A summary of my true feelings about living in Australia

Friends in China often ask: How is life in Australia?

I can't sum it up with a "good" or "bad", just like someone asking you how is your life in China? It's really hard to answer, because different people have different feelings.

Today, leaving aside Australia’s politics, economy, culture, entertainment, sports, etc., I will stand in the position of an ordinary citizen and truthfully record the most real feelings of the people around me.

Of course, this article mainly deals with Chinese immigrants from China to Australia. As for people born and raised in Australia, their feelings will definitely be different. It is precisely because immigrants understand and compare the two sides that they can better appreciate the differences in life between the two countries.

I will introduce the pros and cons respectively, starting with the good ones.

1. Positive feedback

In addition to the fact that Australia’s social welfare is relatively good, in daily life, we have the following personal feelings:

1. The natural environment is good.

This is almost universally known. Pure air, transparent blue sky, warm sunshine, clear sea water, clean beaches, and large green spaces everywhere can be said to be everyone's impression of Australia, and it is indeed genuine and unadulterated.

Australia is relatively sparsely populated. It can be said that humans live in nature. Big lizards and spiders would often run out of the house. One time, there was even a cricket hidden in an unknown corner of my bedroom. It screamed at night and sang me a lullaby every day. There is a small golf course called Fox Mountain near my home. I have never thought about why it was named Fox Mountain. It wasn't until one day that I found a fox corpse lying on the roadside that I was shocked to realize that there really were foxes living around us. They come out at night, so they are unknown.

As for the trees in front of and behind the house, there is a kind of possum unique to Australia that screams and active every night. It is even more common. If they get into the roof, it is quite annoying and you can hear it from the ceiling in the middle of the night. There were footsteps above, which gave me the chills when I first came to Australia. Later, when I found out what was going on, I was no longer afraid. I just hired a professional company to drive them out.

There is no doubt that Australia is a good place for people like me who love nature and animals. What wakes me up every day is the singing birds outside the window. Australia has a high proportion of households raising various pets. Cats and dogs can be seen everywhere. The key is that their living environment and treatment are very good. Seeing them live so happily will make everyone who loves animals feel happy.

Of course, this place is also suitable for people like me who like quiet. Because the population density is low, each household is widely spaced, and there is usually no one outside, so it is rare to hear human voices. Sometimes my cat spends a day at home in front of the computer, and in addition to the chirping of birds outside the window, the only sound left in his ears is the typing of the keyboard. I feel that this kind of time is particularly transcendent. This humble room is better than a peach blossom garden.

The picture below shows my daughter and her friends racing with wild kangaroos. You can find wild kangaroos a little further away from the city. There is no need to go to the zoo to see the ones locked up in the wall.

2. Be relatively fair and act in accordance with the rules.

Although there is no absolute fairness, in Australia, at least on the surface, you will not feel that you are being treated unfairly. At least, the entire society regards fairness, justice and respect as virtues. Although there is no guarantee that everyone can actually do it, at least the public's recognition is consistent.

This is why you have to be careful about being accused of racial discrimination in Australia. Sometimes when I talk to my daughter about a black person, I don’t mean to discriminate. I just use skin color to distinguish who I am referring to. My daughter would quickly interrupt me and remind me not to be racist. A ten-year-old child is so sensitive to this, which shows that the school attaches great importance to education in this area.

As an ordinary salaryman who has nothing to do with politics and is not involved in big business, my most direct feeling is: there is no need to ask for favors to do things in Australia. All government agencies do business in accordance with the regulations. operate. As long as the information is prepared according to the list, it is very simple, and there is no need to show off a smiling face to please any staff.

3. Caring for disadvantaged groups and extending charity work to the people.

For children, the elderly and people with disabilities with limited mobility, both public facilities and humanistic care are done very well.

It is not a slogan, but it is implemented in details, which can be seen everywhere, including the passages and facilities dedicated to their use, which I will introduce in detail in another article.

I know two friends who are doing service work related to disadvantaged groups. They work for government agencies, and one of them specializes in helping new immigrants.

Another friend works at a women's and children's emergency center, which specializes in taking in women and children who encounter serious difficulties and have nowhere to go. For example: women who have suffered domestic violence will take their children to seek refuge with them; women and children who do not have legal visas and have nowhere to go because they have been abandoned by their husbands...the shelter provides them with temporary housing free of charge. , ensuring their food, clothing, and basic living, and also finding lawyers, applying for refugee visas, etc. for them.

Labor in Australia is not cheap. Although materials can be obtained from donations, it costs the government a lot of money to hire so many staff to serve them. Australia’s tax revenue is not low, but relatively speaking, a large proportion of it is spent on the people.

The English name of the Women's & Girls' Emergency Center where my friend works is Women's & Girls' Emergency Center (abbreviated as WAGEC). The following two photos are of officials visiting the center, taken from the center’s official website:

There are many large and small charities in Australia. They are not just showing off or doing image projects. Almost every shopping mall has theirs. Temporary stalls, selling items, and proceeds going to charity. Usually when you are at home, people will come to your door to promote it and ask you to donate a small amount of money. The most common ones are second-hand stores set up by charitable organizations. The items in the store are donated, cleaned and disinfected before being sold. Most of the staff inside are volunteers with no salary, and the proceeds from the sales are used for charity. It is said to be a second-hand store, but in fact there are many brand new things with tags. Some are inappropriate gifts that are donated when they are no longer used, and there are also products donated by manufacturers and merchants. I would also patronize such a store to buy books for my children. Anyway, the more books the merrier, it doesn’t matter whether they are second-hand or first-hand.

4. Physical work is also respected.

In Australia, it is obvious that there is no distinction between high and low in work. This is not just a matter of words on the surface, it is indeed deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Because the income of blue-collar workers often outstrips those of white-collar workers who look respectable and glamorous. Moreover, they are less worried about their work, have less psychological pressure, and even have more flexibility and freedom in their time.

Of course, people who are highly educated, intelligent, professional, skilled, and capable will live a prosperous life in any society. If you are not that smart, have no education, and have no skills that you are good at, don’t be afraid. As long as you are willing to work hard and endure hardship, you will definitely make money.

For example, cleaning is not difficult to learn, right? It can be said that there is zero entry cost. We see cleaners everywhere in shopping malls, patrolling around with brooms and mops to ensure that the areas they are responsible for are clean and hygienic. Is this not difficult? It is such a job, and the salary is no lower than that of an office clerk. He won't be looked down upon at all. When they come to clean the table in front of you, we all express our gratitude very politely. From their faces, you can see confidence and calmness, and occasionally they will happily say hello and chat with you.

We all know that in Western countries, doctors and lawyers are high-paying and respectable professions. Therefore, it is not easy to enter these majors. The time to study in college is also longer than that of ordinary majors. Many Chinese immigrants most hope that their children will pursue this career. Yes, it is this kind of decent, stable and high-paying job. Therefore, children have participated in various cram schools since they were very young, trying to improve their grades. In our traditional Chinese thinking, no matter how high the wages of blue-collar workers are, we are reluctant to let our children do it.

But most ordinary local Westerners do not believe that their children must engage in civil service. My neighbor's older boy graduated from high school but did not go to college. He went to TAFE (similar to a vocational school in China) to study car maintenance. I guess he liked this very much and spent all day tinkering with a car that he had half dismantled. Being a car mechanic is a skill that you can rely on, and the income is high, so you basically don’t have to worry about unemployment. Not having a car in Australia is like having no legs. Every household has at least one car, and vehicle maintenance and repairs are indispensable.

I remember reading reports that ordinary brick movers in Australia can earn up to 20,000 to 30,000 Australian dollars per month. Of course, this is also real hard-earned money, with exposure to wind and sun, and a strong body. People should be rewarded for their efforts.

I pick up my children every day and pass by nearby construction sites. I often see workers talking and laughing, listening to music and working. I feel that they are very happy.

If you want to be less tired, you can learn some simple skills, such as becoming an electrician, plumber, locksmith, tailor, shoe repairer, etc. These jobs are relatively easy and the time is flexible, so you can still get through it. Have a comfortable little day.

A friend of mine forgot her keys and called someone to help her unlock the door. When the person arrived, they did it in less than two minutes and it cost 60 Australian dollars. People are now running out of their homes to serve you.

So, here, as long as you are willing to work hard, you cannot be rich, but you can definitely have enough food and clothing and live in a big villa. The key is that you don’t have to rely on connections, it’s simple, refreshing and free. As long as you make money through labor, no matter whether it’s mental or physical strength, no one will look down on you, let alone laugh at you.

The average hourly wage in the picture below is taken from the "Daily Mail" (Daily Mail Australia) on October 25, 2017. Official website:

5. Free multiculturalism country, it is easier for new immigrants to integrate.

Australia is a country of immigrants. Immigrants come from all over the world. The government also attaches great importance to the protection of the traditional culture of various countries and ethnic groups. There is a multicultural festival every year, which is the emphasis on this.

Living here feels free and simple. As long as you don't break the law or interfere with others, you can live however you want. The most important thing is that you are comfortable and happy. You don't need to think too much about other people's opinions, including how you dress and behave. There are so many people from different parts of the world, and everyone is used to it, and no one will comment on your life.

For us ordinary people, the greatest convenience is the convenience of life. You can eat delicious food from all over the world and buy food from all over the world. We have Chinese stomachs and we really can’t live without traditional Chinese food. As long as there are Chinese people living there, we can definitely find Chinese food. Even local supermarkets in Australia now have special Asian food shelves, and I even saw our Haitian soy sauce.

The government also provides many help services to new immigrants, such as free translation hotlines, translation services in hospitals, etc. Even if you don’t speak a word of English, you can still live well here. This is really not an exaggeration. Of course, it is best to live in an area where Chinese people gather. Restaurants and other places are full of Chinese people, which is very convenient.

Having said so many good things, is Australia particularly perfect in your mind? Don't worry, everything has two sides, and we have to see its less-than-perfect side objectively and impartially.

2. Negative Feedback

Everything has two sides. Similarly, life in Australia has good sides, but there must also be less than ideal ones. The following are what many people have complained about. place. Of course, some things are shortcomings in the eyes of some people, but they are advantages in the eyes of others, or they are indifferent things. What is mentioned here is what most people think. People with different life pursuits and personalities will definitely have different views.

When it comes to living in a non-native speaking area, for most people, the first difficulty they face is the language barrier. Even if I have studied English for many years in China, it is still difficult to adapt. What's more, we have to use this half-baked language to interview for jobs, etc. Even if we are qualified for the job, because we can't keep up with the expression, we may not be able to compete with locals or other immigrants, such as Indians, who speak English better than us. This is also an important reason why Chinese people abroad still like to stay in Chinese circles. After all, communication is completely barrier-free. People with the same culture make it easier to understand and deepen each other when making friends.

However, because the language problem is not unique to Australia and will also be faced when moving to other countries, I will not list it as a separate issue.

1. Life is monotonous and unchanged.

Australia’s leisure and entertainment industry is really incomparable to that of Chinese cities. Only some bars are open at night, and even shopping malls close early except on Thursdays. When I first came here, I was very confused. When you go to work, the shopping malls are open, but when you get off work, the shopping malls are also closed, including the banks. I really don’t want to do any business. Of course, supermarkets for buying food and daily necessities are open until 9pm, and there are also a few large supermarkets or convenience stores that are open 24 hours a day. It can only be used for emergencies, unlike the bustling commercial streets in China that are brightly lit every day or even all night long.

The entertainment and pastimes that Australians like are different from those of Chinese in China. On weekends or holidays, families will drive to the countryside to surf, go to the beach for surfing, hike in the jungle, boating, fishing, barbecue and camping... .... Most of the people who hang out in bars at night are young people who have not yet started a family. Even men in Australia are very at home. They go home as soon as they get off work and enjoy their time with their wives and children.

When it gets dark, the streets in the city center are full of people rushing home. There are basically no people on the streets in residential areas, so walking on the road by myself feels a bit scary. If you encounter a drunk or bad person, it will be difficult to find someone to help you. Therefore, I generally don’t go out at night, and if I have to go out, I drive.

Therefore, many people who like liveliness and feasting will feel very boring when they come to Macau. I always miss those dazzling entertainment and leisure places in China. And in terms of fashion, Australia is not as good as big cities in China. Especially for Asians, it seems difficult to buy suitable fashionable clothes. Maybe there are differences in body shapes or aesthetics. Anyway, my friends around me need to wear big clothes every time they return to China. Do some shopping. That’s why there is a joking nickname: Australia is called “Tu’ao” because it’s materially primitive and its people are stupid.

The picture below shows an early morning in a certain town. Chinese people are doing Tai Chi, and Westerners are also participating:

2. The social level of most new immigrants in Australia is lower than that in China. reduce.

For those who are conscious of social class, this is really distressing. When in China, most of them are university lecturers, business managers, professionals and other senior intellectuals with high social status. After coming to Australia, many had to give up their original majors and do whatever jobs they could find. The unemployment rate in Australia is also on the rise. As a migrant with no foundation, the pressure to survive is here, and you can’t afford to be picky.

Some open small businesses such as milk bars, dry cleaners, grocery stores, fish and chip shops, etc., and some work part-time, such as looking after children in kindergartens, working as bookkeepers, selling houses, etc. Although there is no job discrimination here and the money is not high, many Chinese people still feel a little uncomfortable, especially when relatives and friends in China ask about it.

As your career changes, the level of your contact circle will inevitably change. In China, people belong to middle- and high-level cultural circles, and the people I come into contact with every day here are relatively low-level. It’s not that I look down on people at the lower levels, they are also very educated and polite, but there is indeed a barrier to communication in terms of cultural depth.

Therefore, those who enjoy their original superior social status, or those who want to stand out and be superior to others, are not suitable to live in Australia.

3. A comfortable life is not conducive to young people’s struggle.

Australia’s social welfare is good, and the pace of life is slower than in China. As long as you have a stable job, everyone’s life will be similar. It is easy for people to become lazy and have no desire to fight. For those who want to do something big, the challenge is not small.

Especially here, the population is small, the flow of people is small, and labor is expensive. It is not difficult to start a small business, but it is difficult to start a big business. Australia's market rules are very sound and there is little chance of an outbreak. Coupled with the language communication, cultural integration and other acclimatization problems, it is extremely difficult to create the myth of getting rich overnight like in China. Every bit of income here is earned through bit by bit of hard work. It is really not as gold-rich as imagined.

The pace of life in Australia is relatively slow, and changes outside are not as rapid as in China. After living here for a long time, people will really become more and more leisurely.

The picture below was taken in a small park near my home. Every weekend, some families come here for picnics, and groups of wild ducks forage leisurely, giving the whole scene a leisurely atmosphere.

4. You need to do everything yourself.

Don’t talk about the big ones, just talk about the trivial matters of life. In China, when you refuel your car, you don’t even have to get out of the car, just open the window and pay. In Australia, you have to come down and refuel yourself, then go inside and pay at the cashier. You have to do things like inflating the tires yourself. When we Chinese first came here, we made quite a lot of jokes because we didn't know how to fill up the gas tank. Some of us put in the wrong gas, and some sprayed ourselves with petrol, which was really embarrassing.

When you buy furniture here, you basically have to go home and install it yourself. For me, it is simply an impossible challenge. Fortunately, for men, assembling furniture seems to be fun. My husband is always in high spirits and feels a sense of accomplishment when it is finished.

It’s good to do it for fun, but what if your husband is not around? I can't handle it even if I'm locked in a room for a few days. Paying someone to help you install furniture? I'm really afraid of being embarrassed. I guess the locals would be surprised that there are such industrious monsters in the world, right?

Australian children have loved doing handicrafts since they were young, and their super hands-on ability has been cultivated since childhood. Some locals are surprisingly handy. Some people turn their garages into handicraft workshops and tinker around there on weekends. They may have made tables, chairs, benches, or even slides and swings for children in the backyard by themselves. It looks just like the one you bought, even more unique.

Most people here live in houses with separate front and backyards. Taking care of the front and backyard lawns is really a big deal for us. Australia has plenty of sunshine and good rainfall, but it won’t take long for the grass to grow wildly. Every local family’s yard is neat and beautiful, and you are too embarrassed to let your own weeds affect the appearance of the city. On weekends, the roar of lawnmowers is everywhere. Of course, if you are not short of money, you can also pay someone to do it. But labor in Australia is not cheap. If it were my hard-earned money, I really couldn’t bear to spend it in such a way. The worker who helps you mow your lawn probably earns more per hour than you do at work. Think about it, you might as well do it yourself and treat it as exercise.

5. Spending money is not as enjoyable as when you are at home.

There are few people in Australia, and labor is expensive. Whether it is haircuts, manicures, massages, dry cleaning, or changing trousers, everything is more expensive than in China. Coupled with the exchange rate between the Australian dollar and the RMB, it was always expensive when I first came here. I can't help but convert RMB in my mind. After all, it feels more expensive. Spending money is really not as good as when I was in China, and I feel less comfortable psychologically.

I envy my friends in China. Even stay-at-home mothers who don’t have to work will basically hire domestic workers to clean the house, or even hire people to help cook and take care of the children. We are not so lucky in Australia. When I think about paying more than 30 Australian dollars per hour, nearly 200 yuan, just to be lazy? I really can't bear it. If you want to hire a live-in nanny, it will be more expensive. The nanny's salary may be higher than if you go out to work yourself.

I am a lazy person who doesn’t like to cook or do housework. Think about it, when I was in China, although I didn’t hire a nanny, I would often find a part-time worker to clean the house. At that time, it only cost more than ten yuan. , I don’t feel any burden at all.

There are restaurants everywhere in the country. If you are too lazy to cook, you can go out to eat. It is cheap and convenient. Now, it’s good. I don’t live in a Chinese ghetto. There are no Chinese restaurants in the town. The Western steak, fish, chips and salad are really unappetizing. If you want to eat comfortably, you have to drive to a farther place to find a Chinese restaurant. And I don’t dare to go out to eat every day. Labor is expensive, the chef’s salary is high, and the price of the food is naturally high.

A friend once lamented: "It is not difficult to have a stable income in Australia, but it is really difficult to save money!" Indeed, in Australia, especially in big cities like Sydney and Melbourne, In cities, the cost of living is really not low, and prices have been rising, not to mention that housing prices have already doubled. Although the government will not let you starve to death even if the whole family does not work, but if you want to live a decent life, travel abroad every year, send your children to better schools, etc., you really need to make a good financial plan. Of course, what I am comparing is the majority of ordinary people, excluding those who have been enjoying life for generations of wealthy officials and officials.

In short, Australia is a place that is both beautiful and challenging. Different backgrounds, different personalities, and different life pursuits will lead to different feelings and evaluations. Relatively speaking, those who live a simple life, are content with the ordinary, have an indifferent temperament, are independent and have strong hands-on skills, and do not have high requirements for fame, fortune, wealth and luxury, are more likely to adapt to and enjoy life in Australia. Whether it's good or bad, it's better to see it with your own eyes and experience it for yourself.

I believe that as long as your heart is full of sunshine, anywhere can become a beautiful home for a happy life!