children seemed to me a bit aimless and lacking in any kind of direction or spark. It's all a bit Kath and Kim. They moved for a better life and I think the family they left behind probably have access to more education and culture and travel opportunities even if it's colder here! They seem to have slipped in to a bit of a bogan lifestyle. I gather that there is some very outdated and small-minded thinking about the Irish going on right now in Australia as well so I'm glad I'm not there.
I'm sure it's wonderful if you live by the beach though! But I guess a lot of people still live in apartments and have to remember to take out the rubbish.

Ah fab, another "shit all over Australia" thread. It's been at least a week since the last one.

Ties in nicely with the US bashing thread that's also kicking off at the moment.

SuperBeagle it's such bad taste isn't it. There's racism in every country and culture, I hate how it's always brought out when discussing Australia like it's worse here than anywhere else, when it isn't.

WS12 Yep! But I figure, considering the overt anti-American sentiment on here, and the regular anti-Australian (and, to a lesser extent, anti-New Zealand) threads, there must be some deeply unhappy people in the UK who have a real chip on their shoulder.

I find it particularly funny that people can say we're in denial about our historical legacy here, but are the Brits taking responsibility for their role in it? I doubt it.

Another Brit in Oz here. Been here two years but going home soon due to missing friends, family etc.

Australia's lovely in many ways but not without its faults. You have to work hard and everything's expensive. The beaches are great but even though I work for myself I rarely have time to go in the week. Sydney's very vain - I'm pretty fit but feel inferior to all the perfect bodies permanently on show.

Alongside the racism is more domestic violence (elder abuse going on with my neighbours), tons of rules (no drinking shots after midnight, security men at every pub) and drink driving is socially acceptable.

Australians are friendly but it's hard to make friends with them. My DP has been here 20years and 90% of his mates are British while I have struggled to build a social life.

The weather's better but they're babies when it's not nice weather. Outdoor exercise classes etc are cancelled when it rains!

As for the creatures, the cockroaches are the worse for me. I've seen snakes in the bush but a roach in the kitchen freaks me out.

I moved to the UK to get away from Australia, never regretted it one moment. The summers are unbearable, literally dreaded it every year, the people are (in my experience) rude, arrogant and have no sense of humour what so ever. English people are much friendlier and don't get their knickers in a twist if you make a joke or take the piss out of them lightheardedtly, Australains get offended so easily it's ridiculous

Just my experience though, I lived there for 18 years, all of my childhood until my mid 20's.

I tell people exactly this when they go "Oooo why would you ever want to move to the UK from Australia??"

I think it’s fair enough of people to post their own experiences of a place. Of course there will be bad things amongst that as well as good. Just like any other country. No country is perfect.

I find it particularly funny that people can say we're in denial about our historical legacy here, but are the Brits taking responsibility for their role in it? I doubt it.

Fair point - we probably sent you all our racists :)

For balance - I love Aussie and I reckon I could live there, but having spent time there and having a lot of Aussie mates and work colleagues I'd say it wouldn't be for a shrinking violet type - the Irish woman moving to Aus due to Brexit I suspect might be in for an awakening - I mean that as an observation, not at all a criticism.

My Aussie friends are some of the most decent people I know - more so than some of my fellow Poms.

considering the overt anti-American sentiment on here, and the regular anti-Australian (and, to a lesser extent, anti-New Zealand) threads, there must be some deeply unhappy people in the UK who have a real chip on their shoulder

Oh yawn. The minute anyone says anything not positive about the US or wherever people start banging on how horrible anti-american everyone is. It's a handful of people, who are allowed to have whatever opinions they want about a place.