u/No-Leopard4919

I've (26M) just moved to Brisbane ! It's fantastic here ! I love my home country. Aotearoa is the most beautiful place on Earth imo, and the nature in Aus doesn't even come anywhere near, not in a million years. But in saying that, there is just so much more over here. I hope this doesn't come off as judgemental, and I know my opinion is very biased and lacking in nuance, but as much as I love NZ, I don't see much to really stay for, especially as a young adult. If you're retired, I see the appeal, but other than that, I really just don't get it. How are you guys not bored lol ?!

Many of my friends unfortunately have become complacent, a common trend I see in our youth today. Love my friends back home, but I can see where a lot of them are heading for - at best settling down and living a quiet life (but without seeing anything beyond their hometown) and at worst , nangs , piss and cones until their 40's (and probably longer). Moving to Aus is so easy and there are so many people who would kill to just jump on a plane and move over.

I'm not trying to rub anybody up the wrong way, I'm genuinely just curious to hear.

I often have tried to spark convo's around things like home ownership, entrepreneurship, financial literacy etc etc, and usually met with at best indifference/awkwardness , and at worst hostility.

To a lesser degree, I have also experienced the same when it comes to discussing traveling/broadening horizons and health and fitness, all though it is easier to get a positive reaction.

Idk what it is really. The reaction is generally the same, whether I'm talking to a Samoan from Vaiala or a Samoan from Mangere. Why do our people seem to get so weird around any upward trajectory or mobility type of conversations ? I don't get it. The typical response is "it's the culture" , but there's nothing in the Fa'asamoa that says we aren't allowed to talk about these things lol 😂

I often get told "don't talk about those things" , "that's Palagi talk" or "sole thats mimika/malovale" or "be happy with what you have" or "maimau le kaimi stop taking about goals and just do it" (which I agree action speaks louder than words, but you have to initally conversate to plan how to tackle the goals to begin with smh)

I don't bring these kind of topics up to try and one up people, it's just a natural inclination of mine. I'm curious to see how far we could go. I'm aware that nobody is obliged to find what I find interesting or even to engage with me, which is fine, but why the backlash lol ?

It's funny, because when I hear Palagi or Indian people have these conversations, none of them are trying to minimize one another or pivot the topic, if anything, it's normal everyday casual talk for them.

It's a bit easier to talk to young urbanized gen Z Samoans (rather than Samoans over 30) about long term goal setting, but even then, it still has it's challenges.

Why are we like this ? Is it not ok to be brown and ambitious ?