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Thanks for agreeing that there IS a stereotype mentality in Australia
Thanks again for clarifying what I was talking about, ciggas.
You are so proud of being able to speak English, yet you have amazing spelling and grammar.
DDevil you crack me up!! Still with the holding up random opinion on a message board as the absolute truth about a whole population.
You're aware of course that what you yourself are doing is stereotyping? I guess not, but no matter. I cannot convince you and I'm done trying. Your experience was that we are racist because you've checked and double checked on message boards and with crappy media sources and let's not forget that your colleagues and friends here said so, so it must be true. That's how you've interpreted it from your incredibly poor sources and nothing is going to shift your focus as far as I can see. As Dr Phil would say, "How's that working for ya?" So yeah, it's a shame but at least now you're in America you appear to be giving them the benefit of an open mind and one can only hope that it works out for you there. I look forward to you regalling us with more biased opinion of the place when you return for your next holiday.
Rest assured when I get back from my trip to the States I'll be sure and give you my complete comparison of the two countries. It will of course be purely my opinion, but I'm guessing even before I do that mine will be a lot more open minded.
So yeah, it's a shame but at least now you're in America you appear to be giving them the benefit of an open mind and one can only hope that it works out for you there.
Friend, I did come to Australia with an open mind. I mentioned in my first post that I have lived and worked in a few other countries as well. It's not that I went to those countries with an open mind and went to Australia with a rigid, closed mindset.
I move countries simply because I can.
I did not move countries "because it didnt work out" and that applies to Australia as well. I move because I want to see the world, and with my work it is possible for me to do so.
Why are you and some others in denial about what can happen in Australia?
Or do you want to portray the place as an "Antipodean Utopia"?
So yeah, it's a shame but at least now you're in America you appear to be giving them the benefit of an open mind and one can only hope that it works out for you there.
Friend, I did come to Australia with an open mind. I mentioned in my first post that I have lived and worked in a few other countries as well. It's not that I went to those countries with an open mind and went to Australia with a rigid, closed mindset.
I move countries simply because I can.
I did not move countries "because it didnt work out" and that applies to Australia as well. I move because I want to see the world, and with my work it is possible for me to do so.
Why are you and some others in denial about what can happen in Australia?
Or do you want to portray the place as an "Antipodean Utopia"?
In no way!, Do I consider Australia as being a Utopia and I doubt any other Aussie here does either? But, Many Travellers ARE under that very impression, They've been sold on the Idealised Australia!...Which in reality dosen't and has never really existed!
I'm not denying!, That there are problems in this country, Which we're doing our best to try to remedy. However!, I do think that your being unjustly critical, In regards to living here!
Whether people like it or not, We are what we are?
Last edited by Kangaroofarmer; 06-24-2008 at 12:05 PM..
Wow. I was just going to post that a lot of the venomous wildlife in Australia scares me too much to want to move there, no matter how many good things I've heard about the people. Sydney funnel-web spiders, king brown snakes, taipans, what have you. It just seems to me that Australia is a beautiful country with fauna that wants to kill you.
Wow. I was just going to post that a lot of the venomous wildlife in Australia scares me too much to want to move there, no matter how many good things I've heard about the people. Sydney funnel-web spiders, king brown snakes, taipans, what have you. It just seems to me that Australia is a beautiful country with fauna that wants to kill you.
We also have the American Black Widow Spider's Cousin, The "Redback" spider!
Australia is indeed beautiful country and our more dangerous fauna, Isn't really that dangerous. Unless you deliberately agitate them! Then frankly!...You ask for what you get!
You'll be pleased to know though, That Fatal Spider and Snake bites, Are actually quite rare, As Hospitals and Clinics, Carry a good supply of Anti-Venom, If do happen to be the unlucky one?
Wow. I was just going to post that a lot of the venomous wildlife in Australia scares me too much to want to move there, no matter how many good things I've heard about the people. Sydney funnel-web spiders, king brown snakes, taipans, what have you. It just seems to me that Australia is a beautiful country with fauna that wants to kill you.
Dont worry about the animals, you wont see them in the city anyways.
And as Kangaroofarmer pointed out, bites are very rare.
krispy kremes are now in australia so that makes it an easier decision.
Speak for yourself. Not in Perth. Every time I go thru Sydney airport, I bring back at least a dozen. Family and friends here demand it. We get nothing in Perth. I hear Costco's coming to Oz too, but I'm sure it'll never come to Perth either. Not that it'd be as good as it is in the US anyway, but still.
One thing to remember about choosing btwn Oz and US - Oz is FAR from everything. East coast bad enough, but west coast, fuhgedaboudit! 30 hour flights are not fun.
So yeah, it's a shame but at least now you're in America you appear to be giving them the benefit of an open mind and one can only hope that it works out for you there.
Friend, I did come to Australia with an open mind. I mentioned in my first post that I have lived and worked in a few other countries as well. It's not that I went to those countries with an open mind and went to Australia with a rigid, closed mindset.
I move countries simply because I can.
I did not move countries "because it didnt work out" and that applies to Australia as well. I move because I want to see the world, and with my work it is possible for me to do so.
Why are you and some others in denial about what can happen in Australia?
Or do you want to portray the place as an "Antipodean Utopia"?
There's no denial here DDevil, I'm well aware that racism exists in Australia, but as I've said and will repeat, it can happen anywhere. Even in America. I just don't think you gave good examples, don't agree that the examples you gave are absolute evidence of racism in this country.
I'm not suggesting that you came to Australia with a closed mind, only that you appear to have taken a series of negative incidents and experiences that you had here and interpreted them purely as specific and endemic to Australia AND then gone on to ascribe these negative traits based on your experience to the whole population, therefore giving us all a bad report card, in your opinion, based on your interactions with a small sample of people. That's wrong, I've said before I think it's wrong and of course I'm going to take issue with it. Much of what you have described and attributed negatively to Australia has happened to me in other parts of the world. Happens all over the world. To all kinds of people. Bad hotels can happen anywhere, dodgy landlords, inferior (and that's subjective) medical care, yahoos calling out of car windows, comments from people that are misconstrued based on your own incorrect interpretation, and hell yeah, even ignorant comment, all of it can happen ANYWHERE. I guess what I'm saying is your reaction and comments regarding your experience are, in my opinion, just as stereotypical and equally as offensive as those that you are railing against. So no, I'm not going to let them just slide by. When you say that this country is racist and we are ALL led by stereotypes you are talking about me, my family, my friends, my work colleagues and I don't think we deserve the bum wrap just because you had a hard time of it here with some things. In short you are stereotyping us, can you see how it works? Personally I think you need to get back over here so you can have some positive experiences and some fair minded commentary when you do experience negative comment. I'd more than welcome the opportunity to change your perception of the place.
Anyway, I think it's really cool that you're able to travel and see and experience many countries around the world, it's such a great opportunity and a great way of life, just don't be tarring us all with the same brush hey?
... It just seems to me that Australia is a beautiful country with fauna that wants to kill you.
hehe! FlourChild! You're perfectly safe! Some of the fauna can kill you but I hardly think they're just sitting around waiting for you to show up because they want to.
You've been watching that documentary about the world's deadliest creatures haven't you? Or perhaps it was Steve Irwin and all that crocodile wrestling that's freaked you out?
The only time I've seen snakes has been when I've been at the zoo or out in the bush in their territory and for the most part they leave me well enough alone. Same with spiders and box jellyfish and blue ringed octopy. You're not going to see them most of the time unless you seek them out. And our medical centres are equipped with anti venom and most of us traipsing about in the bush know about pressure bandages and first aid. Not too many folk die from snake bite or spider bite or any other kind of nasty critter bite in this country. It's really only the crocs or the great whites that people come off second best to and those deaths are rare as well. You'd be more likely to be bowled over by a car on a busy road than die a painful death from the fauna.
I'm heading to Washington state later in the year and all I can ask about constantly is BEARS!!!! I mean them things will rip you limb from limb!!! Imagine just strolling about in the forest, enjoying nature and becoming lunch for Yogi???? Or what about if I'm killed by a charging bison???? A feral raccoon??? I hear them squirrels can get nasty too!
Last edited by moonshadow; 06-25-2008 at 10:11 PM..
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DDevil you crack me up!! Still with the holding up random opinion on a message board as the absolute truth about a whole population. 
That's how you've interpreted it from your incredibly poor sources and nothing is going to shift your focus as far as I can see. As Dr Phil would say, "How's that working for ya?" 
So yeah, it's a shame but at least now you're in America you appear to be giving them the benefit of an open mind and one can only hope that it works out for you there. I look forward to you regalling us with more biased opinion of the place when you return for your next holiday. 
A feral raccoon??? 
