Aussie’s Experiences In The UK

Having recently relocated to the UK from Australia it has been an absolute shock how close everything is in Europe.  I have now been here for 5 months and have already managed to get to many places in England as well as Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Germany, Austria, The Netherlands and a day trip to both France and Belgium. In Australia you can not jump on a plane for an hour and be in a whole new country, with a whole different culture and language, let alone only spend just one day in one. In actual fact Australia is the polar opposite of Europe, if you go from one side to the other you can be on an aeroplane for 6 hours and arrive in what is essentially a slightly different climate with all the same people you would have encountered before you jumped on the plane. I grew up on a farm and we wouldn’t do a day trip to our capital city – it was too far away.

The other thing Australians find absolutely amazing is the pure history and age of things in Europe. There is very little in Australia that is older than 200 years old and 150 years is a well celebrated milestone on any occasion. One young English fellow told a story of being completely underwhelmed when while he was in Tasmania he was taken to a building that was reported to be from the 1790s, his shed in England was built in 1764. In almost every European country there are Roman ruins, structures that date back hundreds of years.

My favourite places so far are Linz and Scotland, although I do find it very hard to choose. I also loved Germany and The Netherlands. Ireland and Wales were very beautiful too. The north coast of Ireland is so beautiful, at times you are practically driving right on the water the road is that close. The best thing about travelling around Europe is every place is so different, whether it is the changes in scenery, the different cuisines (something else that doesn’t change much in Australia) or hearing a new accent.

Living in Australia now seems much more isolated to me than it did before. Although it certainly does have its positives, such as weather and lifestyle, it will never have the benefits of proximity to sure a richness of culture. I appreciate Australia for what it is now and although we are not that far behind Europe in educational, health and political matters and somewhat ahead in financial issues there is still a little something lacking and I will truly appreciate the 2 years my visa allows me to live within such an exciting continent.

Alice is an internet marketer working for a company that deal with Fish Tanks