Why An American Would Want To Move To Oz

[JoePolvino]

I know there are a lot of heated discussions about what the U.S. is doing around the world, and how those things are perceived by the international community as well as those living in the states. I can tell you from personal experience that I absolutely love where I live, and enjoy the freedom, excellent services, wages, and access to leading edge technologies.

However....

I don't like where we're heading as a country. I think we're too arrogant, fat, and ignorant. I also don't like how some people feel that it is the government's job to manage their lives, paid with my tax dollars. I also dislike how people have thrown personal accountability out the window, and expect "the system" to put their lives back to normal. I think the U.S. will only get worse before it gets any better.

Having said all that, I have many times entertained the idea of moving my family to Australia. I was there for 3 months in 1994 and found the culture and people to be absolutely amazing. Jobs were plentiful, people were friendly, transportation was excellent, lots of entertainment, great sights. I was contemplating moving there at the time, but I had just bought a house and was dating someone here.

My wife is a nurse and I am a SW test engineer, so I think jobs would be plentiful. So what would a move like this involve? Am I looking at Australia through old rose-colored glasses, thinking the grass is always greener on the other side?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, or if any of you have ever thought of moving here (and why). Thanks much.

-joe

 

[redbeard]

Hi Joe, I think you would be very welcome here and nurses & sw test engineers are in good demand. I would check out the pay scales, as my friends experience nurses as being underpaid & overworked. sw test engs do ok if your smart.

In terms of political direction, unfortunately our current political masters are more inclined to follow USA blindly than engage too much independant thinking.

Depends where you choose to live, but would you like california or colder ?

cheers

 

[Kai]

I don't know what a sw test engineer is but qualified nurses are always in demand. But that doesn't matter, just do it for the pies.

 

[JoePolvino]

Hi Joe, I think you would be very welcome here and nurses & sw test engineers are in good demand. I would check out the pay scales, as my friends experience nurses as being underpaid & overworked. sw test engs do ok if your smart.

In terms of political direction, unfortunately our current political masters are more inclined to follow USA blindly than engage too much independant thinking.

Depends where you choose to live, but would you like california or colder ?

cheers

Thanks.

Climate makes no difference to me. I live in upstate NY where it snows 5 months a year, averaging 94 inches a year, and well over 100 inches in the past few years (link).

We're in our 40's, and noticed the immigration rules seem to favor people under 45. We have a fair amount of equity, so can probably do without a mortgage and have a nice smallish house without a lot of "stuff." We'll probably be fine working for average pay (even contract would be ok) for maybe 15-20 years since our expenses will be very low.

I was in Melbourne which was a little on the hot side at times.

 

[glenos]

I Melbourne is too hot you only have one option left god's own country, Tasmania. Nurses will get work, shifts and casual for a while but there are always permanent jobs for anyone who is good, SW engineer there is not much work in Tas for that the industry is pretty small, actually the whole state is pretty small. you could do contract/telecommute from Melbourne I suppose.

Nurses do tend to complain about pay and shifts, the rosterig system is beyond me, it seems to be designed around maximum annoyance for the worker, but some female nurses like it, the blokes tend to not like it.

Pay wise have a look at jobs.tas.gov.au, that is where all the gov't jobs are advertised for Tas, each state has its own one. tas probably has the lowest pay. I would be paid $15k more if I lived in another state, but why would I want to? money aint everything.

Housing you can buy a nice house with a great view for $400-450k. I have a mate who is about to sell one, 200+sq m, views across the river back towards the city.

If there was plenty of work in '94 it must be better now, we have the lowest unemployment in decades in Aus

 

[Maxt]

Even the coldest parts of Australia can have 35degrees+ (Celcius) days in summer, so it's more about how long summer lasts in those places. If you go to Nth QLD, then a winter's day could be 30degrees, with a minimum of 18, whereas in Canberra it might range from minus 5 to 18 (in saying that, we are well into May, no frosts here yet, and today is 21deg....what climate change??)

A general rule of thumb is that it gets cooler the further south you go, with inland places experiencing higher winter lows (but often higher summer temps as well).

Just pick a few places and google them, they will all have sites extolling their virtues.

Good luck

BTW, my brother in law is an American called Joe, and he has made a full transition, (he is even a passionate rugby supporter).

 

[Wortgames]

If you need access to a decent city and you're not actively seeking the heat, then I reckon Melbourne is the go. Meat pies taste best when you are rugged up in a coat and scarf and eating them at the MCG watching the mighty Saints win a game.

Melbourne has probably a 'New England' type of climate, log fires and snow in the hills during winter etc. You'll usually get a few hot weeks here in summer, but at least they aren't wet and sticky like they are if you go further north. Most of the year the weather here is pretty glorious though. Other aussies joke about it being cold but that's just because they come here to watch a game of footy in winter and don't own a coat.

Anywhere else west or north of Melbourne (your only options apart from Tassie) will generally be hotter, and the further north you go is like going further south in your own country. It just gets hotter and stickier and weirder.

If you tell us exactly what sort of lifestyle you fancy we should be able to give you some better pointers, Australia is a big place and has just as much to offer as the US of A. Except the deep-fried steaks and the nine trillion dollar national debt of course.

 

[user 384]

Two words. New Zealand.

The climate will be closer to what you are used to and they have a more independent minded government than Australia.

Australia's political environment is becoming more closely aligned to USA's political environment, including the rise of the religous right. The government talks about freedom and opportunity to make choices for yourself, however they have increasingly introduced measures that place restraints on individuals and business. They are trying to force people and business to fit their ideological mould. Things wouldn't change too much if the opposition won power as they would be doing the same thing, only they have a different ideological mould they want you to conform to.

What is even more disturbing is that polictical parties have become involved in all levels of government. Australia is basically a 2 party country a bit like the Republicans and the Democrats in the US (ours are Liberal and Labor) and you now get people running for local government as either a Liberal or Labor candidates. In the past, at least at a local government level, people put community interest before political party lines.

I'm not really sure if the grass is greener over here in Oz.

Cheers
MAH

 

[Wortgames]

I haven't been to NZ but I think I'd just about agree with all of what MAH says.

However, I think the whole world is becoming that way, not just the USA and Aus - it's anywhere that has 'western' sensibilities. Our collective cultures are based on constantly increasing legislation and greater government involvement in everyday lives. People take less and less responsibility for their own actions and as a result the government is expected to dictate, and regulate, and apportion responsibility for, how everyone lives and acts.

However, you'd buy yourself about a decade moving here from the USA I reckon.

 

[Jazman]

i agree with maH nz be a great place to live but bloody expensive

 

[tangent]

oh, and tell everyone you're from Canada

 

[amita]

hi joe,
just make sure the wife and the rest of the family also want to be here.
having moved country myself and experienced having landed in the promised land but the wife and kids were unhappy I found myself torn and unhappy, anyway if this is where you all want to be and are prepared to put up with all that comes with changing country, all I can say GO FOR IT! money houses etc just details, be here and enjoy, there is plenty of everything.
by the way we brew nice beer too!
welcome and wish you well in your travels,
cheers amita

 

[pokolbinguy]

And on another positive note, When you get here there is plenty of us out there to help you out with stating up a home brewery

Move somewhere like the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. Close to the city (Sydney), beaches, mountains, vineyards, lots of work and great people.... deffinately a win win situation. But I'm sure everyone on here would be able to give you great reasons to live in their neck of the woods... except maybe for the mexicans in Melbourne and the people stuck in the 80's Brisbane. hehehe .. No seriously, the whole country is pretty much perfect.... thats why we all love it.

Cheers, Pok

 

[rahne]

don't forget to bring your own water

 

[tangent]

sorry wortgames, i hate to say it but how about 5 years?
nowhere left to run after that

 

[ant]

Hi Joe,
Ive actually made the reverse transition, moving to Houston 3 months ago. It wasnt something Id ever planned to do, just an opportunity through work to transfer for a couple of years that came up. For us, the key "why?" was because the company paid for the relocation costs, it allowed us to immerse ourselves in a similar, yet different culture, and a big plus, the clincher, was the opportunity for travel. Perth (WA) is the epicentre of GOC (Gods Own Country); Ive loved every second Ive lived there, but it does have the infamous title of most isolated capital city in the world. Its just a long way (and correspondingly expensive) to get to places. But from here, our trips so far intra/interstate, to Mexico and the Caribbean have been dirt cheap.

The main difference is that we have made this move with an end date in mind we have come for the travel and experiences, not for a permanent move. I think that changes the way you feel about the place a lot.

So far, Id have to say that the grass is green both sides of the fence; but theyre different varieties. Texas has its great points friendly folks, plenty to see and experience I cant in Perth (Ive seen basketball, baseball and ice hockey games, live UFC, about a dozen bands, rodeo...), and of course good barbecue. But it also has its downsides the political aspects(!), the "sue if I dont get my way" frame of mind, the overpowering desire to fry everything to within an inch of its life, the homesick factor, and Ill mark this one especially... ***traffic***. From a beer-mans perspective, Im loving the access to a huge range of comparatively cheap equipment, going to bars with 100+ draft beers, and the ability to pick up a 6-pack of a quality micro beer like Avery IPA or Victory Hop Devil for less than a 6-pack of Corona just blows me away ($5.89 at my local bottlo!). Ill be stocking up on beer-porn prior to coming back, I can assure you.

Looking at your candid thoughts and self-reflections, I think the fact that you have taken the time and have the ability to observe it means youre in a different league than the "ignorant" folks.

Good luck with the decision making...

Beers,
Ant

 

[Wortgames]

sorry wortgames, i hate to say it but how about 5 years?

Hey, I'm just a wide-eyed optimist