Is Australia all it's cracked up to be?

BillyMitchel

HardLuckWoman wrote: »

Anyone thats been in the uk, is a salary of £16000-17000 worth it?

I done it in Manchester and struggled but I'm useless with money. If its London you are going to I'd say it could be difficult.

Thing with the UK is you can find deals on just about everything.

Awesomeness

Why limit it to the places that are similar to Ireland. So many countiries in Europe and Asia where you could go where you would also get to experiencedifferent cultures and experiences you would never get in England or Australia

Canis Lupus

16-17k would be barely doable in London but it'd be very tight and probably not much fun tbh. I'd be looking at 20k min for there. Outside of London it'd be a bit better but not much.

Gingko

Pros and cons! Yes more sunshine and more likely to get work if you call slaving work. Hotter women? Not sure about that? Have a night out in Dublin, Belfast, Galway etc and it's just as good with some depth too. Feel its more the country lads think down under is better for women? Australia is a good launch pad for Indonesia and Asia and that is one worth exploring.

Culturally better here and less aggro here. Never came across as much aggro as there is down under at work, nights out, sport you name it? Very macho competitive insecure society. Racism is endemic.

Enjoyed the sun, beaches, European back packers and surf although the surf scene is better here too! Friendlier and not wedged with macho fools. Better humour here too.

Spent two years there. Had some good times and made friends but have no interest returning. It's shallow and not particularly stimulating. Nicer scenery here and the air is fresher here too. If you must go then make sure the work is ethical as much of it is not. Re mining etc, Serious environmental destruction and breach of indigenous rights.

When I finally arrived home first thing I did was tour the west of Ireland and realised just how beautiful our country is. Went for a surf at Sligo, chilled on Quay Street in Galway for a day, drove along the Burren coast and joined a session in Doolin. Home is where the heart is! Love it!

Can keep yer wasps! Bland!

lecker Hendl

CONS:
It's full of Australians, Irish and Brits. The Asians wreck your head with their ****ing rice everywhere in the kitchens of hostels.

It's devoid of any culture.

They're seriously not afraid of pulling out an oul racism. I once was getting a lift off an oul fella and he saw a 'future terrorist in the making' walking down the street.

PROS:
Bit of laugh.

Plenty of fanny/cock - whatever floats your boat

you can use all your racisms up over there ya mick pisshead.

Fair dinkum.

lahalane

I went over there expecting it to be great after hearing such good things but I was let down. Work was not as easy to get as I had hoped. I was signed up with 3 agencies and was still only able to get 3 days work a week most of the time. This was just enough to get by. The nightlife bored me a bit too. I appreciated Ireland a lot more when I came home. Obviously not everyone is going to have the bad experiences that I had but some will. To answer the question in the title, it's not all it's cracked up to be but it's decent.

swimming in a sea

I loved the ozzy sun, no matter if I was having a crap day all I had to do was walk outside feel that sun on my face and I was happy.

SunnyDub1

Just came across the thread.

OP I was in more or less the same position as yourself. Found out before Christmas that the company I work with are closing their doors here in Dublin this summer:(.
Staff members where given the option to take redundancy (not a whole lot ) or fly over to their Manchester office and work there for nearly 20% less of what we are all currently getting paid. Bum deal.

Spent some time trying to get work else where over here - no luck.

So said Fu*k it, gonna travel and make my way to Oz to see what it has to offer :cool: . Encouraged 2 of my close Friends to do it with me. Leave in August and cannot wait

The way I see it is you won't know till you try it. I have older Friends and family who have regretted not doing it while they had the chance (younger, no tie downs etc) if it doesn't work out and you dislike it for whatever reason it's a flight home, not the end of the world. But out of all the people I know who are currently over there and have been and back , I have yet to hear of one person saying they hated it or disliked it!
Get your visa, book flights and do it !!!

--Kaiser--

1ZRed

If I got the ride off chris hemsworth I'd say I was doin grand

anncoates

I think I'm the only person in Ireland that has zero interest in ever seeing Australia.

chopser

Seriously there are over 190 countries in the world, why would you go to one so similar to Ireland?

Jobs are from what I hear not as easy to get over there as before, if you have a degree, or even if you don't, you can get a job teaching English in the vast majority of foreign countries.

If you want to feck off as you said , why not look more to South America and Asia for your year off?

Great place, great lads etc

Seriously, it's ok if you limit your involvement with the green brigade. The Irish 'scene' there is basically Coppers times 100: GAA jerseys, binge drinking etc

Ray Palmer

Judging by Australians I have worked with it can't be that pleasant. Total of about 15 of them I worked closely with about another 30 just general dealings. Some of them nice and some not so nice but I found certain attitudes pretty disheartening.

Generally drama queens with lots of overreactions from all of them at some point. Did not come across as a patient people and being in a environment where such would be acceptable does not sound pleasant. The constant up lift at the end of sentences like a question also irritates me.

I'll go visit at some point but not high on my list of places I would want to live as a result of experiences with Australians and that is with having Australian friends

Mazeire

anncoates wrote: »

I think I'm the only person in Ireland that has zero interest in ever seeing Australia.

No. You're really not.

BraziliaNZ

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

I never understood why Australia seems to be the mecca for "finding yourself" and "its the making of you". I mean, there are plenty of places in the world you can go to where it is hot, there is work available and you get to meet lots of new people. Presumably an advantage of Australia is you can expand your social skills and have some fun and it gives you a clear outlook on life, with a pleasing background of sunshine and beaches and unspoiled landscape but why does it have to be Australia. I have no desire to ever go there and im in my late 20s and I dont feel im missing out at all. Yet theres a stigma to admitting this, almost as if its a sin to not want to go there.

If you want to see the place I can understand that but whats wrong with a year out in Europe, Canada, America or New Zealend (finances allowing!). Skills can be learned anywhere, not exclusively Australia and the way some of the Irish have sullied our name with their scummy antics in Australia I would be looking to distance myself. Dont get all the fuss personally

NZ is lovely but pretty f**king boring...
Canada even worse. This is my experience of living in these places.
Australia is just amazing I thought, warm, beach lifestyle, barbecues, amazing food, great fishing, watersports, familiar people and culture. It's like Ireland or UK in the sun.
I'd love to live there but I don't know anyone there and all ma peeps are up this way.
Lot of people on this forum seem to think people go to Australia to find themselves etc. I didn't. I went to live in the sun and work a bit and party and earn some money and try to sleep with local women (fail!!!). Had a nice house with a shared swimming pool. Now I live in a sh*tty bedsit in Brixton for which I'm paying a fortune.
So if you go, enjoy it while you can, don't listen to the haters on here, they're just jealous.

Essien

It's been said heaps of times but it really is what you make it.

I came home recently having been there for almost 2 years. Most of the Irish there have little interest in doing anything but drinking, which to me is beyond depressing, considering all the stuff to see there. I knew one group who were there about 4 years when I arrived and at that stage they had NEVER been to a beach. They just work, drink and talk about home with other Irish people, rinse and repeat.

On the other hand I know guys who have made friends from all over and spend most of their spare time doing things that make the most of the environment and climate - Stuff like off roading, camping and sea fishing.

Australia is only like Ireland if you want it to be.

Wompa1

chopser wrote: »

Seriously there are over 190 countries in the world, why would you go to one so similar to Ireland?

Jobs are from what I hear not as easy to get over there as before, if you have a degree, or even if you don't, you can get a job teaching English in the vast majority of foreign countries.

If you want to feck off as you said , why not look more to South America and Asia for your year off?

Ah yeah but are most that leave, just looking for 'a year off' or are they trying to make some money and build for their future? I think a politician got in trouble for suggesting some were going for the craic before...

I moved to Arizona over a year ago. Not for a year, not with friends and not to party. With the struggles here, I couldn't imagine if I had picked to move somewhere else like Germany, Brazil etc. with a different language and completely different culture.

I would have thought the culture here would be somewhat similar to Ireland. It is not at all. Other than the language, everything is different here. Going from green hills, to sandy desert. Fresh crisp air to thick air. Looking for certain things in shops and asking the clerk with them not having a clue what you are talking about because that's not a term in this country. Try finding window wash for your car or bubble bath here!! Drinking driving seems to be accepted here but drinking is a lot less frequent and it's not the be all and end all. Driving is completely different. All automatic, no diesels really.

I never lived in Australia but I would assume there's also those differences. Australian culture is also different. The brand of rugby they support is much more fast paced and exciting. They have Aussie Rules and Cricket. There's a large Asian population. Much more into water sports. The Australians themselves seem to have a very relaxed attitude in regards to careers. The scenery is completely different to Ireland.

Is your point to go somewhere to get away from the Irish? On that bit I'd kinf of agree with you, if you are just hanging out with your Irish friends over there then it's probably a lot less integration..more segregation. Like going on an extended holiday with your friends.

Bungarra

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Half the wildlife wants to kill you. The other half doesn't, but would probably accidentally do so anyway.

I think this is a joke but anyway... It's said so much....
This surely can't be a reason not to visit Australia...
I spend alot of time driving around the bush (and camping, outback hotels) and never come across anything dangerous, plenty of kangaroo's, emu's, eagle's, massive lizards. Never a spider ready to bite me or a scorpion etc.
Also, there's been less people killed by spiders here in the last 20 years than there has by toaster malfunctions in Ireland in the same time. Thats's a guess but probably a true fact. Most of the ones labeled as deadly are only deadly to people who are either already seriously in trouble or infants oldies etc. The two most dangerous and very common, funnelweb and redback havent killed anyone in like 25years or something.

I also spend alot of time in the ocean. Plenty of small reef sharks, loads of different fish, turtles, rays, dolphins etc. Never a shark ready to eat me. There is the odd shark incident but getting in a car is more of a risk than getting in the water.....

The nature stuff/wildlife is Australia's best asset (beside iron ore:cool:). It really is pretty unbelievable if you're into that stuff...

If you're not into this stuff, or outdoorsy stuff in general, I can't understand why you'd come here over anywhere else. It's basically Ireland in the sun... With work. No culture(besides aboriginal, which has mostly been ruined), similar type of people, worse bars etc.

Also... Special mention to my favourite place, and I've been to most places I want to get to at this stage, Exmouth (ningaloo), the best of both worlds, all kinds of bush animals, everywhere, the nicest beaches with coral reefs within easy swimming distance. Turtles, reef sharks, rays and fish everywhere. Go there and spend some time in Cape Range, Coral Bay.

Bungarra

Wompa1 wrote: »

I moved to Arizona over a year ago. Not for a year, not with friends and not to party. With the struggles here, I couldn't imagine if I had picked to move somewhere else like Germany, Brazil etc. with a different language and completely different culture.

I would have thought the culture here would be somewhat similar to Ireland. It is not at all. Other than the language, everything is different here. Going from green hills, to sandy desert. Fresh crisp air to thick air. Looking for certain things in shops and asking the clerk with them not having a clue what you are talking about because that's not a term in this country. Try finding window wash for your car or bubble bath here!! Drinking driving seems to be accepted here but drinking is a lot less frequent and it's not the be all and end all. Driving is completely different. All automatic, no diesels really.





Wow... struggles??? ehmmmm. If you count these as struggles then you might actually have more pressing issues...

lufties

I got the permanent residence 175 visa after 6 months due to my work skill, but decided to leave after a year and a half as I couldn't warm to the Aussies. At least there is the option of going back once you have it.

Living in SE Asia is much better though

yermanoffthetv

Essien wrote: »

It's been said heaps of times but it really is what you make it.

I came home recently having been there for almost 2 years. Most of the Irish there have little interest in doing anything but drinking, which to me is beyond depressing, considering all the stuff to see there. I knew one group who were there about 4 years when I arrived and at that stage they had NEVER been to a beach. They just work, drink and talk about home with other Irish people, rinse and repeat.

On the other hand I know guys who have made friends from all over and spend most of their spare time doing things that make the most of the environment and climate - Stuff like off roading, camping and sea fishing.

Australia is only like Ireland if you want it to be.

^ This is quite true unfortunately. I know plenty of Irish people who do the exact same. Whinged for years about being bored and sitting around the pub every weekend and then come over here and do the exact same. I cant understrand why either as the beer is crap and overpriced and the pubs are rubbish sports bars full of pokey machines.If you want to waste your time and money on that then good luck. Great wine though which is very reasonable (apart from goon :P)

As you say, get out there and see as much as you can because theres stunning scenerey and so much to do. Its a real outdoors culture from scuba diving to snowboarding, if you ignore that your missing out on 99% of whats best about Australia.

If Australia turns out not to be your cup of tea its still not a waste of a year because the money is quite good over here and its an excellent springboard for Asia or South America if your into travelling.

crockholm

Wompa1 wrote: »

Ah yeah but are most that leave, just looking for 'a year off' or are they trying to make some money and build for their future? I think a politician got in trouble for suggesting some were going for the craic before...

I moved to Arizona over a year ago. Not for a year, not with friends and not to party. With the struggles here, I couldn't imagine if I had picked to move somewhere else like Germany, Brazil etc. with a different language and completely different culture.

I would have thought the culture here would be somewhat similar to Ireland. It is not at all. Other than the language, everything is different here. Going from green hills, to sandy desert. Fresh crisp air to thick air. Looking for certain things in shops and asking the clerk with them not having a clue what you are talking about because that's not a term in this country. Try finding window wash for your car or bubble bath here!! Drinking driving seems to be accepted here but drinking is a lot less frequent and it's not the be all and end all. Driving is completely different. All automatic, no diesels really.

I never lived in Australia but I would assume there's also those differences. Australian culture is also different. The brand of rugby they support is much more fast paced and exciting. They have Aussie Rules and Cricket. There's a large Asian population. Much more into water sports. The Australians themselves seem to have a very relaxed attitude in regards to careers. The scenery is completely different to Ireland.

Is your point to go somewhere to get away from the Irish? On that bit I'd kinf of agree with you, if you are just hanging out with your Irish friends over there then it's probably a lot less integration..more segregation. Like going on an extended holiday with your friends.

My heart bleeds for you for having to suffer Sedona,The Sonora Desert, the Grand Canyon,Meteor Crater,Flagstaff et al.;):mad:

DEFTLEFTHAND

The Irish in fairness do themselves no favours over there, so be wary of any racism reports. I was there meeting friends on a holiday for 5 weeks. Lets put the shoe on the other foot for arguments sake. Can you imagine a bunch of drunken ignorant Aussies wearing AFL jerseys walking down your street at 2pm and coming into your local bar being rowdy and using course language.

This escalates into more trouble as the session goes on with property damage and police called.

You wouldn't stand for it would you?

Legs.Eleven

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

The Irish in fairness do themselves no favours over there, so be wary of any racism reports. I was there meeting friends on a holiday for 5 weeks. Lets put the shoe on the other foot for arguments sake. Can you imagine a bunch of drunken ignorant Aussies wearing AFL jerseys walking down your street at 2pm and coming into your local bar being rowdy and using course language.

This escalates into more trouble as the session goes on with property damage and police called.

You wouldn't stand for it would you?

Genuine question: is it really that much of a problem? Would it be most Irish?

DEFTLEFTHAND

Legs.Eleven wrote: »

Genuine question: is it really that much of a problem? Would it be most Irish?

Where I was in Perth they were a genuine problem, it wasn't only a singular event. I witnessed several disgraceful performances by Irish plebs in a bar setting, I think they feel because they're abroad they can do whatever they like and not face any consequences. It's a real shame because they give us all a bad name, there's a lot of good Irish people who are indirectly affected by the scumbags behaviour.

Legs.Eleven

That's embarrassing.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Legs.Eleven wrote: »

That's embarrassing.

It is and it just reinforces any preexisting stereotypes anyway. The joke in Western Aus when I was there in 2010 was to exile any offenders to Tasmania. (Van Diemen's Land :pac:)

A penal colony within a penal colony.

The Aussie

yermanoffthetv wrote: »

If Australia turns out not to be your cup of tea its still not a waste of a year

My favourite is the Spanners who jump through every hoop, do their 88 days slave labour stay there for 2 years (I some cases go for sponsorship or go illegal ) and hate the place, all they do is whinge about the country but still stay there for as long as they possibly can, why stay???

The best was a w@nker who bagged the place before going there, slagged it the whole first year, attempted to do his 88 days rural work but failed to grasp the concept and worked in a Service Station thinking it was going to get him another year in a country he hated.

JJ's level of Toolism is great, and all done while wearing a poxy Goatee....:D

Darkwarriorcok

Living abroad anywhere, is really going to be god for you. I worked in Sydney for 2 years, in a professional role ahem, i was offerred the job before i went over, i.e. i went over for this job!!!

Came by people just out of university who could not find good jobs and were scraping by doing labouring/bar work etc, some bitched, some were happy enough, each to their own, but just to make you aware there aint an abundance of decent jobs available to backpackers on limited work visa restrictions.
City life in OZ is good, i am a city boy being from inner central Dublin, i was on a very good wage in OZ with an apartment paid for by my company, so obviously i lived pretty well.
We travelled up the east coast for a month at the end of our time in OZ, was ok, met some cool people, which was good but it got a bit tiring towards the end, felt like one big tourst trail, highlights were: diving the reef, walking on whitsunday beach (the rest of the boat trip bored us though), doing a few trips up to daintree and cape tribulation, some nice beaches around, was interesting but once was enough, perhaps hiring a car would be much better
Thought Brisbane/surfers was a kip and boring. Melbourne was cool, would of liked to live there for a while. Cairns was fun for a few days. Never made it to the rock or camped under the stars in the centre of oz aka the rock, which we would of liked but it was just to much hassle getting there, we had enough of the tourist trail at the time, perhaps a small regret.

OZ is good, i don't agree with going over, scraping by and getting pissed for the year but each to their own!
Nice womenz about too, nice weather, ozzies are ok, bang on for the most part, bit hot headed and somewhat stupid at times but some Irish inherit this trait over there too!!

If i had a wad of cash and was younger, i would travel around SE Asian for as long as possible, beautiful weather, happy people(yet poor - not all of em) and amazingly interesting, plus there are gems of paradise everywhere, particularly the islands in southern thailand, vietnam, cambodia, burma - amazing places.

Whatever you do, enjoy, the sense of freedom is liberating!!