Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Thank you all for your responses; they've all been very helpful. In terms of what I'm looking for, all three factors (climate, economy, culture) are almost equally important to me. Climate-wise, Mediterranean is my ideal, as I like the idea of relatively mild summers and winters. I don't want to have to worry about being snowed in for a week, nor do I want to sweat profusely in 90+ degree heat and near-100% humidity for months at a time like I do right now where I live. Whoever compared Perth to San Diego definitely caught my eye because San Diego's type of weather is exactly what I'd be looking for. If Perth also has a good job market, that would be a huge plus as well. I'm currently pursuing my bachelors degree in applied physiology and kinesiology and would like to work in the fitness/nutrition sector, particularly with the elderly. Would a career in that field be classified as a skilled occupation, and is there any demand for it? In the U.S. we have an aging population and an obesity epidemic, but I'm not sure if either of those issues are as big of a problem in Australia right now. As for culture, in terms of "liberal," I suppose it is quite confusing then if the conservative party is called the Liberal Party. But basically what I'm looking for is a very open-minded, tolerant, and progressive culture, i.e. no rampant racism/bigotry, respect for the environment, LGBT rights, support for marijuana decriminalization and/or legalization, low levels of income disparity/little class hierarchy, etc. Perth seems to fit my first two requirements quite well, but I'm concerned about the culture aspect. I'll try to read up more on Adelaide, Byron Bay, and Melbourne and see how they stack up.
Thanks again for all of the information!
Yep, San Diego felt a lot like Perth. It's the only city in the US that truly reminded me of home. It's also a sister city of Perth. Perth's climate is generally equitable except in summer it can get really hot, with 40C+ temps not uncommon.
Yep, definitely got the same problems there...our obesity is about as bad as the US. If you have the right qualifications it shouldn't be a problem. I don't know if I'd call Perth open-minded and progressive, except maybe in development. It seems somewhat conservative, and while I wouldn't say it's that racist there are a lot of kind of ignorant people and I've been called racist names quite a few times. Honestly, for what you want I would choose Melbourne or somewhere else on the east coast.
2) Others who've actually lived in Perth can speak better to this but, culturally, I get the feeling that while Perth may have San Diego's climate and great beaches, culturally it may have more in common with other mineral-boom metropolises in North America like Calgary, Denver, Dallas, Houston, etc. Lots of new money and a general regional conservatism (especially in the burbs) studded with pockets of liberalism and alt lifestyles closer in to the center of the city. Culturally, it sounds like you'd really prefer Melbourne or Sydney.
That's my impression of Perth, but I think in part it's probably the isolation that has done it. That being said, I would say conservative Perth is nothing like the conservatism that you'd encounter in Dallas or Houston. Australian conservatism is far more liberal than American conservatism and doesn't have the hard religious edge to it.
Perhaps the OP would like Adelaide. It has a Med climate and historically South Australia has been one of the more socially liberal states in Australia. It decriminalised marijuana in 1987, for instance.
I think it's likely that there will be a vote on gay marriage in Abbott's first term. It's important to remember that in a parliamentary democracy (unlike your presidential system) the PM does not have as much power to implement his own mandate. The polling amongst Liberal MP's shows more favour marriage equality than don't. And almost all favour a conscience vote on the issue.
The interesting issue will be to see what happens when/if the states start introducing gay marriage laws. The Constitution gives authority to the Commonwealth to make laws wrt marriage but there is some doubt as to whether the Commonwealth would actually try to strike down the laws.
I don't really like Abbott but I do think he may well turn out to be more pragmatic than many are expecting.
Thank you all for your responses; they've all been very helpful. In terms of what I'm looking for, all three factors (climate, economy, culture) are almost equally important to me. Climate-wise, Mediterranean is my ideal, as I like the idea of relatively mild summers and winters. I don't want to have to worry about being snowed in for a week, nor do I want to sweat profusely in 90+ degree heat and near-100% humidity for months at a time like I do right now where I live. Whoever compared Perth to San Diego definitely caught my eye because San Diego's type of weather is exactly what I'd be looking for. If Perth also has a good job market, that would be a huge plus as well. I'm currently pursuing my bachelors degree in applied physiology and kinesiology and would like to work in the fitness/nutrition sector, particularly with the elderly. Would a career in that field be classified as a skilled occupation, and is there any demand for it? In the U.S. we have an aging population and an obesity epidemic, but I'm not sure if either of those issues are as big of a problem in Australia right now. As for culture, in terms of "liberal," I suppose it is quite confusing then if the conservative party is called the Liberal Party. But basically what I'm looking for is a very open-minded, tolerant, and progressive culture, i.e. no rampant racism/bigotry, respect for the environment, LGBT rights, support for marijuana decriminalization and/or legalization, low levels of income disparity/little class hierarchy, etc. Perth seems to fit my first two requirements quite well, but I'm concerned about the culture aspect. I'll try to read up more on Adelaide, Byron Bay, and Melbourne and see how they stack up.
Thanks again for all of the information!
I think some folks may have scared you away from Perth with regards to the cultural aspect. I haven't actually lived there (perhaps someone who knows the place inside out like The Postman can clear this up if I'm wrong) but I can assure you it's not what you think. Perth and WA in general is heavily conservative, yes, but a conservative city in Australia is nothing like a Hicksville, USA.
(Again, correct me if I'm wrong) The vibe in Perth is very much laid-back and people on the whole seem relaxed compared to Sydney and Melbourne. Nobody is ever going to be hurling gay or racial slurs at you on the street. The only place I could see running into racial problems would be Western Sydney, but even then, nothing like what you find in America. In Australia conservative does not = racist/bigoted like it may in the United States. Western Australians are conservative for economic reasons because they want to keep the states' wealth in WA, not because they are racist/bigoted/hate the environment, etc.
As for the issues you mentioned, apart from income disparity I suppose, Australians for the most part just don't care passionately enough about them one way or the other for it to have an impact on where you live. Places like Byron Bay are an exception, but genereally those who are staunchly liberal/conservative on those issues would be in the minority, especially in Perth. You will be much better off financially in WA and you are not going to have any problems there culturally, trust me
So I would recommend Perth over Melbourne, Sydney and Byron Bay if weather, culture and the economy are of equal importance. If living with people who want an "alternative" lifestyle is of utmost importance, then sure, go for Byron Bay. It's just that I got the impression that a good job market was just as important to you, so in my opinion Perth is definitely your best bet.
I think some folks may have scared you away from Perth with regards to the cultural aspect. I haven't actually lived there (perhaps someone who knows the place inside out like The Postman can clear this up if I'm wrong) but I can assure you it's not what you think. Perth and WA in general is heavily conservative, yes, but a conservative city in Australia is nothing like a Hicksville, USA.
(Again, correct me if I'm wrong) The vibe in Perth is very much laid-back and people on the whole seem relaxed compared to Sydney and Melbourne. Nobody is ever going to be hurling gay or racial slurs at you on the street. The only place I could see running into racial problems would be Western Sydney, but even then, nothing like what you find in America. In Australia conservative does not = racist/bigoted like it may in the United States. Western Australians are conservative for economic reasons because they want to keep the states' wealth in WA, not because they are racist/bigoted/hate the environment, etc.
As for the issues you mentioned, apart from income disparity I suppose, Australians for the most part just don't care passionately enough about them one way or the other for it to have an impact on where you live. Places like Byron Bay are an exception, but genereally those who are staunchly liberal/conservative on those issues would be in the minority, especially in Perth. You will be much better off financially in WA and you are not going to have any problems there culturally, trust me
So I would recommend Perth over Melbourne, Sydney and Byron Bay if weather, culture and the economy are of equal importance. If living with people who want an "alternative" lifestyle is of utmost importance, then sure, go for Byron Bay. It's just that I got the impression that a good job market was just as important to you, so in my opinion Perth is definitely your best bet.
I'm sorry to correct you but I don't think you give a very accurate picture. I hesitate to perpetuate the stereotype that Australia is racist, but there are a lot of rather cloistered individuals in Perth, and racial slurs are common, I've experienced them quite a number of times in my life. I've also heard quite a few people saying negative things about gay people and aborigines. Does that make me think Perth people are racist overall? No, because I know the few don't represent the whole. If you are a minority, I would say just don't take notice of it, don't let it affect you. It doesn't me, but just letting you know in case you're not used to it. You might be lucky and never experience it...aboriginals picking on whites is also not unknown.
But yeah it's a live and let live sort of place in Perth. I don't want to discourage you from my hometown, it IS a nice place to live, but I just feel you might get bored there. Plus it's so isolated. I never truly felt at home there, I feel more at home here.
Thank you all for the replies; I feel like I'm definitely learning a lot from all of this information. You can find a ton of stuff to read online, but nothing beats actually talking to people who have visited or lived in the place you're trying to learn about!
Quote:
The vibe in Perth is very much laid-back and people on the whole seem relaxed compared to Sydney and Melbourne. Nobody is ever going to be hurling gay or racial slurs at you on the street. The only place I could see running into racial problems would be Western Sydney, but even then, nothing like what you find in America. In Australia conservative does not = racist/bigoted like it may in the United States. Western Australians are conservative for economic reasons because they want to keep the states' wealth in WA, not because they are racist/bigoted/hate the environment, etc.
I can definitely understand that. From what I've heard/read, the American political paradigm is kind of ridiculous compared to the rest of the developed world. Our liberals would be called moderate to conservative almost anywhere else, and our conservatives would probably be viewed as lunatics by a lot of people. So it's definitely good to know that Australian conservatism is somewhat more moderate.
Quote:
Have you also looked into Canada (it's closer) or New Zealand (might be slightly easier to get in as they lose a lot of their young professionals to Australia)?
I've actually been reading a lot about Canada, in particular British Columbia, and it could be a good stopping-off point for me for a few years. However I'm just not sure how I could handle the endless clouds and rain in British Columbia, and I definitely would not want the bitter cold and snow in other areas. As for New Zealand, I've read a lot of good things about it and am intrigued, though I actually thought it would be harder to emigrate there than Australia based on what I've read. Have I gotten the wrong impression?
Quote:
Perhaps the OP would like Adelaide. It has a Med climate and historically South Australia has been one of the more socially liberal states in Australia. It decriminalised marijuana in 1987, for instance.
Thanks for the heads up. I just did a little research on it and it has a higher-than-average elderly population, which would be good for me as that is the demographic I plan on working with, so I'll definitely have to keep reading.
I'm sorry to correct you but I don't think you give a very accurate picture. I hesitate to perpetuate the stereotype that Australia is racist, but there are a lot of rather cloistered individuals in Perth, and racial slurs are common, I've experienced them quite a number of times in my life. I've also heard quite a few people saying negative things about gay people and aborigines. Does that make me think Perth people are racist overall? No, because I know the few don't represent the whole. If you are a minority, I would say just don't take notice of it, don't let it affect you. It doesn't me, but just letting you know in case you're not used to it. You might be lucky and never experience it...aboriginals picking on whites is also not unknown.
But yeah it's a live and let live sort of place in Perth. I don't want to discourage you from my hometown, it IS a nice place to live, but I just feel you might get bored there. Plus it's so isolated. I never truly felt at home there, I feel more at home here.
Just how prevalent is racism in Perth? Is it something that is ingrained into the culture of the city or just a few fringe oddballs looking for trouble? I always got the impression it was the latter since you don't really hear of racial incidents coming out of Perth in the news. Melbourne has its racists and its share of racially motivated attacks too (although still nothing like Sydney), and people's attitudes towards things like homosexuality become much less liberal as you get further into the outer suburbs here, so I'm curious as to whether you think the two cities are different enough in this respect to affect the OP's choice seeing as you've lived in both?
Just how prevalent is racism in Perth? Is it something that is ingrained into the culture of the city or just a few fringe oddballs looking for trouble? I always got the impression it was the latter since you don't really hear of racial incidents coming out of Perth in the news. Melbourne has its racists and its share of racially motivated attacks too (although still nothing like Sydney), and people's attitudes towards things like homosexuality become much less liberal as you get further into the outer suburbs here, so I'm curious as to whether you think the two cities are different enough in this respect to affect the OP's choice seeing as you've lived in both?
Australia does have a pretty racist past, that can't be denied, but we've come a long way since then. I feel most people these days are pretty accepting/tolerant, but there is still a noticeable undercurrent of racism and xenophobia, particularly among certain groups. For some reason, maybe it's subjective, I just feel that feeling is more tangible in Perth than Melbourne. Maybe it's less multicultural (but still is) and more provincial, but while I've witnessed racism here a couple of times too, it just seems less of a deal. I wouldn't base perception on racism on what you hear on the news: most news focuses on Sydney and Melbourne in general. I would say that racism/homophobia shouldn't be a huge consideration in either case, neither are bad by world standards, but more other factors like culture, arts.etc. I would recommend the OP visit both cities for an extended period before he makes up his mind.
Thanks for the heads up. I just did a little research on it and it has a higher-than-average elderly population, which would be good for me as that is the demographic I plan on working with, so I'll definitely have to keep reading.
I give Adelaide a gentle ribbing, mostly for minibrings pleasure, but it's not a bad place to live. You need to think of it as more of a large country town than the bigger cities on the east coast.
FWIW, there's actually a sign at Adelaide airport that says something along the lines of "would the last person to leave Adelaide please switch off the lights".
Australia does have a pretty racist past, that can't be denied, but we've come a long way since then. I feel most people these days are pretty accepting/tolerant, but there is still a noticeable undercurrent of racism and xenophobia, particularly among certain groups. For some reason, maybe it's subjective, I just feel that feeling is more tangible in Perth than Melbourne. Maybe it's less multicultural (but still is) and more provincial, but while I've witnessed racism here a couple of times too, it just seems less of a deal. I wouldn't base perception on racism on what you hear on the news: most news focuses on Sydney and Melbourne in general. I would say that racism/homophobia shouldn't be a huge consideration in either case, neither are bad by world standards, but more other factors like culture, arts.etc. I would recommend the OP visit both cities for an extended period before he makes up his mind.
Yep fair point. There's only so much you can learn about a place from secondary sources I suppose.
As for New Zealand, I've read a lot of good things about it and am intrigued, though I actually thought it would be harder to emigrate there than Australia based on what I've read. Have I gotten the wrong impression?
I haven't looked into it but I keep seeing stories like this about the gov't trying to get people to move there:
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
