Clearing misconceptions about Australia/America
Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 10:53 pm
In the Meet&Greet, i think Fluffy mentioned to make a topic to entertain questions and common misconceptions about Austrlaia.
It is well known that the US has sterotyped Australia with Crocodile Dundee and Steve Irwin, the Croc hunter. We are not all rednecks with that heavy aussie accent. You really only find those people in central Australia, a minorty.
We do host an abundance of poisonous and venomous flora and fauna (animals, insects, plants, sea life). You rarely ever come into contact with such things in the city and if you do, they will be more scared of you than you of them (save for plants). Nearly all our spiders are venomous but you rarely find them in the cities.
In Victoria we have redback spiders http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redback_spider and you see them from time to time. The misconception here that although highly venomous, they won't kill you, just give you a nasty ass sting that feels like your skin if on fire. I've been bit before and got a rash from it when i was younger but it wasn't lethal (or maybe that's the way Aussies are built, hard!)
There are no koalas, dingos, crocs or emus running on the streets unless you are in the outback (far country side) although there are some places like wild life parks which house wild kangaroos, you will never encounter these in the cities. You will however see lots of jellyfish in the northern parts of Australia.
Our flies are massive though. The blow flies are dirty and loud as fk! Luckily you only encounter these in the less built areas and no they are not poisonous. However, they do lay maggots in food, so be sure to cover your food up.
Fosters Beer is our international Beer but it's actually not popular in Australia. Each state has their own variant and for Victoria, we have the famous Victoria Bitter (famous for its bitterness) and Carlton Draught. A common trait with Australian beers is that they are generally all heavy and full flavoured beers. As opposed to Corona, heiniken and Budweiser, they will tase like water compared to Aussie Beers.
We do have an aussie accent but not as exaggerated as Steve Irwin or the Dundee. I can understand how that it is unique, the same as if someone were speaking American english, you'd pick it up straight away. In saying that, i did find people staring at me when in asia and speaking with an aussie accent and even the . The slanty eye guy speaking the white man language!
Australia always hears about people in the US suing each other for the most minor things. Mcdonalds coffee too hot, slipped in the mall, copyright infrigment this and that (this might be a global thing though). The Australian culture towards such petty things is we tell you to "harden the fuck up!" or "comically tell you to "walk it off"
ie.
John: Gets punched in the face and gets angry.
Peter: "walk if off"
John: John: Girlfriends dumps hims
Peter: walk it off"
John: House explodes
Peter: Walk it off mate"
John: *breaks his leg and begins to cry*
Peter: You crying? Harden the fuck up!
*Hotwater spills on Johns hand and is suffering 3rd degree burns*
John: ahh it burns!
Peters: You pussy, Harden the Fuck up!
John: Gets shot in the face
Peter: you playing dead? Harden the fuck up!
No, seriously, this is how we joke around!
It is well known that the US has sterotyped Australia with Crocodile Dundee and Steve Irwin, the Croc hunter. We are not all rednecks with that heavy aussie accent. You really only find those people in central Australia, a minorty.
We do host an abundance of poisonous and venomous flora and fauna (animals, insects, plants, sea life). You rarely ever come into contact with such things in the city and if you do, they will be more scared of you than you of them (save for plants). Nearly all our spiders are venomous but you rarely find them in the cities.
In Victoria we have redback spiders http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redback_spider and you see them from time to time. The misconception here that although highly venomous, they won't kill you, just give you a nasty ass sting that feels like your skin if on fire. I've been bit before and got a rash from it when i was younger but it wasn't lethal (or maybe that's the way Aussies are built, hard!)
There are no koalas, dingos, crocs or emus running on the streets unless you are in the outback (far country side) although there are some places like wild life parks which house wild kangaroos, you will never encounter these in the cities. You will however see lots of jellyfish in the northern parts of Australia.
Our flies are massive though. The blow flies are dirty and loud as fk! Luckily you only encounter these in the less built areas and no they are not poisonous. However, they do lay maggots in food, so be sure to cover your food up.
Fosters Beer is our international Beer but it's actually not popular in Australia. Each state has their own variant and for Victoria, we have the famous Victoria Bitter (famous for its bitterness) and Carlton Draught. A common trait with Australian beers is that they are generally all heavy and full flavoured beers. As opposed to Corona, heiniken and Budweiser, they will tase like water compared to Aussie Beers.
We do have an aussie accent but not as exaggerated as Steve Irwin or the Dundee. I can understand how that it is unique, the same as if someone were speaking American english, you'd pick it up straight away. In saying that, i did find people staring at me when in asia and speaking with an aussie accent and even the . The slanty eye guy speaking the white man language!
Australia always hears about people in the US suing each other for the most minor things. Mcdonalds coffee too hot, slipped in the mall, copyright infrigment this and that (this might be a global thing though). The Australian culture towards such petty things is we tell you to "harden the fuck up!" or "comically tell you to "walk it off"
ie.
John: Gets punched in the face and gets angry.
Peter: "walk if off"
John: John: Girlfriends dumps hims
Peter: walk it off"
John: House explodes
Peter: Walk it off mate"
John: *breaks his leg and begins to cry*
Peter: You crying? Harden the fuck up!
*Hotwater spills on Johns hand and is suffering 3rd degree burns*
John: ahh it burns!
Peters: You pussy, Harden the Fuck up!
John: Gets shot in the face
Peter: you playing dead? Harden the fuck up!
No, seriously, this is how we joke around!