Where do Australians want to live?
 

Would you rather as an Australian live in America or somewhere in Europe?

America - no. Europe is a good second choice, but not now, thank you very much! But there are a number of South American countries I've never even been to that I'd gladly take a job in for a year (not that that's ever likely to happen).

Without a doubt Europe. Which is not to say I dislike America but I want the history of Europe and the quick access to all the diferent cultures on offer there. I'm not bothered by the language difference at all.

I am just happy living in Australia thanks. Too many people in both the USA and Europe.
If I moved anywhere it would be to the Perigord region of France ( could do that as I have dual passport for living in Europe) but I am happy living in Australia, and the USA - which my Grandfather left to come to Australia - would not be where I would like to live.

I spent 24 years living in South Africa, and have visited England, Europe and North America several times. They are all great places ..... to visit - but each time I return back to Australia I realise what a great country we live in. We give our politicians a hard time and complain about roads, hospitals, public transport etc etc - but we still have a great lifestyle down under!!!

I don't want to live anywhere else either. I lived in Europe for several years (have two passports also), and I love visiting the States but I'm always happy to return to Australia. If I had a sabbatical somewhere else it would be Brazil!

Australia.

No interest in America at all.

Wouldn't mind spending some time in the south of France, though!

Like many of the previous posts I have a dual passport and whilst I love to visit Europe and would happily (I think) spend a few months there (France) I would always want to come back to Australia. It is not called the Lucky Country for nothing!!

I have lived in the UK and the West Indies for many years but for the past 30 have lived here in Aus and really wouldn't have it any other way.
Schnauzer from Sydney

Interesting question, Casey.

My response would have to be "Either and Neither".

I don't want to LIVE for any length of time anywhere other than Australia. I would, however, be very happy to spend a year or two in many places - the US and just about any of the European countries included.

I think it would be fantastic to live in New York just long enough to really experience it and not long enough for the romance of the newcomer to wear off!

There was an interesting discussion on ABC (Australian) radio recently about Australians being amongst the world's greatest travellers and workers abroad; yet very few stay away permanently.

As for changing nationality; it is something I can't imagine doing in my wildest dreams. I have enormous compasion for those whose life circumstances force them to abandon their country of birth and gratitude for those who choose to be Australian. For me, it's such a visceral thing that I think it must be an unimaginable wrench for anyone to give up their citizenship of birth to embrace another. It's not that I think being Australian is necessarily better than being anything else - it's just that, at the core of my being, that's what I am.

Long - winded answer, I know .... but "Either and Neither" :)

If I had a choice, I would live in a seaside town near the Great Ocean Road in the State of Victoria in the south of Australia.....and I do!

Wouldn't want to actually live elsewhere really. To me Sydney has most things I like and travel can get me those things we lack here. However I do harbour an unrealistic dream of living 6 months here and 6 in New York!

Taking your question to mean I had to live elsewhere and had a choice of somewhere in the USA or somewhere in Europe, I think that if I had employment with insurance then the USA.

I don't want to live anywhere else other than Australia, although I could live - briefly - in Paris, one of the world's most beautiful cities in a country with a rich culture, and the social support systems which make for a civilised society.

America most definately not, despite many visits to my son (soon to return home, but currently living in the States with his American fiance) it's a country I 'm always so, so glad to leave.......

i would love to go and live in america for a while

done the coast to death and would love to move to an english speaking country and explore it for the next five years
but retire in australia

I've always had an interest in living in the UK or central western Europe, but not sure if I could cope with the cold winter weather. I like the history and closeness of other coutries for travelling purposes.

As for America, I'll be there in less than 2 weeks, but can't imagine I would want to live there. The convenience and availability of products and services is probably a drawcard, but there are a lot of other things which are offputting.

I like Australia. I think most Australians do. We seem to like to travel and explore, but then return to our island at the bottom of the globe.

"I've been to cities that never close down.
Like New York and Rio and Old London Town.
But no matter how far, or how wide I roam.
I still call Australia home."
- Peter Allen

Why would anyone want to permanently leave the best country in the world?

14 replies and only one shows any interest in living in the US.

Looking forward to Casey's return.
Do come back and tell me why you asked the question. And have the replies disappointed you?

afterall, if you check out Casey's other posts, I think you may see a certain theme .....

I'd be more than happy to live in the US for a while, but not permanently. But then, I wouldn't want to permanently live anywhere else either. My picks for cities/areas in the US would be NY/New England (espcially NYC and Boston), the Bay Area, Northern California generally, Portland OR.

That said, I'm sure there'd be other areas I'd find congenial - not the South (although I knew an Australian couple who lived in Austin, Texas and loved it) because I think the God-bothering would get me down. Likewise I'd have trouble living ina a predominantly Republican-voting area.

I think six months of the year in my beloved Sydney (born and bred) and six months in Paris sounds perfect! Guess I'm definitely a city girl.

No interest in living in the US, my feeling is that Australia already follows the US trends too often and it may just be a little too similar to home. I love the history, food, attitudes of Europe and would prefer to experience more of that way of life.

What a good question though!

Actually all your posts are making me want to move to Australia! I think it's great nobody wants to move. Besides, I'm not disappointed. I'd like to live in Europe for awhile believe it or not. Even though I don't think they'd want me there. :) I'm a little to conservative for most European countries. But I love all your praise your giving your country. I love my country too, even though it's getting increasingly more difficult.

An American visitor once wrote that Australia was "familiar enough to be easily navigable, different enough to be interesting", which about sums up my limited experience of the US. The familiarity factor varies with region, the West Coast being most familiar in feel to an Australia.

I've known quite a few Australians who've lived and worked in the US and their experiences were uniformly positive, largely thanks to Americans' open, friendly and helpful attitude, traits those in a position to know have contrasted with Europeans' generally more reserved approach. I think most American visitors to Australia find this friendliness reciprocated.

Americans can strike Australians as conservative, and religious belief is much more marked in the US. Australians tend to be more irreverent and sceptical; but these are broad generalisations that pay no attention to individual differences in each country. And, in the US, those very marked regional differences. You certainly couldn't label San Franciscans as conservative, for instance, and I know plenty of credulous Australians.

Australia - Australia - Australia - every time!
I am a very proud Australian who has lived for a year and a half in Saudi Arabia and two years in Papua New Guinea and am reasonably well travelled.

I love to travel and visit other countries and cultures but from where I sit here in Brisbane, between the Sunshine and Gold Coasts and northern New South Wales just a bit further down the track - my view is pretty awesome!

I love my State - I love what we have and I love who we are!

I'm old enough to remember having to sing God Save The Queen as our anthem and I am now so very happy to be singing Advance Australia Fair instead - loudly and proudly whenever the opportunity arises.

I've said it before the Big Cheese Upstairs was smiling on us when he created Australia!

I grew up in San Francisco, married an Aussie, and have been living in Sydney for the past 15 years. I can honestly say that there is nothing that could ever convince me to move back to the US again.

My husband and I travel a lot, and as far as other places I would happily consider living, the list would go in this order: Thailand, Japan, France.

The original poster seems to have assumed that everyone else in the world is just dying to get into the US, but I'm here to tell you that these days the US looks very unappealing when you look at it from the outside (and I've had 15 years of doing just that, so I l know what I'm talking about).

I'd personally like to see more Americans try living elsewhere so they could understand this.

But no, my first two choices besides Australia would involve neither America nor Europe, but Asia.