While many of us travel for relaxation, adventure, or good old-fashioned tourism, some folks board planes, trains, and automobiles because they are on their way to their new home. As it often happens, you only really learn what life is like in a new country after you’ve spent some real time there.
People who have moved to live in Australia as well as Aussies share the challenges they encountered and the things they ended up disliking. From unexpected hurdles to new social norms, people share their examples, so get comfortable as you read through, upvote your favorites, and comment your thoughts below.
#1
Treatment of indigenous people. I'm from New Zealand, it is definitely not perfect there and not without work to be done. I debated posting because there are so many smug white Kiwis in Australia who look at Australia's history with indigenous people and think "oh we are sooo much better than you at this" - which we are, but the bar for better is so low it's in hell, I don't really think it's something for kiwis to brag about objectively. I guess it's also not really on topic though because it's not unique to Australian culture.
64points
#2
I had one friend that was raised in an east asian country and hated how Australians went overseas and behaved like animals. I think he was referring to this type that go to Thailand to sample the women, get drunk and just treat the entire visiting country at their backyard.
When he spoke about it to other australians, he would get dismissed as if its just those people but i think he was trying to get the point across that it occurs at such numbers that is more cultural than a unique individual.
41points
#3
The culture of toxic masculinity that permeates through Australian society. Sad.
33points
Bored Panda got in touch with Minute-Masterpiece98 who shared one of the original posts about the difficulties of moving to Australia and they were kind enough to share some more thoughts. Firstly, we wanted to know why they made this post.
“In short, going through the immigration process from start to finish is exhausting. It can be very taxing on one mentally and maybe sharing our experiences helps us to deal with it, as well as feel like we are helping the wider immigrant community. Misconceptions vary depending on where an individual comes from. I've noticed that many British citizens are led to believe that Australia is this paradise of endless sunshine, free of hardships simply because the average wage is higher.”
#4
The insane amount of casual racism.
WhatEver405:
I agree so much with this! I'm a poc studying in melbourne (year 9) and the amount of times people call me curry muncher, brown (or mention my skin tone) in a derogative way, or exclude me from things because I'm not white (and raised here) is absolutely crazy! And this isn't limited to just my school, I've experienced this in places like woolies and shopping malls, from adults!! I usually just awkwardly laugh it off but it's still so annoying.
32points
#5
Anti-intellectualism. So hard to have discussion about ideas instead of other people.
29points
#6
Valuing sport, those who play sport, those who watch sport over any other type of achievement.
26points
"In my experience, the reality is that the overall quality of life is about the same, there are simple trade-offs in certain areas. For example, temperatures during Winter are warmer than in England but then residents end up feeling colder because the homes are so poorly built, with little insulation. The one takeaway that I would like to add is that after 7 years of living here, I've come to realize that Australia operates less of a migration system and more of a "visa-selling business". Profit is ultimately the top priority, with things like workers' rights being the least of their concerns."
#7
Tall Poppy syndrome.
FridayNightSodomy:
Yep, frowned upon to do well or even have the mindset to achieve higher. "You're tryin too hard mate".
Frowned upon to even do your job properly or efficiently, especially in the public sector. Crazy self entitlement culture.
24points
#8
Short-termism. If that’s a word. Everything is built/ planned and done with such a short view on the world. Buildings are c**p and ugly, with no view on building beautiful buildings that last forever. A great example is the Melbourne convention Centre, a building that looks fantastic. Until you realise it’s cheap and made of concrete not sandstone like the style it’s imitating. Business is planned and executed quarter by quarter with no real aspiration.
It’s all so short sighted and the country is worse for it.
23points
#9
The denialism and tall poppy syndrome.
When someone is different or has a topic or issue they want to discuss, Australia n mainstream culture is very quick to go through the motions of making that person feel like an outsider. Mainstream Australians love to accept people in as long as they just talk footy, cricket and just carry along with the program... They treat indigenous and immigrant Australians this way.
When someone is different or has a topic or issue they want to discuss, Australia n mainstream culture is very quick to go through the motions of making that person feel like an outsider. Mainstream Australians love to accept people in as long as they just talk footy, cricket and just carry along with the program... They treat indigenous and immigrant Australians this way.
If people from a non mainstream background share their story, a view or want to be heard it usually tries to be ignored and Australians love to put their head in the sand. If the conversation gets going, it's usually nah mate you've got it wrong, she'll be right and it gets requalified and explained away. Just be "normal" is a strong force and and Mainstream Australia can even get angry and lash out at people for.being different and opinionated... It happens especially around issues of race, even left wing Australians are often guilty of tiptoeing around subjects and going.down the denial or shell be right route. Look at how long it took us to come to terms with Adam Goodes or Grace Tame exerting their views.
I don't think I'm quite putting my finger on it but I feel growing up in Australia, it has a way of hazing you. To make you know that everything is good here and laid back and as long as you are.one of us you can stay. Mention the racism you experienced in the primary school playground and you get anything ranging from unhappy looks, patronising explanations that you read the situation wrong or real anger.
Ironically I've tried to explain this to plenty of white Australians and I've been told I've got it wrong, and everything is fine.
Weirdly I think on a level it is fine, I meann it's better than the overt racism you can encounter in other countries or indeed in this one on more punctuated incidences. But come on Australia just admit that you have an issue with acceptance of difference, it takes you so bloody long. And somebody speaking about their experience is not a personal attack on you and your culture, stop being defensive everytime someone says Australia is racist. Listening and understanding nuance is something Australia needs to work on. It's why when even just newly arrived Europeans mention politics at their first Aussie BBQ, they have people freeze up like they've.just walked in with a live hand grenade.
TL;DR Australia isn't as laid back as it pretends to be.
22points
While many of us think of Australia as a place Britain would send its criminals to, that practice died out a long time ago and since then, it has become a pretty desirable place to stay, despite the plethora of things that can kill you. Indeed, these days, Australia is synonymous with spiders, snakes, and scorpions that have all collectively been participating in a sort of arms race. This is unfortunate, as, otherwise, Australia boasts wonderful beaches, a high quality of life, good food and generally friendly people. Yes, you might have to do battle with the errant giant spider now and then, but it’s all part of the package.
#10
Aussie larrikinism is just an excuse for a lot of Aussies being absolute d**kheads.
OoFymm:
Definitely this, it reminds me of the whole "Boys will be Boys" thing that was prevalent awhile ago, but now it's just "tradies will be tradies"
20points
#11
American born and raised, but lived in Oz a long time and married to an Aussie. I love living in Oz and would never go back but in the spirit of this post, here's my list of things I hate about Oz:
* Australian exceptionalism, and the strong and emotionally charged rebuttal that it doesn't exist. Sorry to tell you but there are a lot of uncomfortable similarities with my homeland in this regard.
* People unironically calling it "the lucky country" while not understanding that the designation was originally said mockingly.
* Related to the first point, the absolute inferiority complex that Aussies have when talking about anything to do with America, especially if an American mentions anything negative about Australia no matter how trivial. For example, an interaction I had here in Sydney last week : "man how s**t is commuting by train these days" "yeah well at least we have unions and a living wage, what does America do with their train workers?" I s**t you not, this sort of exchange happens way more often than you'd expect. Like ok dude, just trying to make small talk, jeez.
* Still related to American things (I'll get to other things too, I swear): the complete insensitivity when talking to an American about horrible things happening in America. Yes, we all see in the news that there was another shooting, or major protests, riots, deadly covid wave, etc. No, I would not like to talk about the horrific dangers my loved ones are facing (and common past traumas to myself in the case of school shootings which everyone under age 40 has experience with) when I'm just trying to have a casual chat whilst waiting for coffee. It's just news drama to you but it's actually real to me. Thanks.
* Now to silly things: 'Mexican' food - please just give up and stick to thai food
* Birds - learn to sing properly. Magpies you're doing great. Cockatoos please shut up forever.
* NRL - THROW the ball FORWARD.
* AFL - you are complete chaos, like hockey without ice or poetry without letters. Never change. I love you.
* Condiments - why in the f**k am I paying for tomato sauce with my chips!? It's like renting a car and getting charged extra for tyres
* Gambling is boring and lame and harmful. Stop selling it, stop doing it, just stop.
* Formal clothing. This is an incredibly hot country (yes even Melbourne is hot, coming from a Chicago native) yet shorts aren't acceptable in many offices and men are expected to wear suits, ties, collared shirts in many offices, even if it's 30+ and humid as f**k
* Property. No I would not like to talk about property. Please excuse the screams as I shove a fork in my eye whilst you talk about the unit you bought in 2014 and how you leveraged it to buy your house last year.
* People unironically calling it "the lucky country" while not understanding that the designation was originally said mockingly.
* Related to the first point, the absolute inferiority complex that Aussies have when talking about anything to do with America, especially if an American mentions anything negative about Australia no matter how trivial. For example, an interaction I had here in Sydney last week : "man how s**t is commuting by train these days" "yeah well at least we have unions and a living wage, what does America do with their train workers?" I s**t you not, this sort of exchange happens way more often than you'd expect. Like ok dude, just trying to make small talk, jeez.
* Still related to American things (I'll get to other things too, I swear): the complete insensitivity when talking to an American about horrible things happening in America. Yes, we all see in the news that there was another shooting, or major protests, riots, deadly covid wave, etc. No, I would not like to talk about the horrific dangers my loved ones are facing (and common past traumas to myself in the case of school shootings which everyone under age 40 has experience with) when I'm just trying to have a casual chat whilst waiting for coffee. It's just news drama to you but it's actually real to me. Thanks.
* Now to silly things: 'Mexican' food - please just give up and stick to thai food
* Birds - learn to sing properly. Magpies you're doing great. Cockatoos please shut up forever.
* NRL - THROW the ball FORWARD.
* AFL - you are complete chaos, like hockey without ice or poetry without letters. Never change. I love you.
* Condiments - why in the f**k am I paying for tomato sauce with my chips!? It's like renting a car and getting charged extra for tyres
* Gambling is boring and lame and harmful. Stop selling it, stop doing it, just stop.
* Formal clothing. This is an incredibly hot country (yes even Melbourne is hot, coming from a Chicago native) yet shorts aren't acceptable in many offices and men are expected to wear suits, ties, collared shirts in many offices, even if it's 30+ and humid as f**k
* Property. No I would not like to talk about property. Please excuse the screams as I shove a fork in my eye whilst you talk about the unit you bought in 2014 and how you leveraged it to buy your house last year.
There's probably more but I'm up for citizenship soon and don't wanna jeopardise anything.
19points
#12
The indigenous Australian ‘acknowledgment of country’ used as some kind of corporate virtue signal. If don’t mean it to the core of your soul (truthfully), why say it?.
19points
These days, Australia is a unique melting pot, combining an ancient, indigenous tradition with British culture. Since the Second World War, US influence has been growing, while the 70s saw a wave of immigration. The result is a place that is both culturally and geographically unique, although this comes with some drawbacks, like the cost of imported goods and slow internet.
#13
Gambling.
ExarchKnight01:
As an Australian who works in hospitality and sometimes works in a gaming room, fully agreed. When I'm doing the gambling shifts it feels like I work in a cr*ckhouse.
18points
#14
Lack of family values and care for parents are they grow older. I see so many lonely people dying by themselves in nursing homes and hospitals with no family members visiting them or caring.
18points
#15
The price of cars here is f**king ridiculous. I advise you to look into how much it costs to import your own car vs. buying here.
16points
It’s not hard to see why people would want to live there, particularly if you are from an English-speaking country. But, as the examples here show, Australians might be relaxed, but that doesn’t seem to apply to their bureaucracy. Somewhere along the way, regulators and lawmakers decided that a mountain of paperwork was, somehow, the solution to every problem.
#16
Poor sportsmanship is accepted and encouraged - sledging, cheating, dirty play. The win at all costs mentality gets a bit toxic.
Briphone:
The way that sportsmen (and yes I am talking male sport players here) are revered, they just get a slap on the wrist no matter how bad their behaviour was, and then they are brought back in to the team as quickly as possible and everything is forgotten about.
15points
#17
Another thing to note is be cautious of where you rent or buy — flooding, fires, hurricanes, etc. [Australia doesn't] really get earthquakes, but plenty of other weather can damage the home and insurance costs can be huge."
15points
#18
As an Australian I hate the drinking culture we have and how you are treated as weird if you don't drink.
yeet_and_defeat:
Yes! Everything revolves around booze and no one bats an eyelid. It nothing to blow $400, lose half your personal effects and disgrace yourself completely in public on a Friday night. Everyone thinks that’s “having a good time”. It clutch-my-pearls shocks me, and I’m a born and bred Outback Aussie.
13points
#19
The selfish driving is a big one because I'm driving alot for work...
If you indicate to change lanes, half the time the guy behind you takes it as an mortal offence and will try to cut you off.
Same with trying to merge onto motorways etc.
And noone will ever pull over to let people past if they are going slow.
Same with trying to merge onto motorways etc.
And noone will ever pull over to let people past if they are going slow.
I didn't think NZ driving was all that great, but my Aussie GF was amazed when we went back for a holiday recently.
12points
#20
People defending Australia's dogs**t urban planning. For some reason people get really butthurt about this one. The reality is, in most Australian towns and cities, you cannot do anything without a car. Back in Europe, I would drive only when needing to move something big and heavy over a non-walkable distance, or travelling to another city. Why am I walking 40 minutes over a big dirt/patchy grass field "green space" to get to my local shops? Also in general Australia's overzealous zoning is just terrible. Why in f**k is it Residential, massive green space area, commercial? They literally go out of their way to make Australian cities non-walkable. Every time I complain about this, people get really defensive. I just don't understand it. Like okay you like your quarter acre block, but the reality is, you generally don't even have the choice with mixed zoning/medium-high density living unless you're filthy rich.
12points