Usha Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 (edited) Just need to put what I'm thinking out there...........(and no I don't have a chip on my shoulder........I'm just sharing my feelings)Attempting to move my family to Australia was my idea. The reason we chose the destination was because i spent some time studying there in 97, and I was happy and felt comfortable and safe there...But what if it's changed. I was a foreign student back then, and this time I'm a foreigner wanting to make a permanent home out there. Were people friendly to me back then because i was just a visitor and will the feelings now change as I want to now stick around forever???I guess having finally been granted the visa, one's mind starts to think about all the scenarios and it makes you question your intentions even more.I am South African, my ancestors may have come from India and I therefore look Indian BUT I AM a South African. And while the outside world looks at SA as a country where racism is rife, no one in SA has ever asked me or any of the generations before me "Where you're from and when are you going back?" We are such a mixed pot of people in this country that we don't 2nd glance any race because we just assume they're local.......I wear a red dot on my forehead because I am married.......no matter what race you are in South Africa, you know the significance of the dot....AND with that red mark on my head I'm still a local....I'm afraid that moving away from my mixed pot I am going to be an outsider forever. I dont want people to just assume that i am from India..because I'm not! Yeah sure i am going to be a foreigner in a new country but I'm afriad of being given the wrong label, and I'm also afraid of how long that label is going to stick? At some point I just want to be a local down under (without having to compromise my culture)........and I'm wondering if that will happen as easily as it happens out here.Has anyone else ever had similar fears? Are you a person of a different colour/culture in Australia, and how has the move been for you???The above might sound ridiculous to a few, but hell, it's got my mind in a frenzy. Edited January 31, 2013 by Usha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadEnoughofJuju Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 (edited) This is the very reason we are moving to Australia. My wife is currently looking for work before we go and not once has she been asked her gender, skin colour or marital status. The only thing they seem to care about is her qualifications and experience. I don't think the people were just being nice to you because you were a foreign student but because that's just the way Australians are. We have never had the privilege of visiting the country but from all I have read on this forum and others like it, colour or origin don't matter. Someone told me a story of a guy who was reprimanded because he referred to one of his colleagues as "the black gentleman standing over there" and was told in future to rather state that "he is the one wearing the blue shirt" instead.It's not ridiculous to feel the way you are, I think it's the way we have been conditioned to think and feel here in South Africa because of our circumstances. I know it's going to take some getting used to for me.Edited to add:Welcome to the forum by the way and good luck with the rest of the journey and planning. Edited January 31, 2013 by HadEnoughofJuju 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynnie Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Usha,Welcome to the forum :ilikeit: and no you do not sound ridiculous at all.From my experience, the Australians don't care about the color of your skin, what car you drive, where you live etc... they are interested in the person inside And - Australia is extremely multicultural, there are many many races living in Oz.Good luck with your journey, it is not easy - but SO worth it 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibella Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Usha, Australia is a melting pot of different colours and cultures, I don't think you have anything to worry about. Especially if you settle in one of the bigger metropolitan areas.I would say the biggest section of immigrants would be Asian. But I've also seen / met - Indian / African / Greek / Italian / Portugese / Burmese / French / English etc. etc. etc. people. Nothing to worry about I think.And their is always some cultural festival going and I love it!! Been to the Chinese New Years festival, French Festival - amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamInACT Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 No no no no no no no no no no....like lynnie said, Australia is extremely multicultural, there are many many races living in Oz. .... CANBERRA is the most probably the most tolerant and harmonious city to live in all of AUS!Check out Canberra's Multicultural Festival ..... http://www.multiculturalfestival.com.au/LOVE CANBERRA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Welcome, don't worry mate... it's gonna be a great one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordy Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 As said above I have never witnessed people of colour being treated differently by Australians. What I would say is that they are fascinated by different cultures. We have an Indian lady at church who wears the most beautiful Saris and all the ladies oo and aah over her dresses and tell her how pretty she is. As for your concern that they will think you from India, well unfortunately I think this will happen. Most Aussies are not aware that South Africa has its own Indians. All this talk and now I feel like Samoosas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonVD Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 All this talk and now I feel like Samoosas.Now I'm hungry... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riekie Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Australia is the REAL rainbow nation! A perfect example of how cultures could mix and live together not only in peace, but in perfect harmony! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OubaasDik Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Aus has them - they are pronounced sam-oh-sas - and compared to SA samoosas - they are pretty crap - the pastry is especially vile -being thick and normally not all that crisp. Never found any as good as SA ones.I'm pale and I was expecting at least some of the "Bloody Pommy bastard" that Poms were said to get in the 50's - aikona. I have had a few people make fun of my accent, but I knew them fairly well and it was in fun. No hassles.Having said that - in 1997 / 98 one of my "blue-shirted" colleagues (to please HEOJ) from SA left for Sydney and returned within 6 months bitching about how his wife couldn't take the racism. Take that whence it comes. I have seen NO evidence whatsoever, but I'm not in Sydney and it's not 1997 - and I have NO idea where he was staying.There are so many nationalities types of people here, that trying to guess where anyone is from is a sucker game. For example if you see an Indian looking person - don't assume he comes from India - he could be from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 ...As for your concern that they will think you from India, well unfortunately I think this will happen. Most Aussies are not aware that South Africa has its own Indians. ..I knew that...AND that Indians settled in Durban in bigger numbers than other cities. And established a trade route between India and Durban if I remember correctly? Do I win an Aussie smarty pants prize ? Or a boaster's hat Just need to read one of those big historical "faction" epics to learn that...always loved books that touched on South Africa and the great sweep of history... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rozellem Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Usha, I have never seen people in Sydney treat anyone differently because of their skin. Thats not to say it doesnt happen somewhere, but it cant happen at work or in school or in any place run by government. If it does, they are in huge trouble and the law is on your side. We have just come back from dinner out with Indian friends (UK Indian, she born in Kenya). They have never had a moments trouble in 4 years in Sydney. I must say, I think a lot has to do with, firstly accents. There are some Indian people who despite fantastic qualifications, have such heavy accents, they are almost unemployable. RSA accents will be fine. Then the most important thing from my view is confidence/attitude/delivery (call it what you want). If you look someone respectfully in the eye as a equal and talk about your subject with confidence, nobody can look down on you. This is just last minute flutters, all normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Usha Posted February 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 (edited) To everyone that has replied..........THANK YOU for making me feel better.This forum is truly an amazing place and I am gratefull for all the support. I am very humbled by all of you. Edited February 1, 2013 by Usha 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claudiodr Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 Welcome Usha! Dont worry, in the UK everyone thinks I'm either Aussie or Kiwi;-) All it'll take is one correction and people wont forget again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFilanders Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 Welcome!!I don't think you have any reason to be concerned. I doubt people noticed our skin colour or even what we wore when we visited Australia in 2009.When we visited other countries we were thought to be from reunion island,lol. I have never ever been there!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAD Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 Dear Fish, lol, unfortunately you cannot be awarded the " smarty pants " award because Indians settled in Durban under less glamorous circumstances than you think. They settled in Durban because they arrived there as Indentured Labourers to work on the sugar cane fields along the then natal coast. The conditions under which they found themselves in was horrendous and far from the colorful exotic spice route misconception. Dear Usha, Jordy is correct, you will be mistaken for coming over from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka but you will soon learn that people make this mistake because they know so little of SA history. Don't be upset when this happens because once you start explaining where you come from, people are fascinated. Also wear your dot with pride and if you get mistaken for coming from one of these countries it's Ok. It's not an insult to be mistaken cos really it is part of your heritage and I assume you wear your South African nationality status with pride as well so people quickly learn the difference between your race and your Nationality. Most Auzzies are great with CALD - culturally and linguistically diverse groups however like everywhere in the world racism exists so expect it from time to time. You will understand when you get here, you will get through it but you will experience it however subtle it may appear. Having said all of this and gone through my own experiences, I love Melbourne, maybe because it IS such a multicultural CITY. For me it is like joburg because with all of joburg's faults it is a very multicultural city.Anyway welcome and enjoy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunnyskies Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 Usha, people generally won't say anything and most people from good backgrounds will have no issue with your colour. However, there is racism in Australia - nothing like what I think you feared, but it is there. Be aware some neighbourhoods are more racist and xenophobic than the average suburb and you should google for racial incidents in any area you are thinking of settling in, so that you understand the racial temperature of an area before you settle in it. Don't stress - no one wil say anything about the bindi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JET1 Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 Hi Usha, Yeah... I can relate to you. I have often thought about the same things you have mentioned in your post and in the end I have come to the following conclusion: I realise that there will be some racist people in Australia, but honestly I couldnt care less. I am who I am and in the colour/race I was born, I would deserve to settle in Australia just as much as the next person. Truth be told, Aussie born are lucky that they dont have to jump through the same hoops for the same priveledge. We studied, we worked, we paid, we packed up and we moved. Quite hectic in my opinion, and after all that effort, there is no way that I am going to let a minority of racists affect me. Racists just wouldnt get the time of day from me. Thats how I would deal with that. I hear you on being an outsider forever. Everything I said above is based on racists being the minority. However what if that wasnt the case, then surely you would inevitably feel unwanted and unwelcome. So I definitely hear you on that pet fear, but from all the research I have done, from all the success stories (including Indian, SA Indian to be more specific), PLUS from my validation trip , every single bit of info and experience I have gathered thus far have all pointed to the positives of Australia. With all my heart, I think us SA Indians can take our chances in Australia and we'll be right mate. Damn, as I say that out aloud, it just doesnt sound right. Not yet anyway. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Dear Fish, lol, unfortunately you cannot be awarded the " smarty pants " award because Indians settled in Durban under less glamorous circumstances than you think. They settled in Durban because they arrived there as Indentured Labourers to work on the sugar cane fields along the then natal coast. The conditions under which they found themselves in was horrendous and far from the colorful exotic spice route misconception....I never presumed they emigrated themselves for the sunshine and beaches, just that there were many there So I want my award back...I just had to beat the average Aussie remember 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAD Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Ahhhh well ok then.....would you like that award in the form of a virtual samoosa or a virtual bunny chow?....LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eva Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 I must just add the negative story to all the positive. A friend of mine who worked for many years in recruitment says she has seen endless racism by Australian employers. She placed an Indian woman who spoke perfectly from PNG in a position and the employer refused to keep her 'because her English was not good enough'! She has told me other stories of refugees from Africa who just cannot get decent jobs. Gave me a start because I have often criticised the Sudanese refugees because they never seem to have jobs! Bit tough if no-one will employ you. Of course these stories are not always the case, but it does happen! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAD Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Thank you Eva for mentioning this. I don't see it as a negative story but a realistic story. My husband had gone for an interview onto the third round of interviews ( which usually is an extremely good indication) only to be told NO we need Australian experience. obviously nothing can be proven but even the recruitment agent could not fathom this one. So yes it does happen but chin up and carry on regardless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted February 3, 2013 Report Share Posted February 3, 2013 Ahhhh well ok then.....would you like that award in the form of a virtual samoosa or a virtual bunny chow?....LOLHmmm, just looked up the bunny chow on wiki:I hear the Samoosas are good 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&GJBay Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 Fish... You're obviously not from Durban or you wouldn't have to wiki a bunny chow! Lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlBrough Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 I am going to miss them... I'll just have to make it myself over the pond Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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