You think you know everything about Australia? Wrong! 🙂 Australia isn’t just kangaroos and the Australian flag. There are plenty of pleasant or unpleasant surprises waiting for you in this land of counterparts. I’ve mapped them out for you and when you come here, nothing will surprise you.
AUSTRALIAN SLANG
I think a lot of Czechs have a problem speaking a foreign language. They’re just embarrassed. Perhaps this is not true of the younger generations now, but I see it every day when a foreigner in the Czech Republic asks for directions. The nice thing about Australia is that everyone here is a bit of a foreigner. I have encountered the Czech “scofflaw” a few times. No one here laughs at anyone when you speak. There are so many nationalities here and you hear so many different accents at every turn. It’s the kind of country where you can shake off your shyness and not be afraid to speak.
The second chapter, however, is the Australians themselves. As I say, there is no English like English. And this is doubly true in Australia. Here, you forget what you learned in school and believe me, what you hear here doesn’t resemble English at all. 🙂
I HAVE SELECTED FOR YOU 5 BASIC WORDS THAT YOU WILL HEAR EVERY DAY:
- „Aussi“ – Australian – you hear this name all the time. They use it for everything related to Australia here. In short, Australians are proud patriots.
- „Mate“ – is synonymous with friend. In Australia you will have so many “mates” that you won’t be able to count them all on the fingers of both hands.
- „How are you going?“ – an expression that starts every conversation around here. This brings to mind a very funny story an Italian told us when he came to Sydney. He went to buy his first groceries, and the shop assistant started the conversation with this expression. And as we know, Italians are very talkative. He started telling her how he was, what was bothering him, what his roommates were like, etc. The saleswoman just raised her eyebrows and replied, “All good”. Well, in short, the traditional answer, because everyone here is happy. Nobody really cares how you’re doing.
- „Cheers“ – No, it’s not a toast, it’s like our thank you. In case you thought the Aussi might still want something to toast to. Just between you and me, there’s a lot of drinking in Australia. And when I say a lot, I mean a lot. There’s always something to celebrate, too. And if there’s celebrating, there’s drinking. I asked an Australian friend what they do when they’re not celebrating. He told me that for an Australian, every day is a holiday.
- „No worries“ – the most commonly used term for just about everything. In Australia, nothing is really a problem. I’ve found that they sometimes use it even when it’s not at all appropriate in the situation.
THE COUNTRY IS FULL OF EMIGRANTS
It could be said that Australia is a promised land for expats. More than half were either born outside Australia or are direct descendants of emigrants. Many even came here on makeshift boats. Some, unfortunately, paid a smuggler but perished on the perilous journey at sea. Unlike the European Union, Australia does not argue with such immigrants and turns them back or leaves them in jail. They are mostly immigrants from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Immigration policy is determined by clear and strict rules. There are many people who came here on student visas and were so enchanted by the country that they decided to stay. They will often agree to marry a foreign Australian. It’s a business that pays well here.
I don’t think you could find a more culturally diverse country. This multicultural environment certainly brings with it some challenges. You have to realize that you have people next to you who have certain customs and traditions. If you want to get along with them, you have to learn to respect them. But the great thing about all this is that you learn a lot of new things about other cultures
BARBECUE OR “BARBEI”
So this really isn’t about the famous doll, it’s a term for a BBQ party. Australians are really obsessed with barbecue and grill just about everything. I was literally blown away by it because there are grills everywhere – on the beach, in the park or in the backyard of their house. Schools often have these barbecue nights to get to know the students. I would say that life in Australia is one big endless barbecue party.
FUNNY SIGNS
I love the Australian sense of humour. Basically, all over Australia you can find a lot of signs that are very funny. Well, judge for yourself.
COFFEE PARADISE
Can’t not mention the coffee. For me, it means the promised land, although there are nations that drink much more coffee, such as the Nordic countries. However, it’s not too shabby here either. There are coffee shops on every corner. Coffee from Indonesia and Colombia is a big hit. And not only in the big cities, but also in the small ones. So if, like me, you’re a fan of this delicious drink, you don’t have to worry about missing out. On the contrary, you won’t know which café to go to first.
BEACHING IN AUSTRALIA IS SOMETHING OF A NATIONAL HOBBY
Around the whole of Australia there is a beautiful stretch of beaches that encourage you to visit them. Beach life is an integral part of everyday life for everyone here. But there are no crowded beaches full of parasols and sun loungers. On the contrary, everyone will find their own little piece of privacy. The beaches are often several kilometres long. Many of them are romantic and deserted. So if you don’t spend a few moments on one of the beaches, it’s like you’re not really here.
COAST GUARD
You’re bound to see the coastguard on the beach. They are watching out for drowning because the waves are quite big in Australia. And these patrols are really watching over you and I even noticed that from several directions – from the beach, from the helicopter and from the boat. It makes you take it for granted and feel safe. I even witnessed when they were in charge of children and taught them surfing and lifesaving skills. I think it’s pretty cool that this is a fun way for kids to learn the basic principles of ocean survival safety.
YELLOW BRANDS
You can find typical Australian yellow signs everywhere. As they say, different region, different mores. Australians love their animals and do their best to protect them. A stranger usually doesn’t realise he’s reporting a danger. Kangaroos often jump in the way, and if they do, it’s very difficult to put the car in order afterwards. And that happens here a lot. It’s like a deer jumping out from under your car.
LORNA JANE
I just love Lorna Jane’s clothes. If you know me, you know I’m a big fan. It was her Instagram photos that made me want to wear nice things to sport. It’s a lot different from, say, Adidas or Nike. They’re typically very colourful. And I have to say that it’s the only sportswear that always fits me and I feel sexy in it. When I went to Australia, I even thought I could work for her in the store as an intern. But if you want a proper job, you can’t get a student visa. Lorna Jane has stores all over the country. The people who work there are very nice and will give you advice. I brought home a big pile of clothes.
FISH AND SEAFOOD
I personally love seafood. I know a lot of people who don’t like it. Whenever I travel somewhere exotic, I basically eat nothing else. Plus, it’s always fresh here. And the way they prepare it, it makes one’s foodie heart sing. Just like in England, you’ll find fish and chips here.
AUSTRALIANS ARE VERY PROUD
I really like the pride of Australians. When Australia Day or Anzac Day is celebrated, schools are closed and nobody goes to work. Instead, everyone puts on something with the Australian flag on it. However, Australian flags are displayed everywhere and it doesn’t have to be just some festive day. I like this national pride. I sometimes miss it in the Czech Republic. People only take the Czech flag out when there is some football or hockey.
AUSTRALIAN WINES AND WINERIES
I come from a wine region. I like wine and I like to taste new varieties. There’s a wine region near Sydney called the Hunter Valley. It would be a sin not to visit. It grows wine varieties like Semillon, Shiraz, Milestone and Cabernet Sauvignon. Wine tastings are usually free of charge, giving you the opportunity to buy the wine you like afterwards. One bottle will set you back around $32. However, wines are not normally sold in stores, but you can buy them in specialty shops. You can also get tasty boxed wines pretty cheaply.
EXTREMELY SLOW INTERNET
One of the big negatives is slow internet. I don’t think they have such slow internet even on the islands in the Philippines. Sometimes it can make life very difficult. You can forget about downloading movies here very quickly.
AUSTRALIAN FIRE SOIL
Australian soil is fiery red. The centre of Australia is very arid, but I found it very exciting and enchanting. Withered trees, red soil and wild camels. The roads here are very dusty. If you’re going to travel across Australia, you have to allow for some huge distances. The journey can become long and boring.
KANGAROOS EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK
Kangaroos are everywhere – in the national emblem, on coins and thousands of kangaroo stuffed animals in shops. They’re quite shiny and won’t be afraid to come to you. The one thing you must not forget is that kangaroos are very tall and fast. They can jump up to 8 meters in distance and up to 3 meters in height. So no teasing.
You’ll find lots of other things in Australia that you won’t find anywhere else in the world. You just have to keep your eyes open. It’s just a fraction of the things you’ll find in Australia. I am convinced that if you go to Australia, you will definitely come back excited and full of experiences.
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