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 hate how it's always brought out when discussing Australia like it's worse here than anywhere else, when it isn't

Are you sure about that? I have lived in several countries, I have never heard such nonchalant racism as I have in Australia. Who are you tell people their experiences are wrong?

This thread is specifically asking about perceptions of Australia. There is nothing wrong in posting what your perceptions are.. particularly for those who have never been there (me)

It's not an Oz bashing thread AFAIC, I can only speak about what I imagine it's like

I'm Australian and have lived much of my life here with some significant chunks in Europe. I do not have racist friends. Many of my friends have some links to social justice and are active in supporting asylum seekers and Aboriginal rights. Many on the meetings I attend begin with a respectful acknowledgment of the traditional owners of the land. Typical inner city Melbourne.
When I was in London recently I had an appallingly racist taxi driver. Bit I don't think everyone in the UK is racist, despite Brexit.
The main focus of my life is family, work and various interests. These are much more important to me than weather. I have neither a pool or a bbq.

drink driving is socially acceptable.

Um, what?

What leads you to believe that?

I think Australia gets the great image because it is such a regular destination on the gap-year trail.

There was a period in my 20s when it seemed that everyone I knew had either been to Australia, just come back from there or was about to go.

The scales fell from my eyes when an Australian friend of a friend described the unofficially segregated bars in outback towns and was really surprised at my shocked reaction, remarking that the white Australians wouldn't want to sit with the Aborigines anyway, what with their poor hygiene... The other clue was the reaction when Cathy Freeman won an Olympic medal.

No shots after midnight, really?!

Haven’t been yet, very keen to go and see what all the fuss is about. I think I’ll like it.

Best friend and family emigrated to Oz lasted about 18 months, - hated it, came back and couldn’t settle, emigrated to New Zealand and loves it! Been there about 10 years now.

I spent a year working there.
It’s an amazing country with so much stunning natural scenery. Yet I think they don’t do enough to protect it - I witnessed a huge amount of environmental degradation in the time I was there and I really think a lot of it has only survived so far due to the lower population density. I feel they’re several leagues ahead of us in fresh healthy eating though - not sure how that translates to health statistics.

I hated the racism and sexism - I thought both were far worse than the U.K.

But I found a lot of Aussies really friendly. A lot went out of their way to help me, genuine offers of places to stay, etc. I also love warm climates!
If my life had worked out that way I’d have happily lived there - I’d have just chosen my friends carefully, not all of them are racist but the casual racism was widespread.

I don't know anyone who would drink drive.
I get frustrated on these threads when people generalise based on their friend's experience backpacking for 3 weeks 15 years ago.
Or when they have, say a bad experience at one school in one state and post that all Australian schools are terrible with no awareness of the differences between states, rural, regional and urban areas.

@SuperBeagle
Re. Drink drive.
Just my experience really. I joined a sports club and everyone has quite a few beers after playing then drives home. No one says a word. I went out with my team last week and my (Irish) friend gave me a lift. She didn't drink but me and all the others were knocking them back. Then they all drove home. If it were in the UK I'd be saying "You've had a few. Uber time?" but people don't seem to care here.

@PastaofMuppets
Check out "lock out laws". They vary by state and area but there are rules about the latest time you can enter a venue and what you can drink. If you're the slightest bit pissed you'll be turned away from many places. It's a response to alcohol related violence and "one punch attacks".

Reading my last post they generally have a weird relationship with alcohol here. I don't get it. I'm happy to admit drink driving is not everyone everywhere but I've seen more people drive home after several drinks in two years here then 20 years living in London. They drive everywhere here.

To go back to the OP, yes TV is to blame. In H&A etc everyone lives in nice houses but work in the diner. Housing is very expensive here, especially a nice house on a lovely beach.

I'm far too British to enjoy a beach lifestyle. I'm much happier in the drizzle moaning about things.

Seriously though I don't really like hot weather, I went to Australia and let very isolated. I remember driving down a road and there was nothing as far as the eye could see all around us, only an hour from a town but it was frightening to me how isolated I felt. It's not for me.

Also my Australian family are shockingly racist- it's pretty disgusting, nothing I could repeat on here.

I think I'd get bored being on the beach all the time. Don't mind the odd beach day on annual summer hols, but my Aussie friends on Fbk seem to spend every weekend lying on the sand, quite literally, and I wonder how they stand it.

It would do my head in!

I had no desire to visit Australia but ended up here due to DH work. Been here ages now and it has its good and bad points.

Maybe its where I live, but everyone around here was pro same-sex marriage (lots of poster, campaigns, and SS couples). One was not pro and people were fascinated to hear the anti argument (not aggressively, just fascinated).
Lots of pro- refugee folk too.
I hear very little in the way of racism, kids' school is very mixed.

And the 'Australia is great thing'? I think its because as Brits we are taught to have a downer on anything good. No idea why but even now its hard to take a compliment about an achievement and just say ' thank you'. Australians are much better at that.

And we do lots of things outdoors rather than lay on a beach- walk, bike, bodyboard- the usual stuff that anyone does.

Growing I used to HATE the beach. Sand everywhere, boring, hot. Here I LOVE it and can spend an entire day there. I read, I study, I swim. There are a lot less people which helps but it still surprises me that I like it. I never watch TV so maybe it has replaced that mindless downtime for me? I don't know.

I have been and enjoyed it. I think this stereotype is in large part due to Australians. It is rare to meet one who doesn't tell you Australia is the best place to live in the world etc. etc..

What I don't get about large parts of Australia is the town planning/architecture. There is so much space and land and yet so many towns are made up of flimsy looking ugly strip malls full of sex shops. Why is this?

Just spent 2 n 1/2 months in Australia Melbourne/Sydney/outback and kinda half way between. Staying with family that have been in Australia since the 60's and also camping hotels etc.
I totally agree on the casual racism for god sake they still sell Gollywogs in shops and don't see a problem with using totally objectionable slang words for people who are not white. There is also a huge amount of sexism which I found equally disturbing..... still plenty of bars and places women are not welcome and literally getting pushed out of the way so men can get past you to pay at the petrol station or in a shop. Been told women shouldn't drive anything expensive cos they are not any good with mechanical things. When I asked about a camera in a shop they talked to OH about it and when he said it was my camera they asked why he had wasted his money buying me a camera
We had been there before for a shorter holiday and I noticed it then but this time OH saw exactly what was happening both to me and to people of colour and was outraged on many occasions.
Beautiful country but it's pretty objectionable

Im English, living in Australia because of family

I cant stand the heat (can reach 45c here) and I miss my English family.
I stamp out any casual racism around me and dont associate with those people if I can help it.

The drink drive thing I agree with. There seems to be little stigma attached to drink driving in Aus from my experience. The government see to be very hot on it - i.e. pulling people over but if you get done, people would commiserate and not judge. Just what I have found.

To balance things out, the customer service in shops is SO much better. Customer service workers have been genuinely friendly and helpful everywhere I have been. This is across the board - bars, restaurants etc. You get real warmth and interest from most people.

I get the same sense of impending violence though, that I get in some cities in the UK. That it wouldn't take much for people to kick off and for things to get nasty in some places.

Yes there's no stigma to drink driving, that's what I was trying to say. The government/police are trying to stop it but the locals don't dissuade their pissed friends from doing it as we do in the UK.

I really don't get the cycling on the pavement thing either - everyone does is in Sydney. I cycle but use the road.

Trolley if you're hearing casual racism in Oz, it's likely the people you're mixing with.

I live in South Australia....I am British. I never hear any racism and in fact I have never lived anywhere where so much attention is paid to the rights of black people than here.

Indigenous people are first in the queue as they should be for all sorts of things here....grants, arts opportunities, jobs.....everyone I know is well informed and politically aware.

I am Australian and live in Australia but have also lived in the UK.
A few facts and anecdotes:

• Drink driving is not acceptable.
• There really isnt millions of beasties lurking around the corner ready to kill you.
• It's insanely expensive to live here (in certain cities).
• We don't all hang out at the beach. My nearest beach is over 300km away.
• Racists are everywhere.
• Life is not like Home and Away or Neighbours (just like life in the UK isn't like Corrie.

I would give my eyeteeth to move back to the UK. However we earn more here.

Gin I live on the outskirts of Adelaide...well it's IN Adelaide but not the city and we certainly do all hang out at the beach But we live v close to one.

It's usual in the Summer for most parents to pick up from school and go straight to the beach.

Would you really move back to the UK? I LOVE the UK and am English but I found it harder and harder to just get by there.

Things were so expensive...not clothing and food but days out.

Anywhere nice felt out of our reach.