"worst" aspects of Aus?

[hannesb]

1. P-licence plate drivers with big, noisy exhaust pipes and boom-boom music coming from their cars

2. Cost of living

3. Small supermarkets and no parking close to them (at least in Canberra, no Hypermarket-type places here)

4. No drip/filter coffee in coffeeshops!

5. Books are expensive

[Allie en Urs]

We have not been here long, so I can only add the following two.....

1. Self centered and very Click orientated South African communities

2. OZ people working in shops, no sense of humor and generally unfriendly.

[Guest Jules]

2. OZ people working in shops, no sense of humor and generally unfriendly.

To be honest I haven't found this at all. Most of the time the shop assistants are extremely friendly and helpful.

A lot of the things previously mentioned can be annoying. One of the biggies for me are the trucks who drive right behind you at the maximum speed limit, forcing you to do the same.

[Allie en Urs]

Dit is seker omdat ons afr.is want ons is baie maklike mense en het nooit sulke goed voorheen ervaar of deurgegaan nie

Edited November 19, 2006 by Allie&Urs

[JohanK]

Hi Allie

You mention the “Self centered and very CLICK orientated South African communities” mate, I agree with you 100% on our LSD trip in 2005 I experienced this in a big way and even living in Perth now I can back you 110% I even noticed it today at the Red Bull Air Race here in Perth today but you know what makes it bad, it is the way of the Afrikaner Nation even in Good Old SA you had the Click thing going as I am sure you can contest to!!!

Regarding the Aussies, there culture and sense of hummer differs very much from what you are used to but once you get use to it and adapt to it you will see that they are actually very good people!!!!

[Allie en Urs]

So it a case of adapt or never tell a joke again

[JohanK]

No Allie, it is a question of we need to find out how to change the joke so that it adapts to the Aussie way of telling a joke!!

I tried it again today and I am getting there, it is just a question of time before I get it and they crack out laughing at my jokes!

[Bob]

So . . . . . that's why I get no laughs at my jokes!!

[chatterbug]

Corrected below

Edited November 20, 2006 by chatterbug

[chatterbug]

Hi All,

There are many of the previous points I agree with, but let me add some of my ones:

1. The style of journalism is very subjective and one sided, and it seems quite OK to most observers. What about objectivity and investigating the other side of the story? the "today tonight" syndrome I call it!

2. The "Aussie battler" mentality - OK the worst form of it borders on victimology (en sommer net armsaligheid - "bettie bitterbek" sindroom)

3. One eyed sports reporting - there is one way and its the Aussie way, if the Springboks play dirty, then its an absolute disgrace, but if Willie Mason biffs the Pommy in an international then the reporter reckons the Pommy deserved it???

4. Australia is a very litigious society - public liability insurance is a must and the cost of this in many cases limits some endevours/activities and professions. People seem to think that everthing can be sorted out via the courts or some sort of regulation or law. One of the phrases I noticed almost all Australians used is "at this stage", its sort of like a verbal disclaimer in case someone holds you to your statement.

5. Aussie cars! Not all of them are bad, I even like the new Commodore. But to a lover of European cars (and they come at a premium price over here too), I'm a bit over all the Japanese/Korean/American-Australian cars, the Fords and Holden (and every blinking version of it) is the headline topic of nearly every car mag! Generally too much engine power and 100km speed limits, must lead to a lot of frustration.

6. The absence of a "boer maak 'n plan" attitude, which I am very used to. Generally things can't be done because they are not trained for it, qualified to do it, don't have the correct "lazy man's tool" to do it, or ther is not a regulation or procedure or law to cover it (or there is and it is prohibiting the deisred outcome). I hate when generally I ask an opinion of someone and (I now know) the standard answer is going to be " sorry sir I am not qualified to give advice on this or that!" People don't seem to have opinions anymore for fear of being sued - it is a shame!

7. Australians' love for gambling/games of chance/racing/betting/lottery and other activities that are mostly based on luck, chance or some or other form of risk taking. This is not unique to Aus, obviously but I think it permeates most of society over here. I especially hate it when they call Aus "the lucky country" I know what they mean but to me it should rather be the prosperous country or the blessed/fortunate country. I think Luck has little to do with Australia's current position as a country. Like Gary Player once said: The more I practice the luckier I get!"

I always said that it would be a healthy sign to me when I am over the "honeymoon phase" and the "everything is to good to be true phase" and can start seeing the aspects that I'd like to change or that I'm not happy with. Not doing this would mean to me that I'm not "engaged" enough and I don't really care. And yes I do very much.

Poison Arrow BUG

[Lindy-Lee]

Alot of valid points were made here but for me...I don't think of whats wrong..I might just dwell on it too long and miss out on the good things. And I appreciate the chance we were given too much to think of the "not so good"

Proud to be (nearly) Australian

Lindy-Lee

[chatterbug]

sense of hummer

Hehe JohanK - ek het nogal ook 'n sense vir 'n Hummer! Ek sien hulle gaan hulle volgende jaar hier in Aus begin verkoop - daar's nou vir jou 'n off road Meneer!

Draaksteek BUG

Agge nee Lindy man! hier is waar jy die ergste aspekte van Aus moet noem! - dit het my ook lank gevat om iets hier te skryf maar kom nou man probeer net, net enetjie! Die res van die forum kan jy weer super positief wees! Ons weet Aussie is cool maar as jy nou moet se, soort van "forced choice" - Wat sal jy noem - of jy nog te diep in die honeymoon! Hehe.

Bugster

[Lindy-Lee]

Let me guess... Your'e going to BUG me until I say something.

As for honeymoon...Ek is die jaar 10 jaar getroud en volgens my is al drie my kinders honeymoon babies

Daar is een ding wat my grynsloos irriteer, maar shame hulle ken nie van beter nie Mense wat moan en groan oor die staat hulle nie genoeg gee nie (geld ens)...Geeezzz your'e getting something and for free. Live in SA and see how you feel then!!!!!

ok is jy nou tevrede jou BUGger

Nou los my nou uit!!!! Jy maak my skaam (Oeps...wat is skaam nou weer. )

Lindy-Lee

[chatterbug]

Daar is hy ....sien dis toe nie so moeilik nie! en jou vinger is nog steeds in die dyk....Ok ek sal nou ophou.......

cheers vir eers!

BUGgat!

[Guest Bronwyn]

Chatterbug! Your point 6. was exactly the point I tried to make earlier in the thread Isn't it strange???

Having said that, one tiny little gripe about my future countrymen and the future home of my kids and grandkids does seem a little bit like 'looking a gift horse in the mouth'. Don't want to do that!

If I had to make a list of the things that are currently driving me to drink about South Africa, I would be here until tomorrow morning (plastered) !

Bye, Bronwyn

[Willie]

Thus far my list is as follows

1) Kids lack of direction/religion

2) Water

3) the medical services is far from addequite and expensive. My wife had to go and this docter filled all in on the computer and the computer did the diagnostic and prescription without this docter once making eye contact!?

4) Speed limits for these long distances is very low

5) No dentists????

6) Propety prices and quality of the houses

7) getting asked to explain why South Africans are comming in such great numbers to Aus

8) Remember their experience is very different to yours in terms of Race thus you can easily look very bad with the wrongly worded answer.

9) WHERE DID THEY LEARN ENGLISH???

[ExASP]

Hahahaha...yup....I must say I dont have much more to add...my gripes are along the same lines...red tape, rude kids, speed limits, and then of course...haha this language thing...Is it only me or what? I CANNOT stand the way they put "R" into words like law, saw and draw...and the pronounciation for MAYOR...Drives me absolutely insane.....