With my first week in Australia under my belt, I've noticed several differences between Australia and America. Most of these I didn't even know about when I first came, or even think about. Besides having a cool accents, here are 11 culture differences I've noticed between Brisbane, Australia and the states.
1. Aussies shorten every word they can
In less than a week I've learned that Straya is short for Australia, Macca's is McDonald's, mozzies are mosquitos, brekky means breakfast, and arvo is short for afternoon. Even the advertising for McDonald's spells it Macca's!
2. The sun is 7 times hotter
When we went to the beach on the Gold Coast for the first time, we had to cake on sunscreen and wear hats and sunglasses. Australians are very prone to skin cancer because of this.
3. The metric system
Obviously, I knew they used the metric system, but I didn't actually realize just how many aspects of daily life it effects. From gas to speed to plastic wrap, you don't really think about it in the states.
4. Tim-tams
Tim-tams are not the same as Oreos for the US, but they definitely have the same reputation here (many different flavors). They are delicious and I will definitely miss them when I come home! I don't even know what I'm eating when I bite into one, they are just so good, especially frozen.
5. More meal times
Seriously though, there's breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. I've never eaten so many meals in my life!
6. Everything tastes slightly different
There have definitely been more times than I can count when I bit into something that I would assumed tastes like the name brand in America, when in reality it tastes different. You eat a hot-dog-looking sausage and it doesn't taste like Oscar Mayer. You chow down on some chips and they do not taste like Lay's. I knew this before coming, but I just didn't realize until I tasted Americanized snacks. There's heaps of regulations on high fructose corn syrup here, so everything has a slightly different taste since we have corn in almost everything back in the states.
7. One & two dollar coins
Well this is new! You may have six dollars of change in your wallet but you wouldn't even know it! The smallest coin they have is the $1.
8. Crunchy clothes
All your clothes come out of the laundry crunchy because most Aussies' dryer is the sun!
9. "Have a"
Most people replace take with have. For instance: have a look, have a sleep, etc. It's just another way of using the English language.
10. Driving and Walking
Besides driving on the opposite side of the road as the US, you also have to board public transportation the opposite direction, as well as avoid bumping into people on the sidewalk. There have been many times where I've drifted to the right side of the sidewalk and it confuses the locals.
11. H2O
You would think with the sweltering heat of Australia, Aussies would use ice more often. One of the most surprising things I've found here is that you only get ice at restaurants, if that. Most homes don't have ice makers, and most Aussies drink the tap water because it's better for you than back in the states.
