GoodMemory:
Sydney V Melbourne

Potential migrants are often faced with the difficult choice of Sydney or Melbourne. In my estimate, the probability of moving to either Sydney or Melbourne is 40% each. Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane share the remaining 20%.
I do not know if I am qualified to write on the difference between Sydney and Melbourne as I only spent 1 week in Sydney, but I will try and present an unbiased view of both cities. I will also rely on contributors who have lived substantially in both cities to correct me wherever my views are inaccurate.
For the purpose of this exercise, I will give a 1 to the winner and 0 to the loser. Please note the 0 point does not represent an absent of that factor in a city, rather it is only a relative score.

JOBS – Sydney 1 Melbourne 0
I am tempted to make this area a tie between Sydney and Melbourne, but I think it will not be fair to Sydney if I did so. A quick search of the keyword “accounting” on www.seek.com.au returned 5,841 jobs for Sydney and 4,052 for Melbourne. This is particularly close. A second search for the keyword “Engineering” returned 5,081 for Sydney and 4,016 jobs for Melbourne. Once again, a 0 does not represent difficulty in getting a job in Melbourne, it is merely a comparison between number of jobs in Melbourne and Sydney. Having said that, you can see the returns are close so either choice is a good one.

SALARY - Sydney 1 Melbourne 0
According to Numbeo, average monthly salary after tax in Sydney is 5,179.21 A$ while that of Melbourne is 4,556.03 A$ (April 2019). Remember, these are just average values.

COST OF LIVING - Sydney 1 Melbourne 1
This is a tie as the cost of living is a function of average salaries earned. While cost of living is higher in Sydney, salaries are higher too so it evens out. See the link below.
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Australia&city1=Melbourne&country2=Australia&city2=Sydney

TRANSPORTATION - Sydney 0 Melbourne 1
This is one area where Melbourne wins hands down. Moving from point A to B is quite easier in Melbourne as it operate trains, tram and buses as against Sydney’s trains and buses.


FOOD AND CULTURE - Sydney 0 Melbourne 1
Melbourne has on several occasions won the Most Liveable City in the world. Melbourne is known as Australia’s coffee capital. Asian and European cuisines are also everywhere. It is often said Melbourne has great restaurants but Sydney great pubs. As a Nigerian, I doubt if this will have any effect on your lifestyle as we are traditionally lovers of naija food. (smiles)

SPORTS - Sydney 0 Melbourne 1
Most Aussies claim, though ignorantly that Melbourne is the sport capital of the world! While this may be far-fetched, I think when compared to Sydney, it takes the upper hand. Formula One Grand Prix, Australian Tennis Open, AFL Grand Final are some of the major sporting events in Melbourne. So if you are a sport lover, Melbourne is the place to be.

WEATHER - Sydney 1 Melbourne 0
This is a subjective one. Some people prefer a cold weather to a warm one. Melbourne is colder than Sydney. Melburnians say there are 4 seasons in one day. In Melbourne, it’s 5 degrees in the morning, 32 degrees in the afternoon and 10 degrees in the night with lots of rain. One day, maximum temp is 35 degrees, the next, it’s a high of 18 degrees, so temperatures fluctuate in Melbourne.
Temperatures are relatively warmer and more stable in Sydney.

ROAD NETWORK AND URBAN PLANNING - Sydney 0 Melbourne 1
I wish I could give Melbourne 2 points here because it wins hands down! The roads network in Sydney are horrible. Very narrow, undulating and confusing. To me, the planning of the roads looks more like an after-thought. There are also many roads sign warnings and visible traffic cops. In Melbourne, you can drive months without sighting a traffic patrol.

SAFETY - Sydney 1 Melbourne 0
To Nigerians who are moving to Australia, you might not see the difference in this regard. Australia is safe and you can sleep with your eyes closed in both cities. However, lately there have been concerns about cyclist gangs (Middle eastern extraction) and African gang violence in Melbourne. Even though the organized African gang thing was the creation of the media, there is still some elements of violence among the Sudanese youths.
Having said that, both cities are safe, and you can walk anytime of the day without fear of being mugged.
https://www.numbeo.com/crime/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Australia&city1=Melbourne&country2=Australia&city2=Sydney

GENERAL FEEL - Sydney 0 Melbourne 1
Melbourne is pretty laid-back when compared to Sydney. Sydneysiders seem to be more in a hurry. They hardly maintain eye contacts. At a time, I felt it was good in some ways as that was different from the crazy stares in Melbourne. On second thoughts, I realized most of the people I met were tourists who do not really care where you came from. Then I went to the suburbs and the staring started. This is a subjective one, but I personally think Melburnians are generally nicer and more approachable than Sydneysiders, so my point goes to Melbourne

Total Sydney 5/10 - Melbourne 6/10

on a scale of one to ten, how racist would you say Australians are?

Australia is not cold
Australia is not that cold
Australia is not so cold
Winter is mild....



Issa Lie ooooo.

Cold is hugging me for the past two weeks and it's not even mild winter yet.....

Cold chills of air everywhere.
The bus and train AC blasting away...



Thank God I brought my winter jacket

Alphadoor:
Australia is not cold
Australia is not that cold
Australia is not so cold
Winter is mild....



Issa Lie ooooo.

Cold is hugging me for the past two weeks and it's not even mild winter yet.....

Cold chills of air everywhere.
The bus and train AC blasting away...



Thank God I brought my winter jacket

Sir please did you migrate as a Civil Engr?

Alphadoor:
Australia is not cold
Australia is not that cold
Australia is not so cold
Winter is mild....



Issa Lie ooooo.

Cold is hugging me for the past two weeks and it's not even mild winter yet.....

Cold chills of air everywhere.
The bus and train AC blasting away...



Thank God I brought my winter jacket

It depends on area, Northern Territory has just two seasons and the weather is similar to that of Nigeria. Victoria is very cold during mid winter but Tasmania is the coldest on average. The lowest temperature I have recorded in Melbourne is -2degrees last year August and it snows in Mount Bulla about 3hrs drive from Melbourne CBD.

GoodMemory:


Yes it is a dual carriageway all through.
You are right about the Kangaroos hopping out at dawn or dusk. They are nocturnal in nature, so are very active during the night.
We saw more dead ones on the return trip from Sydney to Melbourne. They must have been killed by vehicles the night before or at the wee hours of that morning.

Are they eatable? Or is there a law attached to them?

Is there anyone here on 489 visa in SA who moved with Family?
A family member is contemplating it as the only available occupation for her is customer service manager.
I just want to know "how bad" it really is relocating to SA on 489 visa with two kids.

afosahid:
@bellong @Alphadoor @Bnimz @trastar @goodmemory

What is your take regarding the flu jabs usually given at most work places ahead/during the cold season. Not sure, but i think i remember reading an advice not to take it. Just want to sample different opinions on the subject and what is your reason for taking or refusing to take the vaccine. Thanks

This is the first time I am reading about this. lol

Alphadoor:
Australia is not cold
Australia is not that cold
Australia is not so cold
Winter is mild....



Issa Lie ooooo.

Cold is hugging me for the past two weeks and it's not even mild winter yet.....

Cold chills of air everywhere.
The bus and train AC blasting away...



Thank God I brought my winter jacket

Hahahahahaha. Me that's enjoying the Cold.
It's not as cold as I expected.

Suspect33:
on a scale of one to ten, how racist would you say Australians are?

1
My opinion.

LadyHeaven:


Sir please did you migrate as a Civil Engr?

No he did not.

ozonechrome:


No he did not.

Thank you

afosahid:
Hi All,

One of those days I was at my lowest, doing the construction job, I got a call from a recruiter from one of the largest engineering companies in Australia & NZ. You are not allowed to take calls on site. Make I no pick recruiter call Kuku kee me here. Picked up the call, and recruiter said he has seen my CV and my experience was really good, he fears I might be over qualified for the role he has? Overqualified wetin Oga please let me decide what roles I am over qualified for please!!!! Convinced him to get me an interview with the hiring manager and I won’t let him down. He called back again to ask if I was willing to relocate to a different city, Newcastle (still within NSW) for the job. I told him I was more than ready to relocate. Attended the interview and thankfully I got the job.


Make I leave am here for now. More details later...

Congratulations

@Good Memmory

You can write sha! I'm a lazy reader but I find your posts engaging. Good stuff.

@Alphadoor...Boss, messages on your WhatsApp are not dropping.

Thanks baba

Omooloriredade:




Congratulations

Thanks chief

bellong:


My opinion is that each family should weigh their options and do the best for their families. The jab could be a lifesaver and it may not contribute anything to fight against the flu. The flu in this country could be very dangerous as it has killed a lot of people. The best antidote is going natural. While winter is very mild in this country, you still have to take care of yourself, keep warm, don't be stingy with heating and let the house be warm. Drink herbal tea, hot pepper soup, eat a lots of fruit and you will be fine.

Some vaccines are better stayed away from.

Racism....

Here are my thoughts on this topic.

My default thought is... if you look at everything from the prism of racism, you will certainly find racism in almost every interaction you have with people of other races. So you must be very conscious of keeping an open and objective mind on this topic. Case example, I was in the elevator at our office building when a guy from a different floor was waiting to come into the elevator. Elevator door opens and he literally FROZE when he saw me . I just smiled at him and he came in. I wish i had captured that moment on video. He couldn't hide his surprise. Does that mean he is racist? No! He probably had never seen a black person in that building before and I think i'm likely the only black person that works in that building (Building houses multiple companies on different floors)

In the professional environment, especially if you are not in the major cities like Sydney and Melbourne where there is a very large and diverse population, the locals will definitely find it unusual when a new person from a different race and background joins the team. Be confident, be bold in your conversations with them. First impressions matter a lot; introduce yourself, give them a firm handshake and look them straight in the eye when talking to them. Please understand that you are dealing with your equal (a human being like you), do not be intimidated. They will ask you questions, some genuinely trying to know more about you and understand how to deal with and address you properly, while some are just out-rightly looking for a reason to be pissed at you (these cases are few and far-fetched though). Most people I have interacted and currently work with have been mostly pleasant so I have no racist experiences to share.

I beg you in God's name DO NOT ADDRESS THEM AS SIR/MA. I have seen one of our people address these guys as sir at a place i worked and i always felt like slapping those words out of his mouth . Even when you try to tell him it's not right, he'll say ''i'm an African man, that's how i know how to address them.

All of the above is not to say racism does not exist. Racism is alive and well entrenched in some people. This is just the same with even our own people and ethnic bigotry. It can never be totally wiped out. One thing you can be rest assured of is there are strong laws that help protect minorities against discrimination and hate in the work environment and society at large. So should there be a case of a co-worker or boss being out-rightly racist or discriminatory towards you, you can seek redress through various channels created by the government for this purpose.

But trust me, once they see that you are a strong character and you carry yourself with respect and dignity, most of them won't bother looking for your trouble and it makes it easier to navigate your way in the work environment and society at large.

afosahid:
Racism....

Here are my thoughts on this topic.

My default thought is... if you look at everything from the prism of racism, you will certainly find racism in almost every interaction you have with people of other races. So you must be very conscious of keeping an open and objective mind on this topic. Case example, I was in the elevator at our office building when a guy from a different floor was waiting to come into the elevator. Elevator door opens and he literally FROZE when he saw me . I just smiled at him and he came in. I wish i had captured that moment on video. He couldn't hide his surprise. Does that mean he is racist? No! He probably had never seen a black person in that building before and I think i'm likely the only black person that works in that building (Building houses multiple companies on different floors)

In the professional environment, especially if you are not in the major cities like Sydney and Melbourne where there is a very large and diverse population, the locals will definitely find it unusual when a new person from a different race and background joins the team. Be confident, be bold in your conversations with them. First impressions matter a lot; introduce yourself, give them a firm handshake and look them straight in the eye when talking to them. Please understand that you are dealing with your equal (a human being like you), do not be intimidated. They will ask you questions, some genuinely trying to know more about you and understand how to deal with and address you properly, while some are just out-rightly looking for a reason to be pissed at you (these cases are few and far-fetched though). Most people I have interacted and currently work with have been mostly pleasant so I have no racist experiences to share.

I beg you in God's name DO NOT ADDRESS THEM AS SIR/MA. I have seen one of our people address these guys as sir at a place i worked and i always felt like slapping those words out of his mouth . Even when you try to tell him it's not right, he'll say ''i'm an African man, that's how i know how to address them.

All of the above is not to say racism does not exist. Racism is alive and well entrenched in some people. This is just the same with even our own people and ethnic bigotry. It can never be totally wiped out. One thing you can be rest assured of is there are strong laws that help protect minorities against discrimination and hate in the work environment and society at large. So should there be a case of a co-worker or boss being out-rightly racist or discriminatory towards you, you can seek redress through various channels created by the government for this purpose.

But trust me, once they see that you are a strong character and you carry yourself with respect and dignity, most of them won't bother looking for your trouble and it makes it easier to navigate your way in the work environment and society at large.

Well said.

Your manager is not your oga
No need for eye service or toe kissing

Hone your skills
Earn your respect
Earn your money �

Alphadoor:

Your manager is not your oga
No need for eye service or toe kissing

Eye service dey sha o.. just that they call it office politics.. Trust me, eye service can do wonders... Just ask indians

afosahid:
@bellong @Alphadoor @Bnimz @trastar @goodmemory
What is your take regarding the flu jabs usually given at most work places ahead/during the cold season

Well, in my opinion, I prefer to risk catching it from outside than taking it into my body directly in the name of "vaccine". .. especially given the number of people who have reported getting sick immediately after taking the shot... They say that's just how the vaccine works, but I'll pass, thanks.. . Funny thing is, since I left naija, I haven't experienced cold, cough and cattarh (a.k.a Flu). Not even in the colder uk... Abeg e... Nothing dey happen.

AdetonaDami:


I can see you're a civil engineer which I am too.
Talking about education assessment by EA, do you have any idea about how to go about each module. Since experience is not required as a civil engineer, was told to use my different school projects for the 3modules.
Read about a guy here that was banned for plagiarism when EA evaluated his credentials. All I need now is how to write each modules effectively so it will come out successfully.
Any idea from you would be great
Any idea from anyone will be highly appreciated

Thanks

Hello sir, please i am also a CE and looking seriously at Australia now, please have you assessed? if yes did you go through EA?

This calls for sober reflection on our race and how we see ourselves as a people if in 2019, a human being sees another human being in an office environment for that matter and gets startled or scared.
While I cannot question how individuals choose to react to situations, I think there is need to start looking at where we are coming from and where we are going as black people.
The act on its own is not as important as what prompted it. The white guy has in his deep-seated subconscious mind programmed that black people are a danger, a threat, so, when he saw a one in an unfamiliar space and time, his suspicion came into play. I have personally had about two encounters like that too. One on occasion, the white guy apologized. He himself must have been embarrassed. For Goodness sake, its 2019, black people are everywhere. In our lifetime, we have seen a black man become the world most powerful man. We have seen influencers and achievers like Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson, Neil DeGrasse, Ben Carson etc.

While I agree it might not be a racist act, it is not a sight I will be proud to capture on camera for the fun of it as a black man. Thanks

Good thing i started my write-up with if you look at every situation from a prism of racism....

Honest Question... can a black person be startled if he sees a white man in the most unexpected place like in a ministry office or anywhere else for that matter, especially if he has never seen one walk through that building for as long as he has been working there? Does that mean he doesn't know of the existence of the white man or the fact that we have thousands of them living and working freely all over black countries?

His reaction could mean a whole lot of different things. Can he be judged as discriminatory solely based on that situation? My answer remains no.

Trust me, some of us are quite exposed and understand human interactions on a global scale. And of course, we carry ourselves with dignity and understand that we are all created as equals irrespective of race and skin color.

GoodMemory:
This calls for sober reflection on our race and how we see ourselves as a people if in 2019, a human being sees another human being in an office environment for that matter and gets startled or scared.
While I cannot question how individuals choose to react to situations, I think there is need to start looking at where we are coming from and where we are going as black people.
The act on its own is not as important as what prompted it. The white guy has in his deep-seated subconscious mind programmed that black people are a danger, a threat, so, when he saw a one in an unfamiliar space and time, his suspicion came into play. I have personally had about two encounters like that too. One on occasion, the white guy apologized. He himself must have been embarrassed. For Goodness sake, its 2019, black people are everywhere. In our lifetime, we have seen a black man become the world most powerful man. We have seen influencers and achievers like Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson, Neil DeGrasse, Ben Carson etc.

It is not a sight I will be proud to capture on camera for the fun of it as a black man. Thanks

GoodMemory:
This calls for sober reflection on our race and how we see ourselves as a people if in 2019, a human being sees another human being in an office environment for that matter and gets startled or scared.
While I cannot question how individuals choose to react to situations, I think there is need to start looking at where we are coming from and where we are going as black people.
The act on its own is not as important as what prompted it. The white guy has in his deep-seated subconscious mind programmed that black people are a danger, a threat, so, when he saw a one in an unfamiliar space and time, his suspicion came into play. I have personally had about two encounters like that too. One on occasion, the white guy apologized. He himself must have been embarrassed. For Goodness sake, its 2019, black people are everywhere. In our lifetime, we have seen a black man become the world most powerful man. We have seen influencers and achievers like Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson, Neil DeGrasse, Ben Carson etc.

While I agree it might not be a racist act, it is not a sight I will be proud to capture on camera for the fun of it as a black man. Thanks

I typed a really long response to this and I had to delete.
Let me understand you first, you are not happy with how he reacted and the fact he found the whole situation funny?

afosahid:
Good thing i started my write-up with if you look at every situation from a prism of racism....

Honest Question... can a black person be startled if he sees a white man in the most unexpected place like in a ministry office or anywhere else for that matter, especially if he has never seen one walk through that building for as long as he has been working there? Does that mean he doesn't know of the existence of the white man or the fact that we have thousands of them living and working freely all over black countries?

I quite agreed with you his actions might not be racist. It cannot be discriminatory as well as you did not even have any interaction. Please check my last sentence.

There is a huge difference between surprise and startle. You used the word FROZE and even in Caps. Freeze means "become suddenly motionless or paralyzed with fear or shock". I do not know of any black man that will freeze on seeing a white man in a most unexpected place. At most they might be pleasantly surprised on seeing one. Comparing Nigeria with Australia on this issue is a wrong analogy. Nigeria is a homogeneous society with 99% of the population black. It is justifiable if a Nigerian is surprised and even startled when he sees a white man. Moreso, in terms of residency and spread, most white people in Nigeria live in designated suburbs and posh hotels far from majority of black people in Nigeria. On the other hand, Australia is a heterogeneous society, (at least the big cities) where black people and white live in same suburbs, work in same cbd, shop in the same mall etc. If therefore after all these, someone FROZE or is STARTLED on seeing a black person unexpectedly, then that person might have unconsciously reacted to it based on what he thinks about black people.

I found your initial response to my post quite condescending and judging from your numerous posts here, I would expect you to know better.

My reaction to his surprise is entirely up to me so your words ''While I cannot question how individuals choose to react to situations, I think there is need to start looking at where we are coming from and where we are going as black people.'' were totally unnecessary.

However a white man reacts when he sees a black man anywhere in the world is his business and a reflection of who he is. As long as he doesn't disrespect me in anyway, no offense taken. How you have chosen to make that a topic of how a black man sees himself as beneath the white man is astonishing and in fact, more offensive than the surprising look on the white man's face.

I encourage us all to treat whatever information being shared here as the poster's opinion. No point disrespecting one another.

GoodMemory:


I quite agreed with you his actions might not be racist. It cannot be discriminatory as well as you did not even have any interaction. Please check my last sentence.

There is a huge difference between surprise and startle. You used the word FROZE and even in Caps. Freeze means "become suddenly motionless or paralyzed with fear or shock". I do not know of any black man that will freeze on seeing a white man in a most unexpected place. At most they might be pleasantly surprised on seeing one. Comparing Nigeria with Australia on this issue is a wrong analogy. Nigeria is a homogeneous society with 99% of the population black. It is justifiable if a Nigerian is surprised and even startled when he sees a white man. Moreso, in terms of residency and spread, most white people in Nigeria live in designated suburbs and posh hotels far from majority of black people in Nigeria. On the other hand, Australia is a heterogeneous society, (at least the big cities) where black people and white live in same suburbs, work in same cbd, shop in the same mall etc. If therefore after all these, someone FROZE or is STARTLED on seeing a black person unexpectedly, then that person might have unconsciously reacted to it based on what he thinks about black people.

Me sef first confuse when i read the post!

trastar:


I typed a really long response to this and I had to delete.
Let me understand you first, you are not happy with how he reacted and the fact he found the whole situation funny?

afosahid:
I found your initial response to my post quite condescending and judging from your numerous posts here, I would expect you to know better.

Dear Afosahid,
Do not take it personal. My post was not an indictment on you. This is an avenue to air our different opinions and views on issues and there was no where I was condescending in any way.
On many occasions, after writing, I ask for opinions and even ask for corrections where I am wrong. I am new in Australia and still learning.

If you feel I am offensive, sorry bro(or sis).

@afosahid @trastar @goodmemory

Nice debate on the matter


On this topic, I must add that perception is very important in how we handle the matter.
Micro expressions are sometimes misinterpreted and are also sometimes spot on. Afosahid has given an account of his/her own recent experience and wishing to have a Kodak moment is just a metaphor.

Your defination of froze being that of fear is rather too narrow as one can also freeze from being surprised or startled and not just fear..

At first I had same reaction as Trastar but it's good not to quickly reactive and let things play out and now things seems clearer with further contributions from both parties.

Let's keep sharing our views and opinions.. if we don't.. wetin we gain

No worries. I am a bro by the way.

GoodMemory:


Dear Afosahid,
Do not take it personal. My post was not an indictment on you. This is an avenue to air our different opinions and views on issues and there was no where I was condescending in any way.
On many occasions, after writing, I ask for opinions and even ask for corrections where I am wrong. I am new in Australia and still learning.

If you feel I am offensive, sorry bro(or sis).

Federal Election is coming on the 18th of May and everywhere is just as peaceful and sane like every other day. I don't if it's just my area or am I missing the cues



On the news.. nothing out of the ordinary
Watching the debate between the contestants is watching two friends argue about sports.

The way politicians campaign at the train station, no security, no guns.. no eruku... No baba alaye...
people even ignore them in other to catch up with the train...

Only siren I hear is police ambulance or firetrucks or children's toy.


Last week I got two handwritten letters in my mail from a candidate supporter detailing with evidence why I should show my support for their candidates




This might as well be at the top of my own culture shock so far!!!

Alphadoor:
Federal Election is coming on the 18th of May and everywhere is just as peaceful and sane like every other day. I don't if it's just my area or am I missing the cues
On the news.. nothing out of the ordinary
Watching the debate between the contestants is watching two friends argue about sports.
The way politicians campaign at the train station, no security, no guns.. no eruku... No baba alaye...
people even ignore them in other to catch up with the train...
Only siren I hear is police ambulance or firetrucks or children's toy.
Last week I got two handwritten letters in my mail from a candidate supporter detailing with evidence why I should show my support for their candidates
This might as well be at the top of my own culture shock so far!!!

On the issue of handwritten letter, that thing is still making me wonder. did they really write that themselves?
When they hand me the flyer to vote, i want to tell them i cant vote abeg. no waste your flyer on me.