Culture, Life style, Stress, Uncertainty in Australia Vs USA

Vikky, First of all, welcome to a2k. Here's my off the top of my head response to you. Don't run away to Australia. There are many places in the US that could satisfy what you're looking for, but it takes patience and research. If jobs are your major concern, what makes you think the job market in Australia is any better? Have you any idea what jobs are available in Australia? Before making rash decisions on jumping ship (The US for Australia), I would suggest that you contact ex-patriots in Australia to get some real feedback on living conditions in the land down under. "Workculture" is an over-used phrase that has subjective construct which may have many meanings. If you're still "young" of age, your goal should be "hard work" to accomplish goals in your field rather than "how hard must I work to earn a living?" Saving and living within one's mean is part of responsible financial management - not how much you earn. I'd rather look at how happy I am in my job and living environment rather than "my goal is to make six figures in five years." "This kind of environemtn" to bring up kids can be found in many communities across the US. For example, we live in Silicon Valley in California, and our town is usually rated in the top ten desirable towns to live for populations over 100,000 in the US. It's safe, our schools are above average, most residence have a college degree, and our city government is one of the best in this country. We have San Francisco, the Pacific Ocean (Monterey, Half Moon Bay, and Carmel), and the Sierra Nevada Mountains within easy reach. Our climate is moderate with maybe two weeks of close to 100 degrees F each year. Most people do not bother having air conditioning. We are at the heart of the tech industry where most new high tech and biotech is invented. One drawback? The cost of living is one of the highest in the US.

Am currently living in Australia having moved here from British Columbia, Canada. I find the people here very friendly. It seems to me that people here work very hard! And they start working very early in the morning! Can't blame them for that though; anything to beat the heat! We live in Brisbane and it seems to me that violence is becoming more prevalent. At a baseball game a woman told how a disgruntled ex student from the school at which she works set fire to a wing of the school! The times in which we live! Scary.
My husband is a software analyst and he had not trouble whatso ever finding employment.
I cannot work as I am in the process of applying for Permanent residency so I do a whole lot of volunteer work which I find very rewarding.
Not sure if that helps you out at all...?

Thank you Ay Sontespli and cicerone imposter for your feedback. Sure it helps me.. Will get back with few more sometime later..Thanks

cicerone imposter..Can I ask you a question if you don't mind? Are you on a visa here or a citizen in the US?

I've been a citizen of the US for a total of 69 years (almost 70 years) and lived here all my life except for the one year I served in Morocco for the US Air Force back in the late fifties. I have traveled extensively, including Australia and New Zealand.

I think life is a bit slower here, than in US, but then, I've lived here all my life (so far!). From my observations, the general attitude is much more relaxed.

Lots of us work very hard, but then, we get a minimum of 4 weeks holiday a year. Dollar for dollar, things cost much the same as in US.

The work situations varies greatly. I can't comment on that specifically. You need to check that your qualifications are acceptable, or trasnlatable, and the Department of Immigration has a points system you need to satisfy before you can even think of it.
Have a look at: http://www.immi.gov.au/

Margo,
Thanks for your comments. I appreciate it. The link was useful. Thanks..

Hello cicerone imposter,
The reason why I asked you that question was I'm on a visa here and things are so much different when you're on a visa compared to a Citizen/Green card. You have much more freedom and I'm not sure if you can understand what I'm saying. And if you're not in status you gotta leave the country within 10 days ..Lets say you lose a job...You gotta leave the country within 2 weeks and what happens to all the effort you have put in for so long including your education and stuff like that. This was just a example of uncertainty and there are lots more than that. And now that I have a family i'm really serious about these kind of issues. As of now we don't have kids and I can imagine the stress if you have kids...You know....Anyways that was a gist of what I wanted to say..

Vikki
Another thing - it's about as difficult to migrate to Oz as the USA.

And, I forgot to mention - the people are charming and witty!

Vikky, I really think you have the right idea to get information from both US and Australian citizens. Although our countries are equal in size, most of central Australia is not inhabited by many people. In addition to jobs, cost of living, education, and health care availability, one must weigh the pros and cons of leaving family and/or friends, and how your spouse feels about moving to another country. All tough decisions for any young couple trying to settle down. For us, good schools for our children were primary considerations whenever we moved.

Margo....Yeah we came to know that when we put our papers together...We got our first stage cleared and things seems to be working out pretty well till now.. Hope it comes through! Thanks..

Cicerone imposter, there is actually one good thing about this..Think I did not mention. My wife's only brother and my only sister are in Australia which also convinced that we could be with our family. ( Our parents are ofcourse in India though.) So that way, both of us are really convinced on this aspect that you mentioned. Thanks for bringing it up!

I live in Australia and have been to the USA in my opinion the lifestlye i live is much more relaxed and less stressful than the ones I observed on my trip to the USA. I just didn't feel safe in the streets of Los Angeles but i might be slightly biased but really when it comse to immigration into a country and setting up a life its never easy no matter where you move to Australia or America

SydneyPerson-Thanks for your feedback. Infact that's what we have been hearing too about Australia. They say life is little laid back and slower there. I also agree with your point that its not easy migrating into any country and settling down... Thanks ......

I read awhile back that moving was more stressful than a divorce.

You're telling me! Before my husband and I married four and a half years ago, my children and I had contentedly lived in the same place for 13 years.
Since marrying my husband and I have moved four times! And he is talking about moving again
The last two moves were pretty stressful since one of them was moving from Canada to Australia and all our stuff packed up and sent over in a container. We lived with his parents in boonsville for seven months after which we moved to Brisbane. I am not a city girl but I am trying Thankful for the gym in the complex or I reckon I would go completely mad! I am waiting to apply for permanent residency in Australia so I am unable to work and that too is driving me crazy
Things will get sorted eventually
My youngest son has had his life turned upside down. Back home he had one year left of high school and he would have graduated with all the kids he started kindergarten with (He was in the French Immersion programme and those kids tend to stick together a lil more) Now while he waits for his permanent residency he sits at home doing a whole lot of nothing. I encourage him to come to the gym with me and we did manage to get him onto a baseball team. What am I going to do with him once baseball is over?

AS, As a consequence of my job, we moved several times during our marriage. When I did consulting work and the money was relatively good, I told the family we would look for a newer-bigger home, but our oldest son said he didn't want to move, because his best friend lived at the end of the block. We ended up staying in this house, and we purchased income property instead. I sold the income property when I retired. It worked out okay for all of us. I've been ready to move since 1998, but my wife wants to stay here because of friends and family. I guess we're stuck here for the unforeseeable future.

-finding jobs in Manufacturing and IT field ?

Alot of work in the IT field at the moment - industry seems booming - especially in telecommunications and finance

-how difficult it is and how long it would take us there roughly?

To find work depending on your speciality - 3 day - 6 weeks I'd imagine - less if you search over the net say www.seek.com.au


-are Degrees from the US recognized in Australia?

Yes, you hear folk here say your PhDs are slightly better than our Masters - which may be a conceit - but I found the standard of top students in Oz ranks with just about anywhere in the world. Basically a degree shows you have a depth of talent, commitment, experience. ATtitude and skills and behaviours are equally important factors in alot of roles.

-Your thoughts on lifestyle /workculture in Australia ?

It excellent and very healthy. The Gov't doesn't subsidise housing loans with off setting tax breaks and house prices are horribly expensive in Sydney - but everthing is is great. AUstralia is not yet a service culture - its slowly getting there - so don't find folks rude for the quality of service - its just we are totally unused to a Japanese or American quality of service in many areas.

Lifestyle is generally great - the weather and beaches are to die for. Every wonder why a Country with a population around the size of New York comes 4th in the Olympic medal tally? Well the conditions lend themselves to team sports and a natural outdoor, healthy life style. I grew up next to the water on on a boat - its a great and safe place to raise a family - and the terrors of the rest of the world are a long, long, long way away.

Sydney is a world class city - 7 * 24, the folk are generally friendly and life is many suburban 10 miles out from the city. We have a very modern technical infrastructure - but we import too much pop culture from the USA by ways of the TV.

-Bringing up kids in Australia?

Simply great, treated with appropriate preparation. Its safe, clean, fun - treated with respect. For example the bush is huge - we have individual cattle farms and oil fields larger than Texas! Some of the most venomous snakes and spiders etc in the world live in our back yard - but I know of no one who has been stung or bitten or eaten!

There are alot of parks, beaches, rivers, kids sporting groups, scouts, family centres etc...

Australians are alot less prudish then most Americans - fewer sexual fettishes are hidden here, its casually on display and goes largely unnoticed. Probably 100 people are sun bathing topless or naked on Bondi beach any day in Summer and no one minds. Casual nudity on tv happens after 8pm etc.

Buying alcohol is easy, a gun is a hell of alot harder to get - not impossible but you need alot of licences and precautions and club memberships to get one. A pistol - forget it! I know of no one who owns a gun - and frankly that makes me feel alot safer.

The major cause of death here is probably car accidents - 1,500 per annum and heart attacks. There are probably 50 murders per year in Australia and several thousand muggings.

Also try

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/as.html

CI - from my experience you get to do both at the SAME TIME!! Bit hard to monitor at that point....