The Welsh brain drain: An honest response from Australia

Berate no young person for trying and aspiring. Australia is popular,and sometimes lucrative, for them.It is also a fragile place, most climate affected of all continents. Ceredigion may prove a lot more durable.

What a sickening self-congratulatory load of mea non culpa. Live the life and sod those who think more of what they can do for Wales. All Matt wants ro do is feather hua nest while good old Annwen lets hinm speak Welsh to her. No wonder Wales has a problem when it produces people like Matt. I grew up in London, and struggled to learn Welsh and get a job in Wales, but the last 60years have been so fufilling I never once have regretted it. OK so Iwould like nicer weather and so on, but I know what rootlessness is and it is so hard to get it back. Let me just ask you Matt: what have you ever done for Wales, or were you just expecting Wales to give you everything on a plate?

There's a fine line between being honest and insulting. Your peice falls into the latter. It fails to mention the causes but emphasises the symptoms. Your pugnacious attitude reminds me of someone who climbs into a lifeboat when the Titanic was sinking while ridiculing those floundering in the icy water from your privileged position. Ask yourself this question. Why is their a graduate brain drain or lack of opportunity in Wales rather than trolling under the proviso of being honest. I'd respect you more. What you need to do is to provide solutions to a problem rather than bait and self hate mate, to use an Aussie vernacular. Why did you choose Australia? Was it the Anglicisation that attracted you which deplored you so in Ceredigion? And why do England , NI & Scotland have more opportunity than Wales do under the same umbrella United Kingdom ? Could it be because England feathers its nest to our detriment not that the Welsh lack talent & ambition. That costs money. Just look at the hundreds of billions spent on England with its infrastructure to the pittance on Wales. Do you think Australia would be as developed as it is if it were still ruled direct by England. Answer. No. And NI has fared better than Wales because because effectively it's a country version of a problem child that's in the custody of Social Services , so gets more attention & investment paid due to the threat of the troubles returning. Scotland on the other hand wasn't annexed. It was treated as an equal to England when The Act of Union 1707 was created, so faired way better than Wales did. Scots retained its native political & education system where Wales was annexed in its entirety. We never had the world fund & arm us like Ukraine. We were on our own. Our native language was banned by royal decree. Education & criminal justice system dissolved. Meaning the inability to develope like a normal country. It's all connected. In layman's terms. What occurred in the past affects the future. All our problems stem from our subjugation. The Welsh suffer from what I call PTSD. Post-traumatic Servitude Disorder. We've been conditioned to believe we are inferior and not good enough. Sound familiar? See, you have the tools, your education, to become a success, whereas those less fortunate cannot fashion a similar key that opens doors to a brighter future. Sadly apathy and disillusionment had led to those so desperate they put their faith in racists & fascists like the Conservative Party, Ukip, Brexit Party and Reform UK. I find populism benefits the few not the many. Don't forget. It's politicians & government who shape a nation remember. They control all aspects of our daily lives , especially central government, who harbour powers & levers that could transform Wales but opt to retain them centrally preferring to weaponize poverty as a tool to limit any national ambition we have. As you know. A prosperous highly educated country tends to be an independent one. It's nothing to do with any lack of ambition or talent. Thought you being a university graduate would put two & two together. I assume your degree wasn't in mathematics or the merits of calculous?

This is a difficult and contentious subject with no easy answers. As someone whose brain has drained, when this perennial topic arises, I reach for Wil Aaron's fantastic book Welsh Saints on the Mormon trail and count my blessings. Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! Buckle up it's going to be a wild ride.

It's not a binary choice of accepting the status quo or running away. There's a third option which is to articulate what better looks like and campaign to get there. The sense of hopelessness in this article points to something else. Less white settler and more white flighter, perhaps.

One can be Welsh without the Welsh language- I agree. But Wales cannot be Welsh without the Welsh language.

A smug and patronizing piece. Matt includes himself in the ‘brain-drain’; let others be the judge of that, Matt. A true ‘brain’ might have the wherewithal to write a slightly less self-aggrandising tract. FYI, I - although an individual of fairly modest means - will continue to live here in rainy, depressed rural Cymru with its dwindling population of siaradwyr Cymraeg. I will continue to attend the Eisteddfod, to buy and read literature and poetry in Cymraeg, to try and eke out a living here. Forgive me my anachronistic existence, but I feel my Welshness is a deep-rooted thing. Aros draw yna, Matt. A gobeithio y cei di fywyd bach heulog yn dy wlad newydd.

Big deal. We need Welsh people's talents whatever their language.

We can also be Welsh without the talents of Dylan Thomas. This cross-post serves no purpose other than to act as a vehicle to project your disdain for the language. I think you could do better.

Slow news day again. This article first appeared on NC back in the Spring of last year😁😁

Honestly, where to start... From arrogant Australians, to brain drains, to leaving Ceredigion 'for lack of a Welsh speaking community', while waxing lyrical about being able to speak Welsh to one single person, to 'British' humour, his own (presumably 2 person) 'Wales' somewhere in the outback (which he seems to regard as being much better than the real thing), 'lack of ambition', 'walking off the job', 'small minded', 'nepotism', the 'horror' of living in Wales, 'Wales offers nothing to the ambitious or talented', there are multiple issues with every single sentence he writes. He talks of having 'lived' in several countries which he counterposes with a Wales 'that offers nothing', looking at the evidence it seems much more like an extended visit, particularly when I have lived in one of those countries for over 30 years and know damned well that the qualities he ascribes to the society are just not there, particularly if you happen to be a migrant...

I moved to Wales from England and love Welsh culture that to my eyes seems alive and well. I feel quite sad that the writer feels so negatively towards his homeland. And it does seem a self serving article. Glad he's happy in Queensland but so many are also happy in Wales. I also teach in Wales and whilst it's difficult I am sure he faces the same challenges teaching in Australia. Yes, maybe the economy is better in Aus but not everything stays the same. Plus it's also a long way from anywhere so I and many others would rather stay here.

My father and his brother immigrated from Wales in the 60’s and l was born in Melbourne in 1969. Wales has always held a place in my heart and as l now live in the UK, Wales keeps pulling my back. I have spent this last week in Talgarth at the foot of the Black mountains and felt very emotional when it was time to leave. I was born in Australia but l very much feel now that l am from Wales. I am now thinking about learning to speak Welsh. Wales doesn’t need people putting her down, she is stronger and prouder than ever!!!

I wonder how much effort this Welshman, who bemoans the anglicanisation of his homeland, has put into understanding Aboriginal cultures and languages. He may well have put some effort in, but it's interesting that he doesn't mention it. Is Australia the same land of opportunity for the Aboriginals?

Well that was quite easily the most negative thing I've read for some time. Well done on that fine achievement... Don't get me wrong I don't have rose-tinted glasses about Wales, or the UK more widely. I have done my stint away from home but I think the picture being painted here is much more bleak than reality and is much more indicative of the character of the writer than anything else. Maybe explains the bouncing around between jobs and places. The thing is when I think of brain drain: I think of scientists, doctors, engineers. People with talent that lead their field and can change the world. Who need to move to London or SanFran or New York to be able to fulfil their talent because of the lack of opportunity and/or resources in their hometown. Matt's story doesn't seem to meet that criteria. Just seems like somebody who is abroad living a rather average life (no shame in that) and bitter that he had a few negative experiences at home and trying to act self-righteous over the fact it doesn't rain where he is.

This article scrapes the bucket and borders on pathetic attention seeking. I immigrated to Wales from that side and am perfectly successful. If the only thing you possess as a "skill" is talking Welsh in Wales then you seriously misunderstand how life works. Give it a few years and you will fail in Australia just like you did in Wales. I hope you enjoy church on Sunday. Maybe the pastor could give you a few pointers in Welsh on the act of judgement. Seems you need it. For the rest of us successful immigrants in Wales, please do us the favour and leave. Having people like you employed, is a brain drain in itself.

Hello from an Australian. My mother and all four of my grandparents were Welsh, and this diaspora has been going a long time. My mother used to say in the 1970s that the chief exports of Wales were coal and teachers.

What a fantastic article. I too left claustrophobic Wales clinging to its tattered Nationalistig flag and bedraggled dragon. I too lived in Oz. I didn't miss Wales but did miss Europe. I now live in France.

I also am a Welshman who emigrated almost 44 years ago and predominantly for financial reasons. It's a shame that Wales is such a backward and inwards looking country and not particularly wealthy. But there will always a part of me that longs to return. It is something that I think all prospective migrants should be prepared for.

I wish you well in Australia and offer no judgement on your choices. But I'd push back on your statement 'Wales offers nothing to the ambitious or talented'. Wales is frustrating and imperfect for sure, but the logic of walking away is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

It is long past time that Westminster in particular took note of the brain drain not just from Wales, but across Britain - and fair play to the author for making the jump. Nonetheless, this article comes off as self-congratulatory and makes some odd and indeed offensive statements. For instance, complaining that the centre of Cardiff is "a public sector/third sector sinecure basket case." One would expect to see a deal of public sector and university infrastructure in a capital city! I am not offended to step out of Westminster tube station and be faced with government offices. For a teacher to accuse the University of being a sinecure ("A position or office that requires little or no work but provides a salary") is an odd thing indeed. As if having the Tax Office (or BBC Wales) in Cardiff is a bad thing. Would he prefer them in London? Moreover, BBC Wales and Drama directly support a network of wealth-creating private production, animation and other creative companies - much of whose work is done from home or in the Valleys. Meanwhile they berate these organisations on the grounds that "these are jobs that could easily be worked from home and help keep people in their communities should they choose to live there." No sensible business flocks to high-value city-centre property if they can achieve the same output from cheaper edge-of-town commercial space (or working from home!). Only the City-of-London finance set are maintaining "prestige" offices that one has to be "seen to have" in order to be taken seriously, even if they're only occupied when glad-handing investors and guests. Cities are for people, and the core of any city is the public sector that cares (as best it can) for the people. The private sector is always built around it - given that they are rarely given to building their own roads or infrastructure. It will come as news to lecturers and actors, that Matt thinks teaching and the filming of drama could be performed from home without coming into the university or studio. As for Cardiff University? Strange for a teacher of all people to deem a centre of learning as a "sinecure basket case". This, the same teacher who complains that teachers are not valued or paid adequately in Wales. Of course we can berate the weighting of industry in South Wales. Perhaps the Tax Office - or indeed BBC Wales - should be in North Wales. We shouldberate generations of politicians for suppressing public sector wages, and encouraging the "captains of industry" to do the same in the private sector. Every time we hear a company declare record profits, we must ask "so why are the staff get below-inflation pay rises? They did the work!". As energy costs and housing rockets ever higher above salaries, a stagnant economy is inevitable. Many of these issues are not hard to fix, but solutions must come from above - a robust valuation of the roles our society needs. Teachers and nurses should be paid according to the value their role has in society. To be a teacher should be a competitive process and an honoured post - not scraping the barrel because recruitment is on it's knees. Executive compensation tied to average staff salaries, and we need widespread investment in public infrastructure and transport. Alas, politicians of all stripes seem content to oversee our managed decline (the only thing that seemingly varies is the level of corruption).

Was, still is and always will be Aboriginal Land. Don't celebrate Australia Day on January 26th, Remember the Injustices to Aboriginal people instead.

A interesting thing with Wales is that its such a counter intuitive place when compared to England. It's very culturally diverse internally for a smaller country, which makes it more similar to indiginous cultures, but not the same. There are Welsh speaking areas, vast mountains, English speaking South Wales and culturally different places like Anglesey. Yet because of historical subjugation, the place hasn't really been allowed to flourish with its many strengths. This leaves people looking for values or qualities that they can associate with Welshness so that can feel a sense of belonging to a place. Assuming that the type of language, vernacular and accent you have says anything about you as a person for example. A lot of people don't want to face that a lot of what could have blossomed into a rich and varied culture was wiped away in favour of Britishness. I think if Wales became independent, this rich culture would grow back gradually, and people who aren't your average Jones would be given a chance to show their talents. But there would still be the generational trauma of long-term subjugation, which means that people turn on and bully each other to feel a sense of power in their own circumstance. I don't berate him for moving at all and finding a way to balance his childhood culture with his desire to explore. I actually think he's brave for writing about it on this website. I do wish that the nationalist factions (even on the centre-left) would be a bit more open minded to the fact that it's not one-size-fits all. The people online with the most colonial mindsets I've noticed are actually the nationalists. Trying to mould their image of Wales onto other people, but we're all individuals with vastly different experiences and it makes me wonder if the type of people that shout the loudest about it are actually more scared of creativity and difference than outside rule. Because being from a country isn't about behaving in a certain way. In my experience, it shouldn't bring out too much pride or shame. You wouldn't say that to be a proper Greek person, you need to support the football team, love feta cheese and break plates regularly. Your background is your background regardless of your personality. The insecurity and overcompensation for something that isn't going away (i.e Welsh identity in its many beautiful forms) does have slightly concerning parallels with the English nationalist movements currently, so I'd watch that. Scotland throughout its history has lost several of its native languages: first Pictish, then Cumbric. Plus Scottish Gaelic is only really spoken in the Highlands. None of this changes the fact it's a separate entity to England though. Part of being comfortable and secure with your country or background is the ability to criticise it when it's genuinely a bit crap. Until we can understand that being a citizen of a country means just that and nothing else, we're not really seeking to be treated with the grace we deserve.

Shwmae! Dw i'n byw yng Nghaerdydd ers tua 3 blynedd, a dw i'n dwli ar fy mywyd yma! Fy nghyflog yw £16400 y flwyddyn, ac mae digon I fi. Does dim angen I brynu byngalo gyda fi. Mae llawer o bethau wych i gwneud, llawer o waeth a llawer o her cyffrous. Dw i'n gwerthfawrogi'r hinsawdd meddwl gyda digon o dŵr drudfawr i planhigyn, ac haul heb llosgi. Mae'r bobl lleol yn gyfeillgar a dawnus, ac mae llawer o gyfle I wneud beth dw i'n moyn. Gobeithio bo fi'n ddefnyddiol I fy ngwlad newydd! Ro'n i'n byw yn Melbourne am 4 mis ac ym Mrisbane. Mae Melbourne yn iawn, ond mae Caerdydd yn fwy brydferth I fi. Ro'n i'n arfer yn weithio yn llongau mordaith am 7 mlynedd, a ymwelais I llawer o wledydd. Mae Cymru yw'r lle gorau y byd I fi!

Spot on. Unfortunately most of my family are scattered around the world for much the same reason. It's almost impossible to thrive in Wales, the opportunities are very limited and the salaries are dire. An incompetent government at the Senedd doesn't help. No vision or competence. Westminster lap dogs