Some misconceptions have been formed about Australia, on account of Hollywood and perhaps some of Australis’s tourism campaigns. Read below as we clarify some of the common misconceptions about Australia:
-You’re going to be killed by some sort of dangerous creature.
Australia is home to a large number of deadly animals, but the likelihood of running into a crocodile or snake in day-to-day life is very low for most Australians. While you may come across spiders, you won’t encounter other creatures unless you visit regional or rural parts of the country. And you’ll be happy to know that there are many cute, harmless creatures that take shelter in Australia.
-Australians are laid-back or lazy.
Australians may appear to cruise through life with a laid-back attitude but, are actually a very hard-working as a nation. If you’ve learnt about visa applications or quarantine laws, you will have realised that Australia has a number of strict rules and regulations. The same can be said for study and work, with a competitive job market, Australians work hard to enter their preferred course or career.
-Australians all live on huge blocks of land in the bush.
While Australia has a very low population-to-land ratio, most of this land is uninhabitable. The majority of Australians live in metropolitan areas close to the coast. Also, Australia is one of the most urbanised nations in the world and less than one per cent of the population actually lives on the country side.
-Australians are all blue-eyed, blonde and tanned.
Australia is a very multicultural nation and a large proportion of Australia’s population are immigrants, with roughly a quarter of Australians born overseas and you can see this reflected in the variety of cuisines on offer in most parts of the country and the different cultural districts that exist in each city. You are also likely to find special clubs and societies on campus that help you connect with students from your home country.
-Australia is too expensive for students.
Although Australian cities can be more costly than those in other parts of the world, they always rank well in liveability surveys, so you can be sure of getting good value for your money. If you’re worried about expenses, there are a number of scholarships available to international students wishing to study in Australia and, unlike in other countries, international students are given permission to work part time while they study in Australia. It’s also worth making note that some parts of Australia are more expensive than others, cities like Adelaide and Hobart offer cheaper alternatives to Melbourne or Sydney. Likewise, the cost of living is typically lower in regional areas than in cities.