G’Day mate, it’s well good innit?

Like so many thousands of other young Australians I decided to take the plunge and come to the “big smoke”, London.

 

In Perth, the small city that I am from, the kids only have one of two dreams.  Impregnating your high school girlfriend and retreating to the suburbs or running away to the big smoke to later return in glory (that is, slinking home when you have run out of money).

 

I belong to the smug second group, luckily for me the money has only been exhausted on one occasion and with a successful parental bail-out plan, I have been living in the UK for the past two and a bit years. Being an Australian living in the UK definitely brings to the fore the cultural differences between the two countries.

 

MUSIC

 

Perth, where I am from, is the most isolated city in the world; this therefore means that bands are not that keen to travel 1000kms to play a “packed” show of 200 people. In London, I can walk out the door and decide which international artist I want to see on the way to the tube.

 

TRAVEL

 

In London, on the way to work, I have to deal with hundreds of commuters pushing their way onto the tube. Once on the tube I then have the pleasure of checking what deodorant the suited man whose armpit is in my face is wearing.  A trip into work at home entails getting in my car travelling past the ocean and making the journey from one side of town to the other in around 20 minutes.

 

ART

 

The word art in Perth is generally regarded as a mispronounced ‘fart’. In London town there is a bevy of galleries, exhibitions and renowned artists on every corner.

 

I could go on about the better weather and relaxed way of life but I won’t because I am bigger than that. Or alternatively I could go on about culturally sensitive Australians that live in Shepherd’s Bush and only hang out with fellow Antipodeans, drink at Walkabout pubs, never leave west London, complain about everything, but once again I will hold off.

 

Australians have been travelling to the UK for many a year now. The draw for most Aussies is to live on the other side of the world with the ability to travel to a number of European destinations. It’s easy to get a working visa to the UK and obviously the language is English. The strength of the pound and the similarities between the countries make the transition a hell of a lot easier. Is it only a matter of time before the people of the UK will be replacing Alright? With G’Day Mate… Scary? I think so!!

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