Australians, tell me about your home...

[ShutteredEye]

I am currently in chiropractic college, and several times it has come up that Australia is a market that is really growing chiropractically. Several graduates from my college have gone Down Under and done very well.

The thought of moving away from the 'States is both thrilling and frightening, and I think if there were anywhere I'd actually consider living, it would be Australia. I am a big time homebody, and don't appreciate the cultural climate that exists against Americans right now, so that precludes most other places.

I guess I'm quite curious about the way of life down under (actually planning on visiting in a couple years or so,) and how it compares to life here in the US. I'd be bringing my family, so education, and their safety would be key. We also plan on having a few babies during this time period, so health care is another concern.

So, Aussies, any advice? What's your impression of chiropractic? How are Americans viewed? And if you've visited the US, how do things differ, or how are they the same?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Meysha]

If you're anything to do medically related you'll be fine in Australia. We've got a huge shortage of just about everyone especially in rural areas, but also in the cities. So you don't need to really worry there.

Cultural differences depend on where you're planning on going in Oz (just like they do in US). There are big differences between rural towns (in terms of people and services) and Small cities to the larger southern cities.

From what I can tell and have experienced we're not that different to America or the UK in most things. A few things I have noticed.
Americans are a lot more polite than Australians, which unfortunately we find just irritating or obnoxious or even that you're taking the mickey out of us sometimes. I don't think we really hate americans at all. We just love to make fun of you a lot. Mind you we take the piss out of everyone.
There's actually a huge syndrome here called Tall Poppy Syndrome (dunno if it's in the states). It's when you hate to see someone do better than you so you just have to cut them down by being horrible.
Another thing is the accent and intonation you guys have. Also the speed you talk at is really really fast sometimes. And you just have to slow down for us aussies to handle it all at once. Our accent is very slack - so when we hear the american accents they just sort of make us cringe a little.
:bats off the rotten tomatoes being thrown at me:

From the health perspective, we have 2 forms of medical care. The state run and basically free Medicare (which is really really good and better than the US version) or you can pay money and go privately. That means you have access to private hospitals and stuff.

Education is excellent imo. We have state, private and catholic schools. It's too hard to generalise these because each school has it's own specialisation. Like if you wanted to study music or the arts you would go to the big State Highschool in my town because they were the best at that. If you wanted technology you'd go to one of the Private school (what I did) because it was the best at that. But generally they're great. Teachers here are extremely well educated - you have to do a 4 year degree to teach, unlike in other parts of the world where it's none at all.

I'll add more as I think of it.

 

[Meysha]

There's a lot of info on the web about aussie culture, because well - I guess it is a little strange now that I'm looking at it. We eat weird food, wear weird clothes, play strange sports and talk strangely - (plus we spell words correctly, like neighbour, colour, analyse, favourite) hehehe

http://www.convictcreations.com/ <- Funny site which actually explains a lot, and a lot I didn't know before hand.

Oh and just to brag a little - my great great great (whatever) grandfather was one of the first governor-generals of Australia . Woo hoo for me!

 

[ShutteredEye]

LOL, thanks a bunch Meysha, that helps alot!

Specifically, my daughter will be 9, so 4th grade here.

My fiance is a pediatric critical care nurse, and I think she'd probably be interested in continuing to work.

What is "talking the mickey out of someone?"

Tall poppy syndrome: Here it's called "being catty." And it goes on nonstop.

At least I'm from Texas, where we talk a tad slower than the rest of the US. And you think the regular Americans have an accent, wait until you meet a Texan!

 

[Meysha]

Another link http://www.inaustralia.com.au/Info/Australia.htm On the map there you'll see Cairns and that's where I'm from. So I'm a Far Northerner.... Ya just can't trust those big city folk from the south. hehe *jks*

"to take the mickey out of someone" is to make fun of someone but it a bad way generally.

Also if you're thinking of coming out here - pay attention to the weather. Australia is roughly the same size as the USA so weather varies enourmously. I've travelled a lot around Australia so if you've got any more specific questions on a certain region let me know.
I know there's a couple of Newcastle and Sydneysiders here on the board too, so when they wake up in a few hours time (it's 4am there atm) get ready to cop it. They're so full of crap down south. Thinking they're big shots with their business suits and big cities. he he he *jks* I really do love you guys and your cities.

 

[Luminosity]

Oh and just to brag a little - my great great great (whatever) grandfather was one of the first governor-generals of Australia . Woo hoo for me!

Lol , my great grandfather ( or his brother, my great-great uncle ....I forget which ) was the first Australian born ( yet Jewish ) Governer-General of Australia :shock:

His name was Sir Isaac Isaacs ( his parents mustnt have had much of an imagination with names )

 

[Meysha]

Ok you win! That's pretty cool though... but that is such a dodgy name!

Oh yeah...Well my great grandfather massacred hundreds of aborigines (not proud of this btw), caused the huge Rum Rebellion that got all the convicts really pissed off, and he wrote the first dictionary of english slang. (i think it was the first anyway).

Oh and I thought of something else robert, we're really strange in how we show our patriotic-ness (and also out word invention.. hehehe).
I reckon we're all really patriotic (but we don't like to admit it coz that would be showing off - and that's another thing we hate, except when involving old Governer-Generals).
Anyway just look at one song we were sort of thinking of having as our National anthem (but I think the g'ment chucked it out)... Waltzing Matilda. Almost every Aussie will know this song.. and love it too, but god help us if we can sing our own national anthem!
Waltzing Matilda is about a guy who robs a sheep and then drowns himself in a billabong (pond thing) to get away from the cops. Not exactly the most 'correct' national anthem. So that should give you a bit of an idea about the aussie mentality. hehe.

 

[Luminosity]

Nah, wasnt mentioning it to brag or compete darl lol. I guess I was wondering if Isaacs was who you were referring to and if that made us related .
So was this your ancestor ?

http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=John+Hope%2C+1st+Marquess+of+Linlithgow&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1

 

[Meysha]

Nope that's not him. His name was Major Francis Grose. And actually I just found out he wasn't the 'real' GG he was only the 'Administrator' because they had no one else. bugger.

 

[Jewel]

Hi Robert

Now you've heard from the Aussies that don't live here... ;-)

I'm an ex-nurse and my partner is still a perioperative nurse at one of 2 specialist children's hospitals in Brisbane. I believe the situation for specialist paediatric critical care nurses here is 'critical', so if your wife can get the appropriate visa stuff, it shouldn't be a problem for her to get work. My understanding is that the situation is similar in all states - nurses are definitely a priority item.

A Texan girl works with my partner, and she has been here for about 3 years now and I think she'll be here for longer still.

With regards to health care for your family - until you actually become a citizen or are from a 'reciprocal country' - another Commonwealth county eg UK or NZ - my understanding is that you're not entitled to the free Medicare system. Unfortunately that means you will have to pay for health cover. Try out some of the excellent government websites eg www.immi.gov.au for more information. Joy, our Texan friend, has been paying tax, including the Medicare levy, and even though she's been here so long, she isn't covered by Medicare as she's still a US citizen. Not fair, but the Government here is notorious for taking as many hits out of your paypacket as it possibly can.

As Meysha said, climate varies dramatically, however the majority of the Australian population lives near the coast and/or in the capital cities. Health care and education options are better in the cities than regional areas, and work is generally easier to get, but that goes hand in hand with higher housing costs, higher cost of living, and higher crime rate.

Speaking of crime. No need yet for metal detectors in schools, the govt keeps further limiting firearms and those that can use them. So some things are safer. Be prepared for the Nanny State mentality, no matter where you go, because we must all be protected from ourselves by legislation that tries to emulate our aged grandmothers...

Hope this helps in some way.

Cheers
Jewel (with no famous ancestors that I know of...)

 

[JonMikal]

plus, you guys have "the wiggles"!!!!

 

[2Stupid2Duck]

And we have the crocodile hunter. LMAO. How sad... and I live 20 minutes down the road from his zoo. How ever sadder.

I doubt this will help, but I have some Ozzie landscapes pics on me site if you're at all interested. Also, in the homes section, there are a couple of typically ozzie houses (well, typically Brisbane anyways).

Feel free to look and comment if ya wanna.

addy = www.photoslamour.com

Good luck with it mate. At least we're a friendly bunch over here. Fairly multi-cultural as well.

 

[ferny]

Despite the crocodile hunter, the wiggles and fosters... I wouldn't mind going to the land of Aus. I don't know why, but every single person who I've met from there has been really nice. Not a mean bone in their body. And thinking back, I've met quite a few.
Still, the flight is too long and I hate hot weather so I doubt I'll ever go. I think most people have it on their "wouldn't mind spending a fair bit of time there" list. If that £50 offer was still in existance I think I'd take it.

 

[Xmetal]

I hate hot weather

Melbourne is your answer...

 

[Meysha]

Melbourne is your answer...

He didn't say he wanted **** weather. :lmao:

Just north of Brisbane to about Sydney would be the best weather for a european I reckon. Still warm enough to say you've visited Oz, but cool enough so you don't die, also a pretty piss weak sun (compared to other parts) so your nice pasty white skin doesn't get ruined.