November 10, 2004
Different Cultures Mate!
(That’s Corrine’s blog.)
She’s inspired me to create my own list of cultural comparisons:
Australians don’t tip anyone, although you might allow a cab driver to keep the extra change.
There are no pennies and so when you pay cash, they round up or down. But when you pay with a debit card or credit it charges the pennies.
Australians (Aussies) like to shorten every word they can, so Australia becomes Oz, Tasmania is Tassie or Tas, University is Uni, Pavlova is pav, Launceston General Hospital is LGH, Launceston is Lonnie, Australian Rules Football is footy, etc. You get the picture.
When you’re shopping and not buying anything, you’re not looking around, you’re just “having a browse”.
Everyone is your mate, whether you know them or not. Also, women typically do not say mate.
When meeting an Australian, you don’t shake hands or really do anything beyond talking. After you get to know them, they may give you a hug and kiss on one cheek.
The kangaroo is on the flag and also on the menu.
Dog food meats are in the same section of the grocery store as regular meats. Check those labels carefully.
Vegemite, a product made from vegetable and yeast extract, is popular with kids. I think you have to grow up with it to like it.
Chips are hot or cold. Or they can be chippies or crisps or fries…
Whenever we order at restaurants, no matter what the menu says, we never seem to get quite what we expect. Somehow it’s always a bit different. Which may be why our favorite restaurants are ethnic ones, where we know exactly what we are getting.
If you want milk in your tea, you say white tea. No milk? Black tea.
Aussies use the singular where we would use the plural: Let’s get together for craft, I love to watch sport.
Even though we are on an island, with major fishing industry, we still pay more for seafood here than in the midwest.
If you look at someone of the opposite sex lustfully, its called, rather appropriately, perving.
There is morning tea, afternoon tea, and “tea” which is dinner. But you don’t actually have to have tea at tea.
Different cultures mate!
Posted by at 3:54 pm
Thanks, Erica… I liked this just as much as Corrines!
Perving… Huh.
timsamoff () (URL) - November 11, 2004 at 12:38 pm
This is so funny! See, Aussies (or Ozzies?) have just as many funny quirks as they do in EyeTye (—>IT—>Italy—>It took me awhile to figure that one out). I love the thing about the dog meat being in the same section as the human meat. I know I would’ve made that mistake early on if I were you! The thing about the Vegemites is also funny. Reminds me of the I Love Lucy episode—Vetavitavegimens. Tasty!Don’t hesitate to post more comparisons as you think of ‘em. It’s fun to read.
corrine () - November 12, 2004 at 05:00 am
