Calling all Aussies

[Liqaye]

Wooow, man this is weird am planning to transfer to uni in melbourne, and was feeling great about it, all accept for the nnagging feeling that I knew nothing about how somalis live or are treated there, so at least here is a fellow who actually benefited from an SOL post.

 

:eek:

 

I was going to ask Zu but look at the fellow....

[Rahima]

What can I say, Melbourne was not voted the world's most livable city for nothing folks ! Aside from the weather (four seasons in one day :rolleyes: ), mashallah it is a very nice place.

 

As for the education, fortunately it is extremely easy to get a top class education here (although that moron Howard is making it harder). For now, we have an interest free lending system for higher education (tertiary level) and even better, you actually get paid to study. Somalis are making good use of this great chance-but to be honest not as much as they could.

 

i have heard of a few students in Medicine and Law so i guess education wise things are looking better and better.

Not to be a downer, but I doubt medicine (in Melbourne anyway). I myself attend one of two universities in Melbourne which offer medicine, and to be honest we are a maximum of 10 Somali students attending the whole university-and none of us are doing medicine. However, law (been much easier to get into here) is believable, as I myself have met a law student at Latrobe. I'm not saying that it is not possible, but it will take some time and don't forget that medicine is extremely difficult to get into in Australia (a lot more than North America and the UK). But I'm hoping that inshallah these upcoming youngsters (most of whom who have not had an interrupted education) will be able to penetrate this barrier .

 

 

How deep or obvious is the racism ...considering the plight of the indigenous people.

Speaking only from personal experience, I can't say I've really experienced racism, but then it could be because Melbourne is so culturally diverse. As for the aborigines, it's really a catch 22 situation. One the one hand, they are bringing their continued demise upon themselves and on the other hand it is further contributed by society which gives them far more concessions than all other people- and therefore never really allow them to learn what hard work is.

 

Well I’m 1 of the around 20,000 Somalis living in Melbourne

C'mon we will be lucky if we reach 12,000 (including all the kiwi invaders , lool).

 

Intuition-good old days indeed !

 

Barwaaqo, trust me girlfriend, I've been here for for over 10 years and have yet to venture out to the outback-let's just say, it doesn’t look like a pleasant experience, not to mention it is extremely HOT HOT HOT :cool: !

 

I dont know what u mean gurly wurly!

Yes you do woman. We know ! He told us .

[Arwa]

Dear Barwaaqo

 

His a nice bloke when will you introduce him to the rest?

 

Salaam

[Valenteenah.]

LoL...@ Rahima n Kynda!

 

Hablo...waad af-dheertihiin. Shut up aight?

 

Aussies,

 

I see you're all advising me against my impending move to Oz. And what's this tosh about the outback being a 'graveyard' for Brits? Do I look like a white backpacker to you lot? I'll have you kno I'm a bush babe a heart. So long as there's electricity, running water and internet connection...I'll be able to survive.

 

I thank you all for your input tho...

 

Rokko,

 

Yeah, the outback does look remarkably similar to Bhdle...inc da camels. Nice!

[PhiL]

Melbourne rocks, no doubt about that. That's not where my criticism lies. I want to respond to an debasing comment made loosely by a fellow aussie in here.

As for the aborigines, it's really a catch 22 situation. One the one hand, they are bringing their continued demise upon themselves and on the other hand it is further contributed by society which gives them far more concessions than all other people- and therefore never really allow them to learn what hard work is.

 

If only you knew the history of the Aborginal people, and what they've been through. I'm studying Australian History, and the treatment of Aborginal back in colonial times is not only tragic but so unbelievably inhumane.

 

The stigma of being an Aborginal person is so strong in Australia, that problems, whether it is in fields like education, health or the law, is so problomatic and extremely evident. They are the true occupants of this country and for a migrant to Australia, i only found your comments as 'racist' and 'cold'. They need compassion, not criticism!!!

 

Oh, and the outback? what outback? unless you guys are making a trip to the Northern Territory, basically, Australia is pretty much the same as anywhere else, if not, even better

[Rahima]

Phil,

 

Brother, I suppose we all interpret statements differently, for that reason allow me to reassure you, in no way was I trying to debase the rightful owners of this land (which I wholeheartedly acknowledge).

 

If only you knew the history of the Aborginal people, and what they've been through. I'm studying Australian History, and the treatment of Aborginal back in colonial times is not only tragic but so unbelievably inhumane.

As we all have- you cannot of have grown up in Australia and not know the plight of the aborigines. And yes I agree, it was tragic and inhumane- I don't believe I was saying otherwise.

 

However, what I also believe in wholeheartedly is the good old phrase that people will only treat you the way you let them. Therefore, I believe that it is up to the aboriginal people to get off their backside (excuse my language) and begin to make changes, for believe you me, no white Australian government will take any major dramatic steps to ease their plight. They need leaders among themselves who are strong enough and intelligent enough to tackle the issues of their continued demise, namely alcohol and substance abuse, unemployment, lack of education etc- and not just their status symbols, Cathy Freeman to name one.

 

 

Personally, I feel enough is enough and it is about time that we all acknowledged what has happened in the past, but it is just that- HISTORY . Instead of crying for a sorry they will probably never hear (for we all know the previous governments were as guilty as guilty can be) and a remorse they will probably never witness, it is about time they rose from the ashes and took their rightful dignified place in society. To be honest, it saddens me, yet angers me for they contribute to their state, by doing absolutely nothing but complain about the evils of the white man (generalising here of course).

 

They need compassion, not criticism

Tough love is compassion. No need to continue to pat them on the back and tell them tomorrow will be a brighter day when they don't work for it. Only through struggle will they achieve- and so far I have yet to see any major struggle. Sure enough they protest outside parliament once every couple of years and put a curse on the PM, but so what? At the end of the day, they have achieved almost nothing and it is all forgotten.

 

The stigma of being an Aborginal person is so strong in Australia, that problems, whether it is in fields like education, health or the law, is so problomatic and extremely evident.

Maybe so, but they also receive so many concessions, it's ridiculous. I'm beginning to think that this is actually doing them more harm than good.

 

Bottom line, my comments are not ones of racism (explain to me how they are anyway), but rather hopefully constructive criticism.

[PhiL]

Allow me to correct you, i'm a female, as in a fellow somali sister living in the same city as yourself. No worries, i get that a lot, it must be the nick. PhiL is short for philosophical, but somalia online just gave me phil for some reason or another. Anywho, that's beside the point.

 

Forgive me if i still feel you do not get the BIG PICTURE. In order to understand why there is such a huge problem with the Aboriginal community and substance abuse and all the other social ils is to first understand what they've been through, ie-colonisation of their land, genocide, stealing children to assimilate them into white society and the discrimination which still goes on today. And that's only to name a few!!!

 

So, let me ask you this. Wouldn't the above screw you up a little? I mean, to put it into context, somalis have been through a civil war, and that's only in the past decade and a bit ago, and the extent to which our problems go, wouldn't you expect the Aboroginal people to face problems, seeing as though, they've been treated as second class citizens in their own country for the last 200 years?

 

As for your comment about no 'real struggle' being made by Aboroginal people, well, that's just beyond me. First of all, how are they going to make real contrubution to goverment policy if the board for aboroginal input was wiped away by the Howard government? Every step aboriginal leaders make, some government at some level, sends them two steps back.

 

Aboriginals arn't only fighting for themselves. I believe their issues are relevant to us somalis, asians and any ther sub-ethnic group living in a Western country.

 

I think this debate about aboriginal people will not disappear. But i'm happy to have had shared my input.

[Legend of Zu]

I'm still trying to write a reply to this....Bloody hard I tell yuh!

 

Sheh' you still interested in Somali Aussie life styles?

 

I wonder if Rahima, Phil and the rest have changed their positions about the Somali Aussies!

 

Cheers

[Rahima]

Yes Zu, on one point I have.

 

I no longer feel that the younger generation are taking advantage of the opportunities at their feet.

[-Nomadique-]

Wow its been a while since I have posted anything but in answer to your question Zu if there is anything particular I would have changed in my previous post it would have to be that whole line on Aboriginals. Not something I would even consider saying today was that really me?? :confused:

 

Actually thats not really answering your question about somali aussies but thats all I can bother typing for now.

[Intel]

me i still reckon the outback rocks :cool:

planning to drive all the way uluru after world cup. Insha'allah

[-Nomadique-]

Sounds like fun only be careful about this guy or people like him...

 

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Odd Spot in The Age

It's one of Australia's icons, 340 metres tall and hard to miss, even at night. But despite being 100 metres from Uluru, a NSW tourist stopped a car to seek directions to it on Tuesday. It was a police car. The tourist was over the limit, unlicensed - and busted.

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[Intel]

lol

bloody galah ey

[-Nomadique-]

I'll say, But I suppose thats what a few too many drinks does to you, the same can be said about this fellow.....

 

Another Odd Spot

 

Police in Elk River, Minnesota, caught a driver following a high-speed chase when he crashed into several vehicles. Once resuscitated, the clearly drunken man told them he thought he had been playing a video game.

[Valenteenah.]

^ LoL.

 

 

Zu, I have changed my mind about coming to Oz. You're all far too backward for me.