If you had the same job would you go home?

The Sweeper

Some days I just wish I could move everyone I know down here. Then I'd get to keep my job, keep the weather, enjoy my house and the big garden I have, revel in 320 days sunshine a year, and I'd have my mum and my brothers and my nieces and nephews all living within an hour's drive of me.

But that's just not the way the planet is made these days.

Am going to book a trip back in March/April next year. The notion of 24 hours in cattle class is already giving me the heebies.

token101

I don't think so to be honest. I've only been here a short time, but Sydney is a great place if you're young and want to go out at weekends, play sports, etc. Other than family and friends, the only thing I miss the football on Saturday afternoons but going out and watching live games Saturday nights is good craic. It's only as expensive as you allow it to be. I find the price differences between shops here amazing. If you shop in Coles and Woolies you can get your week''s shopping for 80-100 dollars, realistically you're not going to pay much less in Ireland.

babaracus

token101 wrote: »

I don't think so to be honest. I've only been here a short time, but Sydney is a great place if you're young and want to go out at weekends, play sports, etc. Other than family and friends, the only thing I miss the football on Saturday afternoons but going out and watching live games Saturday nights is good craic. It's only as expensive as you allow it to be. I find the price differences between shops here amazing. If you shop in Coles and Woolies you can get your week''s shopping for 80-100 dollars, realistically you're not going to pay much less in Ireland.

Food in Oz is at least twice, if not more, expensive than Ireland and Ireland is not a cheap country. If you don't see that then you either have not been home in a long time or you are deluded. One insane example: 10 bucks a kilo for bananas - 99c at home. Ireland is not exactly a banana growing country....

Beer in pubs is extortionate even compared to rip off Ireland. The bottle shop is twice the price of home. Rent in Sydney is at least double that of Dublin and four times that of the rest of Ireland. Most clothing etc you buy can be bought at half the price online from Europe (if you didn't have to pay protectionist tariffs) - one example being motorcycle gear which is about 3 times the price of the same stuff in Germany. Australia is great but it is fiercely expensive and it is foolish to delude yourself into thinking it is not. Of course "Australia is different" or "Australia is worth it" but if the commodity boom went pop it might look different.

mandrake04

I don't know.

babaracus wrote: »

Food in Oz is at least twice, if not more, expensive than Ireland and Ireland is not a cheap country. If you don't see that then you either have not been home in a long time or you are deluded. One insane example: 10 bucks a kilo for bananas - 99c at home. Ireland is not exactly a banana growing country....

Bananas are $2.90 kg

token101

babaracus wrote: »

Food in Oz is at least twice, if not more, expensive than Ireland and Ireland is not a cheap country. If you don't see that then you either have not been home in a long time or you are deluded. One insane example: 10 bucks a kilo for bananas - 99c at home. Ireland is not exactly a banana growing country....

Beer in pubs is extortionate even compared to rip off Ireland. The bottle shop is twice the price of home. Rent in Sydney is at least double that of Dublin and four times that of the rest of Ireland. Most clothing etc you buy can be bought at half the price online from Europe (if you didn't have to pay protectionist tariffs) - one example being motorcycle gear which is about 3 times the price of the same stuff in Germany. Australia is great but it is fiercely expensive and it is foolish to delude yourself into thinking it is not. Of course "Australia is different" or "Australia is worth it" but if the commodity boom went pop it might look different.

I'd disagree on all counts and I only left Ireland in August. I'm paying $160 a week in Randwick, I was paying 120 euro in Dublin back in 2010 for a fairly similar place. Food, I just got back from shopping and got bananas for $3.50, so I don't know where you saw them for $10! Food is probably slightly more on balance, but to say it's twice the price everywhere is a bit ridiculous. There's a massive disparity in places; you could pay $4.50 for a Snickers in Liverpool Street but in Coles it's $1. Clothing varies massively. I bought a t-shirt last week from Tarocash for $22, that's probably less than home but I've seen jeans for $400 in some places. Beer in pubs is the same, if you're drinking in the Opera House bar you're going to spend $200 a night, but there's lots of places where you can get $3 schooners and spirits all night. But considering that wages here are probably double what they are at home I still reckon that you get more for your money out here if you're clever and don't shop in George Street. I know guys getting $45 an hour doing bar work on Sundays. How many jobs in Ireland would you get 38 euro an hour?

Noo

Bananas are 99c a kilo in aldi. 2l milk $2. Bread $1.50. Oz is only as expensive as you make it. I have a roommate who will only buy bits in 7/11 because its closer. That would be over $10 for him then.

Pisco Sour

Noo wrote: »

Bananas are 99c a kilo in aldi. 2l milk $2. Bread $1.50. Oz is only as expensive as you make it. I have a roommate who will only buy bits in 7/11 because its closer. That would be over $10 for him then.

Sums up the laziness you see in this country.

Once you are earning money in AUD Australia is no more expensive than Ireland. With regards some things it very much is, but with other things definetely not. On average it is about the same relative to salary earned.

The Aussie

Pisco Sour wrote: »

Sums up the laziness you see in this country

You do know that Convenience Stores are a world wide thing don't you, the name sort of gives it away a bit. Paying for a convenient option is not just restricted to a singular country :rolleyes:

Pisco Sour

The Aussie wrote: »

You do know that Convenience Stores are a world wide thing don't you, the name sort of gives it away a bit. Paying for a convenient option is not just restricted to a singular country :rolleyes:

I was more referring to somebody being too lazy to walk further to get their daily requirements for cheaper. The example given is too lazy to move his/her legs for maybe 10 extra minutes. No wonder Australia is one of the fattest countries on earth.

seipeal1

Guys,
I earn more than I did in Irelamd but would not move back in a million years. Main reason may be completely different to most on this page but..... My kids love it here. Yes, we live in "boring" Adelaide but would not change that for anything. We have lifestyle, weather and lots to do. Was never like that in Ireland even before the recession. to bring kids up here is fantastic.

Best call we ever made.

The Aussie

What so no one ever goes for convience anywhere else in the world???
I still fail to see how it sums up the laziness of a whole nation.

catbear

I don't know.

Pisco Sour wrote: »

I was more referring to somebody being too lazy to walk further to get their daily requirements for cheaper. The example given is too lazy to move his/her legs for maybe 10 extra minutes. No wonder Australia is one of the fattest countries on earth.

For what it's worth my initial impression upon arrival in OZ was that it full of fitness, bodybuilding and diet fanatics.

Pisco Sour

The Aussie wrote: »

What so no one ever goes for convience anywhere else in the world???
I still fail to see how it sums up the laziness of a whole nation.

"Sums up" probably a bad choice of phrase. "An example of" would have been a more appropriate term perhaps.

catbear wrote: »

For what it's worth my initial impression upon arrival in OZ was that it full of fitness, bodybuilding and diet fanatics.

Jaysus, you need to open your eyes I think.

The Aussie

It might be down to lack of sleep but I am still struggling to see how one persons choice to shop closer to home "sums up is an example of the laziness of a nation"

Is it to late to change the Poll with a 4th option with: I'm only staying Oz to avoid the financial situation back in Ireland, I don't really like Australia or its people.

There might be more to tick that box than you might first think.

Pisco Sour

The Aussie wrote: »

It might be down to lack of sleep but I am still struggling to see how one persons choice to shop closer to home "sums up is an example of the laziness of a nation"

Is it to late to change the Poll with a 4th option with: I'm only staying Oz to avoid the financial situation back in Ireland, I don't really like Australia or its people.

There might be more to tick that box than you might first think.

It was a sly dig at Australia's obesity problem. Fat people don't like walking, hence will go to the nearest 7eleven rather than actually walk a few minutes to a Coles or Woolworths. Happy I have spelt that out in black and white now?

It's possible to love some aspects and hate other aspects of a country. No place is perfect. I think overall there's far more things I like than dislike though.

Australia is pretty great, but not the perfect place many make it out to be. Lot of problems here too.

Anyway straying a bit off topic. With regards the question, I could get the same type of job back home no problem (though probably not with as good pay), but at this moment in time I wouldn't go back. I'm happy here for the time being.

The Aussie

Pisco Sour wrote: »

It was a sly dig at Australia's obesity problem. Fat people don't like walking, hence will go to the nearest 7eleven rather than actually walk a few minutes to a Coles or Woolworths. Happy I have spelt that out in black and white now?.

What a sly dig, as in trolling for a reaction? What/who exactly was the sly dig aimed at? Can you spell that one out in all the colours of the Rainbow for us.

Pisco Sour

The Aussie wrote: »

What a sly dig, as in trolling for a reaction? What/who exactly was the sly dig aimed at? Can you spell that one out in all the colours of the Rainbow for us.

The thread kind of turned into an Ireland V Australia thing with people sort of giving a one sided view in all of this mentioning negative things about Ireland and positive aspects of Australia. It doesn't seem realistic. I presented a big problem down here. That's all. Not aimed at any individual here. I guess the thread has strayed from it's original purpose. Apologies for contributing to that. I guess some of these discussions are better kept for another thread.

The Aussie

Pisco Sour wrote: »

I guess some of these discussions are better kept for another thread to your self

I don't think you need to worry yourself defending Ireland on this forum with any petty sly digs, trust me there are plenty of posters on this forum who are more than able to defend Ireland quite eloquently without lowering themselves.

catbear

I don't know.

Pisco Sour wrote: »

Jaysus, you need to open your eyes I think.

Yeah, then I went to the burbs! Aus has its health problems but from my own experience Ireland is right up there with type II diabetes.

Xavi6

I don't know.

Oz is a country of extremes IMO - either beach bodies or beached whales.

Doc

I don't know.

I agree Xavi6. I think there is a bit of a culture here that if your not the best at something then its not worth doing. So a lot of people are very much into extremes here. If you are into fitness you are really into it and if your not your totally not.

hussey

No I would not.

Mod Enough of the snide remarks - Pisco, The Aussie. You have been warned several times (on past threads). You don't have to turn this into a <Ireland/Australia> bashing thread.
It's a simple question "If you had the same job would you go home?" - let's stick to it

amybabes

This topic is something that troubles me at least on a weekly basis.

Have been in Australia nearly 4 years and am spending a lot of time, effort and money on being made a permanent resident.
As part of a couple (I followed him here 4 years ago) - i cannot just consider myself in the debate - he as a carpenter and no family or contacts in the trade (the company he used to work for in limerick are long gone), i really don't think he'd have a hope of getting work if we were to go home. I work in marketing and left ireland the minute i had my degree, literally the week after my final exams - possibly would have some chance of getting work in marketing but nothing like the opportunities i have been given here I believe.

I'm 26 and he's 29 and I find myself getting to the stage where I'm feeling a little bit lost as to what to do - I'd like to think we could own in the next 3/4 years, get married in the next 2 years - start thinking about kids in 4/5 years - all things you kind of need to have a plan for. Just scares me a bit as it means Sydney now really is home.

We miss our families terribly of course. And going home for a visit only makes me unsettled when i get back. I constantly think of how much I've missed, especially at the moment when both of my 89 year old grandmothers are unwell. I hate the fact that my young sister has turned from a child to a teenager since i've been away and i no longer know what to buy her come birthdays or christmas because i'm so far away Just things like that.

Friends wise - i'm lucky enough to have quite a few of my childhood friends in Sydney who have come in the last year or two - but it was tough the first 2 years i was here with none of them around. If i was to move home - I'd imagine that unless i made completely new friends, I'd be a recluse as the only friends i have left at home have young kids.

I love Australia, I really do - the lifestyle, the beach culture, the entertainment options - Ireland really just cannot compare. If only it was just a 4/5 hour flight back home or I could move all of my family over. Just hoping this "lost" feeling goes as at the moment - I'm not sure if I belong in Australia but afraid that I no longer belong at home either and it's really terrible to feel that way

Doc

I don't know.

amybabes wrote: »

I'm not sure if I belong in Australia but afraid that I no longer belong at home either and it's really terrible to feel that way

This is it for me. The longer I'm here the more I can see a live growing here for me and the less I see one at home.

Since moving here I've made a lot of new friends and even started going out with an Australian girl.

Home will always be Ireland but I don't really see a viable future for me there at the moment. Even if I became a citizen here I don't think I would ever describe myself as Australian to anyone. I'm Irish and prod of that.

I love Ireland but similarly to yourself a lot has changed with my friends in Ireland. Those that still live in the country no longer live in the same area I grew up in or have really settled down and have a family to look after. Going home isn't the same anymore now either as none of my brothers live there anymore. My parents are the real anchor I have to Ireland.

If I had my job that I have now in Ireland 4 years ago paying what it dose I may not have left. Now that I'm here my job isn't the only thing that's keeping me here.

lavelle72

I don't know.

Doc wrote: »

The longer I'm here the more I can see a live growing here for me and the less I see one at home.

+1

Xavi6

I don't know.

I think people's perception of 'their Ireland' and the reality of the country are two different things.

If you've been in Oz a good while, as Doc says, it's no longer a case where your mates all live around the corner from each other and catch up down the pub, everyone's moved on. I'm here almost six years and in my head it's just like it was when I left and that leads to the sentiment, depressing days etc.

I'm going back in two weeks for six weeks and I cannot wait because it's two years since I've seen everyone, and the quality time spent with friends and family will be far better than it would be if we were living half an hour from each other.

I guess the point I'm making is if you're happy here then you should focus on that rather than lamenting over something that doesn't actually exist.

fasttalkerchat

No I would not.

amybabes wrote: »

This topic is something that troubles me at least on a weekly basis.

Have been in Australia nearly 4 years and am spending a lot of time, effort and money on being made a permanent resident.
As part of a couple (I followed him here 4 years ago) - i cannot just consider myself in the debate - he as a carpenter and no family or contacts in the trade (the company he used to work for in limerick are long gone), i really don't think he'd have a hope of getting work if we were to go home. I work in marketing and left ireland the minute i had my degree, literally the week after my final exams - possibly would have some chance of getting work in marketing but nothing like the opportunities i have been given here I believe.

How did you go about getting your job? Any management jobs except for low paying retail that I've looked at want permanent residency before you can start work.

amybabes

fasttalkerchat wrote: »

How did you go about getting your job? Any management jobs except for low paying retail that I've looked at want permanent residency before you can start work.

I have just actually posted about this in another forum (to disagreement by another poster) but this is my experience in my 4 years of getting work - AGENCIES AGENCIES AGENCIES!!

I've had marketing jobs at HSBC's Australian/Asian headquarters, Thrifty Car Hire's Aus/NZ head office, Chubb Insurance Australian/NZ hq and my current role at Abbott Laboratories Australasian's head office - all through agency placement on 'temp' roles. I'll use the word temp lightly as I was 3 months in HSBC, 10 months in Thrifty, got made perm after 3 months at Chubb and got made perm after 3 months in Abbott.

I found it impossible applying to companies directly without permanent residency - most of the job ads on Seek say that they won't consider applicants without it. In my experience - temp placements have opened the door to all of these global companies who wouldn't have touched me otherwise - even with me being on a de facto 4 year visa.

fasttalkerchat

No I would not.

amybabes wrote: »

even with me being on a de facto 4 year visa.

What's that now? I assumed everyone is on a WHV?

jank

amybabes wrote: »

I have just actually posted about this in another forum (to disagreement by another poster) but this is my experience in my 4 years of getting work - AGENCIES AGENCIES AGENCIES!!

I've had marketing jobs at HSBC's Australian/Asian headquarters, Thrifty Car Hire's Aus/NZ head office, Chubb Insurance Australian/NZ hq and my current role at Abbott Laboratories Australasian's head office - all through agency placement on 'temp' roles. I'll use the word temp lightly as I was 3 months in HSBC, 10 months in Thrifty, got made perm after 3 months at Chubb and got made perm after 3 months in Abbott.

I found it impossible applying to companies directly without permanent residency - most of the job ads on Seek say that they won't consider applicants without it. In my experience - temp placements have opened the door to all of these global companies who wouldn't have touched me otherwise - even with me being on a de facto 4 year visa.

As a matter of interest what agency did you use and what is the grade like. I have someone looking into temp work at the moment.