Are all your neighbours drunks ??? Where do you live, Cabramatta ?

As for your 'adventurous sports' have you never been hiking in the rainforrest in Oz or through the woodlands of WA which offers some of the most unique flora and fauna species in the world. Don't take your own back yard for granted. You might find yourself regretting that you did...

Good onya mate, you've already integrated. Come on over.

While I agree there are many great things about Australia, I feel as though I don't fit in here. Like the US and UK, Australia is quite an extroverted society. I'm also not a fan of the drinking culture here, as I prefer to make my own fun.

From what I've heard about Switzerland, it sounds like I'd be more likely to fit in.

Sorry, the last sentence was in response to your comment "You won't be the only one pissed at a dinner party."


Yep, been to lots of rainforests and yes they are beautiful. However if I had a choice I would prefer mountains and snow though... just can't beat alpine scenery.

I hear you brother.
And what I wouldn't give for a clean winter offshore at scabs...

Agreed with the chocolate part, Belgium chocolate is overrated.
But beer? seriously?

Comparing the country with the largest diversity and best quality of beer with just another European country with mostly mediocre lager beer is absurd.

Agree

From what I've heard about Switzerland, it sounds like I'd be more likely to fit in.[/QUOTE]
Agree

[QUOTE=ISTJ;1495013]While I agree there are many great things about Australia, I feel as though I don't fit in here. Like the US and UK, Australia is quite an extroverted society. I'm also not a fan of the drinking culture here, as I prefer to make my own fun.

Regardless of the pros and cons of either place if you firmly have it in your head that these two countries have a lot of common values how they achieve them are completely opposite in a lot of ways. From what you have written there is a lot here you will like but an "average" Aussie finds difficult. Two major factors of your sucessful intergration here are local language skills and money, without these it is possible but a lot more difficult. Search complaints corner and see if things that that bug people there are going to bug you - then make your decision and hey you can always go back!!

I agree. You have a Swiss passport, if you don't have a great job to lose then I suggest you organise yourself a room in a flatshare for a month, fly over and spend a few weeks trying to get a job, which isn't that hard with a CH/EU passport. Accept the first half decent offer you can get, start working and living and see how it suits you, the way I see it you have nothing to lose really.

Perth? That would explain a lot.
Or Manly? NRL?!?! That would explain even more.

I must admit, I was thinking more of the "hole in the wall". That was my local for about 15 years

I'm sold. Where do I sign up.


But do you know it's very expensive to get a residency permit in Australia? When I was looking to apply (not so long ago) as a skilled migrant it was something like $2500. (Whereás the US and NZ are around the $400 mark).

Something to think about.

Australia pros:
- The beaches.
- The fish and chip!!!!

I was in Australia on 2 occasions, for about 10 days each time. I LOVED the fish and chip. It was high quality sea food, really.

Side story: later I spend a year in New Zealand. Before going I thought "Being so close to Australia, they should have great fish and chip". Big mistake. In New Zealand the fish and chip was boring, greasy, and the same all over the country, which, incidently, isn't that close to Australia.

Dear ISTJ (your Myers Briggs type I guess ...I am an ENTP, and my T is almost an F, so we're almost exact opposites .... but that is just a preference!)

Re preferences for residency. I love Switzerland and I love Australia. I guess as I'm currently in CH it must be my current preference. I'm an extrovert, have two kids, I work, do lots of sport (Swiss and Aussie sports) and read a lot. I don't really agree with your pros and cons - my views are closer to chrissos.

As a wine and chocolate and cheese lover I'm happy in both places, Aussie cheese is right up there (Coon, Bega ....), quality wine is far more affordable down under but I don't drink that much to care, and chocolate ... C'mon you can buy it anywhere (Swiss and Belgian)..,

From Oz I miss; Vegemite (solved britshop.ch) TimTams, sausage rolls, Twisties, Minties, Wagon Wheels, Freckles, Fairy bread. Compensated by Gipfeli, Schinken gipfeli, truffles, luxemburgeli, Vollenweder maccarroons etc. We humans are adaptable.

I don't miss footy on tv all the time ... I'm from Melbourne... But then I don't enjoy the tv here either much except British comedies @haveigotnresforyou.

I miss a real footy game though (mighty Hawks, extrovert) but came to enjoy the odd ice hockey game (fast game!) instead.

I play golf. You really don't want to know what that costs me here.. I ski, as i did as a child on Australia ... it's expensive here as it is in Hotham or Falls Creek but the pistes are ... better. (bigger, more variety) longer season, better lessons for kids. better here.

I love that my kids walk to school in complete safety here, but you'd better read some of the other threads if you want to compare education .. Tough topic. No clear answer.

If you are looking for love it's an international problem but my sense is that even an ISTJ would have more chance of finding a love match in his/her home country where he/she knows the language than here. Plenty of my friends here are single and looking .., seems to be difficult.

I miss beaches, crowded ones as well as completely isolated ones. In Switzerland you can always see a building, even on a remote hike in the alps. The Aussie alps are smaller, but also more remote, believe it or not.

The sky is bigger in oz. Maybe because it's flat? No idea, it's bigger and bluer. I miss that.

I miss the Aussie humor however since I became fluent in Swiss German I LOVE the Swiss humor!

I miss meat, fish and fruit and veg so fresh that it lasts far longer..

haha you'd be right, not many people pick it up, so well done

I would have to disagree on that... coon and bega are pretty cheap and average.

TimTams are the only thing i'd miss here.

Agreed, our country does seem to be obsessed with it! That seems to be all many people talk about as a topic of conversation.

If it happens then great... but to be honest not many women are my type here, as most of them are quite loud and outgoing.

I would miss beaches, but I could live without it. I'm more of a mountain/alps person. There is nothing better than the feeling of being up high in the alps.

.... Had to stop mid post.

Public transport better here but also costs more here - more than it costs to buy and run a car in oz. insuring a car here can cost more than a car in oz. many get by here without cars - in oz you can as well, if you live in the right part of a city.

Weather might actually be better here overall (milder) but I do miss summer and winter a tad grey if you stay in zh.

I think I can be equally happy in both places as I am employable in both and can therefore live comfortably in both.

You? You seem unhappy there. You can try moving within oz or moving to ch (is one of your parents Swiss? Is that why you have a Swiss passport?). But the reasons you give sound more like cliches about CH ... and cliches about Australia (ones that I personally can't agree with, but it's a big country and I don't know where you are). I wouldn't move countries based on cliches. Perhaps you should change something else about your life first, as I'm not sure if the picture you have of Switzerland is really a comprehensive one.

Lisa
#basicallyhappyineitherplace

Oh and I miss my family, travelling back to visit them is costly too :-) financially, emotionally and of course, in terms of time.

"not many women are my type here, as most of them are quite loud and outgoing. "

....poppycock. There are just as many quiet (even ISTJ) women in Australia as there are in Switzerland. More (statistically as there are more people). Extroverts are just easier to meet (internationally).

So are you really in oz because it's the middle of the night there and an ISTJ would normally be punctually in bed.

Lisa
#doubtingifyouaredinkydi

Even if you go to other parts of oz, the culture is pretty much the same.

Yes, one of my parents is swiss. They may be cliches about both countries, but I do believe they have some truth to them. Although Australia is a nice place, the things which bother me the most are the weather, the booze culture, and that I don't fit in with most of the people. Don't get me wrong, the people are nice... but I just don't have a connection with most of them as i'm not the average beer drinking, outgoing, football loving aussie. I often feel as though I'm out of place here, so I can't help wondering if i'd feel more at home in another country.

Have i missed something with this after 10 business???? I didn't realize...ooops

so that again is your first plus

Then there are the beaches, which include surfing, diving, boating, fishing, camping, long walks and sun rises

Close to the mountains for winter sports if he needs them

An awesome place for the relatives to come and holiday

Cheaper meat !!!!! Better weather !!!!!

Amazing and diverse place to raise children

oh and fury fluffy native fauna ( if he is a bit of a sissy with spiders etc) remind him about our kangaroos and koalas.... totally harmless creatures

JUST DON'T MENTION THE DROP BEARS or DINGOs

AUSTRALIA IS AN AMAZINGLY AWESOME PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He should defiantly visit if he is serious about you......goodluck

Thats because they eat fush und chups over there, simple really

I know, we've had this discussion on your previous thread, but I still cannot believe it.... every Swiss who can afford it owns a holiday home in Spain or Italy (the wealthy suburbs of Zurich are deserted on weekends), people will spend hours in traffic jams just to get a few hours of sunshine, and you would prefer this over Australia????