Any other Ping Pong Paddies out there?

lufties

Hi All,

Just wondered if there are any Irish that did some time in Oz, said it wasn't for them and left?

Personally, I did a year and a half there but couldn't take to the place or the people for the most part, and left a few years ago. I guess it comes down to individual experience, but having lived in a few countries since, I wonder if leaving was a mistake on my part.

catbear

You're not alone, i was in oz 10 years ago and it didn't impress me then. We're here again just to make money and will probably leave next year.
I was actually very taken by mew zealand, maybe that'll be our next port of call!

lufties

catbear wrote: »

You're not alone, i was in oz 10 years ago and it didn't impress me then. We're here again just to make money and will probably leave next year.
I was actually very taken by mew zealand, maybe that'll be our next port of call!

m


I'm going back uk soon,

coolbeans

lufties wrote: »

m


I'm going back uk soon,[/quote

I was there for a year, found a professional position, all the hard stuff behind me but I just couldn't warm to the place. The expense, the lack of cultural difference after travelling so far, the drinking, the numerous drunken Irish, the distances and the lack of history put me right off Oz. I've since worked in France and the UK and love them.

Zambia

lufties wrote: »

m


I'm going back uk soon,[/quote

I was there for a year, found a professional position, all the hard stuff behind me but I just couldn't warm to the place. The expense, the lack of cultural difference after travelling so far, the drinking, the numerous drunken Irish, the distances and the lack of history put me right off Oz. I've since worked in France and the UK and love them.

I have been here 5 years and have met very few drunken Irish. I have seen no excessive drinking in fact bar a few occasions.

Saying you don't like oz is fine but at least see past the Irish haunts. Imagine hating Ireland after 2 nights in temple bar.

Plus it's not Australia's fault it's not older and it has no 500 year old buildings.

coolbeans

Zambia wrote: »

I have been here 5 years and have met very few drunken Irish. I have seen no excessive drinking in fact bar a few occasions.

Saying you don't like oz is fine but at least see past the Irish haunts. Imagine hating Ireland after 2 nights in temple bar.

Plus it's not Australia's fault it's not older and it has no 500 year old buildings.

I'm not having a go, that was my experience limited as it was. No need to get defensive.

catbear

In fairness I've come to appreciate Bogan culture in it's beautiful simplicity and can honestly say that Australia has added something unique to the greater firmament of human endeavor!

It elevates all others!

lufties

catbear wrote: »

In fairness I've come to appreciate Bogan culture in it's beautiful simplicity and can honestly say that Australia has added something unique to the greater firmament of human endeavor!

It elevates all others!

The bogans are like scumbags in Ireland, For me it was the isolation from the rest of the world and just felt that living there was a big disappointment in general.

The_B_Man

I spent 2 years there about 3 years ago and I still miss it.
Its like an ex-girlfriend that you thought you were gonna marry, but it didnt work out for some reason. In my case, distance (and visa ran out).


I've spoken to a lot of people who didn't like it, due to difficulty assimilating into the culture, or difficulty finding a job. It doesnt suit a lot of people. I know a girl that hated it due to how brash or rude the locals were, for example.

I think some people get off to a bad start in the place. Same happened to me with Bangkok. First time I hated it, second time I knew what to expect and absolutely loved it. Experiences are what you make of them, but sometimes you just have some bad luck.

lufties

The_B_Man wrote: »

I spent 2 years there about 3 years ago and I still miss it.
Its like an ex-girlfriend that you thought you were gonna marry, but it didnt work out for some reason. In my case, distance (and visa ran out).


I've spoken to a lot of people who didn't like it, due to difficulty assimilating into the culture, or difficulty finding a job. It doesnt suit a lot of people. I know a girl that hated it due to how brash or rude the locals were, for example.

I think some people get off to a bad start in the place. Same happened to me with Bangkok. First time I hated it, second time I knew what to expect and absolutely loved it. Experiences are what you make of them, but sometimes you just have some bad luck.

You lived in Bangkok? lucky man;)

maryishere

coolbeans wrote: »

I was there for a year, found a professional position, all the hard stuff behind me but I just couldn't warm to the place. The expense, the lack of cultural difference after travelling so far, the drinking, the numerous drunken Irish, the distances and the lack of history put me right off Oz. I've since worked in France and the UK and love them.

easy to cure that...find yourself in some place in Oz away from the usual Irish pubs / haunts in the cities. That what I done for the past 5 months and I hardly ever heard an Irish accent, never mind a drunken one.
Yup, distances are not what I was used to in Ireland but its a great place to spend a year or 2 anyway. Many Irish do not assimilate well when we move overseas. Move away from the usual haunts. Think outside the box.

coolbeans

maryishere wrote: »

easy to cure that...find yourself in some place in Oz away from the usual Irish pubs / haunts in the cities. That what I done for the past 5 months and I hardly ever heard an Irish accent, never mind a drunken one.
Yup, distances are not what I was used to in Ireland but its a great place to spend a year or 2 anyway. Many Irish do not assimilate well when we move overseas. Move away from the usual haunts. Think outside the box.

My job there didn't allow me to move outside of Perth and as I was there for work, not a good time so to speak I just couldn't up sticks and go somewhere ''better''. I assimilated pretty well in other countries, even learned the lingo but Australia was never going to be for me.

catbear

maryishere wrote: »

Many Irish do not assimilate well when we move overseas. Move away from the usual haunts. Think outside the box.

Got a link for that?

lufties

coolbeans wrote: »

My job there didn't allow me to move outside of Perth and as I was there for work, not a good time so to speak I just couldn't up sticks and go somewhere ''better''. I assimilated pretty well in other countries, even learned the lingo but Australia was never going to be for me.

Yeah I just read an article on the journal about irish pubs, you'd never get that in Oz. The oldest pub in Ireland is Sean's pub in Athlone is 900AD. Australia was found some 900 years later. The point being, as a people we are very steeped in history,that to go and stay in Australia, can be a huge change. This is not meant to be a 'whinge about Oz thread, but the lack of culture and vibrancy can prove too great for some.

Batgurl

lufties wrote: »

The bogans are like scumbags in Ireland

Bogans aren't scumbags, that's the Westies.

Bogans are culchies.

lufties

Batgurl wrote: »

Bogans aren't scumbags, that's the Westies.

Bogans are culchies.

Ok wrong choice of words, they're the people that go Bali ,get sh1tfaced and sing the national chant, 'Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie, Oi Oi Oi facken Oi', :pac:

The Aussie

lufties wrote: »

but the lack of culture and vibrancy can prove too great for some.

vi·brant (vbrnt)
adj.
1.
a. Pulsing or throbbing with energy or activity: the vibrant streets of a big city.
b. Vigorous, lively, and vital: "a vibrant group that challenged the . . . system" (Philip Taubman).
2. Exhibiting or characterized by rapid, rhythmic movement back and forth or to and fro; vibrating.
3. Produced as a result of vibration; resonant or resounding: vibrant voices.
4. Relatively high on the scale of brightness: a vibrant hue.
vibran·cy, vibrance n.
vibrant·ly adv.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/vibrancy

Poor choice of words maybe?

There are only about 5 streets in Ireland I would describe as vibrant, how could the lack of "vibrancy" prove to great, compare the whole of Ireland to say Melbourne.

lufties

The Aussie wrote: »

vi·brant (vbrnt)
adj.
1.
a. Pulsing or throbbing with energy or activity: the vibrant streets of a big city.
b. Vigorous, lively, and vital: "a vibrant group that challenged the . . . system" (Philip Taubman).
2. Exhibiting or characterized by rapid, rhythmic movement back and forth or to and fro; vibrating.
3. Produced as a result of vibration; resonant or resounding: vibrant voices.
4. Relatively high on the scale of brightness: a vibrant hue.
vibran·cy, vibrance n.
vibrant·ly adv.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/vibrancy

Poor choice of words maybe?

There are only about 5 streets in Ireland I would describe as vibrant, how could the lack of "vibrancy" prove to great, compare the whole of Ireland to say Melbourne.

Firstly maybe if you compared like with like it might be a start, perhaps Australia and western europe? If you are talking size that is of course.

The Aussie

lufties wrote: »

Firstly maybe if you compared like with like it might be a start, perhaps Australia and western europe? If you are talking size that is of course.

Yeh "like for like" 200 million(?) to 20 million :rolleyes: LOL

Is there a Secondly, or just a Firstly

lufties

The Aussie wrote: »

Yeh "like for like" 200 million(?) to 20 million :rolleyes: LOL

Is there a Secondly, or just a Firstly

So with the risk of going around in circles with you, A big massive country/continent isolated from the rest of the world. 20million or 200 doesn't make a difference,It does lack vibrancy, ok sydney or melbourne are good cities, and I enjoyed perth, but thats as far as vibrancy goes IMO.

Oh yeah the population of Ireland is under 5 million, so maybe if it was 20, things might be different.

The Aussie

lufties wrote: »

It does lack vibrancy, ok sydney or melbourne are good cities, and I enjoyed perth, but thats as far as vibrancy goes IMO.

So even one of those cities have more vibrancy than the whole of Ireland (would not know about Perth as I've never been) so back to my original point, how can it be to great for some when it's more than where they are from?

lufties wrote: »

the lack of culture and vibrancy can prove too great for some.

:rolleyes:

lufties wrote: »

Oh yeah the population of Ireland is under 5 million, so maybe if it was 20, things might be different.

Yeh 68% unemployment and full of Ghettos :eek:

lufties wrote: »

So with the risk of going around in circles with you

Don't worry, I've got plenty of time...

lufties

The Aussie wrote: »

So even one of those cities have more vibrancy than the whole of Ireland (would not know about Perth as I've never been) so back to my original point, how can it be to great for some when it's more than where they are from?

:rolleyes:



Yeh 68% unemployment and full of Ghettos :eek:



Don't worry, I've got plenty of time...

Dublin, Cork, Limerick, waterford, kilkenny, galway... All good cities, and there is always something going on, for a country the size of Ireland it does quite well.

Anyway, my OP has nothing to do with Ireland, its to do with Irish people that got sick of Oz/aussies and left LOL

The Aussie

lufties wrote: »

Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Kilkenny, Galway... All good cities and towns, and there is always something going on, for a country the size of Ireland it does quite well.

Fixed... If you can stand on one side of a city town and see cows in a field on the other side it ain't a city :pac:...

lufties wrote: »

Anyway, my OP has nothing to do with Ireland, its to do with Irish people that got sick of Oz/aussies and left LOL

Yes, I was just pointing out your poor choice of words until you got precious :rolleyes: LOL...

lufties

The Aussie wrote: »

Fixed... If you can stand on one side of a city town and see cows in a field on the other side it ain't a city :pac:...



Yes, I was just pointing out your poor choice of words until you got precious :rolleyes: LOL...

As far as I can see you started bangin' on about Ireland

The Aussie

lufties wrote: »

As far as I can see you started bangin' on about Ireland

Nah, was pointing out how laughable the word "Vibrant" was, once again how can it be too much for some, some bloke from Co Galway is really going to miss the "vibrancy" of Tuam, or maybe the bloke from Dripsey in Co Cork......

Will re-cap for your benefit.

lufties wrote: »

the lack of culture and vibrancy can prove too great for some.

The Aussie wrote: »

Poor choice of words maybe?

There are only about 5 streets in Ireland I would describe as vibrant, how could the lack of "vibrancy" prove to great, compare the whole of Ireland to say Melbourne.

lufties wrote: »

So with the risk of going around in circles with you

As before, I've got plenty of time to explain in the morning.

Kiith

I'll be leaving in 5 weeks, after the guts of a year spent in Melbourne. Loved my time here, and had a great laugh. Had the chance to go for a longer term visa, but decided against it. Not sure i'd have stayed for more than another year or so, though i'm not really sure why. So instead i'm off to scratch my travelling itch again, and will be in NZ for a while.

catbear

Personally i find Perth to be very dull and is less lively than your average regional Irish town on a wet tuesday night in November.

jackbhoy

I would be interested in hearing a bit more detail on where in Australia people lived/left.

I love living in Melbourne but doubt I would ever want to live in Brissie/Perth/Darwin/Sydney etc, just personal preference, not bagging those places in particular.

I do find it funny when people who spent a few months in some Irish ghetto or red neck town then say they don't like 'Australia', as if that small sample size is completely representative of the entire nation. Even in Melbourne, there is huge variety in type of lifestyle experience you get from suburb to suburb, let alone interstate.

Xavi6

catbear wrote: »

Personally i find Perth to be very dull and is less lively than your average regional Irish town on a wet tuesday night in November.

Having lived here for nearly seven years and spent a Sunday night in Westport last January, I respectfully suggest that you've stepped into hyperbole with that one

catbear

Westport is closer to civilisation than Perth.

Xavi6

catbear wrote: »

Westport is closer to civilisation than Perth.

From hyperbole to facetiousness. For the sake of the thread I'll bow out before we go too far down the Perth-bashing road yet again.