Europe vs. Oz

TattooedMac said:

If ya come down under to live with skippy, make sure to get some digs first and then go get a crust. If ya have a sheila with you thats good, because she can get the chooks from Woolies and meat too to have a Bar b. Make sure you don't get crook, but if you do, just go out on compo, and if all else fails, just go on the dole.
If your on the dole, sit at home, watch a warrie and have a cuppa with moo juice, and a cpl of bikkies.
If you live in Perth in summer you will get the Fremantle Dr come in around 4ish.
Smoking darts in public is becoming more and more real, so don't do that.
Don't go out on the town and get drunk, as you might end up in a divvie van, and if not the booze bus might end up getting you as you pass a road train . . .

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And I thought English was the national language?!? ;D

TattooedMac said:

So come on down because 95% of us Aussies live within 150kms of the coast, and anything beyond is desert. We have 8 out of the top 10 deadliest snakes and spiders. And in the sea, box jelly fish or sharks will get ya. You just are not safe, and i would read into our Slang too lol

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I think I've got some learning to do!

TattooedMac said:

There are a lot of Sth African Ex Pats over here. Its lovely. Melb is a Cultral City, Sydney is full of yuppies, Brisbane, well the whole state of Queensland is its own State, the NT, if you didn't read a paper or watch the box, you wouldn't know what day it is, its so laid back. Tassie is just down right beautiful state, but no jobs, and Western Australia is gorgeous top to bottom and thats where i live. And FYI Perth is the most isolated city in the world

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Lots and lots of choices. I've been to Sydney, Melbourne, briefly to Perth (passing through on the way to Perenjori) and have spent about 10 weeks in all in the Hunter Valley. Plus a couple of days in Queensland. I think culturally Australia and SA not too different, but as you say, there's a different flavour in each city/state. Perth seems to be nice and hot, if not too hot, but is closer geographically to the 'rest of the world' as I see it. I have relatives in Melbourne (weather sucks) and I have business dealings with a company in Sydney. So as you can see the choice is easy!

TattooedMac said:

Come on down under . . . .

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Thanks for the kind invite and if I do end up taking you up on it, will look you up for a cold one!

Checco said:

Funny one about the States! Let's hope they keep all in order though, as when they're doing well, we all do well! I'm surprised vansmith didn't swoop down on your comment!

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This might be one of the few times that I'm not sure why I should respond.

TattooedMac said:

If ya come down under to live with skippy, make sure to get some digs first and then go get a crust. If ya have a sheila with you thats good, because she can get the chooks from Woolies and meat too to have a Bar b. Make sure you don't get crook, but if you do, just go out on compo, and if all else fails, just go on the dole.
If your on the dole, sit at home, watch a warrie and have a cuppa with moo juice, and a cpl of bikkies.
If you live in Perth in summer you will get the Fremantle Dr come in around 4ish.
Smoking darts in public is becoming more and more real, so don't do that.
Don't go out on the town and get drunk, as you might end up in a divvie van, and if not the booze bus might end up getting you as you pass a road train . . .

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*Looks up "language spoken in Australia. Yes, it is English, hmmmm....*

I think this is a testament to the fact that what the vernacular is one place can differ greatly from another (not a criticism - just an observation).

vansmith said:

This might be one of the few times that I'm not sure why I should respond.

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Apologies van, I assumed you were from south of your border and expected you to respond to this:

jdsheepdog said:

Coming from the US of A however, you will not be able to claim refugee status, although the way the US is going, and under President Palin, that may change.

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vansmith said:

*Looks up "language spoken in Australia. Yes, it is English, hmmmm....*
I think this is a testament to the fact that what the vernacular is one place can differ greatly from another (not a criticism - just an observation).

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Yebo.

Checco said:

I'm not from the States though...look up the ZA in my profile and being an Aussie, you might just be a little less welcoming Hope not though!

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Your points:
Yes I see the news reports on the boats from North Africa heading for Italy, and it makes the Australian "problem" look like a drop in the ocean. Australia recently had built eight vessels for border protection at a cost of $344,000,000 or $43,000,000 each which will be used to arrest boats that you would be lucky to sell for $43 each. The money could have been spent on building a world class refugee processing facility that might have done some good. I was actually involved in the design of these vessels (I am a Naval Architect) and more than anything it was a power grab by Customs and Border Protection.

Immigrants and cultural retention:
You are of course correct, however there is a difference in the end purpose of the cultural cohesion. The Greek and Italian etc communities subconsciously used their language and cultural collective force as a means to integrate into the Australian community that as individuals they would not have been able to do as readily. The islamic communities on the other hand appear to be using their cohesiveness as a mechanism to retain and reinforce their isolation. Again, a sweeping generalisation, rebuttable many times over by individual example.

Sorry about the assumption that you were in the states, I should have seen the ZA, and yes, there are a lot of South Africans in Perth, almost a well heeled ghetto in Cottesloe, a Perth suburb. This will help, as you will be able to hold a conversation about cricket, especially important now since we are finally giving the poms a thrashing.

And, from an informal dictionary of Australian usage, published years ago:

Aorta: The body of government responsible for all problems, as in: "Aorta get more buses, " or "Aorta build another harbour bridge."

Dingo: I did not attend, as in: "Jeggoda the tennis? Nah, dingo, sorten TV."

Gunga Din: I cannot enter, as in: "Gunga din, door slockt."

jdsheepdog said:

And, from an informal dictionary of Australian usage, published years ago:

Aorta: The body of government responsible for all problems, as in: "Aorta get more buses, " or "Aorta build another harbour bridge."

Dingo: I did not attend, as in: "Jeggoda the tennis? Nah, dingo, sorten TV."

Gunga Din: I cannot enter, as in: "Gunga din, door slockt."

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And we call our country ~ Straya

@Checco Well its good to hear you have been hear then. Yea you can go to Italy and sip coffee while eating pizza, (as you can in Melbourne) but we have SO much to see in Australia. Every state is vastly different from the other in what you can see. From tall timbers in the sty of WA, to the Pinnacles north of Perth to 80 Mile beach and feeding Dolphins. To the Deep dark dense rain forests in Nth Queensland where the rats are the size of cats (i was in the Army and had to live at Canungra for a mth) and the snap in Southern NSW Nth Victoria.
Yea the price of living is a little high on the index, BUT the wages are good too. Before i got my Vets Pension, i was on $1400/wk in the hand, and i don't have a Uni degree.

So you do have a lot to think about. BUT when you do come and live in Perth, and yes the Suburb of Cottesloe is Gorgeous


And when you do look me up and can have a coldie down the Cott

jdsheepdog said:

Sorry about the assumption that you were in the states, I should have seen the ZA, and yes, there are a lot of South Africans in Perth, almost a well heeled ghetto in Cottesloe, a Perth suburb. This will help, as you will be able to hold a conversation about cricket, especially important now since we are finally giving the poms a thrashing.

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No problem, I've done the same - lots of Americans (US & Canadian) here! It does help to be amongst your "own", but can lead to a more difficult time as it may end up being a non-stop comparison to old home..."when-we"s. Trying to integrate well is probably the best approach, otherwise it just never becomes home. Glad you guys are faring better in the cricket!
About the political stuff, always a difficult one, really hairy.

jdsheepdog said:

And, from an informal dictionary of Australian usage, published years ago:

Aorta: The body of government responsible for all problems, as in: "Aorta get more buses, " or "Aorta build another harbour bridge."

Dingo: I did not attend, as in: "Jeggoda the tennis? Nah, dingo, sorten TV."

Gunga Din: I cannot enter, as in: "Gunga din, door slockt."

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LOL! Glad to hear we're not the only ones that eat our words!

TattooedMac said:

And we call our country ~ Straya

@Checco Well its good to hear you have been hear then. Yea you can go to Italy and sip coffee while eating pizza, (as you can in Melbourne) but we have SO much to see in Australia. Every state is vastly different from the other in what you can see. From tall timbers in the sty of WA, to the Pinnacles north of Perth to 80 Mile beach and feeding Dolphins. To the Deep dark dense rain forests in Nth Queensland where the rats are the size of cats (i was in the Army and had to live at Canungra for a mth) and the snap in Southern NSW Nth Victoria.
Yea the price of living is a little high on the index, BUT the wages are good too. Before i got my Vets Pension, i was on $1400/wk in the hand, and i don't have a Uni degree.

So you do have a lot to think about. BUT when you do come and live in Perth, and yes the Suburb of Cottesloe is Gorgeous

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I certainly do! Lots to see as well. What I've seen I've generally liked, except maybe the flies in the Hunter Valley! Melbourne is an exquisite city and I liked the feel of Sydney :Blushing:. Very expensive though.

TattooedMac said:

And when you do look me up and can have a coldie down the Cott

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Well I'll be in Italy for new Year and likely in "Australia" in March. (LOL: my iPad just autocorrected Stralia to Australia, hence the inverted commas above). Hopefully a couple of reasonably close visits will also help in the decision-making...although I must say that the Aussies are already very welcoming, even while still in SA! Thanks jd and TM, I owe you both a cold one!