"Nice country, but I wouldn't live in Australia though." Discuss...

BarryCreed

Howdee,

So, there are an amount of threads here on Australia and the ins and outs of getting work etc. lifestyle and all that. Nobody seems to have a bad thing to say about the place. I've been there for a few months and am considering going back on a WHV (to work, not to travel). I'm hummin and hawin though.
While the weather is great, you can go to continental Europe and get the same climate, but you wouldn't (probably) make the same money if you got yourself a job. I also feel my languages would go to waste in Oz, I bust me backside learning them, and they would be redundant over there (French and Italian, bit of Spanish). At the same time, I'm at a stage where I need to think about getting a fairly decent job. Seems to be that they can be found down under. Plus, I love the sea, so Oz again gets the thumbs up.

I have met quite a few people who have lived in Oz for a few years, but came home. They seemed to be of the opinion that it's a great country but "we wouldn't live there". The ozzies "were like this or like that" and it put them off. I didn't really experience any problems over there at all, but it made me curious as to why people would stay there for a few years, but not want to live there, but come home here and give about the weather etc.

Yes, family and friends are far away if you live in Oz, but those things don't really bother me. People argue the point with me "you could go to the South West of France or North of Spain near the sea and you'd still have your weather and good lifestyle". Yes, this is true , I could be at an advantage with my language skills and technical writing experience in Fra or Sp, but there's no guarantee I'd get a good job there, and from what I hear, the pay is pretty low in that part of the med. I wouldn't go back to Italy for the same reason. I'm not a big city fan either. Perth was nice though..

I suppose I'm just shooting the breeze about this rather than trying to make a decision, as I'll have it well thought out anyways..

While most seem to be raving about Oz here, are there any who would be "meh.." about it? If so, why?

BraziliaNZ

Well it's just another western country at the end of the day, but they're FAR more like us than the Americans and Canadians, and we have a lot more in common with the Aussies than we do the French, Germans etc. So it's easy to feel at home here. I think the reason some Irish WHV people say they "wouldn't live there" is because they miss mammy and daddy and the local GAA club etc. back home, and look forward to the fuss that will be made over them when they get back to Eire.
Unemployment is pretty bad in France and Spain, and you'd have to live in a tiny flat in the city if you wanted a job, if you were lucky enough to get one. The social scene wouldn't be the same, they don't go to pubs etc.
So down here is pretty much like what everyone wants Ireland to be, good weather, great beaches, friendly people, no scumbags harassing you on the street, plenty of work, plenty of space, good public transport in the cities (well Melbourne anyway can't speak for the rest). So yeah there are pros and pros, I can't even think of any cons, apart from the fact that you're miles from your family.

BarryCreed

yeah, i like the idea of space that you get in Oz, but I also love quaint med towns. I like the idea that most of the population lives in close proximity to the sea in Oz, I like to (try) and surf, whereas if I went to e.g. France, I would probably have to go to Paris at first (don't like big cities). I like continental ladies, but you get lots of 2nd generation ones in Oz anyways!!;) Italian etc..

I'd probably head straight for Perth, ideally Fremantle, and even more ideally Margaret River, but no IT jobs in Margs....:(

Less quirky smaller cool bands touring in Oz, you'd see them on the continent all the time (population, logistics etc)

Would love to hold onto the languages, but maybe sacrifices have to be made somewhere down the line....

BraziliaNZ

yeah my bro lives in perth i'm off there in 2 weeks, they often take trips to mags river, some ridiculously good waves there, but i wouldn't go near the reefs at this stage, if you want any info gimme a holla

BarryCreed

yeah, spent a month in WA last year, cousin lives in Beechboro. He's from Perth. Beechboro was your typical suburbia, quiet, far away from the centre lol...
Fremantle was nice though, as was margaret river. Spiders are my only fear.big ones.