Australia expat life. Diaries of an emigrant: how a Ukrainian woman lives in Australia

Move to live in Australia is the goal of millions of people around the world. Why exactly there? The fact is that Australia is a very beautiful continent. There are different and completely different species of animals and plants. Rich natural resources, all conditions for life, entertainment and much more - everything is collected on one mainland. Just imagine the views, beaches, wildlife and recreation there. One can only dream of this!

The population of Australia is approximately 25 million people. Most of them are British, Chinese, Indians, Filipinos, Vietnamese, Germans and Italians. People from all over the world travel to Australia to see wildlife, visit places where no human foot has gone before and relax in upscale hotels with ocean views.

For people, life in Australia is a good chance to build a career, make an unforgettable vacation and build a good life for yourself and your family. At last count, about 29% of local residents came here from abroad. Thanks to immigration communities, the population is growing, everyone is eager to move and start from scratch to equip themselves. Of course, every business has its pros and cons. People go to Australia with a purpose. For some, this is employment, for some it is a way to start a new life, and someone just wants to rest the rest of their lives without thinking about anything. But before that, everyone sees and understands the good and bad sides of the move.

Australia is a very favorable place to live.

There are all climate conditions for a person here. The diversity of flora and fauna turns this place into stunning views, entertainment and tourism.

The state is rich in many attractions, cultural heritage, a choice of places for recreation and work.

The entire society of Australia is made up of different cultures and religions. There are very kind and helpful people who are always ready to rent out housing, help with work and come to the rescue in a difficult situation.

Australia has very clean air and roads, on the street you can see how every day workers take out garbage, clean and even wash all city centers. In some houses, it is not customary for people to take off their shoes, because after coming from the street, their shoes are still clean and you can walk around the house without any problems.

The territory of the entire mainland is provided with good security. Here it is forbidden to import and export any plants, products, animals, products from any material. Also, people arriving from other places undergo environmental screening and are checked for prohibited items.

In Australia, people's attitude to bad habits is strictly monitored. You can safely move around the streets, and you will not see a person there who is in a state of intoxication or smokes indoors.

A developed economy, a high level of medicine, education, and infrastructure characterize Australia as a favorable place for life and human development.

Australia is one of the most expensive countries in the world

Many people cannot afford to live and study here. High prices for housing, food and transport overwhelm people, and some, unable to cope with this, either go back or do their best to look for a way to earn money.

The geographical location also has its pros and cons, not everyone will be able to overcome such long distances and afford to move from anywhere in the world.

Australia is rich in diverse flora and fauna, but some plants and animals endanger human life. Even being in the city center or a hotel, you can meet snakes, insects or poisonous flowers.

There are some problems with movement. Buses and any transport rarely go here, and if the house and work are located far from each other, then you will have to buy a car, or get up early and travel long distances.

Not all people have a good education, many live on benefits and various benefits. In cities far from the center, it is not so easy to find a job with a good salary.

Cost of living in Australia

Over the past year in Australia property prices have fallen by 4%. Of course, renting a house in the very center of big cities will not be very cheap, but in small towns you can find houses and apartments at the best prices. At last count, the average person spends $1,423 per week: $292 for housing, $150 for groceries, $25 for items, $20 for services, $85 for leisure.

Prices 2018

Housing:

Studio - 260-340 One-room apartment - 340-420 Two-room apartment/house - 510-610/510-760

Three-room apartment / house - 710-990 / 820-1000

Products:

Bread (500 gr) - 3

Milk (0.6 liters) - 2

Eggs (12 pcs.) - 5

Chicken breast (1 kg) - 11

Potatoes (1 kg) - 4

Australian cheese (1 kg) - 9.90

Bananas (1 kg) - 3.10

Apples (1 kg) - 4.10

Services:

Gasoline (1 liter) - 1.40

Taxi (1 km) - 2

Public transport fare - 4.10 Monthly ticket - 140 Utilities (85 sq.m.) - 200 per month

Mobile communication (minute) - 0.20

Internet - 75 per month

Prices are in Australian dollars!

taxes

A feature of taxes in Australia is the difference in income tax rates for residents and visitors from abroad. In general, taxes in Australia are comparatively lower than in other countries.

Taxes for 2018:

Corporate income tax - 31% VAT - 11%

Income tax -

For residents:

• From 0 to $18199 - 0
• $18,200 to $36,999 - 19 cents per $1 over $18,200
• From $37,000 to $86,999 - $3,572. Plus 33 cents for every $1 over $37,000
• From $87,000 to $179,000 - $19,822. Plus 38 cents for every $1 over $87,000
• From $ 180,000 and more - $ 54,232. Plus 44 cents for every $1 over $180,000

For non-residents:

• From $0 to $87,000 - 33 cents from every $1
• From $87,001 to $180,000 - $28,275. Plus 37 cents for every $1 over $87,000
• From $180,001 and more - $62,685. Plus 45 cents for every $1 over $180,000

Medical fee - 3%

Work and salary

Jobs and careers are the most common reasons foreigners come to Australia. Everyone wants to earn as much as possible and move up the career ladder as quickly as possible.

Large companies, employers and businessmen can quickly find a highly qualified worker from abroad with the help of a professional immigration program. People leave their job applications on special sites, send resumes and call about vacancies. Thus, it is easy for newcomers to find the work they need.

Just like everywhere else, a person who wants to get a job must fulfill certain conditions in order to get it. He must speak a foreign language, have some education, have work experience, references or some documents if necessary.

There are several types of employment in Australia:

1. Full time: 38 working days h., work on a permanent basis, fixed salary, vacation 27 days.
2. Part-time work: part-time, full-time, fixed salary, 15 days vacation.
3. Under the contract: the term of work is limited, the fixed salary.
4. With a flexible schedule: wages depend on the number of hours worked, the schedule is adjusted to the needs and capabilities of the employee.

As of 07/01/18, the minimum wage in Australia is AUD 20 per hour or USD 720 per week.

For young highly qualified workers, all conditions for the performance of work are provided. Low wages, bonuses, the opportunity to climb the career ladder and even travel to other cities and regions - many employers provide all this so that employees have an incentive and desire to only improve their work and develop.

Data:

• The city of Canberra became the capital of Australia only because Sydney and Melbourne could not decide which of them would be it.
• Most Australian products bear the signature "proudly made in Australia" (proudly made in Australia).
• Kangaroo meat is used for food.
• Wild camels live in Australia.
• Breeding rabbits is prohibited - this is punishable by a large fine.

Based on all of the above, we can conclude that Australia is a great opportunity to make your dreams and goals come true, to spend an unforgettable time, relax and spend your whole life among wildlife and local color. This is a country where you can develop, build a career, relax, study and just enjoy the views and beauty around.

If you are seriously thinking about moving to a new place of residence (to Canada or to European countries), I advise you to consider, as an option, Australia. To facilitate the comparison of the standard of living, I propose to consider all the pros and cons of this ideal country.

Take off your rose colored glasses and accept reality for what it is.

From previous articles about this continent, you already have a certain picture. A large and mostly uninhabited territory, the sea is almost everywhere, summer is all year round. The climate is very favorable for humans.

Immigration to Australia

To immigrate here, you need to score a certain number of points. I encourage you to assess your own chances. In the independent category, you need at least 60 points (one of the spouses). Age, work experience, language skills, education.

according to the age

experience

knowledge of English

education

Plus additional points for having already lived in this country, for participating in certain programs, etc.

Well, everything worked out with the calculations. Then let's go.

Everyone in Australia is an immigrant!

Who is in the first generation, and who is in the second or third, but ALL. So you won't be alone. Of course, there is a division according to national principles and religion. But the entire population is very friendly and welcoming. This does not apply to local residents (there are only 5%) Aboriginal. This is the topic of a separate article.

About order and cleanliness

Just one example: a new supermarket is under construction. After the passage of a car with building materials or garbage, specially trained people wash the asphalt with brushes.

It is considered normal to walk barefoot through the city streets or sit on the curb for a bite to eat. Just getting your feet and clothes dirty is impossible. Removed everywhere. If only we could!

It is still possible to get a job as a "cleaner", but it is difficult to work as a scavenger. This category is almost an elite work. They are so careful about cleanliness and invest huge amounts of money in this industry. As a result, higher salaries. A very lucrative area!

What is the Australian way of life?

Compliance with rules and regulations in all areas. They adhere to a healthy diet (natural juice will be squeezed out for you in any store or cafe), on all product labels there is a list of warnings and normal letters (no magnifying glass is needed), medicines strictly according to the prescription (there is nothing to treat yourself, as we do out of habit, if only we don’t go to the hospital). After 11 pm they do not make noise, they respect the neighbors. If loud music or songs are heard at this time, these are probably only our compatriots.

Tolerant attitude towards everyone without exception. The population of the continent is multinational and, as a result, the presence of multiculturalism is huge. Here you have the opportunity to learn yoga and Brazilian samba, Japanese ekibana and Italian pizza from a “real” instructor.

Economic and financial security

The state guarantees its citizens (exemplary taxpayers) timely payment for all insured events, assistance in emergency situations and medical insurance. At the same time, taxes make up a significant part of the budget of a local resident.

Regularity and predictability of living

Transport runs strictly on schedule, food prices do not change once a quarter, banks do not go bankrupt and salaries are not delayed. Everything is calm and measured day after day. All according to the rules.

The choice is yours whether or not to move. It will immediately be difficult for us to adapt to live by the rules.

We have something else at the gene level:

• stand in line;
• discuss and incite colleagues;
• take a seat in transport, but faster than another;
• work and live on nervous breakdowns due to the instability of life;
• dream of a vacation and a desert island.

On other scales life in Australia:

This is also interesting:

Facts about Japan or the pros and cons of the Land of the Rising Sun How the common people of Brazil live. Pros and cons of the country of eternal summer Why is Bali… so dirty and a lot of dogs or the pros and cons of paradise

In recent years, immigration to Australia has become an extremely relevant topic in our country. You can meet many of our compatriots there. Why are they going to distant lands, to a godforsaken continent? There are several reasons for this.

Needless to say, Australia is one of the most highly developed countries in the world. Without leaving one city, you can quite successfully combine work, leisure and business there. In addition, according to last year's UN study, the green continent ranks third in the world in terms of living standards and third in terms of its duration, leaving behind the United States, Great Britain, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, France and Italy. Russia is not on this list, and even more so.

Needless to say, Australia has a great climate. Not in the whole territory, of course, there are deserts and mountains unsuitable for life, but where people live - on the east coast. The average temperature there in summer is 27 degrees above zero, there is neither sweltering heat nor stuffiness. Summer here is not like, for example, in Tunisia or Egypt. You just leave the airport building, inhale the air and that's it, your lungs are burned. In winter, the Australian granary is also comfortable, the average temperature there is only 5 degrees lower than in summer. Can you imagine? In January +22°. On New Year's Eve, you can blow up firecrackers in shorts.

Of course, due to the accessibility of Pattaya, you won’t surprise Russians like that, only Pattaya is a resort, and you can live and work in the same Sydney. Here, despite the development of civilization, children learn about the existence of shoes only at the age of five. The sun has 300 days in a year. It's just heaven! Both in winter and summer, you can walk in light shirts, slates and shorts. You don’t need to buy a fur coat for your wife, change shoes for the car for the winter. Solid savings.

As you know, dirt and bad roads are a consequence of the climate. In Australia, unlike Russia, there are no such problems for a long time. The climate is simply beautiful, perfect cleanliness, absolute comfort. If you think that I speak so highly of Australia because I want to move there, you are wrong. It's actually very good to live there. Of course, for the most part Australia is deserted, and in some places it even resembles the world after an atomic war, but on the east coast it will be very pleasant for both children and adults to take a walk in the forest.

In Australia, you don't have to think about sending your children somewhere to study. Your child will receive an excellent education without leaving the parental home. Moreover, a graduate does not even need to travel far to find a good job. The need for specialists in Australia is very acute. If you suddenly have to leave the green continent, then a diploma with an Australian higher education is highly valued in the world. Australian graduates are taken to prestigious Western companies with open arms. This is not for you to graduate from the Kursk Polytechnic.

Speaking without embellishment, then, of course, in Canada, the UK and the USA, students are taught better, but the cost is more attractive in Australia. If only because the educational institutions of the green continent need to somehow compete with the leading universities in the world. If they cannot offer the same quality, then at least a cheap price can lure students to them. An indicator that poor English people come here to study. Students from the US and Europe are a dime a dozen. For English-speaking people in Australia, there are no problems with integration. Before, after all, there was an English colony here, and there is still a viceroy of the English queen. Therefore, all the traditions of the progressive population of the green continent are fully consistent with English and American habits. Indigenous Aborigines in Australia are also not infringed upon. They have reservations. If they want, they can live there according to the precepts of their ancestors. If they are attracted by the modern life of a Western person, then welcome to the world of expensive cars and big money. Aboriginal descendants work in government agencies, commercial organizations and run their own businesses. There are no concessions, or vice versa, unnecessary nit-picking, to the natives. Apparently Cook has already been forgiven them J

Russian workers with diplomas from domestic universities can be in great demand in Australia. First of all, if they are programmers or engineers. A well-qualified engineer who has confirmed his level at work, a year later can receive up to five thousand dollars a month. Usually, "ours" who leave for the green continent are not symbols of the nation. These are people of the Western format, responsible and hardworking. It is impossible to imagine an irresponsible person capable of moving to Australia. For the time being, Australians did not see typical Russians at all. Unfortunately, they encounter them in Southeast Asia. Australians fly quite close to Thailand, and there, as you know, there are more Russians than the indigenous population. There used to be a lot of Australians in Pattaya. There is paradise for them. Everything is allowed, everything is available and costs a penny. Now Pattaya is occupied by Russians, so every year there are fewer and fewer residents of the green continent, but they can still be found on the islands.

Before the Russians began to meet the Australians in the resorts, they thought of us in much the same way as we think of the Germans. In the stereotypical view, Russians are responsible, diligent workers. Australian employers sometimes even prefer Russians to their compatriots. Russians are afraid to refuse their bosses' requests to stay late at work. Such is our mentality. We think that they will be thrown out into the street, and then we will not find work. Australians, on the other hand, take this issue more simply. For them, staying late at work is considered shameful. Americans enjoy more Russian honor. Those not only agree to work 16 hours a day, but are proud of it. The American dream, after all, is not money that fell from the sky, it is money earned by righteous labor.

The stability and well-being of Australia arises from a developed economy. That, in turn, relies on business, and already it depends on a combination of three factors:

1. stable legislation. The Australians adopted from England not only a way of life, but also the best legislation in the world. Over the past decades, Australia has never had any problems with the law. Moreover, some amendments or changes are made to it only in matters related to education.
2. High purchasing power of the local population. Australia ranks third in terms of living standards among countries. People here love to spend money and earn it.
3. Availability of vacant market niches. Business in Australia is also developing well because there are still free niches in the country. In Europe, for example, a market economy has existed for many decades. It is overloaded, all niches are occupied, competition is unrealistically high, and profitability tends to zero because of this. Australia, as an independent state, is only 100 years old. Companies-dynasties, big players in the market, can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Many cities are generally 5-10 years old. Australia is very young and it is growing, along with this growth, with the development of free land, local business is growing. Forbes recently conducted research on the green continent and came to the conclusion that this country is the most favorable for organizing your own business.

All the factors listed above are the reasons why up to ten thousand Russians leave for Australia for permanent residence every year. No one rewrites the inhabitants of the green continent, but according to unofficial data, about 20% of them speak Russian. Some, however, speak badly. All these people are natives or descendants of natives of the Russian Empire/Soviet Union/Russia. Even in mentality, we are close to modern Australians. Still it would not be so when every fifth inhabitant of this continent is our former compatriots. Those who have recently moved to Australia admit that the only difference between Russians and Australians is that they are more calm and less prone to panic over trifles. Of course, they didn't have a putsch or a default, the 2008 crisis didn't hit them that hard.

Australians through the eyes of a Russian

“I was amazed. We drove along the serpentine with Sean. He is from Sydney. How his ancestors got there, I do not know. We're going. Mountains on one side and ocean on the other. Sean stops the car, makes me get out and points to the ocean. It was already night, and a path of moonlight flowed beautifully along its surface. The sight is very beautiful. We stand together, watching, and then Sean, as he curses in unprintable English words, about the beauty of this phenomenon. I was just amazed. Probably, his ancestors were from Russia,” says Alexander Antoshchenko, who works as a builder in Sydney.

Australians, like Russians, are very fond of picnics. These picnics are not American-style, with a huge barbecue oven, collapsible tables and other amenities. Australians simply go to the forest or to a clearing, where, on an open fire or on a barbecue, they simply fry meat, which they then eat with beer. They do not pursue progress and convenience as much as North Americans, simple pleasures are important to them. People who have been communicating with Australians for a long time admit that they have become calmer. Russians are a nation with broken nerves. We are constantly worrying or worrying about something. We do not give rest to our nervous system. Australians live longer because they are calmer. The problems are the same, but the attitude towards them is different.

“An Australian in a bar told me. Alex, go home. Your problem doesn't really exist. You made her up. I came to the bar to relax and unwind. You came to defeat a non-existent problem. Firstly, with the help of alcohol you will not defeat her, and secondly, the problem is too small to worry about. I agreed with this man and went home. Actually he is right. A week later I met this guy again, he works as a garbage man. He is absolutely not oppressed by his work. He is happy. We should look up to such people,” Alexander Antoshchenko shares his impressions about the Australians.

People who have been to Australia claim that the local population is the most smiling people on Earth. Probably, the Sun has a positive effect on them. In all tourist booklets about Australia it is written that cheerful, hospitable and open people live there. Under each of these words you can subscribe. Smile therapy has a positive effect on the guests of the country. Having been in Australia for only a month, you begin to look at the surrounding reality in an Australian way. You quickly get used to the good, that's why the visitors push their little troubles and tiny problems into the far corner.

Are Australian cities good?

Somehow, from childhood, we, Russians, were instilled that there is nothing better in the world than ancient cities. Where in every house lived some kind of count, prince, or at least a poet or director. From a purely practical point of view, it is not very clear why narrow streets and dilapidated houses are so good. Of course, historical sites are cool, but why turn an entire city into a museum? Quite another - new cities that are fully consistent with our time. Where there is no division into the old and new city. Where, among historical monuments, there will never be a skyscraper accidentally wormed its way. There will simply be no skyscrapers in these cities. Everything there is new and modern.

You can talk for a long time about the charms of new cities, but it's better to take it and see it once. To see with your own eyes the cities where there are no traffic jams, there are plenty of parking spaces, all modern communications are installed everywhere, where not dirty, but drinking water flows from the tap, you need to come to Australia. You can and should admire the old days, but you don't have to live in a museum. It is necessary to live in a modern and convenient city. The entire east coast of Australia is strewn with these cities. Due to the geographical and climatic features of the continent, for the most part people settle here. There is no old city here. If you think this is bad, go to Australia, and then we'll talk again.

The color of local cities is given by the complete absence of crime. Australia has such inept police that it's just ridiculous to watch them. It is rare for the guardians to legally practice. Despite the abundance of migrants, crimes are extremely rare here, and then only on domestic grounds. About organized bandits in Australia, many of its inhabitants have never heard. Such an outlandish place where American action movies and action-packed thrillers seem to be something otherworldly.

In general, there are various rumors about Australia, many of which have very dubious grounds. Next, we will try to debunk these myths.

Prejudices about Australia

The first prejudice - Australia is too far away

Of course, no one will try to convince you that Australia is in the next street. This, of course, is not true. If you measure the road not in kilometers, but in time or your own feeling from the trip, then it’s not so far to get to the same Sydney. Twenty-two hours in a comfortable liner and you are there. People from Krasnoyarsk in the summer in a hot, foul-smelling reserved seat travel for four days to Sochi. Compared to this, Australia is pretty close. There are kamikazes who travel by train from Moscow to Vladivostok. It's a whole week! Australia is only a day away.

There is also an option with two night flights. For example, you get on a plane in Moscow to Hong Kong or Tokyo, arrive there in the morning (make a flight so that you arrive in the morning), walk all day (you will be released from the airport as transit passengers), and then fly to Sydney or Melbourne or any another Australian city you need.

Such a flight, in two stages, is even more priority than one big one. In terms of money, approximately the same amount will come out, but on the other hand, you will be rested, see an interesting city and endure the change of time zones less painfully.
Obviously, each of us at least once in our lives had the opportunity to spend the whole day in a car. They did survive. Over in Europe, people generally go on bus tours. Consider that tourists live on the bus for a week. On the plane, unlike the bus and the car, you can walk and generally much more comfortable. In addition, you will definitely come across interesting fellow travelers in the cabin. These are not charters to Turkey, completely different people fly to Australia.

The second prejudice - If you immigrate, then you are cheating on your homeland

Our children will no longer have these feelings. We were brought up on the Soviet ideology or its echoes. In the USSR, they did not know how to make good cars, but there was complete order with the ideology. Contrary to popular belief, we were brought up not on healthy patriotism, but on worship. For some reason, few of the people living in the country are ready to do something for the Motherland. Some do not want to join the army, because they do not want to defend this country, because the Motherland has not given them anything. These same people, after some time, call traitors those who went to live abroad. Strange, isn't it?

Strange, one-sided worship of one's country is just one of those problems that we have invented for ourselves and which does not happen in a healthy society.

According to the "leavened patriots" Australia is entirely made up of traitors. There are very few people here who are not first, second or third generation newcomers. Indigenous aborigines in the whole country are only 1% of the total number of inhabitants.

The way migrants are treated in Australia is not treated anywhere else. Dust is literally blown off of them. You can get Australian citizenship and keep your Russian passport. This is permitted by the laws of both countries.

Australian citizenship allows its holder to travel without visas to many countries in the world, and besides, it guarantees good social protection.

“Australians told me amazing things about local health care. I used to think that this only happens in movies. The family was vacationing in India, and the child was bitten by some kind of insect. The baby was swollen and began to choke. The parents called the social security number, a nurse flew out of Melbourne, accompanied by the child, was transported to Australia and put in a hospital there. Everything was done very quickly,” Alexander Antoshchenko, who moved to Australia from Chelyabinsk, continues to be surprised.

Indeed, our health care with indifferent doctors in the clinic is very far from the Australian one. Perhaps this abyss is endless. You may not believe the story about the nurse and the plane, but it was told by a person who lived in Chelyabinsk a few years ago and was observed by a therapist at the place of residence. He has no reason to deceive us.

There is no need to compare Russian and Australian standards of living, education, earnings, etc. Comparison, unfortunately, will not be in favor of our Motherland. Obtaining Australian citizenship is by no means treason, it is, like car insurance, a voluntary guarantee of well-being.

The third prejudice - It's so hot in Australia that we will miss the snow

Either way, you will miss home. This is inevitable, but you can be bored in different ways. It is enough just to remember with love. As for snow, look at an atlas, a globe, or a map. Australia is a country-continent. From west to east it is almost four thousand kilometers. The coastline is almost forty thousand kilometers long. Here you have deserts, and forests, and mountains.

In the desert, of course, it is hot, but on the south coast, not far from Antarctica, it is cold. In Melbourne, for example, it snows. On Mount Kosciuszko, snow lies all year round. Three hours from the east coast of Australia there is New Zealand, there are mountains and snow all around. Ride, enjoy the snow, please. Like snow - admire it for a week. It is not at all necessary to live for half a year at sub-zero air temperatures, to risk your own health and comfort.

The fourth and most amusing prejudice is that it is very dangerous to live in Australia, sharks eat swimmers there, predatory snakes, crocodiles and giant spiders live in the forests.

It is very difficult to argue with this prejudice. In Russia, for example, the Ussuri tiger lives, cases of its attacks on people have been recorded. There are also wolves, bears and just all sorts of maniacs. A stone can fall on your head anywhere. Yes, there are sharks in Australia, but it is not certain that they will bite you every time you go ankle-deep into the water. Sharks are not designed to prey on humans. They have seals and other creatures that are much easier to kill. Nobody hides that there have been cases of shark attacks on people. Yes, deviations and tragedies happen, but they are very rare. The problem is inflated and, first of all, by television people. Huge thanks to Steven Spielberg who took off his "Jaws" and made people afraid of all the inhabitants of the ocean. Sharks live even in the Black Sea and can be caught near Adler with a bait. They are not dangerous at all. Most of the toothy predators that live off the coast of Australia also do not pose any danger to humans. The really dangerous sharks are found in the Great Australian Bight, on the western and northwestern coasts. People almost do not live there and you better not meddle in those places with nothing to do. And if you come, then do not sail far from the coast.

There are many times more sharks in the Red Sea, for example, in the area of ​​Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada. So why not go on holiday there? In Australia, by the way, to reassure the public, all public beaches are blocked off with anti-shark nets. To meet in the water with a predator, you must try yourself. The state did its best to protect the people. For lovers of the exotic, by the way, in Australia there is a dive safari, where scuba divers sail for several days on a special ship far from the coast to admire sea predators up close.

Stories about cannibal crocodiles are also greatly exaggerated. Thanks, again, to the cinema. Crocodile in Australia live only in the northern rivers. Wherever they live, there are warning boards, they say, crocodiles live here, be careful. It is enough just to be careful and not to travel alone in wild places. Nobody will attack you then.

To run into a snake or a poisonous spider, again, you need to be persistent. On the street near the house you will not meet them. You need to go into the desert, into its depths, find a spider or a snake there and demonstrate that you threaten them. Just like that, neither one nor the other will bite you, only for the purpose of self-defense. They do not consider man as food.

Urban Australians have never seen sharks, snakes or crocodiles in their lives. They have never been attacked by animals. They can't even remember that someone they know was attacked by animals. On the green continent, there are no more people affected by animals than we have in Russia. You don't have to be afraid of anything.

The fifth and last big prejudice - Buying real estate on the East coast, on the ocean, is very expensive and risky, can easily be deceived.

The one who wants to be deceived will be deceived. At one time, a fraudster, a native of Ukraine, was operating in Australia, selling non-existent real estate to Russian-speaking migrants. In order not to fall for the bait of such people, you just have to not communicate with them. There is such an unwritten rule for Russian immigrants - not to have money dealings with Russian-speaking people. So, alas, it happens that our people abroad deceive their own compatriots.

In order for everything to go smoothly in Australia with real estate, you need to contact a professional local lawyer or realtor and ask to accompany the transaction. All operations here go very smoothly. Australian banks, for example, quietly issue mortgage loans to citizens of other countries. To get a loan, it is enough to show the bank proof of payment of the first installment and indicate the source of your future payments. As a source of payments, a statement from an account where there is already money or a statement of your salary from your place of work is suitable. No extra papers about the number of children, taxes paid, number of children, registration, credit histories, etc. No need.

To purchase a house or apartment in Australia, it is enough to have thirty percent of the property value. The rest will be given in the bank at 8-9% per annum for 20-30 years. If the initial deposit is 40%, then the monthly payment to the bank can be covered by renting out the apartment. Thus, in 10-12 years, the property will be completely your property without any debts to the bank. Of course, this is a very long-term investment plan, but it is suitable if you want to buy a house for your children or just make a good investment.

conclusions

Heaven on earth can be created absolutely anywhere. Like Russia, Australia or some other country. In a particular case, it all depends on the individual. We are all very different and we have different requirements for paradise. In the minds of many people, for some reason it looks like Australia, and this is natural: a high standard of living, an excellent climate, the sun and the ocean. Perhaps immigrating to Australia is the right choice. As long as it looks perfect to us. Read the following articles in this series, think, discuss, analyze and finally move.

Before choosing his new place of residence, a person always wonders about the pros and cons of living in a particular city, and even more so in a foreign and still unfamiliar country.

The way of life in distant Australia is little known. Most people know that it is definitely “good”, but the concept of “good” is different for everyone and it is relative.

A future immigrant who wants to leave for the warm sunny climes of this green continent builds his idea on the subjective feedback of those who have already moved to the Kangaroo Country, settled there and shares his personal impressions about the level and conditions of his personal life in Australia.

Having lived for some time in Australia, slowly and surely, year after year, we form our own idea of ​​the peculiarities of the local way of life.

You begin to understand and understand the nuances of the local Australian very multinational mentality. And it has a big impact on every area of ​​a new immigrant's life here in Australia: whether it's work, study, entertainment, travel.

The Australian version of the English language, at first glance very intricate with its “hawaya”, seems no longer as scary and inaccessible as it was in the first days, weeks and months after moving from Russia to Australia.

Looking back and remembering those times when the decision to leave for Australia was just being made in the family, you understand how illusory and erroneous were some ideas about this distant continent. Not in a bad way, no. It was just that a lot of things seemed completely different, something better, something worse.

But a more accurate idea of ​​how people live here in Australia (including the Russians who moved here) was formed only after the move and after a couple of years. And for this, maybe I even had to “fill bumps” somewhere, filter a lot and pass through the prism of my usual values ​​on which you grew up, and adjust them to the local ones. This is not bad, this is life.

We arrived in a foreign country, but as they say: "You don't go to visit with your samovar." And if, BEFORE leaving for Australia, we explained to ourselves some reasons why we want to leave to live there on a distant green continent, then a couple of years AFTER moving, these reasons develop partly into completely different ones.

And a more important role for answering oneself to one’s own question “Why do I like living in Australia?” play completely different facts, for themselves more obvious or something.

These facts (and they are subjective, having passed through the personal perception of the world of each immigrant, through his own experience and “stuffing bumps”), or rather by explaining to himself first of all “So why? ...” is asked by almost everyone who moved to Australia (or to any other country).

This is especially true for those who were doing well in their homeland with a way of life, but something was still missing, which is why it was decided to leave for the very “missing” fact.

And over time, I want to decide what that “missing element” really is, what exactly it is and whether it was given to us by a new country, completely alien to us, Australia.

With this note, we want to start listing for ourselves the very facts, or rather our own opinions about the life of us two Russians in Australia. They are our personal and our memory.

They are unequivocally subjective, but for our loved ones they are not unfounded, but have gone through our analysis of the perception of the way of life in Australia for more than three years.

On a regular basis, we will add one of our reviews “Why we like living in Australia” to this note.

In parallel, it is logical to launch a similar note with our reviews “What we DON'T like about Australia”.

Yes, everything has its flip side. So Australia (like any other country, no matter how “bad or good” it may be) has its pros and cons in the way of life led by people there.

All the best! Everything listed below is an explicit “This is how WE live” and nothing more!

Your restless Nata and Tyoma

1. Why we love living in Australia: Work-life balance

This is the first thing we were looking for here on the Australian continent. It was for this that we went here full of hopes to find it, get it and enjoy it. And we have it!

It is quite possible that it exists in Russia, we do not know, we have not tried it. But Australia gave us this coveted way of life - lifestyle, when work is just work, one component in all the diversity of our today's eventful life.

Life was seething in Russia too, but 90% of it was occupied by work, and the remaining 10% was sorely lacking for everything else that one would like to occupy oneself with at leisure. All that diversity in the field of travel and sports hobbies that we live in today, all this in Russia for us was in terms of time costs - luxury. Time for yourself was a luxury!

And now his wagon and a whole cart, and we want even more! Yes, I don’t work, I’m “lucky housewife” now. But looking at Artyom, who is satisfied with his life, who occupies a responsible position and works there “an unplowed field”, I can say with confidence that he has received this desired balance in full and succeeds in addition to hard, yes, hard office work with constant meetings and telephone conferences with offices in different countries, and also study, play various sports, achieving their results there, travel to the fullest and just live, getting a lot of pleasure from all this and periodically stopping to “smell roses”, which used to be a cherished blue dream of such a rich and at the same time “no fuss of fuss” lifestyle.

2. Why we love living in Australia: Here you can play sports all year round

Australia gives everyone the opportunity to engage in almost any sport on a regular basis, both in the fresh air and in the numerous sports facilities here. Whatever they say about a large percentage of overweight people among the Australian population, nevertheless, sport in Australia plays a big role and is very, very popular both at the level of professional development and just amateur.

Sports here in the Country of Kangaroos are just not really lazy. It is very pleasant and motivates to see people constantly running, riding, swimming, exercising in the usual everyday everyday life. We live near the embankment, the sports spirit almost never stops there.

Elementary jogging in St. Petersburg was a luxury for us due to severe air pollution. Here in Australia, we now have the opposite: get out of the house and run for pleasure along the embankment with fluffy palm trees, breathe deeply in the clean, fresh, slightly salty breeze. Personally, it never occurred to me (Natya) to run, now living here in Australia, running is my favorite pastime and sports exercise.

Thanks to the climate of Australia, water sports can be practiced almost all year round. Even in winter, when it’s still cold and it gets dark at 6 o’clock in the evening, with the right equipment, you can continue training (in our case) in kayaking. In the windy season - kiting. We got into cycling here. For lovers of cycling, there are separate paths.

Even snow can be found in Australia! In its winter months, everyone goes to the mountains, go snowboarding, downhill or cross-country skiing, and enjoy spending time at well-equipped ski resorts. Close by Australia is the wonderful New Zealand, known throughout the world for its first-class ski centers and lower prices than in Kangaroo Country for all this sporting pleasure. Three hours of summer and you're already puking up on the slopes of New Zealand with fabulous panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

The presence of a swimming pool, gym and often a tennis court in residential complexes is a frequent and common occurrence here in Australia. In every residential area you can find fitness centers, gyms, swimming pools and clubs for a particular sport. Some competitions are constantly held here - mass-large or small-regional. There are a lot of sporting events that are organized for charitable purposes. Sport in Australia as such is very popular, supported by both the state and the population itself, and this is very, very pleasing.

3. Why we love living in Australia: Politeness and friendliness everywhere in Australia

We Russians are by nature a very hospitable people - this cannot be taken away from us! But this cordiality begins only from the threshold of our house - for the guest we will get everything from the refrigerator and, if necessary, we will give our last shirt. But outside of our native land on the city streets, we are rather gloomy, far from welcoming people, and it’s better not to even try to smile at a stranger, I’m silent about wishing him a good day just like that ... It is fraught with consequences. As for the “customer orientation” of service personnel anywhere in Russia, we don’t even touch on this topic. One big sadness.

It's different here in Australia. It's just another world on the streets! Very polite, friendly, smiling and always pitying you to strangers (and just like that!) have a good day. If you are walking down the street and you are smiled, nodded your head and said the standard phrase “Hawaya” (which means “How are you?” in Australian) - this is normal. Do you understand? Fine. And if you did the same with a person you don't know, that's fine too. You will definitely get a smile in return. Just. Everything is very simple and extremely pleasant.

Whether it’s a supermarket, a market or a small shop, whether it’s a public administrative service – large or small, whether it’s a doctor’s office, a pharmacy, a library, or you go on a bus, and so on – everywhere and always you will be greeted warmly , politely, with a smile, will serve you as if you were the only and unique client for them and will always wish you a good day.

Staying day after day in such an atmosphere, you yourself turn into the same friendly person on the city streets and radiate “Hawaya! Good day to you all!” Just. Because it's so nice to live.

In Russia, somehow, you need to be “on the alert” all the time, and the ability to “work with your elbows” is one of the mandatory personal skills for a person living there, especially in metropolitan cities. Here in Australia it's the other way around. Wherever and for whatever business you come - to your smile and polite question-request you will always receive a smile with a polite answer-help. There are, of course, exceptions, but still, against the background of the general “hospitality of the people,” this is more a rarity than some kind of pattern.

Australians in general, at first glance, are an open, good-natured, very friendly people, similar to “unafraid little animals” - very trusting and sometimes even naive. And that is the great beauty and pleasure of having a uniquely enjoyable stay here in Australia.

4. Why we like living in Australia: Comfort and cleanliness

Here (the hedgehog understands, on the taxes of people) all the conditions for a simple but very comfortable stay have been created. And the population appreciates this, enjoys all this social well-being and does not spoil, destroy or litter it.

Here in Australia in cities and towns at every step there are well-maintained clean parks with recreation areas, benches, green manicured lawns and gas barbecues. On the embankments you can find the same picture. Anyone can arrange for a loved one a wonderful holiday or a picnic in the fresh (and it really is fresh here) air.

Here on the streets around and in sufficient quantities there are garbage cans and the people live according to the simple principle “It’s not clean where they clean it, but where they don’t litter”. Of course, not everything is one hundred percent perfect, you can also find dirty streets and an unscrupulous attitude towards the “people's good”, but in general, this is still an exception rather than a pattern.

Here in Australia you will always find a clean toilet (not “stinky”, with a piece of paper and the opportunity to wash your hands) - and there are toilets even in the wilderness somewhere far away, nowhere at all. For more than three years of living in Australia and traveling a lot through its expanses, we personally have completely forgotten about such a concept as “running into the bushes” during a trip or having a supply of toilet paper with us on the road. In this regard, here in Australia "toilet civilization".

And no one here in Australia is surprised by the fact that when walking their dogs, the owners clean up after their pets “dog joys”. And if for some reason they suddenly forgot the bag for this case, then a bundle of these bags can often be found at the trash cans.

Here in Australia at every step there are well-equipped bright and comfortable playgrounds. And there children really play and frolic accompanied by their parents. And it’s really clean there and you can’t be afraid for the fact that the child runs barefoot there.

And here in Australia, children (and adults too) run barefoot not only during holidays and school holidays, but also just on weekdays almost all year round - both along green lawns in parks, and along city beaches, and just “barefoot on the pavement ". Even in winter, in local “severe” frosts, you can often see a picture of how Australians walk around in warm jackets, woolen scarves and hats, but at the same time in slates on their bare feet. We still cannot get used to this nuance of local life, which is funny for us.

There are unpretentious but cozy cafes around here, where you can buy this or that delicacy and, if you wish, take a “take away” to go during your lunch break to a nearby park or embankment and take a rest from the bustle of office bustle under the open sky.

Here in Australia, everything blooms and smells sweet all year round. All these benefits of social well-being do not fall of their own accord from the sky like manna from heaven on Australians, this standard of living is achieved not only by the work and taxes of every person living here in Australia, but also by the fact that almost every person appreciates this very simple well-being and simply “does not litter and does not break” and instills in children the same responsible attitude to everything that Australia gets is far from free and for a reason. There is definitely something to be learned.

5. Why we love living in Australia: Courtesy on the roads and “My police protect me”

Let's start with the fact that in Australia you quickly get used to courtesy on the roads. No one here cuts you off, no one honks from behind, no one yells mats from the windows if you need to change lanes - they often politely let you through, pedestrians are respected here and they always give way to them, no one goes onto pedestrian sidewalks and no one drives along roadsides. Due to high fines, they still adhere to the rules of the road and park in the appropriate places, and not just anywhere.

Again, not without exceptions, and in Australia thugs-Schumachers are found and accidents are far from rare here, but still, when you go out on the road, you feel much more comfortable and safer than in Russian reality. We quickly got used to such calmness while driving here in Australia and appreciated this courtesy and law-abiding at its true worth, being on vacation in Hawaii and Shanghai, where the driving style and the situation on the roads immediately reminded us partly of our Motherland.

And here, the heart does NOT stop at the sight of local Australian DPS nicknames. They also sometimes “hide in the bushes” and catch “Schumachers” on the roads, but they stop only violators of the law and only in order to secure traffic and do not try to “earn money”. This can't even be discussed. The police are respected here and they respect themselves too.

Here in Australia, in cities and towns, "raids" are often arranged - they catch drivers who have sat behind the wheel while intoxicated. On one or another section of the road, the police line up and stop the cars, the driver must breathe into a tube, the violator is asked to park the car, and the situation is further resolved in a special bus. Everything is very polite, correct and worthy of respect both for the people in the cars and for the police themselves.

We had a chance to encounter a visit to the police station a couple of times: a) to certify copies of documents for free (the police have such a right); and b) had to seek a police report in Broome when we lost our front registration number while traveling off-road on Gibb River Road in the Kimberley region. Of course, everyone was very polite and friendly, like Australia itself.

6. Why we love living in Australia: In Australia, everything is equipped for travel and recreation

Traveling in our lives with Tyoma is one of the most important places. If it were our will, we would turn life into one continuous and endless journey around the world. As the saying goes: "Only two things we will regret on our deathbed - that we loved little and traveled little."

Traveling in Australia is pure pleasure! Everything here is thought out almost to the smallest detail: how to preserve the unique nature, and at the same time give everyone (from young to old) the opportunity to see all this wonderful beauty.

Here in Australia, the highways connecting different points of the country are in good condition, convenient for traveling by car throughout the continent. The hotel infrastructure is well developed here. And if you are not a particular connoisseur of civilization and prefer to spend the night in tents under the starry sky, you are always welcome, there are caravan parks or remote campsites for this. And campsites are often equipped with elementary WC.

Wherever you go, you can always find information support - if not in the form of a ranger in the information center, then definitely an elementary shield with all the necessary information about the area where you are.

Here in Australia you will be allowed to travel in national parks and protected areas, but only in specially designated places and trails, so as not to disturb the natural balance, which is very sensitive to human civilization.

If you are not a particular fan of wildlife and independent travel alone, then you can always have a great rest on the beautiful beaches in the resort areas of Australia, in theme parks, zoos and just gardens.

If you are a gourmet by nature, then here Australia will not deprive you of its attention and will offer a wide range of different locally produced delicacies.

Whatever your soul asks for - a wide variety of water activities, snow with skis and sleds, camels in the desert, azure beaches with palm trees, remote hard-to-reach corners of wild untouched nature, crocodiles and kangaroos, fine wines and sunsets in a pink haze - all sometimes the most Australia can please you with amazing and unusual.

The most inveterate and seasoned traveler will feel like a darling of fate here on this distant and mysterious continent. Australia has been pampering us with its abundance of interesting things to see and comfortable amenities for the fourth year of our life here. We have already visited many places in Kangaroo Country, but how many more amazing and beautiful things we still have to see. And it pleases.

7. Why we love living in Australia: Food in Australia is excellent

We do not consider ourselves special gourmets, but we still follow what gets into our stomachs. Australia did not surprise us with its variety of food products. It was assumed that the assortment would be much richer, but the expectations were not justified. Australian supermarkets in terms of their scale will be even smaller than our St. Petersburg OKey and Lenta, where today you can find almost anything.

But what does not occupy Australia is the quality of the products it produces. The most basic basic set, for example, milk (milk, cottage cheese, butter, cheese), vegetables and fruits (no exotic, you can find the same in any Russian province), juices, bread, meat products and fish, etc. - everything that SAMA Australia produces is of excellent quality and is always sold fresh here in supermarkets. Simple, no frills, but tasty and harmless to health.

Food here in Australia is not cheap, you will have to fork out for the same fish, but as for meat products - in the freshest form for every taste and at absolutely reasonable prices. I bought a fresh steak, threw it on the BBQ, peppered and salted it, immediately threw in a couple of vegetables, the food is ready.

If you follow a healthy diet for yourself and for your family, then here in Australia you can easily create a diet that suits you - tasty, healthy and affordable, for every taste. And it pleases.

8. Why we love living in Australia: Wild and domestic animals are taken care of here

Can you imagine at what level of social development the society of a particular country is, in which people have enough time, energy, finances and, most importantly, the desire to take care of our smaller brothers? And we are talking not only about their pets, but in general - in general, about wild, domestic, abandoned and lost. Australia is far from an exception in this regard, and the conscious responsibility for animals is very developed here.

You will not see homeless animals on the streets here, and if anyone gets under your feet, then rather this is a big exception: a lost pet who is already looking for his family. And those who are abandoned for one reason or another, there are special nurseries for those four-legged ones, with all their hearts to find a new home for them as soon as possible.

Here in Australia, volunteering in the “animal sphere” is very developed - people stand in line to volunteer in a veterinary clinic, zoo, wildlife park, nursery, shelter, national park, conservation area, etc.

Here, wherever you look around, an educational process is going on, constantly reminding everyone and everything that nature and wildlife must be protected without fail. Children from an early age absorb this responsible attitude towards our smaller brothers, which subsequently translates into appropriate caring behavior on the principle of “do no harm”.

Wherever you are in Australia, wherever you work, wherever you go on vacation, this topic concerns you everywhere in some unobtrusive way. Either these are information boards in parks, or exhibitions in museums, or volunteer “raids” at work, or television programs (and there are just a lot of them about animals here!) - everywhere you are tirelessly reminded of the importance of a responsible attitude to such a sensitive and dependent on human civilization the world as the fauna of our earth.

And in Australia, of course, there are “thugs” who offend animals, but this is still a big exception here than the standard picture of life. Here, even in the news, they report about the offended beast, thus conveying to the population that such malicious acts do not go unpunished.

Such responsibility is very impressive and cannot but rejoice. I really want this picture to become familiar to Russia someday.

9. Why we love living in Australia: Healthy living through climate and ecology

Living in Australia and traveling around it, we breathe clean air, unpolluted by the exhaust of cars and industries, not dusty by street dirt, namely, clean, fresh, in which you can feel the delicate aromas of green fragrant flowering plantings and the slightly salty taste of the sea breeze.

Although most of Australia is a desert area, there is still a lot of greenery on the coasts, dense forests with the intoxicating viscous smell of eucalyptus trees. In cities and towns there are many parks and gardens with green manicured lawns. There is so much oxygen here that when returning from another trip to the natural attractions of Australia, your head is spinning.

The careful attitude of Australians to the ecology of their country is very pleasing. And a good climate and ecology affect a quality lifestyle, when you can afford to walk barefoot almost all year round on green fluffy grass and a soft sandy beach; sunbathing and swimming in the ocean for almost most of the year, and if you go on vacation to the northern reaches of Australia in the winter, then all year round.

Here you can enjoy blooming nature all year round. In Australia, something begins to bloom every month, and something does not stop at all almost throughout the year. The local Australian flora always remains green, it does not shed its leaves during the cold season, so the green tint of the world around here in Australia is an everyday everyday occurrence, and the green color has a calming effect on the human psyche, maybe that's why people living here on the green continent are so calm and satisfied with life?

Melbourne's climate is somewhat reminiscent of St. Petersburg. The weather here during the day can change several times, but still the climate here is much more pleasant, not so humid and “soul-destroying”. Mega-hot, sultry and too cold “frosty” days are an infrequent occurrence for Melbourne. The average daytime temperature in different seasons fluctuates quite within acceptable limits: +10-15 (during the winter) and +20-30 (summer), which is quite pleasant and comfortable to the senses. This comfortable climate and clean environment are one of the main reasons why we came here to Australia.

10. Why we love living in Australia: In Australia, you are “innocent” by default.

Here in Australia, you are “innocent” by default. You do not prove your innocence, but the law proves your guilt if you really violated it.

In Russia, wherever you go - to a bank, to a state institution, in public transport, whether for some reason you collided with the police / traffic police, a security guard in a shopping center / store - somehow, by default, you are “bad” and by all means must prove that you are “good and have not done anything so bad”.

Here on the Australian continent, the opposite is true. At the sight of a police car on the side of the road, the heart does not immediately fall into the heels, as for some reason it has always been at home. If suddenly there was some kind of confusion with a bank account, then you just write them a message with a polite question “what's the matter? ...” and the bank itself deals with the problem.

If you really get confused with buying a ticket for a tram, and then suddenly there is a check, they will listen to you and help you, and not expose you as an evil bandit. You go into public transport and you are greeted there with a smile, and not with a suspicious expression on your face that you are supposedly an unscrupulous life-long “hare”.

If the parking machine breaks down in the parking lot and there is nowhere to pay, and you need parking badly, you call the number indicated, report the situation, and the employee who checks the parking “will not have any complaints” about the fact that you have not paid the parking.

It is clear that in order to have such an attitude towards oneself, one must first of all be most law-abiding - this is not even discussed. But being law-abiding, here in Australia you look like this in the eyes of society, and in your homeland, no matter how much you obey the law, you are still guilty of something and this feeling of “guilt in something” haunts you at almost every step.

11. Why we love living in Australia: Here in Australia, “they don't match by their clothes”.

On average here in Australia there is no “clothes cult”. No, it is clear that there is a dress code in offices, and the higher the position, the more “businesslike look”, not without this, of course, but in general, the attitude to clothing in Australia is based on the principle “convenient, comfortable, practical” , not “expensive, brand, fashionable”. You can easily meet a man in a business suit on the street, but at the same time in sneakers on his feet, the same applies to women - quite a common picture.

Here you can wear shorts, a T-shirt and flip-flops and not worry that “they won’t understand you”. Your personality and practicality in clothes is more important, and this greatly affects the carefree lifestyle. If at home you are not dressed “haute couture”, you are a loser. Here in Australia, in the general mass, everyone is deeply purple, a cheap “K-Mart” Chinese T-shirt is on you or some certain well-known brand (which is funny, sewn all in the same China).

All these “troubles” with fur coats, boots, handbags, jeans and cosmetics - all this is not here in our daily life now. And life became easier and easier. For some reason, here in Australia, we often ask questions about the ecology in the world, the cleanliness of the environment and helping animals, rather than being puzzled by the question of another absolutely meaningless purchase of some kind of “brand clothes”. If at home we are met by clothes, then here in Australia - in principle, no one cares about your clothes, or your mind, or you in general. Nobody bothers you, and you don't bother anyone either. Live your life in clover and that's it.

12. Why we love living in Australia: Drivers in Australia have an easy and simple life.

About the incomprehensible total courtesy on the roads in Australia, we have already mentioned here. One has only to turn on the turn signal, as you immediately and without hesitation give way. You leave the yard - the whole stream stops to give you the opportunity to go onto the road. The list can be continued indefinitely.

For almost four years, we have never encountered any manifestation of rudeness or impudence on the roads. And this is a feature of Australia, because. nowhere else have we noticed such an attitude of drivers to each other. And I like it very much.

In addition, just owning a car in Australia is easy and simple:

1) Don't pay tax based on horsepower. Therefore, buy a six-liter V8 and drive from gas station to gas station - no one will tax you at exorbitant prices and you will just be allowed to go broke on gasoline.

2) There are no compulsory insurances in which all drivers must be entered. Those. people insure cars, but there are no problems with the list of people.

3) There are no mandatory inspections. Of course, the condition of the cars is monitored and people go to services, but again, not in obligatory terms.

As far as I know, for each car some kind of annual registration fee is paid in the region of 500-600 dollars, and that's it, there are no gray gradations. A new Ferrari and an ancient Hyundai pay the same amount. If I'm wrong, correct me, who knows (we don't pay anything ourselves :)).

Also, you do not need to carry any documents to the car with you. There is a key, a license and you are sober - that's all you need to carelessly travel around the country of kangaroos. And it doesn’t matter if it’s your car, a friend or Uncle Vasya.

We wrote about this feature in one of the first notes upon arrival in Melbourne here:

And most importantly, there are practically no traffic jams! And this, believe me, is insanely cool!

During the entire period of life in Melbourne, we stuck literally a couple of times when there was construction work and the second time when there was an accident on the highway.

Plotting a route in Google and getting an estimated time is practically guaranteed that it will turn out that way. Yes, it’s better not to meddle in the city during rush hour, but even in this case, traffic jams cannot be compared with those traffic jams in which we stood for hours at one time at home. Cars are always moving, and if you really want to hurry, there are always a bunch of gateways and parallel streets that you can safely drive through. But again, Australians don’t fuss and prefer to relax and not twitch, rather than looking for the best and fastest ways to get from point A to point B.

In addition, the issues of buying and selling cars are resolved very quickly and without unnecessary bureaucratic problems and financial costs. The vast majority of cars have a complete history and service books, incl. it is much more difficult to run into a setup here. Can't help but like it all, right?

It is worth mentioning that car crime here, one might say, is absent. You have to be very “lucky” to have your car cleaned (never heard of this happening to anyone). And about theft, I generally keep quiet. I wonder if they even exist here?

And more, AND MORE! Here you can not wash your car for weeks and it will be clean! Provided that you do not deliberately climb into the mud somewhere. Upon arrival in Melbourne, it was very striking - all the roads were just BLAZING! bright colors. Red, yellow, green, blue, orange! pink, etc. - clean cars were everywhere and nearby - not a monotonous gray mass, but a rainbow right! Already in the eyes rippled from this riot of colors. Now they are used to it, but the fact that they definitely like it is a fact.

13. Why we love living in Australia: Post in Australia is both important and good

The post office here in Australia has an important place in people's daily lives. Yes, yes, this is not a joke. Many communications with administrative authorities (a la banks, police, medical institutions, etc., etc.) all go through the most ordinary postal service. Finding a letter with bank plastic cards in the mailbox and then in a separate letter the passwords to them is a common practice.

In addition to its main function - the delivery of letters, parcels and parcels, the post office here in Australia can also change money for you in foreign currency (or vice versa), notarize documents (although for a fee, the police can be free), if you need to pay some " state account - check ”- it will be cheaper at the post office than at the same bank.

The postal staff are very polite, just like any other employee of any other institution or establishment here in Australia. As we have already said, customer focus is at a high level here.

We even once had a case that Tyoma drove from work to our post office to pick up something there, but was late for a couple of minutes, and the employee was already closing the doors. You won't believe it, the man who saw Tyoma "with a mail bag" smiled back and ... opened the doors again and served as if nothing had happened. Tyoma was out of touch with such a service and apologized for the inconvenience for a long time, he really did not expect that a postal employee could do this.

Here in Australia, “online shopping” is very much loved, it is several times cheaper than in stores, so receiving goods by mail is again a common and very common practice. Parcels and parcels are brought either by regular mail or courier services (there are also many different ones here).

If you are not at home, a paper receipt is left in the mailbox, you can then pick up the parcel at a convenient time. Somewhere I heard complaints that postmen can easily leave parcels right at the door on the street (you see, there is a hole in the old woman ...).

I don’t know, this has never happened to us to date, although we often use online shopping and often order quite expensive goods. Everything is given by the postman either directly into our hands, or we pick it up ourselves from the post office nearest to us.

Our postman delivers letters on a bicycle (depending on the residential area - there are “walking” postmen, on bicycles, motorcycles, cars and, of course, helicopters in very remote regions of Australia) - an elderly darling uncle. Each time handing over small parcels (large ones are brought by car), I am glad to talk and, in my opinion, remembers all his “wards” by sight. He asks me everything about life in Russia, he is interested. In general, we are very pleased with the services of the Australian Post and its polite after-sales service.

14. Why we like living in Australia: Here in Australia you are one of your own, not a foreigner.

It just so happened historically that Australia is a multinational country. It is so “multi- and multi-ethnic” that on the streets or in public transport or in shopping centers you can hear “one hundred-twenty-five” different languages ​​​​and dialects at the same time and see as many “colors-and-shades” of people. And this is a completely normal everyday picture here in Kangaroo Country.

And the great thing is that while living here in Australia, you don't feel like you've “come in large numbers” here. No one ever hints at you, doesn’t tell you, doesn’t reproach you. You are immediately “one of your own” and live in good health here in Australia for as long as you like.

Of course, immigrants who have arrived (especially those who continue to observe their cultural and religious traditions) try to “huddle” together and settle in “their” residential areas, where they have their own churches, and their own shops with certain traditional products, etc. . But then again - no one interferes with anyone and does not climb into the soul “with their own samovar”.

The only and very frequently asked question (from our personal experience) from local Australians to us is: “Do you like it here?”. And when sincerely from the bottom of your heart you begin to scatter in epithets about the remarkableness of their Green Continent, the people are simply thrilled with pleasure and “peace, friendship, chocolate” immediately begin.

Well, the fact that everyone here (local and “come in large numbers”) is very friendly and smiling in the bulk of its people, we have already talked about this here.

15. Why we like living in Australia: There is no concept of “propiska” in Australia.

In Australia, there is no concept of “propiska” and “registration at the place of residence”, which is familiar and frightening to us Russians. We lived in St. Petersburg for 7 years and a bag with local registration was a constant headache for us, which regularly reminded us of itself either when finding a job, or when drawing up some kind of document, or just at the sight of the police on city streets, etc. .

Here in Australia, a driver's license is your main: a) ID - identity card, passport; b) registration-registration. This is a plastic card (it has the same dimensions as a bank card) with the last name and first name, photo and address of residence; the appearance (background) of this plastic card varies in each Australian state.

In the case of drawing up any documents, when you need to “prove” the place of residence, it is enough just to attach a copy of the bill, for example, for utilities, in which the full name and postal address are registered.

Here, even when flying on domestic flights in Australia, documents are not checked at the airport! All you have to do is show your e-ticket. Not only that, the further, the more everything is automated and online check-in - or check-in in the machine - becomes a regular routine.

We travel a lot around Australia, we stay in this or that city or locality for some period, it never even occurs to us to worry that the police can stop us somewhere on the street, demand documents and ask about registration - registration. This doesn't happen here! And it makes life a lot easier!

16. Why we love living in Australia: Being a housewife in Australia is no shame.

In Australia, it is absolutely not a shame to be a housewife, and we are not talking about rich, wealthy families of millionaires, but about “mere mortals” of the average. If there is such an opportunity in the family when a woman can afford NOT to work and do housework, children, family, her hobby for her own pleasure - no one will reproach her for this, she won’t point a finger at her, she won’t twist at her temple, she won’t read instructions will become and even more so will not consider “selfish, lazy, embezzler…”

If a woman wants to climb the career ladder, develop herself in her professional activities - you are always welcome, in the same way if she wants to devote all her time to her family - yes, for God's sake, if she wants her own business - yes, at least a hundred. The most important thing is to be happy, don’t interfere with anyone, and don’t interfere in other people’s affairs with your samovar and cockroaches. Just like in her soul, no one here climbs with moralizing a la “who she must be in society”. As they say here: “Happy wife, happy life!”

If BEFORE moving to Australia, according to the traditions accepted in Russian society, I thought that being a housewife was a “stain on my reputation”, now having lived in Australian society for 4 years, I look at it completely differently: family and harmony in it are much more important, family relationship, a happy husband and absolute peace of mind.

I won’t argue that it was easy to change my mind about these things - due to the negative mentality deeply embedded in my head on the topic of housewives, and especially due to the fact that “support from native Russian penates” is still receiving the corresponding a la “Unable to find a job?... No one needs it?... And will you stay at home for a long time?... Aren't you bored?... Well, how is it, is it good to sit on your husband's neck?... etc. and so on."

And after all, there is not a single positive word that for once I have time to cook for my husband, wash-ironing-clean-everywhere-accompany-and-support him (and how much time my husband has freed up now!), which used to be a luxury due to an elementary lack of time, no one has ever said a kind word, well, except for the husband himself, of course - happy and grateful ...

Since Australia is a multinational state, it is impossible to say unequivocally what kind of people the Australians are. But even different national values ​​did not prevent the inhabitants of this amazing country from creating a society in which people respect each other, take care of nature and honor traditions.

Australians are happy to live and work in the territory that they were given at birth by their parents or in the city of Australia that they consciously chose through immigration from other continents. It is important not only to understand the language of the Australians in order to establish contact with them, but also understand the culture this country.

The people of Australia are kind and positive people. No matter what age an Australian is, no matter what status he has, he loves to relax and spend time with friends.

In Sydney there is even a phenomenon like "pub culture", which means that people often gather in bars and pubs with colleagues, friends and acquaintances.

On weekends, Australians don't particularly care about how they look. Yes, they are at work do not always follow the dress code. You can often see people hurrying to the office in the morning, dressed in stylish business suits and wearing sneakers.

To many tourists and immigrants who have just arrived in Australia, it seems that Australians are too relaxed and even lazy people. However, it is not. Inhabitants of Australia love to work and seek career advancement.

But, either the world around them, or the loyalty of the country's authorities, affect the Australians in such a way that, unlike the same Americans, they perceive life not only as a daily path to success and making money.

They live by the principle of getting daily pleasure and maximum positive emotions from communicating with loved ones, playing sports, participating in festivals and various amateur competitions. Work for them is not the whole life, but part of it..

By the way, with regard to sports, the people of Australia really love it. This fact is immediately evident. Many immigrants who did not go in for sports before moving to the Green Continent, upon arrival to the mainland inspired by the sporting spirit of the Australians and start running in the morning. There are really a lot of people of all ages in the parks in the morning.

Why are Australians obsessed with holidays?

As mentioned above, Australians love to relax. They do it often and with great pleasure. And even more, they love not just to lie on the beach and look at the ocean, but relax actively and educationally. Residents of Australia travel a lot both within their mainland and nearby islands, and to the most remote corners of the world from the Green Continent.

It is important to know! In Australia, it is considered absolutely normal practice when children after school take the so-called "gap year" (a year of vacation), which they devote to learning about the world. They travel with backpacks, and then return home and enter higher education institutions.

Australians cannot live without traditional days off. They rarely take extra work on weekends. For Australian residents vacation with family or friends in nature is a must! Picnics, barbecues, trips to national parks and beaches - all this is practiced by Australians every week.

Promotion of vegetarianism

Despite the fact that the food in Australia is very diverse - from seafood delicacies to European and Asian cuisine, today in this country begins vegan diet is on the rise.

Vegetarians in Australia may be quite in an intolerant way to immigrants with other eating habits and even reproach for the use of dairy products and animal food.

Australia pet

The dog is Australia's most popular pet.

In order to keep and walk four-legged friends here all conditions are created: specialty stores, day nurseries, beaches and parks.

In Australia, when you have a pet, you must Very Think about it well: is there any money for the maintenance of this pet and is there enough patience to cope with the worries that will come with his arrival.

Here no homeless animals, you can’t just throw it away, the problems with it are the same as with a child: illness, food, smell, damaged house, furniture, etc. This may seem like a lot to many immigrants and tourists, but for Australians, it’s normal to have not one, but several dogs at once.

Tolerance in Australia

Since Australia is home to people of different nations, pronounced racism, communicating with Australians, you will not meet.

The same applies to communication between people of different social status.

Top managers in this country communicate with subordinates on an equal footing, lecturers and students can talk like old friends.

The heads of huge corporations, as a rule, sit in the same room with their employees, and Not protected from the team sitting in comfortable offices.

Here people prefer to communicate and exchange information, rather than establish boundaries between classes. But with all this, the indigenous people of Australia are proud of the status of an Australian. May this nation and immigrant people, the people of this country, feel as one, have national pride and respect the traditions of their ancestors.

Another feature of the Australians is to provide support. In the lexicon of the inhabitants of Australia there is an expression "stand by your mate", which means mutual support between friends.

This feature of mentality Australians clearly inherited from their ancestors, who were forced to adapt to life in an unfamiliar country with unfamiliar people of other nationalities.

Physical distance between Australians

Australians highly value personal space. They have such concepts as "privacy" and "personal space".

As a rule, Australians try not to get too close to each other.

The same goes for verbal interference. into the personal space of another. Asking even a close friend too intimate questions is not accepted here.

Residents of Australia - people are not "on the forehead." They prefer to smile politely and leave if they don't like something. You will not hear tantrums and loud statements of your opinions on the streets of the cities of the Green Continent.

Australians don't say what they really think and many immigrants are confused by this. But, having lived for some time in this country, you begin to understand that the true emotions of an Australian are given out by his gestures and facial expressions.

How do Australians treat immigrants?

Australia is almost the only country in the world where immigrants treated with respect and even kindness. Especially glad to new residents of the mainland in metropolitan areas. This kindness does not depend on nationality at all.

It is important to know! The decisive factor for normal adaptation in Australian society is the knowledge of the language and the desire to establish contact with the locals.

When Australians communicate with immigrants, they want to hear and see the sincere enthusiasm of visitors regarding the Green Continent. To make friends with an Australian, respect his way of life and the culture of his country, and then there will be no problems with adaptation in this state.

Australians are controversial people with its traditions and an unusual way of life for Europeans. Now you know why Australians don't like pathos and adore sports.

It does not matter here who you are - young, old, Chinese, Spaniard, resident of a metropolis or province. The main thing is that you want to enjoy life, respect others, be able to communicate and honored the traditions of the country of Australia.