Hi Cornel, I don't completely disagree with you - you have made some good points, but hey, it all depends on what you're looking for. I lived a full life in London for 12 years before deciding to come down to Oz some thirteen years go, and since then, I visited London with my family just last year, and we all rather prefer Melbourne to London, despite its history and "there's more to see in Europe" (note my kids were brought up at SS Peter & Paul primary in Mitcham).
There was more than one reason for my decision to move countries (yet again), but I won't go into the details now. I have commented within your text... --- cornel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi Gabriel, > Australia sure sounds attractive. I have been there > and saw lots of nice > things there particularly, much open space. However, > I do not believe it is > as rosy as you make out. I did not say that life is "rosy" here, but I daresay the quality of life here is better than in the US (to which I was replying). As I said above, it depends on what you're looking for. Life is very laid back, and I can safely say that we're about ten years behind London in a great many things. But it still takes me 30 mins by car to the city at 8:00am most days (I do take the car to the city when I have more than one place to visit) even after thirteen years in this place, though parking in the city can be a bit of a nightmare unless one knows the right spots. Although I take public transport now and then whenever I go to the city, it is messier than London Transport. >Apart from a weak currency > where the income is some > 25% lower than here for the same work, but then your expenses are 25% more there too - Nando's cost us a lot more there last year than it does here. Same with Macs. > thousands of > Aussies are escaping for > work and career progression to the UK I could say the same about the Brits coming here and overstaying. Did you know the highest number of illegals in Aus are Brits and NZealanders? > Australia has a more > limited social and > economic infrastructure. Could agree with you here. But then lifestyles *are* different. The economy is currently strong and house prices are booming in spite of a recent hike in interest rates to arrest the rise in real-estate prices. This boom of course gives rise to scams, and there have been many. Melbourne Docklands is host to a rather tall mostrosity currently in midst of construction - you'll probably see it next year on TV as Melbourne is hosting the Commonwealth Games next year (I fear the rates bill!). > I have also read of discrimination by colour > including the exclusion of > Indian kids in sporting events when playing in more > prestigious settings. Never heard of this or felt in Melbourne among my vastly extended Goan family, which is increasing every two years with more people from Goa coming here. But there could be, I cannot deny that. Note that Melbourne has a sizable Italian, Greek, Macedonian, Viet and Chinese communities, which would probably outnumber the Anglos. Now a whole lot of Indians are coming over and in the last few years, the number of Indian restaurants have trebled. I can now get a good Massala Dosa (might not be as good as that from Shri Krishna at S. Wimbledon) from AUD5.00 (gone up by AUD1.50 in the last 3 years). >I therefore ask whether you honestly believe that the > White Australia Policy > which only went off the books, after ages, as > recently as 1973, because of > a marked reduction (I have the figures) of white > immigrants from Europe, has > been so expunged that the woman leader of the One > Australia party/policy, or > whatever it is called, and her compatriots have now > gone to sleep? Pauline Hanson has gone back to her Fish 'n Chips shop, for obvious reasons > Even if half of what I said above is rejected by you > on your former > justification of cronyism Don't know what you're on about - I let it pass. > please bear with me when I > say that OZ is > definitely not as rosy as you make it out. I have > really good friends in > Australia ( white and non-whites) who definitely > would disagree with your > view through what seems like rose tinted glasses. May not be very rosy, but I think a bit rosier than UK (:-)), especially if you're looking for a less hectic life (though mine *is* hectic at this moment, for some reason). We might not be as pampered by MediCare as you guys are by NHS, but nevertheless I've so far had very little reasons to complain (and I am a frequent user of the local hospitals due to the various ailments that plague me from time to time). > Finally, I well expect some kind of onslaught over > the above. This happened > when George Pinto was attacked for similar views as > mine. Therefore, I am > quite ready, Gabriel, following this spontaneous > post from me. > Regards, > Cornel DaCosta, London, UK. Nothing belligerent from this side, I am sorry to say ;-)). You've got your views, which I respect. Cheers from a wintry downunder, Gabriel de Figueiredo. Melbourne - Australia. Find local movie times and trailers on Yahoo! Movies. http://au.movies.yahoo.com
