I am not a whinging pom!

After reading the comments on my latest article, in which I described some of the great sights to see and experience in the UK, I feel I need to set the record straight on a few things, because some of the comments were, to say the least, rather unhelpful!

First I should point out that Jacqui and I have lived in Australia for just short of 30 years – longer in fact, than we have lived anywhere else in the world. If, as one or two of the comments suggested, we were unhappy here, do you honestly think we would have stayed here that long? I very much doubt it. We both think Australia is one of the best countries in the world and we have no desire other than to live here until our time is up and we start pushing the grass up instead of walking on it.

Second, just because I write a complimentary article about England, this in no way detracts from our love of Australia. I am quite sure, should any of these people who made the rather unfair comments ever go to live in another country (if they have the courage to do so), they would still hold dear memories of the home country, however much they like their new homes, and wherever they might be. That anyway, is how it is for me, if you don’t like it – well, no one is forcing you to read my articles, why don’t you just ignore them?

Third, we “dislike” Australia so much that as soon as we had lived here for two years (the soonest it can legally be done), we became Australian citizens, which means we now have certificates telling the world that we are citizens! Have all of you got such a document?

Fourth, some responders seem to think that, just because we love England, we must automatically hate Australia, which is obviously absurd! They also said “look round Australia, or go back to where it appears you like it better”. There’s nothing more I can say on that point, it’s just too stupid for words.

Fifth, these complainers also wanted to know why so many came here from England to live, if it is so good there, well I guess item two above covers that. If you love your wife/husband and you also love your kids, you might take the children to the zoo for the afternoon and have fun with them there. But does that lessen your love for your partner? Of course not, and so it is with changing countries. Love the new, but still hold affection for the old.

The most offensive comments referred to me as a “whinging pom”! I don’t think I have ever whinged since arriving in this wonderful country, not one word of criticism have I written when referring to Australia, because there really is nothing to criticise. As for the “pom” bit, well the certificate I mentioned above covers that, so I’ll say no more about it!

Finally, like virtually all the writers in Starts at 60, I write just for the fun and pleasure of it, jotting down a few hundred words on almost any subject that comes to mind, and sending off the results to our publishers, for them to use or not, as they wish. I fully expect a lot of the readers to disagree with my comments, and that doesn’t worry me at all, good healthy debate, on any subject, is good for the minds of both sides of the argument, but it does sadden me when some people feel they have to resort to insults and cruelty to make their point.

In a happy website like Starts at 60, there’s really no call for that sort of attitude, if you feel so strongly about it, better you don’t read the item at all, then go out of your way to be hurtful.

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