what don't you like about Aus?

[funtobeaussiechick]

The odd thing is the stats in RSA are also telling us that crime is reducing. In my view, every society has great things about it, including South Africa, and very undersirable things. You just have to decide what you are prepared to live with.

There was a story about two years back if I recall about a South African who was new to Australia, some how he ended up being shot dead. Now maybe if he had stayed in South Africa he would still be alive.

Let's face it, a lot of people also feel that a move is like a new start, a chance to try and do it again, free ones self from their current shackles and start over. The reality is that for some it is, for others it's the same and other the worse thing they did.

Some thrive in a rules based society, others struggle. For every good thing you'll find in Oz, there is another thing that will pull it the other way.

You must be happy with yourself first, then it does not matter where you live and what you face each day.

Being a victim of crime, especially the physical assault types, ain't going to feel different because you in Oz or RSA, that I can tell you is fact.

Mate, I can tell you that I moved here and I have never felt unsafe. It is not Utopia I agree that would be naive but I kinda feel like we were you know the 70's in SA when we did not check out everyone in the street and had a carefree childhood. I feel like I have got something back I have lost. There IS crime everywhere in the world but just as I do not choose to live in parts of South America because of crime, the same can be said about SA. Love to feel like this. I am not naive, I do lock my doors at night, as I would in any country, but tell me one thing how safe would you feel to just go camping in SA, next to the river?Please tell me guys can you do this in SA. Anyone who tells me that they can have a totally NORMAL lifestyle must tell me that they do this without fear in Africa. Please remove all the electric fences in SA and I will go back.

This graph explains EXACTLY what I've been saying all along. If you look at the (graph provided by patrice) it can be very clearly seen that the trend in the last 3-4 years is an UPWARD trend. Yes, it may have dropped from 2008 but from 2010 (i.e. in recent times) it's increasing. I'm not sure about you guys but I live in the present (not the past) and although stats of the past are nice to look at, it has little to do with what we see and experience right now.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and it can clearly be seen that the trend in the sample data provided by patrice is moving in the wrong direction..... but am I the only one seeing this?

Johnno you have lost you Australian mojo. I think you may feel more at home on Homecoming Revolution I think it is. Not being rude just feel that your negative slant is somehow linked to being unhappy in Aus. Tell me you feel unsafe in Aus? Do you? Do you have armed response or electric fencing? Do you have trellidoors and bars on all your windows? Do you have a really high wall and electric gate? Do you have a firearm next to you bed and get nervous when you hear noises in the night? yes you could get murdered in Australia but the liklihood is extremely unlikely. I think the stats tell us that. I reckon you sleep well at night?

[Mikej]

Djuha or Hodja is a satirical Sufi figure who is believed to have lived during the Middle Ages (around 13th century). Djuha was a populist philosopher and wise man, remembered for his funny stories and anecdotes.

I could not find this particular story on Google so I am writing it from memory. My telling can never do the story justice but hopefully this is enough to deliver the message.

A traveler approached a raggedy old man on a lonely road between two towns.

"old man, what is the town up ahead like and how are the people?"

"what are the people like in the town you have just come from?" asked the old man

"it was awful, the people were mean and unfriendly and the place had a bad feel to it. I did not enjoy my visit there"

The old man replied. "it is the same in the next town."

Some time later in the day another traveler approached from the same town the other man had come from.

"greetings old man, what is the town up ahead like?"

"what is the place you have just come from like?" asked the old man.

"it was quite nice, the people were friendly and kind and I enjoyed my time there."

The old man replied "it is the same in the next town"

[Johnno]

Johnno you have lost you Australian mojo. I think you may feel more at home on Homecoming Revolution I think it is. Not being rude just feel that your negative slant is somehow linked to being unhappy in Aus. Tell me you feel unsafe in Aus? Do you? Do you have armed response or electric fencing? Do you have trellidoors and bars on all your windows? Do you have a really high wall and electric gate? Do you have a firearm next to you bed and get nervous when you hear noises in the night? yes you could get murdered in Australia but the liklihood is extremely unlikely. I think the stats tell us that. I reckon you sleep well at night?

You're wrong. I'm very happy in Australia and that is why I choose to live here. I have never said that I am unhappy, that comes from people like you who make incorrect assumptions based on defending your views. No one is saying that crime is anywhere near as bad in Oz as it is back in SA. In fact if you read all my post before you make an incorrect assumption you will see that I have said time and time again, SA is the violent crime capital of the world. If me pointing out the obvious and then backing it up with recent figures is contrary to your believe then that's fine by me but surely you'll see for yourself that the trend is creeping up in the last few years. The graph, (not mine, but someone useless research) complete with arrows should be self explanatory.

[Lyn]

Andrea, I am so ready to hear about your crappy life - the long version please

SOZ couldn't help myself

[Bronwyn&Co]

Andrea, I am so ready to hear about your crappy life - the long version please

SOZ couldn't help myself

A problem shared is a problem halved...or something like that. ?

[AndreaL]

OK..................hubby has been unwell, basically we have operated on adrenalin and getting the next task done for many years..............maybe some sort of fight or flight mode...............anyway, finally we got p.r. and were finally off the 457 uncertainty, then citizenship and I was steadily putting away money for that little place or piece of land to retire to...................and then wham...................I liken it to some sort of computer that is busy running lots of tasks, and then one day it says.................right, I've been doing all this work, now it is time to fix my memory or delete my cache.......................and hubby became very depressed, developed severe anxiety.......................we went through the public health system and to local mental health.........................and got what I consider a second rate social worker whose first language is not English...................so there are cultural lags and differences...................anyway, he was diagnosed with bipolar 2.....................big shock, and I think for him was like a big sign being placed around his neck saying............"I'm mad"..............his anxiety ( bearing in mind that he has never been a social person) became so severe that he could not leave the house and could not go to work......

He has been on leave without pay since January, so I have not had an income for 3 months...............the savings are gone and in an attempt to get a correct diagnosis, I booked him into a private clinic at a cost of $3150 per week (bloody Medibank would not pay as supposedly our hospital cover would not cover psychiatric conditions) so I have had to max out the credit cards to pay for this.........................................anyway, according to the psychiatrist there he does not have bipolar ( I knew this as I worked in a psychiatric hospital in the UK for several years) but has PTSD..................thank you South Africa, the gift that keeps on giving.......................let's just say that some really bad things happened to him there and just when life was going well, his brain decided to torment him with nightmares and survivors guilt and demand that he deal with repressed emotions..............

So he is home now, but still not able to return to work and the daily struggle continues...............we do pay income protection, so I have a claim in, but am doubtful that they will pay, because we all know that a fracture of the mind is not as apparent or visible as a fracture of the leg or something.

I am now trying to negotiate the intricacies of Centrelink to see if I can at least get some form of family tax benefit for the kids, just to try and pay some bills, I am now a jobseeker and should get newstart allowance...............the bizarre bit is that we live in a country town and my closest Centrelink is a 400km round trip, so any money I get will likely be swallowed up by travelling to Centrelink fortnightly to "report in"..................

I feel as if I am spending my days completing forms and trying to rob Peter to pay Paul and somedays it just gets too much..............thank goodness I still have the voluntary work that I do ( not many jobs in a small mining town, so I chose to contribute by volunteering) and I know this might sound odd, but as a centre for victims of domestic violence, I see people daily that are so much more worse off than I am..............perhaps that is what is keeping me afloat.........just.

I am not looking for sympathy, and heaven forbid any smart person that may say, " well you should have planned better", I did and it is now gone..............it is just that I am the type of person that needs some sort of control in life and because that has all been taken from me, I feel adrift and don't know how long this is going to go on for, how long might hubby's work, who have been really good in holding his job, will do so....................and if that happens we can no longer live here, because the house comes with the job.......................and I am trying not to catastrophise, but being a worrier by nature................well.............oh and I have a slipped disc and trapped nerve in my back, so am in pain most days,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, blah, blah, blah......................

It is like a really bad country and western song, you know the ones where your wife left you and your dog died and the rain is coming through your roof..........yeah......

So yes, my life is pretty crappy at the moment................and it is doing all sorts of weird things to me...............I'm known as the strong one in my family, and like most of you tend not to share the problems in my life with the folks back home..............no point in worrying them when they are so far away, so I am not phoning them as much, because I am very close to my Dad and he can see through me straight away, just by hearing my voice....................and I am avoiding hubby's parents because they are not well, so I can't worry them..................and I'm going through the daily routines of life taking kids to school and so on...........

I bet you wish you hadn't asked Lyn.......lol............but yes, that is some of it...............maybe one day I will write a country and western song........

[Johnno]

Thanks for coming to Albany's defense AndreaL. We are a hardly noticed little city out in the sticks and are very sensitive to hurtful remarks.

no doubt any more hurtful than news stories like this! From today's newspaper

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/23156117/sex-assault-at-albany-beach/

Sex Assault at Albany Beach

A woman has been sexually assaulted at a beach in Albany.

The attack occurred at 9.20pm on Tuesday as the 43-year-old woman was walking down a set of stairs to Emu Point Beach.

A man approached the woman from behind and grabbed her left shoulder.

He knocked her out and when she regained consciousness a short time later she found she had been sexually assaulted.

The offender is described as between 30 and 35 years of age, fair-skinned, 185 to 188cms tall, with brown hair and a brown goatee beard.

He was wearing a dark blue or black parka-style jacket.

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000

Edited May 2, 2014 by Johnno

[Toitjie]

Andrea - that is truly one difficult path you are on right now. Reading what you are going through and realising that in spite of that, you are still here, giving advice, puts some things a little in perspective. It seems silly that people would bicker about crime or not crime and little arrows and such when people are having real problems (Im not saying crime is not an issue or that those affected by it does not deserve attention) - it's just the constant bickering about the subject that sometimes gets to me, and when I read your post...I dont know....I wish I could help in some way. It really sounds serious and a worrier myself, I completely understand the worry about finances, kids, house, payments, hubby's health. You are such a strong person, I hope you have a support network, this you cannot carry all alone.

PTSD is such a misunderstood condition. I think there are many out there, especially men, who has this and try to ignore it. I hope things improve quickly for you guus. Good on you for sharing this...as Bronwyn said, a burden shared is a burden halved.

[Lyn]

Thank you for sharing Andrea. I am so sorry to hear your news, this must be a terribly difficult and stressful time for you all, and I cannot imagine what your husband must be going through - and where you are finding the strength to stay strong. You always offer assistance and advice, yet we don't know what troubles people have in their lives.

Not one moment do I think you are looking for sympathy, I asked.

This has nothing to do with planning properly - you were coping very well - this is the effects South Africa has had on your husband. And I think people coming over and people who are here, and even those who have been here a few years need to be made aware of this. Living in South Africa is not good for the soul. Should something traumatic or stressful have happened - it can take years to manifest.

Australia does generally look after her people, but I have definitely come across a lot of inefficiencies.

I hope you have a support group where you live, or someone you can talk to about this, and get help, as I totally understand about not wanting to talk to family back home. If there is anything we can do to help, please just ask. We are a little community here.

Big hug to you.

[heidim]

@AndreaL: Oh boy, listening to you, my life is definitely not crappy as I suggested before. I totally understand the 'control' element. I also need to feel some level of control and when I feel that most of life is outside my control I freak out. So I get you on that one.

Wish there was something to say or do to make it better.

I'm amazed that you are so strong with these circumstances.

Just keep on keeping on..

[Bronwyn&Co]

Hey Andrea. That is a big worry for you. And with real depression you cannot 'just snap out of it'. Maybe PTSD is a bit different, but it sounds like a similar thing. You're getting him help, which he will need.

Mental trauma is every bit as debilitating as a physical injury. Unfortunately it's not always obvious.

I really hope your husband feels a whole lot better soon. If he has been prescribed meds they should help.

It's tough for you, you can't always be the strong one. He will heal. You probably have to really carry things at the moment. I'm thinking of you guys xxx

[AndreaL]

Thank you all you lovely people.

Sometimes I think it is my bizarre sense of humour that gets me through, that and red wine..................today was a shocker...........I held for 40 minutes to get through to Centrelink and had to give up and then held for a further 40 minutes before I finally got a human................during the wait I worked my way through the top 50 best heavy metal songs.................LOL...............then a real clanger, I phoned the company that is dealing with our income protection claim and was told that hubby was only added to the policy in February, that is when he became sick, and you usually have to have paid the policy for 60 days before you can lay a claim...................now I know we have been paying $130 per week, which is a combination of union fees and income protection, since October last year, when hubby switched from one union to another.................so I'm wondering, has someone slipped up and not sent in the original paperwork etc................I felt sick when I heard this and that they might not pay, but will see what next week brings...................................but that could be the second verse of my country and western song!

Oh, I almost forgot, the dog ate my last pair of thongs this morning too.............not that kind of thongs.........the ones you put on your feet.

Tonight my lovely friends, I'm going to find the saddest film I can find, eat pizza and drink a bottle of wine................and probably collapse in a puddle of tears..................it will do me the world of good...............and tomorrow I have a mammogram to look forward to......................oh my, one day I am going to look back on all this and laugh.....hysterically, probably from the comfort of a padded cell

[Bronwyn&Co]

Andrea I highly recommend a comedy instead of a sad movie! Your mammogram will be fine, I bet.

And it's winter now so don't worry about the thongs, lol.

I wanted to ask about income protection but thought maybe you didn't have cover. I know they like to make you fill in forms until the cows come home...

Can you find how you were paying? As in direct debit or payslip deduction? Hopefully there is a paper trail you can dig up.

Ps. If you're looking for a new movie I recommend Bad Neighbours

[HansaPlease]

Oh Andrea. I have no words.

[AndreaL]

Well peeps............I decided to give my bedroom a really good clean, nothing like mind numbing house work to make you switch off, bedding washed, everything polished and vacuumed and the en suite thoroughly cleaned, bleached, toilet you could eat from and floor washed..............then I decided to pull the covers back nicely like in a hotel and my beautiful Ankh on a chain (which is my protector and keeps me safe) broke................the chain that is, it got caught and snapped..........................now being a glass half full kind of person I decided that it is good it broke and I was not hanged/strangled..............and that this could be the third verse of my country and western song............but also that I should pack it in for the night and have a glass of wine.....

Bronwyn, I will likely end up watching Game of Thrones, or Spartacus, or perving over Ragnar Lodbrok from Vikings

Hansa..............nooo, you are never without words

[Sunnyskies]

AndreaL you have my sympathy, that is truly not a good place to be. It makes my problems pale and I'm probably more stressed than I've been for the last 5 years.

[OubaasDik]

Geez, Andrea, it really sucks to be you.

My sympathies. Wish I believed in the power of prayer.

Go watch Jon Snow or Jamie Lannister.

[Mara]

Andrea, you are in my thoughts, here's hoping that every thing starts improving for you soon.

[Donovan83]

no doubt any more hurtful than news stories like this! From today's newspaper

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/23156117/sex-assault-at-albany-beach/

Okay I am gatvol of this . Added to you to my ignore list.

And try not to get too la-di-da about living in Hillary's, the real wealthy live in areas like Dalkieth, Nedlands, Daglish and Peppermint Grove, not Hillary's.

Edited May 2, 2014 by Donovan83

[HadEnoughofJuju]

@Andrea, respect! When I read through that I was heartbroken. It really angers me that good people (and you are good people) have to go through things like this.

[Bronwyn&Co]

Geez, Andrea, it really sucks to be you.

My sympathies. Wish I believed in the power of prayer.

Go watch Jon Snow or Jamie Lannister.

Yeah baby! Or Khaleesi.

[Johnno]

Okay I am gatvol of this . Added to you to my ignore list.

And try not to get too la-di-da about living in Hillary's, the real wealthy live in areas like Dalkieth, Nedlands, Daglish and Peppermint Grove, not Hillary's.

I'm also gatvol but I'm gatvol of people who go through life in Australia attempting to block out the reality. This sex attack in Albany was reported on all news, do you not watch the news in Aus? If putting my posts on block is your way of dealing with it then I suggest you also put your TV on block and stop reading the local newspapers. It's best for people like you to rather keep reading the SA newspapers if that's the only place you believe :censored: to be happening.

On the subject of "la-di-da" areas it really makes no differences where you live and I've made that quite clear. We put up with this :censored: as much as any other area and staying with the topic of this thread, it's one of my personal dislikes about Oz this :censored: happens all over! But please try and keep my comments in perspective, it's a dislike not a mass murder or train smash! Whether it's hoons doing burnouts on public roads or some bloke who's car been stripped alongside the side side of the road where he's broken down overnight (I've posted pics of both), been stripped for spares and then vandalised, it's all dislikes and things that I really did not expect to happen in a so-called well behaved, well policed first world country. I really hoped I'd left that element of crime behind in SA.

Keeping the thread on line, my greatest dislike of Australia............people like you who do not want to face reality in case you have an ounce of doubt about moving to Aus. You prefer to be dishonest with yourself as opposed to accepting and acknowledging the reality. Whether its a graph with neatly inserted arrows to highlight RECENT crime trends, links to recent news stories or personal yet recent photos posted by honest folks like me, people like you prefer the denial route. Geez, I wish I could be that naive....or is it desperate?

[Eva]

I'm also gatvol but I'm gatvol of people who go through life in Australia attempting to block out the reality.

Why on earth would you care how other people cope? If they prefer to only see the good things in life or in Australia how does it impact on your life. Gosh, you can really bang on about something! Get over yourself Johnno, how you see things is your business, others can see things how they want, feel want they want and believe in what they want. You don't need to force your negativity on them, if someone asks for your opinion, sure, go ahead and give it. Seems to me it is time to move on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Johnno]

Why on earth would you care how other people cope? If they prefer to only see the good things in life or in Australia how does it impact on your life. Gosh, you can really bang on about something! Get over yourself Johnno, how you see things is your business, others can see things how they want, feel want they want and believe in what they want. You don't need to force your negativity on them, if someone asks for your opinion, sure, go ahead and give it. Seems to me it is time to move on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't care how other people cope, everyone for themselves. I said it peeves me off how they deal with reality by simply ignoring and denying that anything bad can happen and then they make a point of posting how they live in Australia without locking their doors. That can have a negative impact on someone else who moves over here (like me when we arrived) and did not lock our car when it was parked in the carport. Only after having my wallet and camera stolen out of the centre console did I realise that had I been a little more security conscience it could have saved me a lot of hassle and money. So, joint the rest Eva and kick me in the guts for trying to give proper, real and useful advice/information to people who are arriving to live their lives in Aus. This is not about moving on, it's about being honest and waking up to the reality.

[Mara]

Johnno, has it ever crossed your mind that each person's "reality" could be completely different from yours? It appears not. If anyone disagrees with you, then you tell them that they have their heads in the sand. Quite honestly I think you have a major problem if someone else talks about their "reality"! Just as people are all different, from different races, to different religions, to living in different states, in different areas and different cities and little towns, so the crime rate and the problems around Australia could be one thing to one person and a different thing to another!