If you had the same job would you go home?

Doc

Just wondering how many of you, if you could have the same job as you have here paying the same amount back in Ireland would go home?

Basically I'm wondering how big a factor your job is to the reason you are here.

Personally the reason I initially stayed here was that I had a job and don't think I would have gotten one had I gone home. But now that I think about it, if I was offered the very same job in Ireland with the same pay and the same conditions I don't think I would be ready to go back home.

I'm enjoying my time here and have built a life for myself that in may ways is better then the one I left behind in Ireland. I miss my parents, brothers and friends terribly but I know I would miss people here too if I left.

The job that first kept me here is no longer the only thing that is and I am starting to feel that even discounting it I have more here then I ever did at home.

Just wondering how the rest of you feel?

Xavi6

I don't know.

No way, my job is nothing more than a 9 to 5 gig that pays well enough for me to have a good lifestyle.

The difference here is that there's better weather to have that lifestyle so that's a bigger factor to me staying than my job.

Obviously I miss family and friends but Oz is best for me overall right now and that's got to be the priority.

catbear

I don't know.

When the opportunity to move to OZ came up I did a good bit of forum searching looking for info. A "ping pong pom" thread was very interesting, lots of people move over, love the lifestyle, weather, but then miss friends and social scene back home. They move back, can't settle back in and end up returning to OZ.

Right now I really like it here but I can see myself wanting a change in about 4/5 years. We're not paternally inclined and as all our friends in Ireland have sprogged and settled down we weren't going out much anymore anyway so we're not missing much there.

Work comes second to weather for me, I could do the same job back in Ireland but I'd really miss the weather here. Now on my morning off I'm going to head to the beach. Back home that would probably mean a bracing cold wind whipped walk along Tramore strand.

jackbhoy

I don't know.

It's a no for me.

I left a well paying job in Ireland and don't make much more here than I did there but I didn't move out of necessity, I moved for change of lifestyle.

I still get calls or LinkedIn messages from recruiters in Dublin offering really good contracts but haven't been even slightly tempted as yet.

Things might change in future but as of today I find it very hard to imagine leaving life I have in Melbourne.

markymark21

I don't know.

No way. You just can't compare Melbourne to anywhere in Ireland. Even when your doing nothing in Melbourne you can still chill out in a park, have a few beers with the sun on your back.. everyone seems happy and gets along.

Doc

I don't know.

markymark21 wrote: »

No way. You just can't compare Melbourne to anywhere in Ireland. Even when your doing nothing in Melbourne you can still chill out in a park, have a few beers with the sun on your back.. everyone seems happy and gets along.

In Summer but bring a coat just to be safe

Tigerandahalf

Interesting thread. I was in oz for a year. It was a great experience but overall I feel there is a better package here for me. It must be tough for people who just cant come home but it is better to be working out there than being here where it is a struggle to get work. I found oz great for being on a year out, great weather in general but could be hot and uncomfortable too when in work clothes. I guess it is different strokes for different folks.

Coileach dearg

I don't know.

Interesting that this thread popped up! Just before I jumped on boards, out of curiosity I was checking how much my job would pay in Ireland.
Even if I was contracting at home, I wouldn't be making what my permanent job is currently paying over here. Now, I know a good job is not all about the pay but I had an interesting conversation with the missus (she's Australian) last night where she said she wouldn't mind living in Ireland for a year to see what it would be like.
I hadn't even contemplated this as I recently got PR so I had a look at lunch and had a look at daft.ie and the job market. Rent looks to have decreased a good bit from 7 years ago but I’ve heard people say that the IT market has been reasonably stable. There doesn’t look to be many roles at all and the money looks to be fairly poor (as opposed to here).

Saying that though, I wouldn’t mind going back for a few months or even a year. Family would obviouly be the biggest factor in going back but I definitely see myself settling out here in the long run.

dave3004

I don't know.

No.

Simply because I'm 27 and this is kinda where I wanna be right now.

Will do some more travelling and maybe in 3 or 4 years I might but not right now.

Also, I am working for an Irish company out here so I wonder if I did get transferred home would I keep my equivalent wage or would it be reduced?

catbear

I don't know.

Coileach dearg wrote: »

Now, I know a good job is not all about the pay but I had an interesting conversation with the missus (she's Australian) last night where she said she wouldn't mind living in Ireland for a year to see what it would be like.

Saying that though, I wouldn’t mind going back for a few months or even a year. Family would obviouly be the biggest factor in going back but I definitely see myself settling out here in the long run.

No harm in indulging her curiousity, you could loads of travelling in europe while you're at it. Treat it like a working holiday in a familiar setting. The hardest part would be if your family and friends think you're back for good only to find out it's only temp. A lot to consider.

smurfjed

I'm vacationing in OZ for a month, to be honest I find it expensive, especially with the exchange rate, the cost of internet is driving me crazy, I think that my Telstra dongle has cost me A$240 so far! (Obviously I'm a heavy user ) So I'm wondering what it's like to live here, how does your cost of living compare to Ireland?

smurfjed

Xavi6

I don't know.

If you live and work here then it's all relative to wages and I have no issues with the cost of living, certainly don't find it any worse than when I was in Ireland.

If you come here on holiday or are starting out on a visa having converted your shit euro then yes, you'll find it very expensive.

massdebater

I don't know.

smurfjed wrote: »

how does your cost of living compare to Ireland?

As Xavi said, it's all relative. I got transferred to Melbourne 16 months ago, so I'm doing a smiliar job as I was in Ireland. My wages are higher here but at the same level of an Australian doing the same job. Even though I was living with the parents at home, I still have more disposable income in Australia, with a much better standard of living to boot.

To answer the OP, no I wouldn't move back to Ireland to do the same job. Most of my mates at home have already left anyway so there's very little to go back to apart from family.

smurfjed

In order to try to put things in context, can I ask what is an average or good wage in OZ?

smurfjed

augustus gloop

this whole "standard of living" thing confuses me slightly. what does people mean when using this cliche? standard of living is something which everybody says is better in oz blah blah blah. but what I want to know is what exact thing are you referencing to when using the term? im not flaming, i just think its become a bit of a buzz word when people talk about Australia, they just say it and dont really think about what it means. its not like the people of ireland are treated to a north korean style of oppression, the general standard of living here is quite high, that along with the family/friends close by (which is as much of a reason to go as stay for some people) means ireland is a great place for irish people.
ireland is a fantastic place, granted our weather is chit, and financial burdens weigh heavy on alot of people, but I dont see this drastic improvement in the so called "standard of living"
I am getting married in Australia next xmas and more than likely wont be home for a few years after that. (fiance and I took 12 months in Ireland so she could meet my folks/friends etc) and i know already, while Australia is the country i am looking forward to spending the rest of my days in, I will dearly miss ireland.
guess its different for everyone

augustus gloop

smurfjed wrote: »

In order to try to put things in context, can I ask what is an average or good wage in OZ?

smurfjed

for me, basically my Aus wage was 2.1x my irish wage and i would prob say expenditure was similar around 2.1x or so

massdebater

I don't know.

smurfjed wrote: »

In order to try to put things in context, can I ask what is an average or good wage in OZ?

smurfjed

$69,170 according to this
http://memoricardo.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/69170-australias-average-wage/

augustus gloop wrote: »

this whole "standard of living" thing confuses me slightly. what does people mean when using this cliche? standard of living is something which everybody says is better in oz blah blah blah. but what I want to know is what exact thing are you referencing to when using the term? im not flaming, i just think its become a bit of a buzz word when people talk about Australia, they just say it and dont really think about what it means. its not like the people of ireland are treated to a north korean style of oppression, the general standard of living here is quite high, that along with the family/friends close by (which is as much of a reason to go as stay for some people) means ireland is a great place for irish people.
ireland is a fantastic place, granted our weather is chit, and financial burdens weigh heavy on alot of people, but I dont see this drastic improvement in the so called "standard of living"
I am getting married in Australia next xmas and more than likely wont be home for a few years after that. (fiance and I took 12 months in Ireland so she could meet my folks/friends etc) and i know already, while Australia is the country i am looking forward to spending the rest of my days in, I will dearly miss ireland.
guess its different for everyone

Living in rural Ireland, I needed to drive everywhere. In Melbourne I can walk to shops/bars/restaurants etc.

The weather was crap in Ireland whereas even with Melbourne's cold winter, most of the time it was hotter than Ireland's summer.

Most of my mates have left Ireland which meant the local towns were dead on weekends. Here I can go out any night of the week and there'll always be a crowd around. I know more people in Australia than I do in Ireland at this stage.

In Ireland, I had to constantly listen to everyone moaning about the recession/budget/government etc etc whereas I don't have to listen to any of that crap here.

24 hour clubs/pubs/off licences in Melbourne versus Ireland's backwards closing times.

A host of big sporting events (AFL, Soccer, Tennis, F1, Golf etc) on my doorstep in Melbourne is a big plus too.

I play a lot of poker. In Ireland, there was very little going on in my area (apart from a small pub game) whereas here I have the Crown with weekly tournaments as well as numerous bigger tournaments throughout the year.

All of these things contribute to me having a better 'standard of living' now compared to what I had in Ireland. It might mean something different to some people but I'm not sure why you think standard of living is just a myth

Standard of living might mean something different to everyone

Xavi6

I don't know.

augustus gloop wrote: »

this whole "standard of living" thing confuses me slightly. what does people mean when using this cliche? standard of living is something which everybody says is better in oz blah blah blah. but what I want to know is what exact thing are you referencing to when using the term? im not flaming, i just think its become a bit of a buzz word when people talk about Australia, they just say it and dont really think about what it means. its not like the people of ireland are treated to a north korean style of oppression, the general standard of living here is quite high, that along with the family/friends close by (which is as much of a reason to go as stay for some people) means ireland is a great place for irish people.
ireland is a fantastic place, granted our weather is chit, and financial burdens weigh heavy on alot of people, but I dont see this drastic improvement in the so called "standard of living"
I am getting married in Australia next xmas and more than likely wont be home for a few years after that. (fiance and I took 12 months in Ireland so she could meet my folks/friends etc) and i know already, while Australia is the country i am looking forward to spending the rest of my days in, I will dearly miss ireland.
guess its different for everyone

Depends who you interact with. If you talk to people on WHVs who just go out on the piss and see it as the proverbial pot of gold then sure, you'll get those opinions and the hyperbole that comes with them. For them cost of living is having enough money to get from place to place and a lot more disposable income than they had at home to keep the goon bag full.

Most people who are actually settled here however are of the opinion that it's what you make of it, espeically long term. Put in the effort and there's plenty of opportunities but if not then, like anywhere else, you'll struggle.

Personally, I see standard of living as having a good job which allows me to have good time while also creating a solid future for myself. So having nice food, eating out whenever I want, saving for a mortgage, going on a couple of holidays a year, having a few drinks whenever I feel like it, buying clothes just because I like the look of something etc etc.

Essentially not counting the pennies, which a lot of my friends are doing at home and I'd probably be in the same boat were I not here. And that's before I even mention the things that can be done with a bit of decent weather!

As a typical 27 year old bloke, my standard of living is better than my equivalents in Ireland because I can do all of the things I listed without any worries and I don't think that's any sort of exaggeration.

Zambia

I don't know.

Regarding the standard of living.

Healthcare is Better

Kids go to the doctor for free I have not paid one cent.

Crime is much lower here

Average house size is much Bigger here

Job security is a lot better.

The variety of work is much more plentiful.

While these things may make a difference to me and not others. They Are always a consideration.

Pugins

No I would not.

Standard of living for us (family with young children) is better for many reasons. some were mentioned above eg sporting events here, great cultural facilities. Education, transport and healthcare systems are better here in Melbourne than in Ireland. We have great parks around and weather means you get to enjoy them. There are great services provided by the local council such as:
-toy libraries
-libraries with lots of free activities
- range of different playground in close proximity
-indoor and outdoor pools.
For our children there are so many more activities and events to go to than back home.

It really does depend on what you consider to be a standard of living but for me Australia has everything going for it, except its too far from family and Ireland.

jackbhoy

I don't know.

augustus gloop wrote: »

this whole "standard of living" thing confuses me slightly. what does people mean when using this cliche? standard of living is something which everybody says is better in oz blah blah blah. but what I want to know is what exact thing are you referencing to when using the term? im not flaming, i just think its become a bit of a buzz word when people talk about Australia, they just say it and dont really think about what it means. its not like the people of ireland are treated to a north korean style of oppression, the general standard of living here is quite high, that along with the family/friends close by (which is as much of a reason to go as stay for some people) means ireland is a great place for irish people.
ireland is a fantastic place, granted our weather is chit, and financial burdens weigh heavy on alot of people, but I dont see this drastic improvement in the so called "standard of living"
I am getting married in Australia next xmas and more than likely wont be home for a few years after that. (fiance and I took 12 months in Ireland so she could meet my folks/friends etc) and i know already, while Australia is the country i am looking forward to spending the rest of my days in, I will dearly miss ireland.
guess its different for everyone

I agree that the standard of living can be good in Ireland, particularly if you make good money, but there are a lot of things in Melbourne that win out over Dublin for me and make my life more enjoyable:

- Outdoors, national parks, coastline, beaches, cycling trails. Love cycling and hiking and there are way better catered for here than Ireland.
- The weather to enjoy the above.
- I am a lot fitter and healthier since moving as I can indulge in running/cycling/hiking pretty much all year round.
- Food - Variety and quality.
- Public Transport
- Low Crime
- Sporting events
- Cultural Events, galleries, MSO, Arts Centre.
- Public facilities such as parks/playgrounds/libraries/swimming pools.
- Healthcare - not seeing loved ones dying on trollies in junkie filled ER's or waiting 3 years in pain to get elective surgery.

I'd say most people that have been in Oz long term miss family and mates and many other aspects of life in Ireland but it's just a case of pros outweighing the cons imo.

mandrake04

I don't know.

If I the same job and money in Ireland I don't think I would enjoy working there, the stuff (high end medical equipment) I am working on is all modern and new but had a recent conversation with one of my colleagues who moved from Ireland to Melbourne last year and he says that in Ireland he was working on hand-me-downs from in the NHS in the UK, basically picking the stuff out of a skip in England and installing it in Irish hospitals which was the case years ago anyway.

Also aside from the weather, watersports, outdoor lifestyle in Australia having a decent sized car you are not a target for ludicrous taxes & insurance.

One other comparison my colleague mentioned is that Australia is more expensive for some things but cheaper for others, but when you consider that on a $120,000 you are only paying about 28% in taxes/levies plus if you are smart you get 3 or 4 Large back in your return if you were earning the equivalent back in Ireland the government would be sticking their arm into you.

So its all swings and roundabouts.

massdebater

I don't know.

mandrake04 wrote: »

one of my colleagues who loved from Ireland to Melbourne last year

mandrake04

I don't know.

massdebater wrote: »

iPhonism

Pisco Sour

I dont think one country is necessarily "better" than the other. Both have their good points and bad points relative to the other. Hopefully my 457 process will go smoothly so I can stay longer, though I am far from being a permanent resident of this country, from being here a reasonable amount of time you come to realise the good things and bad things of living here. It's not the pot of gold land that many make out but it's a good place to live.

Positives:

- Better spending power. Taking the cost of living into account I am earning more here than I would back home
- Work practices. It's true what they say about Aussie's being relaxed, and I don't find working here as stressful as back home. Perhaps that was partly due to the job I was in back home, who knows.
- Athletics - Big into track and field and the setup down here is so much better organised than back home and much more inclusive. I have a race nearly every weekend and against people of my level, while at home the setup is pretty amateurish, unstructured and you really have to go searching for races, and it's geared a lot more towards the elite.
- Weather - Winters are not "cold" here. They are a breaze. Doing outdoor activities in winter here is easy.
- Scenery - Australia has some of the best wilderness in the world if you are into outback and places not built up for tourists. WA and NT are among the nicest places I have ever been to.
- Aussie Open - Up there among the most enjoyable live sport I have seen
- Friends - I find that because a lot of us are in the same boat moving over here you make some very close friends as a result.

Negatives:

- Family - I miss my family a lot
- It's not Ireland - You won't find the little things you love here, such as listening to Eamonn Dunphy talk nonsense, a good pint of Guinness. You'd be amazed how much you miss things like that, things you take for granted
- Friends - Miss my friends loads aswell, though I have plenty of friends here, so not as bad as missing family. I have zero family in Australia.
- Sport - Been a bit disappointed with the sport here tbh (Tennis and the Ashes aside). Can't get into the AFL, have almost no interest in NRL, and the Super 15 is so uninspiring compared to the passion of the Heineken Cup. Have gone to a few games in each and the atmosphere is rubbish. I love the way people talk about Collingwood fans as if they are some rough crowd of hooligans. Go to La Bombanera in Buenos Aires and you'll see some real atmosphere. It's pretty tame in the MCG. No chanting, singing etc.
- Christmas - I don't like Christmas in the sun. Can't get used to it and how little the locals embrace Christmas to the way I am used to.
- Travel - I do miss the opportunity of having Europe and North America on my doorstep. Using most of your days off to visit home means I may not get to do much travelling anymore.
- Obesity - Shocked at the disgusting levels of obesity here. I know it's bad at home but here the levels are through the roof. But the weather is so good here, there is no excuse to be not outside exercising. For people who will have to live here long term this is going to be an incredible strain on healthcare. There is simply no excuse for 70% of this country being overweight, especially given the ideal climate for keeping active. It's a disgrace.

A few things off the top of my head. Nowhere is perfect and this is only through the eyes of somebody with no mortgage or kids to worry about. All that stuff would open up a whole new can of worms I'm sure.

swimming in a sea

massdebater wrote: »

I play a lot of poker. In Ireland, there was very little going on in my area (apart from a small pub game) whereas here I have the Crown with weekly tournaments as well as numerous bigger tournaments throughout the year.

Seems like you are comparing Irish rural towns to Melbourne, As there are plenty of places to play tournament poker in Dublin every night.


I'm in Sydney myself, to be honest I find it okay but its not setting my world a light. I love the warm weather, but I went to the beach the other day and found it utterly boring, first 10 mins great seeing all the girls in bikinis but I can't see the point of people lying around cooking themselves in the sun. I much prefer the parks playing football, jogging but I have to get sun tan cream and insect repellant out.

I lived for a while in Singapore they don't seem to have bugs(someone told me the whole place is constantly sprayed in DDT) don't know what effects on you long term health but at least not bugs.

Sport over here is very boring, I'm a big cricket fan so that is the only relief, but missing epl and champ league, hate waking up to find out scores. I'll be going back to Europe soon, city breaks is also a big draw.

Xavi6

I don't know.

swimming in a sea wrote: »

Sport over here is very boring, I'm a big cricket fan so that is the only relief, but missing epl and champ league, hate waking up to find out scores. I'll be going back to Europe soon, city breaks is also a big draw.

Quite the oxymoron :pac:

nikkime

I'm getting really jealous ....I've about a years hard work ahead of me in Ireland but then I definitely want to go to Oz for a year...I worked in Berlin a few years ago and met a lot of lads from Melbourne - very chilled out guys...

dave3004

I don't know.

swimming in a sea wrote: »

Seems like you are comparing Irish rural towns to Melbourne, As there are plenty of places to play tournament poker in Dublin every night.


I'm in Sydney myself, to be honest I find it okay but its not setting my world a light. I love the warm weather, but I went to the beach the other day and found it utterly boring, first 10 mins great seeing all the girls in bikinis but I can't see the point of people lying around cooking themselves in the sun. I much prefer the parks playing football, jogging but I have to get sun tan cream and insect repellant out.

I lived for a while in Singapore they don't seem to have bugs(someone told me the whole place is constantly sprayed in DDT) don't know what effects on you long term health but at least not bugs.

Sport over here is very boring, I'm a big cricket fan so that is the only relief, but missing epl and champ league, hate waking up to find out scores. I'll be going back to Europe soon, city breaks is also a big draw.

Swimminginthesea ..... Learn to surf. Then Sydney will be the greatest place on earth. Love visiting Sydney for the waves and the beaches there. Maroubra, Bondi have exceptional waves and women. I am an active man like yourself. Can't sunbathe but bring a ball with ya or a frisbee or anything. Day at the beach, with a full car of stuff to do is great.

smurfjed

utterly boring, first 10 mins great seeing all the girls in bikinis

Went to visit Bondi today... it took me a lot longer than 10 minutes to get bored looking at the girls in bikinis

smurfjed

augustus gloop

i liked the reaction to my standard of living post, and its clear the responses were well written and those people do indeed have a better standard of living, although comparing rural ireland to Melb is a non event:D
im a poker nut myself, and being from the country frustrated me a few years ago too!
when I was over last year, I had to go to Bondi Junction to meet some neighbours from home, i know, i know,dont even say it lads!! Anyway, I meet them and we are having a few schooners, and some friends of theirs spark the convo with me. straight away the Tea gardens classic is asked.... How long you been here? I really do believe if someone said "ive lived here for 35 years" the original question asker would reply "well ive been here 37 meself"
its a dick measuring contest, complete with misguided immigration advice:D in there the "standard of living" phrase is banded about no end, i guess thats where my question stems from. ovb you guys are better than that:) apologies if i seemed condesending