Living Aborad 1: developing cultural intelligence DOWN UNDER

I learned “down under” …

… that having learned British English at school doesn’t necessarily mean you can understand Australians or Kiwis

… that thongs don’t refer underwear but footwear (British for flip flops)

… that Hungry Jack’s is – Burger King… Morning Tea  means a 2nd breakfast snack around 10:30AM (another British custom)

… that Barbie  is short for BBQ (not a long legged doll)

…that for a Tim Tam Slam you need Milo or any other hot beverage which is to be sucked through one corner of a Tim Tam (national Australian cookie available in all kinds of flavors) before eating the dissolving cookie

… that Tomato sauce doesn’t refer to what you have on your spaghetti  but simply to ketchup

…that a meat pie is … guess what …a pie filled with gravy and minced meat

…that "Good onya, mate!" means: Well done! Good job! (no, you don't learn that kind of grammar at school)

… that "I reckon..." means  I guess, wonder, think… (the Brits again)

… that "dodgy" means "fishy", "not trustworthy" (it was THE most popular word in 2000)

… that Cheers is not only used for toasting but can mean thanks, goodbye …

… that "heaps" is used all the time for: a lot of, tons

… that Oz is short for Australia

… that BYO means bring your own (in restaurants that don’t have a license to pour alcohol)

… that  a Kiwi is a bird but also a  New Zealander

… that ordering food at the drive-trough you say: Can I have a # blabla, THANKS (without taking a breath)

… if you are hiking in the forest, you should make sure you get out IN TIME because if gets dark within 5 min, at 6PM

… that the noise waking you up at 6PM just sounds like a tree full of monkeys but is actually a tree full of tropical birds

…  that you shouldn’t  walk on the sidewalk at night, you might run into spider webs (with poisonous spiders)

…  that if the beach is empty there might have been a shark attack (as happened to us at the Gold Coast)

…that words with 6 or more vowels are normal (Toowoomba, Noosa, Didgeridoo, Kangooroo)

… Aussies have the tendency to end all words/names with -o or -ie (Davo, Tomo, Aussie, mozzie, breakkie)

… that you shouldn’t be surprised to see cockroaches of all sizes run in all directions as soon as you switch on the light in the kitchen!

…  that it’s better to use your 30+ sun blocker thoroughly– otherwise the sun will find the tiniest spot you forgot and BURN you

... to always wear your sunnies if you don’t want to ruin your eyes

... to sing: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oj, oj, oj : )
... that not everywhere in the world you get a beer at 16 years old!

...  that not everybody uses worms as bait but frozen pieces of fish

… how to fish (I got a Snapper which was too small, some kind of baby shark and a huge fish eye, ugh!)

… how to snorkel

… to stand up on water skies and a wake-board

Things I appreciate are …:

… Tim Tam Slams

… Brisbane: the riverside with the public free pool, 3 monkeys café,

… the Whitsundays / Great Barrier Reef: scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, boating – sooo beautiful

.. Byron Bay: I’m reminded of it every time I smell inscents. I should have been a hippie : )

… Auckland and Great Barrier Island

… Steve "Stevo" Irwin’s (Crocodile Dundee) Australian Zoo

… seeing kangaroos and wallabies hopping around in the forest

… Heath Ledger’s acting

… the sun, the beach, my tan!

… the public gas grills for BBQ in every park area

… people being friendly and laid back

… walking around in beach outfits all the time

… the ocean being close and warm

… Frangipanis (plumerias) and other tropical flower trees in the back yard!

… Sydney (I want to go back and show my hubby)

… the experience of a summer Christmas: it was hilarious (although it didn’t feel very Christmassy)

Things I don’t miss are …

.. beets as standard on the burgers (I’ve just never likes beets and even when you take them off your whole burger is still purple)

… meat pies (tried it, not a fan)

… Vegemite (the influence of the Brits is amazing, it looks like shoe polish and tastes like, well, check it out yourself, they have it in British stores)

… people calling me “Katshah”

… the sun rising at 6AM and setting at 6PM (not ideals for a night owl)

… cricket (most boring sport I’ve ever watched, it goes on for days, still don’t get it)

… cockroaches (I just learned from my latest allergy test that I am actually allergic to them!)

…spiders larger than a small dinner plate and other creatures like leeches, green ants etc.

… always walking to the driver’s seat when not being the driver and looking to the wrong side when crossing a street (what about taking over the London model … they print “look left” on the street)

… being woken up by the birds at 6PM (I’ve never supported to legalize guns but back then I wished I had one!)

… the bruises on my hips from trying to stand up on a surfboard (I almost killed someone once I did : )