On Fri, 08 Dec 2006 00:51:13 GMT, jwb@csse.monash.edu.au
wrote:

>Apud Alan S <nothere@there.com> (fj.life.in-japan) hoc legimus:
>>On Thu, 07 Dec 2006 22:30:26 +0100, Deeply Filled Mortician
>><deepfreudmoors@eITmISaACTUALLYiREAL!l.nu> wrote:
>
>>>>I've met many Australians all over the world, from Tokyo to London to
>>>>New York, and most of them say life is great in Oz.
>>>
>>>Pre-bloody-cisely. Australians love Australia, but they are happiest
>>>when living somewhere else. Kiwis are the same.
>
>Well, at any point of time about 5% of Australian citizens
>and permanent residents, i.e. approx 1M, are living/working outside 
>the country. I think the proportion of New Zealanders living/working 
>elsewhere is a bit higher. Are they doing that because they are 
>"happier"? Maybe; maybe not. When I've been working elsewhere (Japan
>and France in my case) it wasn't exactly in the pursuit in 
>happiness. Are 95% at home in a state of reduced happiness?
>Who knows.
>

According to
http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/tips/working_os.html it's
900,000, but what's 100,000 between friends.

Who knows indeed. You're playing guessing games about
people's motivations here. 

>My impression of the reasons Australians and New Zealanders travel
>and work in other countries in greater proportions than, say,
>Brits and Americans include things like a tradition of doing it
>(it's a sort-of rite of passage) and greater opportunities for
>varied work and experiences. 

AFAIK the majority of those working, as against touring,
overseas are young and effectively on a working holiday to
see the "old countries" before returning. Very few settle
down overseas as long-term expatriates.

Do you have sources for your assumptions any more valid than
mine?

I worked overseas forty years ago - because I was sent. I
travelled back because I wanted to see the world. See the
world blog for why, and the Oz blog to see why I come home
between trips:-)

>The opportunities in a country of
>20M people are invariably more limited than in one of 300M.

15 times as many menial jobs? Not necessarily true if
unemployment is 4.6% at home and higher overseas, even
allowing for statistical variations and falsifications.

Cheers, Alan, Australia

http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/
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