"It's not wrong, it's different"

Australia is so many things to so many people. One Aussie local (John Organ, my program mentor) told me, out of his entire experiences traveling around the world, that Sydney is the best place to live in the world. Another French friend, Charles, told me that Sydney is freedom and independence compared to his home-life in Paris. My New Yorker roommate says it reminds him exactly like home without the attitude. Other Americans compared it to Florida and California.




My thoughts are Australia is like an urban paradise. Despite living a tropical suburb region of Sydney (know as North Ryde), it’s just so much different than the states. The fresh air and constant aroma of flowers ever turn you make, the cool breezes, the intense, all make this a very different environment compared to Chicago. There are random species of birds roaming around. Just yesterday I seen a flock of Cockatoos taking off from the tree in my front yard of my apartment. I thought to myself, “Gosh. I only see you guys in Pet’s Mart!” Australia is a huge Multi-cultural society.





The point I am making is that there really is no place quite like Sydney, because of all the little differences. Here is a list of differences I discovered thus far in culture and language.

 Trolley = A shopping cart
 Uni = University (people constantly say “uni”)
 Fact: all Australian kids wear safari looking hats to protect their skin. Even in school if they go outside for recess and do not have a hat, the child is not allowed recess
 Schools here are typically K-12
 Sausage Sandwich = Snag
 Capsicum = Peppers (the veggi)
 Upright cookers = stove top
 Cheers mate = “the common” goodbye or talk to you later
 Grid Iron = American Football
 No worries is commonly said instead of no problem
 A building is referred to as a “block.” For example, “my friend is in the next building over” would be said, “my friend is in the next block over.”
 Flatmate used instead of suitemate (commonly used by more than just Australian, I noticed. My European friends say it as well.)
 Volvo drivers = Sunday drivers
 Prawns = shrimp
 Ring me = Call me
 Fact: its illegal is get paid “under the counter” for jobs.
 Fact: $15.00 is the average minimum wage for any job in Oz
 Fairy Floss = Cotton Candy
 Advertisements is pronounced differently
 Learned is spelled learnt
 Enrollment is spelled Enrolment